For a decade, the Club Glove Last Bag has been my trusted companion on countless golf expeditions. It’s endured numerous flights, journeyed to 14 countries, and remarkably, remains in excellent condition despite rigorous travel.
However, it’s not without its drawbacks. Its slightly compact size and unwieldiness in navigating airports and hotels have occasionally been less than ideal.
For some time, 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 simplify airport transit.
Recently, on a trip to San Diego, I finally had the opportunity to thoroughly test the Club Glider Meridian. Did it live up to expectations? And does it surpass the established Club Glove as the Best 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, as it’s not only my benchmark but also a leading golf travel bag favored by many.
Best Travel Bag
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 superb golf travel bag, featuring an exceptionally convenient “glider” wheel system. While it may not match the ultimate robustness of the Club Glove Last Bag, its innovative design provides significant advantages.
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First Impressions: Design and Key Features of the Club Glider Meridian
The Meridian is available in a range of attractive colors, and I chose a black model accented with red.
The bag presents a stylish appearance and, beyond the distinctive “glider” system, incorporates several notable differences from the Club Glove.
Firstly, the shoe pockets are positioned on the exterior of the bag, a feature I welcomed. My anticipation was that this would free up internal space – a point we’ll explore further.
The top section of the Meridian exhibits enhanced padding, and it utilizes two straps compared to the Club Glove’s three.
Overall, it’s a visually appealing golf travel bag. Despite the integrated glide mechanism, its weight feels comparable to my older bag.
Durability and Construction: Material and Build Quality Compared
Initially, I anticipated the Sun Mountain bag to be a straightforward upgrade from my previous travel companion.
However, as I began packing for my trip, a slight reservation crept in.
The Club Glove Last Bag exudes an almost indestructible feel. Constructed from incredibly resilient nylon and equipped with an exceptionally robust zipper, it sets a high bar for durability in golf travel bags.
In comparison, the Sun Mountain feels a notch below in both material resilience and zipper quality.
Image alt text: Close-up of the Sun Mountain Club Glider Meridian golf travel bag zipper and material, highlighting the construction.
To be clear, the construction remains very good. However, I’m keen to observe the long-term resilience of the zippers under repeated stress – a crucial factor in determining if this is truly the best travel golf bag for frequent flyers.
The primary handle at the bag’s end, used for rolling, also lacks the substantial thickness I had hoped for. While functional, it doesn’t offer the same comfortable grip as the Club Glove handle.
I hoped for a more robust handle for enhanced comfort and durability.
As previously mentioned, the external shoe pockets were a feature I was enthusiastic about. They do appear to have increased the bag’s internal capacity, which is a definite plus. However, the drawback is that fitting two size 12 shoes into a single pocket proved impossible.
The Club Glove readily accommodated a pair of shoes in each of its internal shoe pockets. In the Meridian, I can only fit one shoe per pocket. While not a deal-breaker, as the extra internal space allows for an additional pair to be packed inside, it would have been preferable for dedicated shoe storage, especially for golfers who, like myself, often travel with two pairs of golf shoes.
Padding and Protection: Ensuring Your Golf Clubs Arrive Safely
Despite the robust zippers and nylon of my Club Glove, it hasn’t been entirely immune to travel mishaps.
While my clubs have always remained unscathed, a tripod once snapped in half inside the bag, and more recently, a leg on my Vessel Player Air stand bag broke – rendering the bag practically unusable. This highlights the importance of good padding in any best travel golf bag.
From a padding and protection perspective, the Sun Mountain Club Glider Meridian feels reassuring, and I didn’t have significant concerns about the safety of my golf clubs during transit.
Actually, let me retract that slightly.
I had a brand-new TaylorMade Qi10 Max driver intended for this trip, but in my hurried packing, I couldn’t locate a club wrench to detach the driver head. Given that the driver review was pending, I opted to leave it behind as a precaution, just in case of any unforeseen damage during travel. This is a consideration for any golfer traveling with new or valuable clubs – taking extra precautions is always wise.
However, I did bring my Stix Compete Driver, and it encountered no issues whatsoever on the trip, further reinforcing the Meridian’s protective qualities for standard golf equipment.
