Taylormade Flextech

[Phreddy]

I saw one of these bags in our golf shop.  I think the one I looked at was the "light" version.  Has anyone tried it out?  Looks to be really well laid out and, to my eye, better looking than the Ping Hoofer light.  I would be replacing a SM 2.5 that has served faithfully for several years.

 

Phred

[mtp]

I played the entire 2020 season with a Flextech Light and a Titleist Players Carbon bag. The TM bag is a solid bag. Easy to carry. Not a lot of club tangle. Just the right amount of pockets/size for me. I had two minor issues with the bag — 1. sometimes the legs would not fully retract and 2. something about the padding they use would cause the straps to making a squeaking noise on occasion.  I buy and sell bags constantly so the fact that I still have the TM says something about it for me. 

[flaghunting1987]

I love the FT lite...i had the 2020 grey color and they replaced it with the 2021 titanium/orange one for free because it started to tear. Liked a few features on the 2020 better, but the 21 has better pockets. 

 

I had a ping hoofer lite and hated the pockets

[BallerNate]

Interested in hearing people’s thoughts on this bag.

 

Looked hard and bought both the FlexTech and the FlexTech Lite, along with the OGIO Fuse 4, SM 3.5 LS etc.

 

Most recently I picked up the FlexTech because I like that it’s a little bigger than the Lite, has the cart strap pass-through, and has the waterproof valuables pocket. Liked the colour combinations a little better too, but that’s minor. Worth the extra 0.5 pds to me personally.

[brew4eagle]

I tried the Flextech Lite and have checked out the Flextech.  They're basically Hoofer imitations (TM admitted as much when they first came out) but they're not built as well as Hoofers.

[BallerNate]

16 hours ago, brew4eagle said:

I tried the Flextech Lite and have checked out the Flextech.  They're basically Hoofer imitations (TM admitted as much when they first came out) but they're not built as well as Hoofers.

Interesting...good to know.

 

I prefer the FlexTech because it has more space in the top opening than the Hoofer, and also prefer the rounded base of the FlexTech vs the more square/rectangular shape of the Hoofer base.

 

The base not fitting with my push cart was the single biggest reason I couldn’t really consider the Hoofer or Hoofer Lite.

[RobS]

As mentioned above, it's a hoofer knock off.  I used the Lite version briefly and passed it down to my son.  The layout of the bag is great....overall size, top and pockets.  The stand design while similar to the Hoofer doesn't function as well.  The legs sag at times when carrying and the legs can collapse forward if the bag is on slippery footing.  The balance of the bag was not to my liking no matter how I adjusted the straps.  The bottom sat well below the top. The material is not nearly as durable as the Hoofers.  My son used his bag a lot but it looked 5 years old after 1 year.  Some of the material on the top was worn through from taking clubs in and out and the bag material was substantially sun faded (his bag is/was black).  I'd consider it a good but not great bag overall if you play a lot of golf and primarily carry your bag.  It's a good looking bag for what that's worth but I rate it below the Hoofers, Titleist Players and Sun Mountain 2.5 and 3.5's.

[brew4eagle]

7 minutes ago, RobS said:

As mentioned above, it's a hoofer knock off.  I used the Lite version briefly and passed it down to my son.  The layout of the bag is great....overall size, top and pockets.  The stand design while similar to the Hoofer doesn't function as well.  The legs sag at times when carrying and the legs can collapse forward if the bag is on slippery footing.  The balance of the bag was not to my liking no matter how I adjusted the straps.  The bottom sat well below the top. The material is not nearly as durable as the Hoofers.  My son used his bag a lot but it looked 5 years old after 1 year.  Some of the material on the top was worn through from taking clubs in and out and the bag material was substantially sun faded (his bag is/was black).  I'd consider it a good but not great bag overall if you play a lot of golf and primarily carry your bag.  It's a good looking bag for what that's worth but I rate it below the Hoofers, Titleist Players and Sun Mountain 2.5 and 3.5's.

