REVIEW: DJ TechTools Controller Backpack

Posted by DJ Roodz on March 26, 2018

This post contains affiliate links. This a sponsored post in partnership with DJ TechTools.

Hey everyone! I’ll be honest: DJing while studying full-time at school isn’t always easy. Sometimes, I go straight from classes to gigs, and when that happens I don’t want to be the guy on the subway with a million bags. So, I teamed up with the folks at DJ TechTools to take a look at their Controller Backpack. Is it perfect for the on-the-go artist? Let’s find out!

The DJTechTools Controller Backpack | Photo by DJ Roodz

First Impressions

The backpack itself is pretty decently-sized. It’s not large to the point where you feel like there’s a suitcase on your back, but not so small where it’s like a kiddie backpack. The bag consists of a dedicated laptop sleeve along the back of the pack, and a clip-front that protects the other pockets. On the other side is a zipped pouch for small items like keys. When you open the main compartment, there’s a big pocket with a controller sleeve, and a zipped organizer on the front. On their website, DJTechTools claim that the sleeve can hold a Traktor S2 – sized controller. For comparison, the S2 is about the size of a Roland DJ 505, Traktor S5 or a Pioneer DDJ SB. The exact dimensions of the sleeve are 18 x 12 x 3 (inches). The front pocket has a smaller sleeve, business card organizer, and netted pocket along the zipped flap.

The left side of the backpack features a dedicated laptop sleeve. | Photo by DJ Roodz

The Good

The DJTT bag features a lot of padding on the back and straps, making it feel super comfy even when full. For the most part, it feels like you’re carrying a regular backpack. This made a big difference for me compared to my current backpack, the Magma Riot XL. My shoulders weren’t strained, and I could put the bag on and take it off easily. The laptop pouch is much roomier than it looks. My 13″ MacBook Pro fit with lots of room. Plus, it’s super cushioned. I didn’t really worry about my laptop getting banged around. To be quite honest, I often forgot it was even there. The big main compartment allowed me to just toss in my headphones and Emergency DJ kit without having to fumble for the “right” pocket. I even managed to fit my DSLR and some other accessories with room to spare.

The DJTT backpack features a sleeve for S2-sized controllers. | Photo by DJ Roodz

The front pocket contains a smaller sleeve, netted pouch, and organizational space for pens, business cards, and other small items. | Photo by DJ Roodz

The Not-So-Good

Unfortunately, the controller sleeve – as well as the main compartment – are too small for my controller, the Pioneer DDJ SR (check out the latest model here). So, I still have to rely on my Magma bag for gigs that require a controller. To be honest, it was a pretty frustrating feeling: I was really hoping to have a bag that costed half the price that still fit my needs.

However, I still managed to put the DJTT bag through its paces. I used it for my most recent gig at Flattopps in Astoria. Over there, they have turntables and a mixer in-house. So, when I play, I don’t need to bring a huge amount of gear. In the main pocket are my records, slipmats, headphones, and Emergency DJ kit. When I started to load the front pocket, things got problematic. My needle case fit nicely in the small sleeve, and the organizer worked well for business cards and pens. But, I felt like the netted pocket in the front was a little useless. I got my sound card to fit in there, but it wasn’t super friendly in terms of accessibility. Whatever gear that went into the netted compartment often fell to the bottom and became hard to easily access. I personally would’ve preferred two smaller but similarly designed pockets to keep things more organized.

How I packed my DJTT Backpack for my vinyl gig at Flatopps in Astoria. | Photo by DJ Roodz

How Do I Use It?

The DJTT bag is perfectly geared for a traveling DJ. It’s well-designed for someone who goes from gig to gig without needing to carry much gear – a laptop, headphones, some accessories, and maybe some extra controllers like a MIDI Fighter or Kontrol F1. It wouldn’t take up terribly much room on a bus or train, and could maybe fit into an overhead compartment if you’re lucky. Personally, I love it as a school/gig bag. I’ll toss my calculator, some pencils, and notebooks in alongside my laptop, vinyls, and headphones, and go straight from class to a show without a problem. On days when I don’t have gigs, I swap in a Launchpad to work on tracks between classes. Overall, I’d give it an 8/10. The bag not being big enough for my DDJ SR really bothered me, but I still love it.

Want to see more? Check out my full video review below:

Grab the Controller Backpack V2 from DJ TechTools for $129 by clicking the pic below or hitting this link and let me know what you think of it in the comments!

UPDATE

Unfortunately, after some generally light use, I noticed after a gig on 5/26 that the inner lining of the backpack had torn. This was really disheartening, as I feel the bag didn’t endure any heavy usage since I’ve had it. Subsequently, I’ve reduced my rating from 8/10 to 7/10.