ill?? Ya!! - A Review of the Legendary IljaBag

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CRKDMike
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ill?? Ya!! - A Review of the Legendary IljaBag

Post by CRKDMike » 14 Sep 2013 12:10

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Legendary doesn't do this footbag enough justice. I received this footbag from Ilja about two and a half weeks ago, and since then I have been shredding with it, in an attempt to build an opinion on it as a purchase option. For those seeking to purchase a new footbag for freestyling, listen up.

Preference over the size/weight/fullness/fill material/panel material and colour/construction of a footbag varies dynamically from person to person, so I cannot give any one footbag the "best footbag" award. However, there are several stitchers that hit the mark just right for me personally, and Ilja is one of them. I personally look for a 32-panel bag that is on the heavy side, about 40-50% full, around the size of a golf ball, with steel (or mixed) filler, in Ultrasuede Light, looking like anything except a soccer ball in terms of a pattern. IljaBags (or at least the one I received) are the new benchmark for me in terms of all of those attributes.

Coming in at 1-5/8 inches, this footbag is the perfect balance in size between dexability, and visibility. The size of this IljaBag hits the mark dead on for me, and falls somewhere between an Abshire Fearless 55 (on right), and a HaniaBag (on left):

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The size of this IljaBag allows it to be dexed more consistently hands down, and I found myself hitting tricks more easily, and consistently because of it. With the ability to consistently dex a footbag, comes the ability to correct ones movements, and ultimately improve ones game as a freestyler. I am not a freestyle footballer, so the size of the footbag plays an important role in my game, I'm not sure about yours.

I do not have a scale available to me, but I would hazard a guess that this IljaBag weighs in at about 55/60 grams. In other words, it strikes a perfect balance between feeling good (the ability to feel the footbag on your foot and connect with it in terms of control), and not requiring so much muscle to set. it's not so heavy that it would tire you out quicker, but it is heavy enough to stall perfectly, and feel good through strings. Gone are the days of 100% plastic bead filler, and this IljaBag is the epitome of a "new school" weighted footbag.

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As you can see (above), the IljaBag is about 40% - 50% full of Stainless Steel filler. Meaning, no chance of rust ruining your IljaBag. I think that this choice of filler material, as well as fill amount is somewhat standard among stitchers/players, and it's safe to say that Ilja is paying attention to players preferences (and/or possibly his own preferences). The fill amount also seems to work in perfect harmony With Ilja's choice of panel material, and construction (ie. gather and bite).
Speaking of which, taking a look at the construction of the IljaBag, you can plainly see that this is a high quality footbag, and there has been no issues with regards to leakage, or seams becoming loose/visible. I would guess that Ilja uses a low bite, medium gather kind of construction, but I have not opened up the footbag, so I cannot be sure. It definitely feels like it is a happy medium with regards to both bite and gather. Very similar to a HaniaBag (on the bottom) in terms of construction:

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Needless to say, this footbag is an all-around performer in terms of playability. It sets and stalls with the best of them, and keeps it's shape well at the same time (ie. not flopping around like a sticky pancake). The IljaBag is my benchmark for the most desirable attributes in a footbag, HANDS DOWN. This footbag is a Hall of Famer, and therefore should exist in every freestyler's arsenal of footbags, that is of course, unless you are looking for a footbag that is not well rounded in every way. Speaking of well rounded footbags, here is a shot of the IljaBag among other footbags (of which I have also reviewed). From left to right, HaniaBag, IljaBag, Fearless 55 Abshire, and and I^2 footbag.

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This IljaBag sports three vibrant colours, in a pallet that is unisex, and a pattern that is unique. I am not someone who places a huge value on the colour of my footbags, but I find it to be a bonus when a footbag is stylish, and compatible with my own personal style. I also personally loathe footbags that look like soccer balls, as they are not in fact soccer balls, and therefore I feel that they should employ their own unique patterns. For me, the more unique the footbag looks, the more I love it. The IljaBag that I have here, again strikes a perfect balance between visibility, style, and (according to Ilja) durability/feel, since some Ultrasuede Light colours feel different than others.

SUMMARY:
-top-quality bag, stitching, and attributes
-lends itself to beginners, pros, and everyone in between
-sets and stalls consistently
-keeps it's shape, no in-air wobble
-instantly shreddable out of the box, NO BREAK-IN REQUIRED. Although the IljaBag will inevitably break-in, and reach it's peak playability as well as it's useful lifespan just like other Ultrasuede Light footbags

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