Golf Stand Bag Review
In the market for a new golf stand bag? In this video, golf bag expert Dan Parker runs through the best stand bags you can buy this year regardless of whether you're looking for something lightweight, waterproof, inexpensive or a pencil bag - we've got you covered in this comprehensive round up.
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00:00This is our biggest stand bag test to date.
00:02Over 15 models on test,
00:04so whatever bag you're looking for,
00:05I've got you covered today.
00:06Check out all the ones you can see here,
00:07and some others.
00:08Let's get started.
00:09Let's go.
00:10Right then, back in the studio,
00:14and there are loads of bags on test,
00:16as I just mentioned.
00:17If you like the look of any of the ones you see
00:19in this video,
00:19I've put some handy links down in the description,
00:21where you can find the best price for each bag
00:23in your area.
00:24So, five categories today,
00:26I'm going to be looking at,
00:27and I'm going to crown an overall winner.
00:28Those categories are best lightweight,
00:30best waterproof,
00:31best value,
00:33best Sunday slash pencil bag,
00:35excited for that,
00:36and then best looking,
00:37best vinyl bag,
00:39which is another emerging category
00:40I'm excited to talk about today.
00:42I'm going to start with best lightweight,
00:44because whenever my friends or colleagues ask,
00:46what's the best bag?
00:47They often want to know which is the best lightweight bag.
00:49So, I think this is a really important category
00:51for a lot of golfers.
00:52So, a few ones I want to highlight,
00:54before I give you my category winner.
00:56Firstly, is the Vessel Sunday 3.
00:59This comes in at two and a half kilos,
01:00which is pretty lightweight for a bag of that quality,
01:03with that kind of materialing on it.
01:04And that does fit 14 clubs.
01:07There are some really lightweight ones like here,
01:09the Sunday Golf Loma XL,
01:111.4 kilos.
01:13So, super, super lightweight,
01:14but it's a Sunday bag.
01:16So, it doesn't carry a full set.
01:17So, I'm going to talk more about that a little later.
01:19One from last year,
01:20which is worth a shout out,
01:21is the Wilson ExoLite Standbag.
01:23This is 1.8 kilos.
01:25So, really, really lightweight.
01:26It's got a four-way divider,
01:28some magnetic pockets,
01:29which just adds to the overall appeal of the bag.
01:32And it also had a really large water bottle pocket,
01:35which is something I'm always looking out for on standbags.
01:36So, that's a good example from last year.
01:38But two examples of new bags from this year.
01:41Firstly, the Sun Mountain H2 No Lightspeed,
01:45newly updated for 2024.
01:47Two kilos,
01:48carries a full set of 14,
01:49and this is feature-packed.
01:51Huge cooler pocket,
01:52a really big valuables pocket as well,
01:54and a four-way divider that can easily carry that set of 14.
01:57And at 1.4 kilos,
01:58it's the TaylorMade FlexTech SuperLite.
02:01And when you put SuperLite on a bag name,
02:03it needs to be SuperLite,
02:04and this really is.
02:05It carries a full set of 14.
02:07It's got a waterproof valuables pocket,
02:09full-length apparel pocket,
02:11as well as two pockets at the front
02:12for balls, tees, rangefinders,
02:14whatever the heck you want to put in the front of that bag.
02:17But at 1.4 kilos,
02:18to be this comfortable,
02:19and to carry everything that it does,
02:21is an absolute standout in this category,
02:23and easily the winner for best lightweight standbag.
02:28Okay, for my second category,
02:31we're going to focus in on the best waterproof standbags.
02:34Now, another key factor for a lot of people
02:36when buying a standbag,
02:37who play in inclement weather.
02:38So I'm going to look at some of my favorites,
02:40and then crown my winner.
02:41Firstly, I want to mention this.
02:43It's the Motocaddy Hydraflex.
02:45Brand new in 2023.
02:46It was given an update.
02:48But a great hybrid bag.
02:49It's a standbag and a cart bag.
02:51I've taken the straps off it.
02:52I've mostly used it as a cart bag.
02:54But it's really well-proportioned.
02:55It's got that easy-lock base on the bottom.
02:58So if you are using it on a trolley,
03:00it will slot in there without the need for the bungee strap.
03:02And it's fully waterproof,
03:04which is why I'm giving it a shout-out in this section.
03:06It's a real all-rounder for all year.
03:09Because if you carry, or use it on a trolley,
03:11or use it in good weather,
03:12or use it in bad weather,
03:14it's there for you.
