Lightweight Stand Bags

[aiyyer]

VLS is great for walkers. Balances well, no club tangle  and the pockets are just enough. The water bottle pocket sucks though and needs to be bigger. 

[tleader]

Finally pulled the trigger on a Hoofer Lite. 

Love everything about it, small complaint about the bottle holder, but unzipped it fits a decent sized Yeti.  

 

Construction is miles better than SM, and tangle is no worse than my 3.5. 

[AMBRJA02]

Ogio makes a great bag.

[hlc_golf]

On 3/26/2023 at 7:39 AM, bills19s said:

Has anyone tried the new Vessel Sunday III? According to Vessel it is heavier than the VLS which is kind of weird but the base looks more solid on the sunday. How does the DXR repel water compared to lets say a Stadry bag?

I don't have any experience with the Vessel Sunday bag, but DXR is essentially X-PAC material made by Challenge Sailcloth which is fully waterproof and highly abrasion resistant.  Its commonly used in wilderness backpacking packs/gear due to these qualities.  People use this material on 1000+ mile thru-hikes while bushwacking through the mountains.  I wouldn't have any qualms about it's waterproofness and durability and tbh, I'm surprised its not a more commonly used material by more golf brands.  As someone who backpacks a lot, I see a lot of potential crossover in materials and techniques between the two industries.

[tatertot]

Anybody else get tired of using water bottle pockets and started using these and carabiners to carry their drinks?

 

 

Edited September 5, 2023 by tatertot

[eric61]

Bringing this thread back up … I’m going to do a deep dive for answers to my question here, but there are 38 pages, so I’ll also just throw it out there for fresh thoughts:

 

I walk and carry about 95% of my rounds, and need to replace my Sun Mountain 2.5+ that’s looking pretty rough these days. I could do another 2.5+, but am looking for a couple slight tweaks:

 

— At least some water resistance. I play in any weather they’ll let me on the course in, and the Sun Mountain really doesn’t do anything to keep my stuff dry in the rain. 
 

— A better strap system. I couldn’t count how many rounds I carried that 2.5+, yet I somehow never quite got the straps just right. 
 

— Ideally a magnetic rangefinder pocket. This one is the least important on this list, not a huge deal at all, but would be nice.

 

— Continuing with minimal branding is important to me. 
 

— I drink a ton of water, refill about every three holes, so a functional water bottle pocket that can hold a 20oz Hydroflask is key.
 

Here’s my main question: Anybody that has used any of these and can compare, how are the carry experiences? Are any noticeably lighter or heavier? Any particular pain points? Anything important to know about any of the focal points I listed above?
 

I’m looking at a few options:

 

1. Vessel VLS. I actually already ordered one because of their Black Friday sale. It isn’t here yet. The only concern I’ve had in the past with Vessel bags, as a … wide-bodied, broad-shouldered person … is that the second strap is harder to get on and off with them than any other brand I’ve seen. It also always catches on my watch. Still, I LOVE the look, and know people say it’s a good carry experience and carries lighter than it is.

 

2. Ping Hoofer Lite. I love/hate/love the completely insane blue Kryptek color. Also love the blackout color. I know these are legendary bags but I’ve actually never used one. How’s it compare to these others?

 

3. Another Sun Mountain 2.5+. I kind of want to switch things up, but I also know this is the lightest carry bag out there.

 

4. Mizuno K1-LO. It seems like their 2023 version was a significant redesign of the pockets? It looks nice and the specs seem to match what I need, but I don’t think I’ve seen any chatter about it on here lately. Anybody using one?

 

5. Titleist Links Legend. I know this is too heavy. But it’s just so gorgeous. Somebody convince me it carries lighter than it is? Adding to tip grab handle, the four-way divider and the magnetic rangefinder pocket basically fixed three of my only four complaints about the Linksmaster. Last complaint is the water bottle pocket — that still needs work.

 

Anything I am not considering, but should add to this list?

 

I’m a gearhead sicko so I’ll probably end up with more than one of these bags. But I also know myself, and know that I’ll really only ever actually use one of them, while the rest sit in the closet.

