Look Good & Travel Super Light with STITCH’s SL2 Carry Bag

A few weeks ago I mentioned that I’ve walked more than 90% of my 2020 rounds of golf due to everything that’s been going on. But in order to do that, I needed two pieces of equipment: a quality and comfy pair of shoes and a quality, lightweight carry bag.

Fortunately, the updated STITCH Golf SL2 carry bag has made every walk enjoyable.

 

 

 

 

 

 

View this post on Instagram

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

A post shared by Hozel Rocket 🚀 (@hozel_rocket) on Jun 11, 2020 at 11:48am PDT

The SL2 screams quality the minute you pull it out the box.

The lightweight design merely weighs 64 oz., despite the fact that it’s equipped with legs that seamlessly snap out when the base is placed down, a full-length apparel pocket, a golf ball pocket, a pocket lined with felt for valuables and an insulated beverage pocket. STITCH is able to keep the weight so low with the help of its STITCH Touring Fabric, a proprietary product used in STITCH bags that has the strength of leather, but is more durable, lightweight and water resistant.

But what makes the Touring Fabric really special is that it still provides a top-tier quality feeling and finish to the SL2, in contrast to many other lightweight, carry bags that often cut corners on materials and use cheap feeling stuff, like vinyl, that compromises the integrity and durability of the bag all in the sake of reducing weight.

And since the SL2 is designed as a carry bag, it’s particularly important that it’s comfortable to carry, regardless of the weather. So to help make sure you’re enjoying the walk as much as your round of golf, STITCH provides interchangeable, very-thick cushioned single and backpack-style straps that can easily be switched, using a quick-release clip and a color-matched rain hood (which is fastened down using buttons) to keep everything dry when the skies open up.

Up top, the SL2 features a four-way, full-length divider that has ample space for 14 clubs. Indeed, I often carry 15 (the extra is the SuperSpeed Blue that I often use for a pre-round, warm-up), including my Evnroll putter that’s equipped with an oversized grip, my clubs haven’t turned into a tangled mess and caused me to pull out every wedge when I was just looking to grab my 60°.

But where the SL2 shines is between shots. Starting with carrying comfort, both of the straps are really comfy due to the extra thick padding, so you never feel the straps digging into your shoulder. The padding is complemented by a cushion that’s perfectly placed no matter which strap setup you’re using, as it will cushion your lower back when you’re using the backpack strap or, instead, your hip when using the single, caddie strap. Indeed, the bag’s lightweight design meant that even when the SL2 was fully-loaded with my clubs, a couple sleeves of balls, and other personal items (e.g., wallet, car keys, cell phone, and tees), I never felt weighed down or that I was carrying something uncomfortably heavy (if anything, it’s been more annoying carrying my oversized water bottle around on the course).

The ergonomics of the SL2 are equally on part with the top-tier materials used to build it. In combination with the STITCH Touring Fabric, all of the pockets have been designed and positioned to be accessible when the bag is standing upright or on your back. Indeed, I often used the golf ball pocket and insulated pocket to hold a bottle of water, my cell phone and/or a scorecard and pencil (which can also be stored in the equally accessible pencil/pen/permanent marker slot located right next to the golf ball pocket). It was a huge help to have all of these things easily within reach while walking to the next shot in case I wanted to take a quick hit of water, change the song I was listening to or (most importantly) circle that birdie.

Similarly, a plastic handle is located at the top of the four-way divider along with a stitched pull handle positioned near the base. Each of these features make the SL2 easy to level the bag on your back while walking between shots and using the backpack strap, pull it from the trunk of your car or, for those rare occasions, grab it off a cart. Little things like this can often be overlooked, but they’re immediately noticeable when they’re not there and you wish you had them. And only further illustrating the SL2’s utilitarian nature, the wide mouth design of the plastic handle means it’s also perfect for threading a caddie towel through to help keep your clubs and ball clean.

Speaking about music, the side opposite the back cushion features a metal ring that’s perfect for hanging your rangefinder or a small bag speaker, alongside an umbrella loop and a metal ingot that can be customized with your initials. The metal ingot is a particularly nice and tasteful touch since it’s not an “in your face” custom option, like having your name written on a pocket like a tour bag, that adds some unique flair that shows it’s your bag.

When STITCH redesigned the bag, they wanted to remain true to their racing-inspired features and initially launched the SL2 in colorblock with a white base panel and navy, white and black accepts. But if those are too mundane for you, STITCH also just released this week two new color patterns in 4 different colors: Solid Grey and (Ferrari) Red and Fashion Light Blue and Orange (which, for racing fans, will bring to mind the timeless Gulf racing livery).  Fortunately, regardless which color you go with, none of the SL2’s are over branded with graphics.  Instead, each SL2 color allows you to focus on its simplicity, player conscious design and premium materials.

In sum, 2020 has been a wild year. But one of the greatest things to come out of it is that I’ve been able to walk a lot and discover a new way to appreciate and enjoy a round. However, I certainly wouldn’t have walked if it wasn’t for the SL2. In stark contrast to my old “carry” bag, which truthfully was a lightweight cart bag with stand legs, the SL2 is a premium bag that was designed for the golfer who values the form & functionality of his equipment, but also wants to look damn good while attacking the course.