03:15And I wanted to give that a bit of a shout-out,
03:16as something I think a few of you guys could really enjoy.
03:19A couple of other shout-outs I want to give
03:21are to the Titleist Players 4 Stay Dry.
03:24Great all-rounder.
03:24We tested it in a nice purple colorway this year.
03:27And the Callaway Fairway CHD,
03:29which we tested in a bright orange colorway this year.
03:32I was a huge fan of it.
03:33I know my colleague Barry, who tested it,
03:35is also a huge fan of it.
03:37There are more subtle ones available,
03:39if that's not for you.
03:40But as a bag itself,
03:41it's a really great all-rounder.
03:42Fully waterproof,
03:44pretty lightweight in the grand scheme of things.
03:46Well-proportioned for clubs and accessories,
03:49and a full-length power pocket.
03:51And some really great straps and hip pads.
03:53They've got really nice material that Callaway use.
03:54It's really soft,
03:56and makes for a nice carrying experience,
03:57which I think is sort of the minimum
03:59for most sandbags nowadays.
04:00So there's another great option.
04:02And lastly, before I crown my winner,
04:04is Big Macs.
04:05And the Aqua 7 and the Aqua 8.
04:07The 8 being bigger than the 7.
04:09Again, great volume.
04:11Big Macs get a bit underrated in this section, actually.
04:13But I think the waterproof materials they use
04:16are really well-constructed.
04:17And it comes with a three-year guarantee on it,
04:19which most of the bags can't offer.
04:21So those shout-outs are some really great
04:23waterproof sandbags.
04:24You'll be happy with any of them.
04:25But I wanted to crown my winner,
04:27because it stands out for me,
04:29for the attention to detail.
04:30And that is this.
04:31It's the Sun Mountain H2No Light Speed.
04:34And I've been using this pretty much all winter
04:36and all spring,
04:36in what's been a very wet United Kingdom recently.
04:40And you can see how good it looks still,
04:42after a bit of a battering.
04:43It really survives the weather.
04:45And this waterproof material is impenetrable.
04:48The zips are seam-sealed,
04:49so there's absolutely no leakage whatsoever.
04:52This zipper here, you can control with one hand,
04:54which is a nice touch.
04:55If you might have an umbrella in one hand here,
04:57but you want to get into a pocket,
04:58that can all be operated with one hand.
05:00And the pockets are really well-proportioned.
05:02You can see this has been thought of
05:03and designed by golfers.
05:05And the key example for that is the valuables pocket,
05:07which has this divider in the middle,
05:10which means you can put your keys in one side
05:12and your phone in the other,
05:13and it stops them from scratching.
05:15Because we've all had it where we've put keys
05:16and a phone in a valuables pocket,
05:18and your keys have scratched your phone,
05:20or some coins have scratched your phone.
05:21And that's just a really nice touch
05:23that makes you look and think about this bag
05:25as being well-thought of.
05:27And for this year, it must be worth mentioning,
05:30Sun Mountain are offering embroidery on the ball pocket.
05:32So I've got my name
05:33and the beautiful Golf Monthly logo there.
05:35That sort of thing's normally apportioned
05:37to clubs doing bulk orders for their club crest,
05:40but now you can get it on individual bags
05:42you purchase at Sun Mountain.
05:43So the reason this is my winner
05:45in the best waterproof category
05:46is how good it is as a waterproof bag,
05:49you know, out and out,
05:50and for the attention to detail,
05:51and the little touches that they've put
05:54across this entire bag for this redesign.
05:56So well done to Sun Mountain,
05:57and that's my best waterproof standbag of 2024.
06:01OK, next up, let's chat about the best value standbags.
06:07Now, I don't lean too heavily on these brands,
06:09but McGregor and Big Macs, for me,
06:11where you're going to find the best value
06:12in the standbag market.
06:14They make some really good bags at great prices.
06:16I've already mentioned the Aqua 7G in the previous segment.
06:19160 quid for a well-proportioned, fully waterproof bag.
06:23That's as good as you're going to get price-wise, really,
06:25for one that really works.
06:26But my winner in this category
06:27has got to go to the McGregor.
06:28This is the Paramount 14 Hybrid bag.
06:31Now, 14 being it's got a 14-way full divider.
06:35That splits opinion, I get it,
06:36but because this is a hybrid bag,
06:38you can use it as a standbag and as a cart bag.
06:41It's only 120 quid.
06:43It's basically two bags in one.
06:44And yes, the material's a little cheaper.
06:47There's no denying that.
06:48But the padding is good.