[brew4eagle]

1 hour ago, eric61 said:

Bringing this thread back up … I’m going to do a deep dive for answers to my question here, but there are 38 pages, so I’ll also just throw it out there for fresh thoughts:

 

I walk and carry about 95% of my rounds, and need to replace my Sun Mountain 2.5+ that’s looking pretty rough these days. I could do another 2.5+, but am looking for a couple slight tweaks:

 

— At least some water resistance. I play in any weather they’ll let me on the course in, and the Sun Mountain really doesn’t do anything to keep my stuff dry in the rain. 
 

— A better strap system. I couldn’t count how many rounds I carried that 2.5+, yet I somehow never quite got the straps just right. 
 

— Ideally a magnetic rangefinder pocket. This one is the least important on this list, not a huge deal at all, but would be nice.

 

— Continuing with minimal branding is important to me. 
 

— I drink a ton of water, refill about every three holes, so a functional water bottle pocket that can hold a 20oz Hydroflask is key.
 

Here’s my main question: Anybody that has used any of these and can compare, how are the carry experiences? Are any noticeably lighter or heavier? Any particular pain points? Anything important to know about any of the focal points I listed above?
 

I’m looking at a few options:

 

1. Vessel VLS. I actually already ordered one because of their Black Friday sale. It isn’t here yet. The only concern I’ve had in the past with Vessel bags, as a … wide-bodied, broad-shouldered person … is that the second strap is harder to get on and off with them than any other brand I’ve seen. It also always catches on my watch. Still, I LOVE the look, and know people say it’s a good carry experience and carries lighter than it is.

 

2. Ping Hoofer Lite. I love/hate/love the completely insane blue Kryptek color. Also love the blackout color. I know these are legendary bags but I’ve actually never used one. How’s it compare to these others?

 

3. Another Sun Mountain 2.5+. I kind of want to switch things up, but I also know this is the lightest carry bag out there.

 

4. Mizuno K1-LO. It seems like their 2023 version was a significant redesign of the pockets? It looks nice and the specs seem to match what I need, but I don’t think I’ve seen any chatter about it on here lately. Anybody using one?

 

5. Titleist Links Legend. I know this is too heavy. But it’s just so gorgeous. Somebody convince me it carries lighter than it is? Adding to tip grab handle, the four-way divider and the magnetic rangefinder pocket basically fixed three of my only four complaints about the Linksmaster. Last complaint is the water bottle pocket — that still needs work.

 

Anything I am not considering, but should add to this list?

 

I’m a gearhead sicko so I’ll probably end up with more than one of these bags. But I also know myself, and know that I’ll really only ever actually use one of them, while the rest sit in the closet.

All I can offer is if you're looking to change it up from the 2.5+, then I'd avoid the K1-LO.  It's a lower quality mimic of a 2.5+ and the straps are really bad.

[eric61]

1 hour ago, brew4eagle said:

All I can offer is if you're looking to change it up from the 2.5+, then I'd avoid the K1-LO.  It's a lower quality mimic of a 2.5+ and the straps are really bad.

Fair enough! Thanks for the heads up — it’s off the list, then.

[MikeW2]

I had the links legend earlier this summer. It is a beautiful bag and does carry lighter than its’ weight. With that said, I wound up returning it because it’s small. The club tangle was irritating but still not as bad as a Hoofer and all the other pockets small.

[Jarlaxle]

On 11/22/2023 at 12:31 PM, eric61 said:

Bringing this thread back up … I’m going to do a deep dive for answers to my question here, but there are 38 pages, so I’ll also just throw it out there for fresh thoughts:

 

I walk and carry about 95% of my rounds, and need to replace my Sun Mountain 2.5+ that’s looking pretty rough these days. I could do another 2.5+, but am looking for a couple slight tweaks:

 

— At least some water resistance. I play in any weather they’ll let me on the course in, and the Sun Mountain really doesn’t do anything to keep my stuff dry in the rain. 
 

— A better strap system. I couldn’t count how many rounds I carried that 2.5+, yet I somehow never quite got the straps just right. 
 

— Ideally a magnetic rangefinder pocket. This one is the least important on this list, not a huge deal at all, but would be nice.

 

— Continuing with minimal branding is important to me. 
 

