Cardinal Bag Supplies vs Klein ?

[measuredtwice]

The Klein zipper bags are handy but they are a little pricey at $9 for 1 or $32 for 4. The Klein bags are "Made in the USA with US and imported parts" and I'm willing to pay for that. I'm an American, not an American't

But I found some bags from Cardinal Bag Supplies that are also made in the USA and they only cost $9 for 2. That's half the price of the Klein bags. According to the Q&A on Amazon, they have a factory in Wisconsin. They have a website but when you add in the cost of shipping, then it ends up being cheaper to buy on Amazon.

I ordered a 2 pack to see if I like them. Will order a bunch more if they work out. Any of you guys tried them? How do they compare to the Kleins?


Cardinal Bag Supplies
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00Y1J8NO6/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Klein
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000MKDUKU/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[mikebaker1129]

No,but please post back your likes/dislikes about the Cardinal bags?

 

[gmwelder86]

Zipper looks less heavy duty on the cardinal. Klein bags are pretty tough and have a few, outside of zippers being tight when new I’ve never had an issue with them.

 

[measuredtwice]

I have the Klein bags so I can do a direct comparison when I get my order. I don't have Prime so I get extremely slow service from Amazon.

 

[Jayman17]

I have a Klein bag and love it. Nice, heavy duty zipper. I'm curious to hear how you like those other bags.


Jay

 

[bas157]

I'm curious what people generally use these bags for? Do you put wrenches in them, or supplies for whatever trade you are in?

 

[mikebaker1129]

I'm curious what people generally use these bags for? Do you put wrenches in them, or supplies for whatever trade you are in?

Both.
Not so much wrenchs,but other tools like mini screwdrivers,screwdriver bits, wire nuts and screws.

 

[Danglerb]

Once you have some bags, things just start going in them.

 

[Dagny]

the ykk zippers on klein are top notch.

 

[Dagny]

Yellow nuts red nuts 6/32 screws 8/32 screws green nuts impact bits knock out punches label maker torque screwdriver composite wedges twist drills wood drills unibits and one really nice leather one for checks and cash.

 

[gmwelder86]

In my weld bag I work I keep extra lenses in one, small tools in another and marking and layout stuff in another.

 

[measuredtwice]

the ykk zippers on klein are top notch.

I think the zipper on the Cardinal bags is also YKK. There's a blurry photo in the customer reviews. If you zoom in and look at the pull, it says YKK. I guess that makes these bags also made in USA with imported parts.

 

[jeffmoss26]

never heard of em before.

 

[kctyphoon]

Possible they are making the bags for Klein?

 

[Dave455]

I'm curious what people generally use these bags for? Do you put wrenches in them, or supplies for whatever trade you are in?

These bags are a bit light for storing wrenches or tools.

If you do electrical work though, there are a whole load of other things you need to carry to a job that those bags are just perfect for, so I understand why Klein carry them.

Here in the U.K. I use nylon reinforced plastic pouches that come from stationers, and use them for heat shrink, tape, socket screws, grommets, rawlplugs - pretty much anything that’s lightweight, but probably comes in a bag of 1000 that I don’t want to lug to a job!

If I’m doing an electrical job, either at home or elsewhere, I have a small metal toolbox with the essential tools, and a soft bag with my pouches of stuff and any special bits I need (usually industrial plugs and sockets).

I like the look of these though, and I see that U.K. Amazon offer them without loading the price!

 

[ttpete]

Klein also makes the bag in top grain leather. I have one I use to hold my driving glasses and various other items I might need. It tucks in nicely between the seat and center console.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0002RI64S/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[KnurledNut]

The cardinal bags are made of 600D poly. For reference, this is comparable to 450D nylon. Which is relatively light weight. I have Klein and Milwaukee bags, which both use No. 10 canvas. Kleins canvas seems to be a tighter weave and is coarser than the milwaukee, which has a softer feel. The zipper on the Klein is the better of the two. The Milwaukee does have a billowed bottom but that also adds more seams to fail. The Klein is one piece with seams on the sides only and a solid bottom.
My Kleins have a USA tag. Nothing about global materials. So maybe that has changed? The Milwaukee are M.I.C.
I also use some TopFlight Titanium zipper pencil pouches which are light duty but have held up quite well.

Edit: I see Kleins website now says M.I. USA w/.G.C.