06:49The straps are comfortable.
06:51There's well-proportioned pockets across it.
06:53There's a valuables pocket, a drinks pocket,
06:55a pencil pocket.
06:56It's got everything.
06:57And for 120 quid for a bag that can be used
06:59in multiple situations,
07:01there isn't much better than this.
07:02And a shout out to McGregor for their other bags as well,
07:05for making really great value options
07:07for people across the market.
07:11Okay, so this next category is one
07:12we've only really delved into this year for the first time.
07:14I'm excited to talk about it.
07:15It's Sunday bags, pencil bags,
07:17whatever you want to call it.
07:18It's really lightweight bags
07:19that carry roughly half a set
07:21and are great if you're playing nine of an evening
07:23or just carry half a set anyway
07:25and want a really lightweight bag.
07:27We've tested three this year and one last year
07:29that I want to talk about.
07:30The one from last year is a tightless premium carry bag.
07:32That's one with no legs on it.
07:34A great option if it really is half a set
07:35on a Sunday evening.
07:37But this one is a little bit different.
07:38It's a tightless premium carry bag
07:39that's got a really nice leather material
07:41and it's a great option if you're playing nine of an evening
07:43or just carry half a set on a Sunday evening.
07:45But the three we've tested this year,
07:47I think are really comprehensive
07:48and genuine options for any kind of golfer really.
07:51I'll come on to my favorite in a minute,
07:52but a couple of shout outs first.
07:54The Vessel Sunday 3.
07:56Now, this is Sunday by name,
07:59but I wouldn't say quite Sunday by nature.
08:01It's a pretty comprehensive bag,
08:02perfectly proportioned for 14 clubs,
08:05beautifully made as every Vessel bag is
08:07and not quite Sunday by nature
08:09in the next two I'm going to talk about.
08:10So next up is the Callaway Par 3 HD.
08:15Now this weighs, comes in at two kilos.
08:17It's not the lightest Sunday bag on the planet,
08:19but it's got those brilliant sort of slightly smaller legs
08:21that are maybe about a foot long.
08:22They'll just keep that front end of the bag off the ground
08:24when you leave it in places.
08:26You can squeeze 14 into it,
08:28but it's a little bit of a tight one.
08:29I'd say eight to 10 or 11 are probably best
08:32if you're using this bag.
08:33But it's super lightweight
08:34and as with all Callaway bags,
08:35really well built, really well proportioned as well
08:38for the kind of bag that it is.
08:39I think if you're after a classic Sunday bag
08:41with those small legs, there's your one to go for.
08:45However, my winner is a bag I've just,
08:47I sort of fell in love with weirdly.
08:48I know that's a weird thing to say about golf bags
08:50because they're inanimate objects, but it's this.
08:53It's the Sunday Golf Loma XL.
08:56So it's literally in the brand's name to be Sunday bags here.
08:59And this thing's just gorgeous.
09:01This toasted almond Callaway,
09:03I think makes this thing look really trendy.
09:05And I've never used a Sunday bag before.
09:07So I'm excited to talk about it today.
09:09And I've used this for a couple of rounds,
09:11only fits eight clubs at absolute maximum,
09:13proper Sunday bag half set.
09:16But they've just thought about everything in this bag,
09:19everything else in this bag perfectly.
09:21There's a pocket for everything.
09:23There's a brilliant valuables pocket,
09:24which is still velour lined.
09:26It's like really soft red felt.
09:28There's somewhere to stick your glove,
09:29somewhere to stick the pencils,
09:31a little sort of mesh pocket here,
09:33which I've put a range finder in or a GPS,
09:35wherever you use.
09:36And my absolute favorite, and you can see it now,
09:38it's the frosty pocket.
09:39I mean, that in its own brought a smile to my face.
09:42It's quite a fun bag,
09:43but this can perfectly fit a water bottle
09:45or two cans of your favorite hard seltzer,
09:47whatever you might as drink out on the golf course.
09:49And I could just tell this bag has been made
09:51with love, care, and attention by people who love the game
09:54and love what a Sunday bag is all about, right?
09:56So if you're in the market for one
09:58and you're looking for a lightweight,
10:00but still very well proportioned half set bag
10:04that looks beautiful and just makes you smile,
10:06it's made me smile,
10:07the Sunday Golf Loma XL is a real winner.
10:13Okay, so my final category, I've called it best looking,
10:16but what I'm really looking at here are those best
10:18like vinyl bags, you know, those classic bags
10:20that are very much coming back into style now.