Well said

[storm319]

20 minutes ago, RobS said:

As mentioned above, it's a hoofer knock off.  I used the Lite version briefly and passed it down to my son.  The layout of the bag is great....overall size, top and pockets.  The stand design while similar to the Hoofer doesn't function as well.  The legs sag at times when carrying and the legs can collapse forward if the bag is on slippery footing.  The balance of the bag was not to my liking no matter how I adjusted the straps.  The bottom sat well below the top. The material is not nearly as durable as the Hoofers.  My son used his bag a lot but it looked 5 years old after 1 year.  Some of the material on the top was worn through from taking clubs in and out and the bag material was substantially sun faded (his bag is/was black).  I'd consider it a good but not great bag overall if you play a lot of golf and primarily carry your bag.  It's a good looking bag for what that's worth but I rate it below the Hoofers, Titleist Players and Sun Mountain 2.5 and 3.5's.

 

Agreed. Every 1st gen FlexTech I have seen have been in rough shape after relatively minimal regular use. Not sure if the 2nd gen bags are more durable (I will say that the material on the lifestyle colorways seemed to feel more durable but I've never seen one outside of new in store). 

[BallerNate]

2 hours ago, RobS said:

As mentioned above, it's a hoofer knock off.  I used the Lite version briefly and passed it down to my son.  The layout of the bag is great....overall size, top and pockets.  The stand design while similar to the Hoofer doesn't function as well.  The legs sag at times when carrying and the legs can collapse forward if the bag is on slippery footing.  The balance of the bag was not to my liking no matter how I adjusted the straps.  The bottom sat well below the top. The material is not nearly as durable as the Hoofers.  My son used his bag a lot but it looked 5 years old after 1 year.  Some of the material on the top was worn through from taking clubs in and out and the bag material was substantially sun faded (his bag is/was black).  I'd consider it a good but not great bag overall if you play a lot of golf and primarily carry your bag.  It's a good looking bag for what that's worth but I rate it below the Hoofers, Titleist Players and Sun Mountain 2.5 and 3.5's.

 

1 hour ago, storm319 said:

 

Agreed. Every 1st gen FlexTech I have seen have been in rough shape after relatively minimal regular use. Not sure if the 2nd gen bags are more durable (I will say that the material on the lifestyle colorways seemed to feel more durable but I've never seen one outside of new in store). 

Very interesting. What model year of the FlexLite was it that you guys had?

[brew4eagle]

I had the generation prior to the newest one, think it was a 2019-2020.

[BallerNate]

1 hour ago, brew4eagle said:

I had the generation prior to the newest one, think it was a 2019-2020.

Gotcha. Yeah, I will say that previous generation TM bags that I’ve seen, I always felt that they sacrificed the quality of materials to make their bags lighter or lower cost.
 

But the FlexTech and FlexFech Lite seem to be departures from that, and the quality of materials and build seem to be much better in these 2021 bags. Might be wrong, and they could break down over time...but initial impressions for me seem like the quality of build is there.

[brew4eagle]

10 minutes ago, BallerNate said:

Gotcha. Yeah, I will say that previous generation TM bags that I’ve seen, I always felt that they sacrificed the quality of materials to make their bags lighter or lower cost.
 

But the FlexTech and FlexFech Lite seem to be departures from that, and the quality of materials and build seem to be much better in these 2021 bags. Might be wrong, and they could break down over time...but initial impressions for me seem like the quality of build is there.

Based on pics, the 2021s look like minor tweaks vs the 2019-2020s. Did they actually change the materials used?

Edit- I had this one, took it back after getting it home and checking it out thoroughly...

 

Edited March 2, 2021 by brew4eagle

[BallerNate]

30 minutes ago, brew4eagle said:

Based on pics, the 2021s look like minor tweaks vs the 2019-2020s. Did they actually change the materials used?

Edit- I had this one, took it back after getting it home and checking it out thoroughly...

 

I’d have to see them both in-person side-by-side to be able to tell if they changed the materials.

 

I would also say from the posts you’ve written that you’re way more knowledgeable about all the different bag options than I am.

 

I just know that having looked really closely at the 2021 FlexTech and FlexTech Lite, and buying them both and bringing them home, I thought the materials looked to be very high quality and they appeared sturdy and well-made...definitely more so than previous TM bags that I’ve seen and owned.

 

I also definitely see how they look comparable to the Hoofer and Hoofer Lite, but as I said the shape of the FlexTech base and the added space for clubs were the features that made it a better fit for me.

[RobS]

20 hours ago, BallerNate said:

 

Very interesting. What model year of the FlexLite was it that you guys had?

I had last years version which I believe came out in 2019.  I have not seen the 2021 in person so I'm not sure what if anything has changed other than the pocket layout.