 

[measuredtwice]

The cardinal bags are made of 600D poly. For reference, this is comparable to 450D nylon. Which is relatively light weight. I have Klein and Milwaukee bags, which both use No. 10 canvas. Kleins canvas seems to be a tighter weave and is coarser than the milwaukee, which has a softer feel. The zipper on the Klein is the better of the two. The Milwaukee does have a billowed bottom but that also adds more seams to fail. The Klein is one piece with seams on the sides only and a solid bottom.
My Kleins have a USA tag. Nothing about global materials. So maybe that has changed? The Milwaukee are M.I.C.
I also use some TopFlight Titanium zipper pencil pouches which are light duty but have held up quite well.

Edit: I see Kleins website now says M.I. USA w/.G.C.

I don't know 600D poly or 450D nylon. Is that like the material used for a laptop bag? Is No 10 canvas more durable?

I suspect that Klein just changed the COO on the tags, and didn't change the bags. I think the old bags also had imported YKK zippers.

Here's the tag on the Klein bag...

 

[measuredtwice]

I have Klein and Milwaukee bags, which both use No. 10 canvas. Kleins canvas seems to be a tighter weave and is coarser than the milwaukee, which has a softer feel. The zipper on the Klein is the better of the two. The Milwaukee does have a billowed bottom but that also adds more seams to fail. The Klein is one piece with seams on the sides only and a solid bottom.

I saw the Milwaukee bags yesterday and they definitely weren't made out of the same material as the Klein bags. The Milwaukee website claims it is no 10 canvas -->
https://milwaukeetool.com/Products/Storage-Solutions/Tool-Belts-and-Pouches/Pouches/48-22-8180
But what I saw wasn't at all comparable. Maybe it changed since you bought them. The quality was very low imho. I had the impression that it was synthetic. Maybe just the bottom was synthetic. I'll take another look when I pick up some more stuff. They were the same price as the Klein bags at Fleetfarm.

Still haven't gotten my order from Amazon. Looks like expected delivery date is Saturday.
I've gotten orders faster from Amazon.co.jp (Japan) --Haha!

I hope the synthetic material on the Cardinal bags is better than the material on the Milwaukee bags.

 

[mikebaker1129]

These bags are a bit light for storing wrenches or tools.

If you do electrical work though, there are a whole load of other things you need to carry to a job that those bags are just perfect for, so I understand why Klein carry them.

Here in the U.K. I use nylon reinforced plastic pouches that come from stationers, and use them for heat shrink, tape, socket screws, grommets, rawlplugs - pretty much anything that’s lightweight, but probably comes in a bag of 1000 that I don’t want to lug to a job!

If I’m doing an electrical job, either at home or elsewhere, I have a small metal toolbox with the essential tools, and a soft bag with my pouches of stuff and any special bits I need (usually industrial plugs and sockets).

I like the look of these though, and I see that U.K. Amazon offer them without loading the price!

Do you have picture of what you use ?
I have no idea what you are using and I am curios .

I also have one of the Milwaukee bags and it seems okay ,but not near as heavy duty as the Klein bags. Softer and I doubt it is the same grade canvas as the Klein.

 

[Aileron]

Who makes them in military grade aircraft weave?

 

[tym]

I like my Klein bag. Beefy zipper and can't beat good-quality canvas. I have some surplus military bags that are made of decades-old canvas and are tough as nails.

 

[spoon671]

I like my Klein bag. Beefy zipper and can't beat good-quality canvas. I have some surplus military bags that are made of decades-old canvas and are tough as nails.

I have some tool pouches from ToolPak I bought years ago, MIL-spec canvas. Ooh that smell. Can you smell that sm--- nevermind.

Come around to a couple of years ago and they changed the construction to a nylon. It was for my company not personal so I didn't mind but apparently that MIL-spec canvas stuff causes cancer? Anyway ToolPak couldn't sell them anymore and on that order the guy was kind enough to toss a couple my way without paying for them. Thanks brother!

Back to Klein bags, I've used them for two decades and the only issue I've ever had was the zipper pull falling apart. No big deal, you can buy new zipper pulls.

Sent from my SM-G973U using Tapatalk

 

[tym]

^ Was it waterproof canvas? Might be something they used to impregnate/dye it vs the canvas itself, which should just be cotton.

 

[measuredtwice]

I received the Cardinal bags. They are well made but they won't work for me as a substitute for the Klein bags. They seem light duty. The YKK zipper is finer (and smoother) than the heavy duty YKK zipper on the Klein bags. The synthetic poly material seems to be of good quality but it is thin. My Klein bags are made of cotton canvas but Klein also makes some out of a synthetic cordura --> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OQSS6S/?tag=atomicindus08-20 I haven't personally seen these cordura bags so I don't know how they compare to the canvas bags from Klein or the poly bags from Cardinal.