10:23Ogio bought a new one out this year called the Shadow,
10:25love that name, and there were some shadowy colors in it.
10:28I think the all black one that my colleagues tested
10:31looks so clean.
10:32So if you're one of those golfers
10:33that loves a classic looking bag
10:34and wants that to be sort of, you know,
10:36as clean as possible so you can add your color in it
10:39on your towel or on the head covers or whatever it is,
10:42that Ogio Shadow just looks absolutely mint.
10:44So well done to them for that,
10:46sort of latching onto this trend
10:47and doing a really concise job of it.
10:50Another bag worth mentioning for style
10:52is the Minimal Terra SE1.
10:53Interestingly, this bag has no zips,
10:56only magnetic pockets,
10:58which do work very well and are very premium,
11:01although they do mean it isn't 100% waterproof,
11:02so bear that in mind.
11:04That said, the frost white color
11:05on that recycled nylon material worth noting,
11:08that looks super cool,
11:09and there's plenty of storage on offer throughout the bag.
11:12Definitely one of the best looking of 2024.
11:14The two I want to really focus on though
11:16that I think needs to bring people's attention,
11:17firstly, the Stitch SL2 Fadeaway.
11:20Stitch, again, an emerging brand,
11:22they do apparel, they do bags,
11:23and this SL2 Fadeaway is beautifully crafted.
11:25My colleague Neil's been using it,
11:27he's got his initials on it,
11:29and it's a beautiful navy colorway,
11:30and again, really, really well-built bag.
11:33The reason it's not quite won this category
11:34is it's just missing a few pockets, in our opinion.
11:36It's missing at least a big valuables,
11:39sorry, no, a big apparel pocket,
11:41and probably one on the front for some balls as well,
11:44from the feedback Neil has,
11:45and it was just missing a couple,
11:46but still beautifully crafted
11:48in this emerging trending space.
11:51But the winner, and the comfortable winner for me,
11:53is another bag I've fallen in love with.
11:54I keep falling in love with inanimate objects this year,
11:57but hey, that's my job.
11:59It's the Vessel Sunday 3,
12:00in this beautiful gray colorway.
12:02This is, again, it's not quite a Sunday bag by name,
12:05as I mentioned a minute ago,
12:06but it is perfectly proportioned for me,
12:08for a full set of 14, and all the accessories you need.
12:11It's got a big enough apparel pocket
12:14to put one sort of gilet in, maybe.
12:16The valuables pocket's brilliantly lined.
12:18It's got a magnetic rangefinder pocket.
12:21I'm a sucker for a magnetic pocket, I really am.
12:23And then a decent pocket on the front for the balls.
12:25And it's just really clean, really well-designed.
12:28And I know they're on the expensive end.
12:30I think this one's just shy of 300 pounds,
12:32but that's not much more than some others, I think.
12:34And you really feel like
12:36you get your money's worth with that.
12:38So there you have it.
12:38That was our biggest standbag test to date.
12:41Hope you've enjoyed that.
12:42And let me know which of these is your favorite,
12:43or if I've missed any out
12:44that you feel deserve a shout out.
12:47Now, if you'd like to look at any of the bags
12:49you've seen on Tested Out,
12:50I'll put some handy links down in that description,
12:52but you can find the best price for each bag in your area.
12:55Now, as I said at the top, one winner only.
12:58I'm going to have to pick my favorite.
13:00And actually, it wasn't too much of a tricky one for me.
13:03It was nearly that Sunday bag.
13:05Nearly snuck it for me.
13:06But the Vessel Sunday 3, it's become my gamer bag.
13:11I hate that phrase, but it is.
13:12It's what I use all the time.
13:13You can see some of my trinkets are still on it.
13:15It's felt genuinely, I don't want to be dramatic,
13:18like a sort of extension of myself.
13:19This thing fits on my back perfectly.
13:22It carries just what I need and no more.
13:25I don't need all that clutter.
13:26No more and no less.
13:28And it's beautiful.
13:28I've had a lot of comments saying
13:30just how good this bag looks.
13:32I'm one of those people that likes a really clean bag
13:35who can then accessorize it
13:36with like towels and head covers and stuff.
13:37And that does that job perfectly.
13:40All of my categories though, I think are worthy standbags.
13:43So depending on what your priorities are,
13:46whether it's lightweight, waterproof, hybrid, value,
13:49there are some great options here.
13:50As I said, let me know down in those comments
13:52what your favorite was.
13:53But for now, thank you for watching.
13:55I'll see you next time.