— I drink a ton of water, refill about every three holes, so a functional water bottle pocket that can hold a 20oz Hydroflask is key.
 

Here’s my main question: Anybody that has used any of these and can compare, how are the carry experiences? Are any noticeably lighter or heavier? Any particular pain points? Anything important to know about any of the focal points I listed above?
 

I’m looking at a few options:

 

1. Vessel VLS. I actually already ordered one because of their Black Friday sale. It isn’t here yet. The only concern I’ve had in the past with Vessel bags, as a … wide-bodied, broad-shouldered person … is that the second strap is harder to get on and off with them than any other brand I’ve seen. It also always catches on my watch. Still, I LOVE the look, and know people say it’s a good carry experience and carries lighter than it is.

 

2. Ping Hoofer Lite. I love/hate/love the completely insane blue Kryptek color. Also love the blackout color. I know these are legendary bags but I’ve actually never used one. How’s it compare to these others?

 

3. Another Sun Mountain 2.5+. I kind of want to switch things up, but I also know this is the lightest carry bag out there.

 

4. Mizuno K1-LO. It seems like their 2023 version was a significant redesign of the pockets? It looks nice and the specs seem to match what I need, but I don’t think I’ve seen any chatter about it on here lately. Anybody using one?

 

5. Titleist Links Legend. I know this is too heavy. But it’s just so gorgeous. Somebody convince me it carries lighter than it is? Adding to tip grab handle, the four-way divider and the magnetic rangefinder pocket basically fixed three of my only four complaints about the Linksmaster. Last complaint is the water bottle pocket — that still needs work.

 

Anything I am not considering, but should add to this list?

 

I’m a gearhead sicko so I’ll probably end up with more than one of these bags. But I also know myself, and know that I’ll really only ever actually use one of them, while the rest sit in the closet.

FWIW I love my Shapland, which is about 10/15% bigger than a Links Legend. As you can see, it will hold a very large water bottle with ease.  It's not made to be super lightweight but I think it carries very well. It has a separate range finder pocket but is not magnetic. That said, it's so deep I rarely bother to zip mine (see pictures). I've been extremely happy with this bag, the only downside I've found is that the loop that holds the umbrella handle loosens up way too easily, probably going to find another solution. Other than that its 6 stars out of 5 IMO.

[sms]

On 11/22/2023 at 12:31 PM, eric61 said:

Bringing this thread back up … I’m going to do a deep dive for answers to my question here, but there are 38 pages, so I’ll also just throw it out there for fresh thoughts:

 

I walk and carry about 95% of my rounds, and need to replace my Sun Mountain 2.5+ that’s looking pretty rough these days. I could do another 2.5+, but am looking for a couple slight tweaks:

 

— At least some water resistance. I play in any weather they’ll let me on the course in, and the Sun Mountain really doesn’t do anything to keep my stuff dry in the rain. 
 

— A better strap system. I couldn’t count how many rounds I carried that 2.5+, yet I somehow never quite got the straps just right. 
 

— Ideally a magnetic rangefinder pocket. This one is the least important on this list, not a huge deal at all, but would be nice.

 

— Continuing with minimal branding is important to me. 
 

— I drink a ton of water, refill about every three holes, so a functional water bottle pocket that can hold a 20oz Hydroflask is key.
 

Here’s my main question: Anybody that has used any of these and can compare, how are the carry experiences? Are any noticeably lighter or heavier? Any particular pain points? Anything important to know about any of the focal points I listed above?
 

I’m looking at a few options:

 

1. Vessel VLS. I actually already ordered one because of their Black Friday sale. It isn’t here yet. The only concern I’ve had in the past with Vessel bags, as a … wide-bodied, broad-shouldered person … is that the second strap is harder to get on and off with them than any other brand I’ve seen. It also always catches on my watch. Still, I LOVE the look, and know people say it’s a good carry experience and carries lighter than it is.

 

2. Ping Hoofer Lite. I love/hate/love the completely insane blue Kryptek color. Also love the blackout color. I know these are legendary bags but I’ve actually never used one. How’s it compare to these others?

 

3. Another Sun Mountain 2.5+. I kind of want to switch things up, but I also know this is the lightest carry bag out there.

