For a decade, the Club Glove Last Bag has been my trusted companion on countless golf trips. It has endured numerous flights across 14 countries and remains remarkably resilient despite the rough handling it has faced. However, it’s not without its drawbacks. Its slightly compact size and unwieldiness in navigating airports and hotels have often been noticeable.
For some time now, the Sun Mountain Club Glider Meridian has captured my attention as a potential upgrade. While similar in size to my Club Glove, it boasts a unique, retractable wheel system designed to significantly ease transportation while traveling.
Recently, during a trip to San Diego, I had the opportunity to thoroughly test the Club Glider Meridian. How did it perform? And does it justify replacing the established Club Glove as the go-to travel golf bag?
The answer is nuanced, but let’s delve into a detailed comparison. In this review, I’ll directly compare the Meridian to the Club Glove, given my extensive experience with the latter and its status as a leading choice among golf travel bags.
Sun Mountain ClubGlider Meridian Golf Travel Bag
Sun Mountain ClubGlider Meridian Golf Travel Bag $339
The Sun Mountain Club Glider Meridian stands out as a fantastic golf travel bag, primarily due to its incredibly convenient “glider” system. While it may not quite match the robust durability of the Club Glove Last Bag, its innovative design more than compensates, making it a top contender in the realm of Best Travel Golf Bags.
Buy from Golf Galaxy Buy from Amazon We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
Sun Mountain Club Glider Meridian: Initial Thoughts
The Meridian is available in a range of attractive color options, and I opted for the black version with red accents. The bag is visually appealing and presents several distinctions from the Club Glove, most notably the integrated “glider” mechanism.
One immediate difference is the placement of shoe pockets on the exterior of the bag, a feature I appreciated. My expectation was that this would free up more space within the main compartment – a point we’ll revisit shortly.
The Meridian also appears to have more substantial padding around the upper section and utilizes two securing straps internally, compared to the three found in the Club Glove.
Overall, the initial impression is of a very well-designed and stylish bag. Despite the addition of the glide mechanism, the weight feels comparable to my older Club Glove.
Construction Quality and Materials
Initially, I anticipated the Sun Mountain Club Glider Meridian to be an unequivocal upgrade. However, as I began packing for my trip, my confidence wavered slightly.
The Club Glove Last Bag exudes an almost indestructible feel. Its construction features incredibly tough nylon and an exceptionally robust zipper system.
In comparison, the Sun Mountain seems to be a step below in both material resilience and zipper quality.
Image showing the zipper and material detail of the Sun Mountain Club Glider Meridian, highlighting the build quality.
To be clear, the Meridian is still well-made. However, I am curious to assess the long-term durability of the zippers, particularly after repeated stress from travel.
The primary handle at the top of the bag, used for rolling, also feels less substantial than I had hoped. While perfectly functional, it lacks the premium feel of the handle on the Club Glove bag. I do wish this handle had a more robust feel.
As mentioned, the external shoe pockets were a welcome design choice, seemingly adding internal space. However, I encountered a minor issue: fitting two pairs of size 12 shoes into one pocket proved impossible.
The Club Glove could comfortably accommodate a pair of shoes in each of its internal shoe pockets. In the Meridian, I could only fit one shoe per pocket. While not a major drawback, as the increased interior space easily accommodated the extra pair, it’s worth noting for those who, like me, frequently travel with multiple pairs of golf shoes.
Protection and Padding
Despite the robust zippers and nylon of my Club Glove, it hasn’t been entirely problem-free during travel. While my clubs have always remained intact, I did experience a broken tripod within the bag and, more recently, a damaged leg on my Vessel Player Air stand bag, rendering it almost unusable.
In terms of padding and protection, the Sun Mountain Club Glider Meridian feels reassuring, and I had no significant concerns about the safety of my clubs.
Actually, let me reconsider that slightly.
I have a brand-new TaylorMade Qi10 Max driver that I intended to bring on this trip. However, in my hurried packing, I couldn’t locate a club wrench to detach the driver head. Given that I haven’t yet completed the review for this club, I opted to leave it at home, just in case of any mishaps during transit.
I did, however, bring my Stix Compete Driver, and it arrived without any issues. This highlights the inherent risk in trusting any travel bag completely, even one considered among the best travel golf bags.
