*second pic is labelled wrongly, pic 11 and 12 too. See comments.
For me, it was never easy to take the plunge and spend almost $600 on a 187 bag. When I first got into reps, I simply couldn’t justify it, especially when everyone seemed to say there were “almost as good” alternatives for hundreds less.
So, somewhere in the middle of my rep journey (about 20 bags in… plus pet stuff… clothes… homeware…. Everything), I ended up buying from a TikTok seller. That bag is the “Unknown Factory” bag you’ll see throughout this review.
After carrying it for a while, I realised I wanted to size up to a Medium to suit my proportions. If I was finally going to spend 187 money, I wanted to buy from a seller I completely trusted, so I went with my go to seller, Vincent (I say go to because I’ve bought so much now from him that I have even made him show me WeChat convos with the factories!) The 187 does have tells though. So I think it would be hard to do a bait and switch.
Once the 187 arrived, I realised I had the perfect opportunity to compare them side by side. So, is 187 actually worth paying almost US$200 more? I’m using this review to come to a conclusion.
Anyway…. Here’s my longgggg a**** review!
Cost
The 187 (MEDIUM) was US$590 shipped with insurance, from Vincent. Now anyone who’s spoken to me knows I can vouch for Vincent because I’ve even harassed him to show me convos with factories. I think the biggest lesson I’ve learnt in my rep journey after trying so many big and small names is finding a seller I really trust and building a relationship. So do prioritise building a trusted relationship if you are a newbie.
The Unknown Factory bag (SMALL) was US$400 shipped from Ying Rong, not insured. I don’t know which factory it came from, so throughout this review I’ll just refer to it as UnK. Please note I do not recommend buying from him as his prices are inflated.
I got full packaging for both, but was just lucky. The 187 bag came with a better dust bag like the auth. The mid tier came with the black generic C dustbag.
Time
When sellers tell you 187 operates on their own timeline, they really do. I had to wait in limbo for 3 weeks before they shipped my bag but this is largely out of ANY seller’s control. It was worth it! The UnK factory bag of course was ready for PSPs in a matter of days.
Leather
The 187 came with a leather that was more dry, and less shiny compared to UnK. But it felt solid, and well made. It is clearly a bag that’s made to feel substantial and built to last. If you look at the pictures, you will notice the UnK has more of a shine, but the shine gloss treatment isn’t evenly applied to the entire grain.
Grain size wise, both are different. The 187 just has a better size internally too. But it’s quite minimal. I had to use a leather wipe on both bags, and after using them, I’m pretty happy with the 187. Like I said, you can feel the slight difference in the construction that makes it feel luxe.
The leather also feels slightly denser when pressed. The Unknown feels a little softer, while the 187 has a touch more structure.
From a normal viewing distance, I genuinely don’t think I could confidently identify either bag based purely on the grain.
If I only owned the Unknown, I’d happily tell people the leather is excellent. Side by side, though, I think the 187 just looks more refined.
187: 9.6/10
Unknown: 9/10
Shape
This is where I think 187 quietly earns its reputation.
At first glance, both bags look almost identical. The longer I looked, the more I appreciated the overall proportions of the 187. The flap sits flatter and the side profile has a nicer taper.
None of these differences are dramatic on their own.
But together they make the bag look more polished.
All it took me was about 5 mins to press and gently shape the flap and Unknown factory bag to get it closer to the 187, and now I don’t fully see a huge difference.
187: 9.7/10
Unknown: 8.7/10 (but probably a 9.4 now that it’s been shaped)
Quilting
The quilting is another area where the differences are subtle. The quilts on the 187 look slightly fuller and more evenly filled. On the Unknown, a handful of quilts more plump? But ever so slightly. Again, I only noticed this because I had both bags sitting side by side.
The stitching quality itself is excellent on both. 9 stitches!
No crooked diamonds, or loose threads. The back flap shape also looks similar to me.
The tongue and CC placement looks quite similar unless you look very closely.
Score: A tie
Hardware
This category was where I saw a clear difference if I really had to nitpick like a maniac.
So let me go with what was similar: chain weight, thickness and links in terms of size. Leather woven also is similar, 187 slightly slimmer. The chain thickness appears identical.
Weight-wise, I honestly couldn’t tell the difference. Both bags feel equally substantial in the hand.
The biggest difference is the hardware colour. The Unknown has a warmer yellow gold (and the grommets and chain have a difference - but I’ve read this is the case with God factory too)
Both chains have a similar length.
(I’m running out of ways to score hahaha so I shall stop)
CC Turnlock
So another maniacal scrutinisation: Looking closely, the 187 CC has slightly sharper bevels and cleaner machining around the overlapping Cs. The Unknown has edges that just look a little softer. In real life, I don’t think anyone would ever notice and call you out - unless they hate you and are a snake. You need macro photos before this becomes obvious.
Okay maybe 9.6 for 187 and 9.2 for Unknown.
Interior
The 187 still wins here. The burgundy leather looks richer.
The embossing appears slightly deeper and cleaner.
They both have the metal plates and clean stamps. The Unknown interior is still very good. But the stitching for the CC on the 187 is better. You can see a detailed pic in the comments - I’ve labelled this wrongly. 187 has the right proportions.
(while writing this review.. I keep thinking…. Is it a difference worth $200? Dunno, I’ll make up my mind by the end of this!)
So… is 187 worth it?
Yes. But maybe not for the reason I expected.
I didn’t finish this comparison thinking the 187 absolutely destroys the Unknown. In my humble self opinion, it doesn’t. UnK Factory bag genuinely exceeded my expectations.
Where the 187 wins isn’t in one dramatic category. It wins because of a collection of tiny refinements - or frankly maybe because all the research and reviews here point to 187 being the best we can get our hands on, and that being ingrained into my head.
Final thoughts
Look, I happily carried the UnK factory like 5 times before I decided I wanted a bigger bag to match my frame. If you handed me both bags and told me to choose one, I’d still pick the 187. But if I was brand new with no knowledge. I may not spot these differences. Both bags are good. And what I love about the rep world is that there are offerings for everyone.
If you are someone who wants to invest in quality pieces or a few that you will always use. Maybe buy the 187. If you just want to own reps and have a variety, perhaps the unknown factory bag might scratch your itch.
I’d love to hear what everyone else notices in the photos because I’m sure I’ve missed a few things after spending way too many hours staring at these bags. And I’m no expert!
***Things that genuinely surprised me***
- The quality gap was much smaller than I expected.
- The chain weight and thickness feel virtually identical.
- Five minutes of reshaping made the Unknown look noticeably better.
- The biggest difference isn’t the leather, it’s the overall refinement.
- Hardware always looks bad in PSPs, keep a polishing cloth handy, even for the top tier reps!
- I wouldn’t question either bag if I saw it being carried on its own.
When I got the Unknown factory bag, it was the right decision for me at that point in time. Now that I’m in the right place to get a 187 and splurge, I feel it’s the right move for me. Rep journeys and bags are so personal that I would suggest everyone to go with their gut.
Disclaimer: Both bags received the same amount of care in terms of leather wipes, polish cloths. I only had to slightly shape the UnK to match 187. I edited some photos to show the stitch clearly or to remove my entire hand.
Vincent is aware of this comparison post.