[BallerNate]

9 minutes ago, RobS said:

I had last years version which I believe came out in 2019.  I have not seen the 2021 in person so I'm not sure what if anything has changed other than the pocket layout.

Ok gotcha, good to know, thanks.

[BallerNate]

On 2/24/2021 at 10:05 PM, Phreddy said:

I saw one of these bags in our golf shop.  I think the one I looked at was the "light" version.  Has anyone tried it out?  Looks to be really well laid out and, to my eye, better looking than the Ping Hoofer light.  I would be replacing a SM 2.5 that has served faithfully for several years.

 

Phred

Just letting you know after a very exhaustive search where I bought/sold/returned 7 different bags, I’ve ended up settling on the FlexTech Lite.

 

I tried the OGIO Fuse 4, SM 3.5LS, FlexTech, and also looked in detail at pretty much every other bag they had at my local shop (incl Hoofer, Hoofer Lite, Titleist, L8, 2.5+ etc.)

 

The biggest things that made me choose this bag were the weight, club divider layout, good size, quality of materials, and the ability of the bag to fit on my push cart or power carts.

 

The only thing I’m not crazy about with it is that it doesn’t stand upright with all the clubs in it...it naturally tips forward and wants to use the legs. The bigger FlexTech has a bigger more stable base, so it is able to stand upright.
 

I chose the FlexTech Lite though because it’s lighter than the FlexTech, and I didn’t like the FlexTech having an extra divider in the bottom wedge area which created extra   crowding. Also the strap pass through for the FlexTech isn’t that functional since it’s on the side, so you end up having to pass through the front handle anyways. We’ll see how it goes with the FlexTech Lite!

 

[brew4eagle]

21 minutes ago, BallerNate said:

Just letting you know after a very exhaustive search where I bought/sold/returned 7 different bags, I’ve ended up settling on the FlexTech Lite.

 

I tried the OGIO Fuse 4, SM 3.5LS, FlexTech, and also looked in detail at pretty much every other bag they had at my local shop (incl Hoofer, Hoofer Lite, Titleist, L8, 2.5+ etc.)

 

The biggest things that made me choose this bag were the weight, club divider layout, good size, quality of materials, and the ability of the bag to fit on my push cart or power carts.

 

The only thing I’m not crazy about with it is that it doesn’t stand upright with all the clubs in it...it naturally tips forward and wants to use the legs. The bigger FlexTech has a bigger more stable base, so it is able to stand upright.
 

I chose the FlexTech Lite though because it’s lighter than the FlexTech, and I didn’t like the FlexTech having an extra divider in the bottom wedge area which created extra   crowding. Also the strap pass through for the FlexTech isn’t that functional since it’s on the side, so you end up having to pass through the front handle anyways. We’ll see how it goes with the FlexTech Lite!

 

Not sure what you mean by the cart strap pass thru being on the side and needing to still go thru the handle.  They're all designed that way, it's just a design to prevent the cart strap from blocking access to pockets, with an added benefit of securing the bag a bit more.

[BallerNate]

17 minutes ago, brew4eagle said:

Not sure what you mean by the cart strap pass thru being on the side and needing to still go thru the handle.  They're all designed that way, it's just a design to prevent the cart strap from blocking access to pockets, with an added benefit of securing the bag a bit more.

Ok, I didn’t know that’s how all strap pass throughs work for stand bags.

 

Before this past month’s journey to find a stand bag, every bag I’ve owned has been a cart bag with the pass through in the front.
 

Found the pass through on the FlexTech to be really wide and tough to get the strap through, so prefer just wrapping it around and putting it through the handle with the FlexTech Lite.

[schmittypods]

I have been going through the same thing. I have bought and returned both a hoofer and a hoofer lite. The club tangle was nuts especially in comparison with my 3.5. I really like the material of the Ping bags and the pockets but I don’t understand how anyone can stand the club issue. I really wanted to love them but it drove me nuts. I would love to know how the clubs go in and out of the FT. It would be great if someone would cross the 3.5 top and leg mechanism with the heavier construction on the Ping!

[texasdave]

anyone know if you can remove one of the straps on the Flextech? i know it can be done in the Hoofer by raising the padding on the inside of the cuff but when i looked at the bag at the golf shop i couldn't find a way to remove one of the straps. 