Club Glider Performance in Real Travel Scenarios
I packed my Vessel Player V Pro stand bag, which is on the larger side for stand bags. It fit comfortably within the Sun Mountain bag, and I definitely sensed a slight increase in available space compared to the Club Glove Last Bag. Perhaps not as much additional room as initially anticipated, but any extra space is certainly appreciated.
Up until arriving at the airport, I was somewhat undecided about whether the Meridian was a true upgrade over my existing bag. Slightly more space, but perhaps a marginal decrease in material and zipper robustness.
However, the moment I unloaded the bag at long-term parking at PDX and began the long walk through the parking garage, underground tunnel, up escalators, and into the terminal, the difference became undeniable.
The Club Glider feature is truly revolutionary.
Sun Mountain Club Glider extended wheels
With a simple push of a lever, the glider mechanism extends. A quick pull on the lever beneath the bag deploys the glider – functioning as both a stand and engaging the rollerblade-style wheels that distinguish this bag.
Walking with the Sun Mountain Club Glider is effortless. The bag practically glides along, requiring minimal effort or exertion. It not only lives up to its “glider” name but also offers significantly enhanced maneuverability.
Navigating the check-in lines, the bag felt almost guided, effortlessly following my movements.
I recently described the LAB Putter as a genuinely “revolutionary” product. The Club Glider deserves the same distinction.
While the overall build quality didn’t entirely meet my initial high expectations, the functionality of the glider mechanism far surpassed them. This single feature elevates it amongst the best travel golf bags available.
Final Verdict: Is the Sun Mountain Club Glider Meridian Worth Buying?
At $339, the Sun Mountain Club Glider Meridian represents a significant investment for a travel golf bag. However, for frequent golf travelers, investing in a durable and user-friendly bag is undeniably worthwhile.
While soft-sided bags may not offer the absolute protection of hardshell cases, their convenience generally makes them a more practical choice for most golfers.
The Sun Mountain Meridian is a visually appealing bag that offers ample space and exceptional on-the-go performance, primarily due to its glider system.
While I noted some minor concerns regarding certain materials, in practical terms, major issues are unlikely for most users. After my initial trip, my clubs remained completely undamaged, and my travel experience was notably more comfortable than ever before.
Unless you are traveling weekly with your clubs, this bag is likely to provide years of reliable service.
Is it a worthwhile upgrade from a Club Glove Last Bag? For most golfers, I believe the answer is yes.
While the Last Bag is arguably more robust in construction, the Meridian is still superior in build quality to many other golf travel bags (particularly budget options like the TourTrek). The Club Glider feature effectively compensates for any minor compromises in material strength.
This is now my trusted golf travel companion for the foreseeable future, and for the first time, I won’t completely dread navigating airport terminals with my clubs. For its game-changing ease of use, the Sun Mountain Club Glider Meridian earns its place among the best travel golf bags on the market.
Sun Mountain ClubGlider Meridian Golf Travel Bag
Sun Mountain ClubGlider Meridian Golf Travel Bag $339
The Sun Mountain Club Glider Meridian is a fantastic golf travel bag, defined by its incredibly convenient “glider” system. While perhaps not quite as rugged as the Club Glove Last Bag, the innovative design and ease of use it offers make it a top pick for the title of best travel golf bag.
Buy from Golf Galaxy Buy from Amazon We earn a commission if you click this link and make a purchase at no additional cost to you.
A Truly Revolutionary Feature in One of the Best Golf Travel Bags
9.2 Great
The Sun Mountain Club Glider is undeniably one of the best golf travel bags available today. While the build quality is excellent, it falls slightly short of the benchmark set by the Club Glove Last Bag. However, the unique “Club Glider” feature more than bridges this gap, significantly enhancing the overall experience of using a golf travel bag.
The Pros
- Club Glider mechanism performs flawlessly as advertised.
- Ample space for most golf bags, excluding only the very largest models.
- Appealing aesthetic design.
The Cons
- Top handle could benefit from increased thickness.
- Material and build quality grade is a solid B+.
- Premium price point.
- Presentation 10
- Performance 9
- Features and Quality 9
- Price 9
- Personal Affinity 9