 

4. Mizuno K1-LO. It seems like their 2023 version was a significant redesign of the pockets? It looks nice and the specs seem to match what I need, but I don’t think I’ve seen any chatter about it on here lately. Anybody using one?

 

5. Titleist Links Legend. I know this is too heavy. But it’s just so gorgeous. Somebody convince me it carries lighter than it is? Adding to tip grab handle, the four-way divider and the magnetic rangefinder pocket basically fixed three of my only four complaints about the Linksmaster. Last complaint is the water bottle pocket — that still needs work.

 

Anything I am not considering, but should add to this list?

 

I’m a gearhead sicko so I’ll probably end up with more than one of these bags. But I also know myself, and know that I’ll really only ever actually use one of them, while the rest sit in the closet.

My Son has the Mizuno BR-D3.  I really like it. It's real light, and has enough pockets to handle everything.  and it has full length dividers too.  I got it for a steal over the summer, like $130.  Now it's back over $200

 

Personally i'm leaning toward the Cobra Ultralight Pro, SM 3.5 or SM VX.  Probably in that order.  the cobra has a magnetized RF pocket and the water bottle pocket is huge, just not closable.  The SM VX is pretty much the 2.5 but more durable/waterproof.  And the 3.5 is the 3.5.  Tons of pockets, light.

 

I was thinking about the Ping HL, i've had a few Pings in the past.  the quality is really good, but the club tangle would just be way too much for me.

[KiawahOceanCourse]

This new vessel bag looks pretty sweet. Camo and waterproof. I got one on order 
https://vesselgolf.com/products/lux-h2o-camo-stand

 

[Cottis]

On 11/22/2023 at 8:35 PM, eric61 said:

Fair enough! Thanks for the heads up — it’s off the list, then.

I am the opposite of that comment.  Not only do I think the K1-LO is the best carry bag I have used, I also think the straps are the best I have used as well.  So much so that when I destroyed the bag (I play close to 300 times a year and carry every single one of them in UK conditions) I have since re-used the straps, which have remained faultless, on another bag I ended up with (not a Mizuno) that had awful straps.

 

Straps are a personal thing but I detest the stupid centre bits that allow the 4 way webbing to move in all directions in a supposed ploy to have the bag centred and hang nicely.  They simply get tangled, webbing folds over and the best way to have the bag balance is to use the webbing adjusters and increase or decrease the length that way.  Gravity then deals with the rest.

 

I am particularly anal about golf bags and their design.  I hate internal stand mechs and flexy bases, as they just end up reducing the internal footprint of the base when the bag is on the ground with the legs open.  This has the effect of pulling all the fat parts of your grips together and encourages more than club to come out when you clearly only want one club.  The K1-Lo has a solid base and consequently does not suffer from the these problems.  The legs also literally never failed to open and close properly.  No leg handing like my Titleist bag.  On the Titleist topic, they nearly get their straps right but they do not put plastic or metal loops between the webbing and the centre part of the straps.  They just sew them directly, so there is little resistance to stop the straps twisting which is infuriating when you are constantly taking them on and of.  The Mizuno does not do this as it uses plastic loops between the centre patch of the strap that sit in the middle of your back and the webbing.

 

The K1-LO is light.  Very light.  Impossibly light.  I have never picked up any other bag that is lighter.  The Hyperlite from Callaway is close but as light.  The reason why the K1-LO is so light ends up being its weakness.  That is the thin nature of the material and the lightweight nature of zips and other fittings.  The legs are carbon and strong but all other lightweight elements make it clearly not as robust as other bags.  No zips failed and nothing broke earlier than is reasonable but it is a very slight bag and obvious material compromises are made in order to make such an extraordinarily light bag.  I finally ripped the fabric to the extent that i needed to replace.  It lasted me just over a year which is generally good for me as I play nearly every day.  It was only the material fabric that started failing.  The top cuff padding was still very good and continued to offer full protection to graphite shafts.  The Wilson bag I ended up with (not entirely my own choice but a long story) has seen the top cuff fail inside 2 months of play with shaft paint subsequently being damaged.  Which is annoying.  DO NOT buy a Wilson Feather bag.  The top cuff is crap but everything else is quite good apart from the straps which I doctored with the old brilliant Mizuno straps.