 

[DSLTRK]

I received the Cardinal bags. They are well made but they won't work for me as a substitute for the Klein bags. They seem light duty. The YKK zipper is finer (and smoother) than the heavy duty YKK zipper on the Klein bags. The synthetic poly material seems to be of good quality but it is thin. My Klein bags are made of cotton canvas but Klein also makes some out of a synthetic cordura --> https://www.amazon.com/dp/B000OQSS6S/?tag=atomicindus08-20 I haven't personally seen these cordura bags so I don't know how they compare to the canvas bags from Klein or the poly bags from Cardinal.

So, after having both in hand, is the Cardinal bag worth the $5, even if it is delegated to light duty use?

 

[measuredtwice]

So, after having both in hand, is the Cardinal bag worth the $5, even if it is delegated to light duty use?

I think it's a good deal if you need a lighter duty bag. It's a bit smaller than the Klein bags. The zipper is smaller. The construction is similar except there's a seam on the bottom of the bag and the stitches are smaller.

Here are a couple photos.

 

[neophyte]

One thing you might want to consider as far as the fabric goes is whether the fabric in one style of bags may be “sized” with starch, or fabric softener, or some other substance, and the fabric in the other style bags has been washed.
Carhartt clothing for instance has a reputation as being as still as cardboard, particularly the Cotton Duck pants.
Once you wash the clothing a few times and the sizing washes out, the fabric is much softer, more flexible, and somewhat thinner and lighter in weight.
The Klein bags are stiff enough that the fabric may still have sizing in it, where other manufactuers may use fabric with less sizing.

 

[mikebaker1129]

Measuredtwice
Thank you for the follow up!

 

[KnurledNut]

I suspect that Klein just changed the COO on the tags, and didn't change the bags. I think the old bags also had imported YKK zippers.

The old bags were USA made. The zipper on your Klein bag has been changed. Its possible its now imported.
(While on the subject of zippers in general, Ideal Fasteners is the second largest zipper manufacturer in the world, and is used in military applications. They are also known for their high quality.)

But what I saw wasn't at all comparable. Maybe it changed since you bought them. The quality was very low imho. I had the impression that it was synthetic. Maybe just the bottom was synthetic. I'll take another look when I pick up some more stuff. They were the same price as the Klein bags at Fleetfarm.

The bottom is coated on the inside to provide some moisture protection. As i mentioned before, they do “feel” lighter, but dont write them off. They are very good heavy duty bags.

Do you have picture of what you use ?
I have no idea what you are using and I am curios .

I also have one of the Milwaukee bags and it seems okay ,but not near as heavy duty as the Klein bags. Softer and I doubt it is the same grade canvas as the Klein.

One thing you might want to consider as far as the fabric goes is whether the fabric in one style of bags may be “sized” with starch, or fabric softener, or some other substance, and the fabric in the other style bags has been washed.
Carhartt clothing for instance has a reputation as being as still as cardboard, particularly the Cotton Duck pants.
Once you wash the clothing a few times and the sizing washes out, the fabric is much softer, more flexible, and somewhat thinner and lighter in weight.
The Klein bags are stiff enough that the fabric may still have sizing in it, where other manufactuers may use fabric with less sizing.

Good info neophyte. And possibly the case with the Klein bags.

 

[measuredtwice]

I suspect that Klein just changed the COO on the tags, and didn't change the bags. I think the old bags also had imported YKK zippers.

^^

I was wrong. Some of the older Klein bags have a zipper manufactured by Lenzip in the USA. I looked through my bags and made a direct comparison of the newer and older Klein bags. I wonder why they switched to imported YKK zippers. The zippers are similar but the Lenzip USA zippers are much smoother. A lot of Amazon reviews complain about the imported YKK zippers being rough opening.

 

[KnurledNut]

^^

I was wrong. Some of the older Klein bags have a zipper manufactured by Lenzip in the USA. I looked through my bags and made a direct comparison of the newer and older Klein bags. I wonder why they switched to imported YKK zippers. The zippers are similar but the Lenzip USA zippers are much smoother. A lot of Amazon reviews complain about the imported YKK zippers being rough opening.

I have a couple Klein bags with the Lenzip. They are very smooth and have held up well. I also have some with the USA YKK. And still others with the imported YKK. Three generations.