Having recently reviewed the Vessel Prime 2.0 staff bag and given it the maximum 5 stars, I was eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Player IV Pro DXR stand bag, to see if it could take its place amongst the best stand bags on the market.
Straight out of the box, the aesthetic is exceptional. The all-black finish looks very sleek and minimalistic, which is right up my street. The branding and decoration of this bag are extremely subtle and scream class to me. While some bags are a bit more in your face, boldly letting you know which manufacturer they are from and trying to catch your attention in any way possible, the Player IV Pro DXR stand bag just quietly oozes quality and lets its pedigree speak for itself. The only parts of the bag that stray away from black are some tiny red accents on the zippers, a couple of handles, and the stand legs.
From a features standpoint, the Player IV Pro DXR stand bag is jam-packed. It comes with a larger than standard 9.5” top section which is the type of measurement normally seen on tour bags. I found the extra space very useful as it really helped to compartmentalize my irons rather than having to sift through tightly packed heads to find the one I required. There is a handy magnetic pocket that has been designed to be easily accessible even when carrying, double-sided beverage storage, and also an internal base divider that keeps your grips separated down at the bottom of the bag. This was one of my favorite features as it made both putting clubs in and pulling them out extremely easy, without any need for forcing them in.
Another highlight of the Player IV Pro DXR stand bag is the brilliantly thought-out strap. Vessel refers to it as the Equilibrium Double Strap, which is placed deliberately high on the bag to provide ultimate balance and spread the load as wide as possible. It has an 8-point swivel mechanism that automatically self-adjusts to each golfer's gait. It is without a doubt the single most comfortable strap I have ever used, and there is even a clever clip system that allows you to switch between single and double strap use with just a click of a button.
One final feature that stands out for me is the Rotator Stand System. Essentially, this is a flexible mechanism at the bottom of the bag that allows the base to sit flush with the ground when the legs are fully deployed. This gives it real stability, even in the very gusty conditions I often experience by the sea in North Devon!
It really feels as though Vessel has thought of everything with the Player IV Pro DXR stand bag. There is even a somewhat hidden, interior personals pocket that comes with a Vessel-branded combination lock for added peace of mind!
Now this level of quality does come at a price, the Player IV Pro DXR stand bag retails at a fairly punchy £435/$435 so it won’t be in everyone’s price bracket, however, if you are looking for the best of the best, then in my opinion look no further.
Vessel wasn’t a brand that was massively on my radar until recently, but with the quality products I have reviewed so far, I am well on the way to becoming a fully-fledged fanboy!