 

The only reason I can see that you would not want the Mizuno is that it offers no waterproofing whatsoever.  I also have a Stadry 14 stand bag which is very good from the waterproofing point of view but it suffer from issues that I simply cannot live with.  Craps straps, flexi base so club grips bunch up and get stuck, heavier than I want and a stupid drinks pocket with a magnet which is enternally annoying.

 

I am about to buy a new bag.  Looking at the market again, it really does look like the choice for me is another Mizuno or possible the Taylormade Flextech variant with the decent strap (some have crap straps) but I would have to put up with the flexi base.  If the Callaway Hyperlite had decent straps, I would get that.  My mate has one and apart from the straps, it is a really good bag.

[Spinozist]

On 11/22/2023 at 12:31 PM, eric61 said:

Bringing this thread back up … I’m going to do a deep dive for answers to my question here, but there are 38 pages, so I’ll also just throw it out there for fresh thoughts:

 

I walk and carry about 95% of my rounds, and need to replace my Sun Mountain 2.5+ that’s looking pretty rough these days. I could do another 2.5+, but am looking for a couple slight tweaks:

 

— At least some water resistance. I play in any weather they’ll let me on the course in, and the Sun Mountain really doesn’t do anything to keep my stuff dry in the rain. 
 

— A better strap system. I couldn’t count how many rounds I carried that 2.5+, yet I somehow never quite got the straps just right. 
 

— Ideally a magnetic rangefinder pocket. This one is the least important on this list, not a huge deal at all, but would be nice.

 

— Continuing with minimal branding is important to me. 
 

— I drink a ton of water, refill about every three holes, so a functional water bottle pocket that can hold a 20oz Hydroflask is key.
 

Here’s my main question: Anybody that has used any of these and can compare, how are the carry experiences? Are any noticeably lighter or heavier? Any particular pain points? Anything important to know about any of the focal points I listed above?
 

I’m looking at a few options:

 

1. Vessel VLS. I actually already ordered one because of their Black Friday sale. It isn’t here yet. The only concern I’ve had in the past with Vessel bags, as a … wide-bodied, broad-shouldered person … is that the second strap is harder to get on and off with them than any other brand I’ve seen. It also always catches on my watch. Still, I LOVE the look, and know people say it’s a good carry experience and carries lighter than it is.

 

2. Ping Hoofer Lite. I love/hate/love the completely insane blue Kryptek color. Also love the blackout color. I know these are legendary bags but I’ve actually never used one. How’s it compare to these others?

 

3. Another Sun Mountain 2.5+. I kind of want to switch things up, but I also know this is the lightest carry bag out there.

 

4. Mizuno K1-LO. It seems like their 2023 version was a significant redesign of the pockets? It looks nice and the specs seem to match what I need, but I don’t think I’ve seen any chatter about it on here lately. Anybody using one?

 

5. Titleist Links Legend. I know this is too heavy. But it’s just so gorgeous. Somebody convince me it carries lighter than it is? Adding to tip grab handle, the four-way divider and the magnetic rangefinder pocket basically fixed three of my only four complaints about the Linksmaster. Last complaint is the water bottle pocket — that still needs work.

 

Anything I am not considering, but should add to this list?

 

I’m a gearhead sicko so I’ll probably end up with more than one of these bags. But I also know myself, and know that I’ll really only ever actually use one of them, while the rest sit in the closet.

I would recommend the callaway hyperlite zero bag, the newest model. It has even bigger openings than the sm 2.5, weighs 3 lbs, and has great straps and balance.

[ShortGolfer]

2 hours ago, Cottis said:

I am about to buy a new bag.  Looking at the market again, it really does look like the choice for me is another Mizuno or possible the Taylormade Flextech variant with the decent strap (some have crap straps) but I would have to put up with the flexi base.  If the Callaway Hyperlite had decent straps, I would get that.  My mate has one and apart from the straps, it is a really good bag.

The straps come off my Hyperlight, so I use it as the bag for my Big Max push cart.  I can't see carrying stuff around the course I never use.

