I’ve long held the opinion that Vessel makes the best golf bags in the industry right now, bar none. Whether it’s the lightweight Sunday III, super-premium Player V or the Tour bag used by Tiger Woods, Vessel has carved out a niche in the ultra-premium bag market. I’ve been using the Sunday III as my go-to carry bag in the summer for the last two years, and have loved the mixture of practicality and luxury that Vessel brings. The Lux Looper is designed to be a little bigger than the Sunday III, but still a comfortable and easy carry. I was eager to get it out on the golf course to see.
Life with the Lux Looper started well. Vessel’s signature clean look and premium materials make this a highly desirable object. If you’re into accessorising your bag with funky headcovers and towels, this is the perfect blank canvas to let your personality show. The plush finish on the shoulder straps and dividers, the magnet opening of the rangefinder pocket and two water battle pockets, and the real-leather zippers make this bag feel like you’ve got every penny’s worth of your investment.
There’s plenty of room for a full set of clubs thanks to the 4-way divider. I often carry a full set of 14, plus and 15th practice club and alignment sticks all at one, and the Lux Pro showed no evidence of club crowding.
It’s comfortable to carry too, sitting perfectly on the shoulders and bag, all ably supported by well-padded and well-fitted shoulder straps that have been built with an excellent amount of cushioning. You can use either the EQ2 double strap (which cleverly self-adjusts as you walk to balance weight) or the padded single strap, if that is more your vibe.
Strangely, there’s no hip padding whatsoever, which was a little disappointing. No matter the size or style of bag, I think there should always be some sort of hip padding to help make the walk that little more comfortable. Even the tiny Ogio Funday has hip padding, so I’m surprised this was left off the Lux Pro.
It’s not the most lightweight stand bag either, coming in at 3.4kg (7.4lbs). Though not officially a hybrid stand bag - a category of bag that can be used as a stand or cart bag interchangeably - I used the Lux Pro a couple of times on my Motocaddy QB2 with no hassle. The base fits universally onto any trolley mount, the legs can be neatly tied down, and the straps can be so easily attached and detached that the Lux Pro can be turned into a mini cart bag of sorts very quickly.
With all this in mind, what’s this bag’s fatal flaw holding it back from perfection? There’s no full-length pocket. This means nowhere to carry extra apparel, squeeze in a sandwich, or carry any of the other detritus golfers (especially me) like to carry around. There are two pockets placed low and on the side of the bag, both about the size of an A4 piece of paper, which could just about squeeze a light midlayer, but you really have to screw it up to fit it in.
Above these two pockets are two valuables-sized pockets, which are well placed, but can only really hold a phone and a wallet in each. I do like the two very front pockets, the front of which is for balls and the back I’ve used to hold a rangefinder for easy access. This pocket also has internal dividers, making organisation that bit easier - one of many clever touches across the bag. Despite this, storage isn’t the Lux Pro’s strong suit, and this bag is for the golfer who carries the bare minimum on the course. In the month I’ve been testing this bag, I’ve had to use a playing partner’s bags to carry my waterproofs and lunch - not ideal.
If you’re lucky enough to be playing regularly in conditions where you know you never need an extra layer, then this flaw doesn’t affect you, and you can enjoy all of the great things about this bag. However, if you’re always carrying around extra clothing, this bag simply isn’t for you.
Vessel - which is based out of California - has obviously made this bag for the fair-weather golfer in mind, and that is fine. With that in mind, perhaps testing this bag across the start of autumn in the UK has given the Lux Pro an unfair hand, seeing as it isn’t made for these conditions.
This is still a gorgeous bag with all of the great details you’d expect from a product designed and produced by Vessel. Vessel bags are clearly designed by seasoned golfers, and every bit of attention to detail has been taken care of on the Lux Looper. All Vessel golf bags fill something of a niche; however, this feels like a niche within a niche to me. If you’re looking to indulge in a Vessel stand bag, I’d point you in the direction of a couple of other options before the Lux Looper. That being said, if you feel you fit the niche this bag fills, you will undoubtedly enjoy every moment of this luxurious, somewhat decadent and certainly beautiful stand bag.