Club Glider Performance: A Game-Changer in Airport Navigation
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 perceived a slight increase in available space compared to the Club Glove Last Bag. Perhaps not as substantial as initially hoped, but any additional room is always appreciated when packing for a golf trip.
I must admit, leading up to arriving at the airport, I remained somewhat undecided about whether this bag truly represented an upgrade over my existing one. Slightly more space, marginally less robust zippers and nylon.
However, the moment I unloaded the bag at Long Term Parking at PDX and began the lengthy walk through the parking garage, into the underground tunnel, up the escalators, and into the terminal – the difference became strikingly clear.
The Club Glider function? A complete revelation. This is what truly sets it apart as a potential best travel golf bag.
Man using the Sun Mountain Club Glider golf travel bag at the airport, demonstrating the extended wheel system.
With a simple press of a lever, the glider mechanism smoothly extends. A quick pull on the lever beneath the bag deploys the glider, which not only acts as a stable stand but also engages the rollerblade-style wheels – the defining feature of this exceptional golf travel bag.
Navigating with the Sun Mountain Club Glider is an absolute pleasure. The bag essentially glides effortlessly, requiring minimal exertion or strength. It truly lives up to its “glider” name, and maneuvering it is significantly easier than traditional rolling golf travel bags.
Weaving through the airport ticketing queue, the bag felt almost guided, effortlessly following my movements.
I recently described the LAB Putter as one of the rare “revolutionary” products in golf. The Club Glider confidently joins this exclusive category. Its innovative wheel system is a game-changer for golf travel.
While the overall build quality didn’t quite meet my initial high expectations set by the Club Glove, the functionality of the glider mechanism far surpassed them.
Final Verdict: Is the Sun Mountain Club Glider Meridian the Best Travel Golf Bag for You?
Priced at $339, the Sun Mountain Club Glider Meridian is undoubtedly a premium golf travel bag. However, for golfers who frequently travel with their clubs, investing in a durable and user-friendly bag is undeniably worthwhile. It’s an investment in travel convenience and peace of mind.
While soft-sided bags might not offer the ultimate protection of hardshell cases, their convenience and lighter weight make them a more practical choice for most travelers seeking the best travel golf bag.
With the Sun Mountain Meridian, you get a bag that is not only aesthetically pleasing and offers ample space but also delivers exceptional performance when you’re on the move.
While I did express some minor reservations about certain materials, the reality is that most users are unlikely to encounter any significant issues. After my initial trip, my clubs arrived in perfect condition, and my overall travel experience was noticeably more comfortable than ever before.
Unless you’re traveling weekly with your clubs under extreme conditions, this bag is built to last for many years.
Is it a superior choice to the Last Bag? For most golfers, I believe the answer is a resounding yes.
While the Last Bag may boast slightly more robust construction, the Meridian remains better built than many golf travel bags on the market (mentioning no names, TourTrek), and the Club Glider feature effectively compensates for any minor compromises in ultimate durability.
This is now my trusted golf travel bag for the foreseeable future. For the first time, I won’t completely dread the prospect of hauling my clubs long distances through sprawling airport terminals. The ease of movement offered by the Club Glider is transformative.
Best Travel Bag
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, with a very convenient “glider” system. It’s not quite as robust and durable as the Club Glove Last Bag, but the unique design more than makes up for it, making it a strong contender for the best travel golf bag title.
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A fantastic golf travel bag with a truly revolutionary party trick
9.2 Great
The Sun Mountain Club Glider is undoubtedly one of the best golf travel bags currently available. While its build quality is very good, it falls just short of the benchmark set by the Club Glove Last Bag. However, the unique and incredibly practical “Club Glider” feature more than compensates for this, enhancing every aspect of using a golf travel bag. For ease of transport and overall travel experience, it’s hard to beat.
The Good
- Club Glider feature performs flawlessly as advertised, revolutionizing golf travel.
- Ample space to accommodate most golf bags, even larger models.
- Attractive and modern design.
The Bad
- Top handle could benefit from increased thickness for enhanced grip and durability.
- Material and build quality are very good but not class-leading in ultimate robustness.
- Represents a significant investment at its price point.
- Presentation 10
- Performance 9
- Features and Quality 9
- Price 9
- Personal Affinity 9