You may be able to replace the Hyperlight straps with something better.  The straps of my SM 2.5+ are sewn in.

[goalie]

On 12/14/2023 at 8:17 AM, Spinozist said:

I would recommend the callaway hyperlite zero bag, the newest model. It has even bigger openings than the sm 2.5, weighs 3 lbs, and has great straps and balance.

Yeah, I'm not a huge "walking" guy other than at my cabin doing an early AM 9 holes, but the Hyperlite has been awesome for that, and I'll use it instead of my Sunday bag even though I'm only carrying 8 clubs.  The straps fo off/on easily with fastex buckles.  I'm old with back issues, and it carries great for me once I got it adjusted.

 

 

[C_rad]

Anyone tried the players 4 from titleist? 
 

it has 4 full length divider

[MikeW2]

On 12/14/2023 at 9:23 AM, ShortGolfer said:

The straps come off my Hyperlight, so I use it as the bag for my Big Max push cart.  I can't see carrying stuff around the course I never use.

You may be able to replace the Hyperlight straps with something better.  The straps of my SM 2.5+ are sewn in.

Does your hyperlite have those Velcro straps that hold legs in closed position for when you ride or mount it into a push cart?

[ShortGolfer]

Callaway 2021 Hyperlite Zero Double Strap Stand Bag

It has an automatic folding mechanism but no Velcro straps for holding the legs in position.  If I lift the bag up the legs retract automatically.

[ESOX ZO]

Anyone have the Callaway Fairway C HD bag? 

[goheels11]

Balance much improved on new version of Craz-e lite.  Fabric staying cleaner than the standard ping white fabric.  

[mtnbiker5]

What about sun mountain mid stripe?  Saw one finally today at pga store and they’re really nice and thought out 

[ciscojaws]

Looks like TM is going after the Craz E Lite.

FlexTech Super Lite

[njolson]

27 minutes ago, ciscojaws said:

Looks like TM is going after the Craz E Lite.

FlexTech Super Lite

Wow that bag is so similar to the Craz-e lite, the material, shape/size of the pockets is almost an exact copy. The only thing that looks different is the base.

[Jarlaxle]

On 2/14/2024 at 12:53 PM, njolson said:

Wow that bag is so similar to the Craz-e lite, the material, shape/size of the pockets is almost an exact copy. The only thing that looks different is the base.

These look great. Lots of colors already sold out on the website, best of what’s left IMO is the green. 

There is clearly a market for these ultralight bags. I see women with the Craz E Lite all the time. 

[brew4eagle]

8 hours ago, Jarlaxle said:

These look great. Lots of colors already sold out on the website, best of what’s left IMO is the green. 

There is clearly a market for these ultralight bags. I see women with the Craz E Lite all the time. 

If you're going the ultralight route, can't beat the 2.5+ 

[Loose_Ferrule]

29 minutes ago, brew4eagle said:

If you're going the ultralight route, can't beat the 2.5+ 

Craz-e Lite is a much better balanced bag and is more comfortable to carry than the 2.5+
 

The 2.5+ wins on opening size but other than that I think the Craz-e lite is a better bag and I currently own both. I prefer the smaller footprint as well. 

Edited February 18 by Loose_Ferrule

[Liveonce]

Any experience with the Gfore lightweight bag?

[ciscojaws]

1 hour ago, Liveonce said:

Any experience with the Gfore lightweight bag?

I've got this one:

https://www.carlsgolfland.com/g-fore-circle-g-s-lightweight-stand-bag

 

It's great.  Very light, no tangle.  The picture shows removable straps, but mine are sewn in 🤷‍♂️

 

If it had the Ping style hidden rain cover it would be 10/10.

[krsgolf]

On 2/2/2024 at 5:35 PM, mtnbiker5 said:

What about sun mountain mid stripe?  Saw one finally today at pga store and they’re really nice and thought out 

I have one I'll sell you.  It's a great looking bag like the Titleist Links Legend.  Seems fairly water resistant.  Plenty of storage.  Comfortable enough to carry.  Maybe carries a tad heavy.  I just rarely walk and have a Hoofer Lite that I still prefer to carry.