[brew4eagle]

50 minutes ago, schmittypods said:

I have been going through the same thing. I have bought and returned both a hoofer and a hoofer lite. The club tangle was nuts especially in comparison with my 3.5. I really like the material of the Ping bags and the pockets but I don’t understand how anyone can stand the club issue. I really wanted to love them but it drove me nuts. I would love to know how the clubs go in and out of the FT. It would be great if someone would cross the 3.5 top and leg mechanism with the heavier construction on the Ping!

Yep, that is the one downfall of the Hoofers.  The 'fix' is to always put the bag vertical when removing/replacing a club, but when you've used a Sun Mtn a lot where that isn't necessary it's hard to accept.

[schmittypods]

1 minute ago, brew4eagle said:

Yep, that is the one downfall of the Hoofers.  The 'fix' is to always put the bag vertical when removing/replacing a club, but when you've used a Sun Mtn a lot where that isn't necessary it's hard to accept.

Yeah it’s like buying a really nice car that only turns right. It works but it’s not ideal. So frustrating. Maybe the forum should start a bag company!

[BallerNate]

51 minutes ago, schmittypods said:

I have been going through the same thing. I have bought and returned both a hoofer and a hoofer lite. The club tangle was nuts especially in comparison with my 3.5. I really like the material of the Ping bags and the pockets but I don’t understand how anyone can stand the club issue. I really wanted to love them but it drove me nuts. I would love to know how the clubs go in and out of the FT. It would be great if someone would cross the 3.5 top and leg mechanism with the heavier construction on the Ping!

I tried the 3.5LS recently and I’ve ended up settling on the FlexTech Lite.
 

There’s a little more space in the club dividers in the 3.5LS, but the FlexTech Lite has a fair amount of space and the clubs coming in and out of the bag isn’t bad.

 

The material thickness and quality in the FlexTech Lite seemed similar to the Hoofer Lite from what I saw/felt in the shop.

 

 

[brew4eagle]

40 minutes ago, texasdave said:

anyone know if you can remove one of the straps on the Flextech? i know it can be done in the Hoofer by raising the padding on the inside of the cuff but when i looked at the bag at the golf shop i couldn't find a way to remove one of the straps. 

It's been awhile since I had the Flextech Lite in hand, but I'm pretty sure that feature is unique to the Hoofers.  Pretty ingenious design, especially with the new puck system.

[BallerNate]

47 minutes ago, texasdave said:

anyone know if you can remove one of the straps on the Flextech? i know it can be done in the Hoofer by raising the padding on the inside of the cuff but when i looked at the bag at the golf shop i couldn't find a way to remove one of the straps. 

That’s a good question. I just looked at the straps and I think it could be possible to remove the 2nd strap...someone please correct me if I’m wrong.

 

There are 2 adjustable portions next to the padded part of the strap, so I think you could pull out the straps from both sides, but then you’d have to tuck the top part into the top of the bag, and the bottom part into one of the bottom pockets:

 

 

[sklipp]

I recently picked up a new flextech after having a Nike bag for 6+ years and have had no issues.  I almost purchased a flextech last year but felt that the materials were a little flimsy however the new bag feels more sturdy.  That could just be me....

 

FWIW I utilize a push cart and have not carried. 

[BallerNate]

1 hour ago, sklipp said:

I recently picked up a new flextech after having a Nike bag for 6+ years and have had no issues.  I almost purchased a flextech last year but felt that the materials were a little flimsy however the new bag feels more sturdy.  That could just be me....

 

FWIW I utilize a push cart and have not carried. 

Yeah, I bought both the 2020 and the 2021 FlexTech Lite and also FlexTech over the last month. 
 

Very minor updates between the 2020 to 2021 (extra pocket, colour ways etc), but the materials definitely feel more high quality.

[Gsea]

Retired this bag(2018 bag I think) last year for a Players 4. In all honesty players looks better but the Taylormade probably better functionality wise. Might go back to it lol

 

 

[BallerNate]

6 hours ago, Gsea said:

Retired this bag(2018 bag I think) last year for a Players 4. In all honesty players looks better but the Taylormade probably better functionality wise. Might go back to it lol

 

 

Yeah, must be 2018 because the 2019 has a different logo placement for the FlexTech Lite logo.

 

Looks solid to me...like the red & black colour way for sure!