Big Max Dri Lite Hybrid Plus Waterproof Golf Bag Review

The Big Max Dry Lite Hybrid Plus golf bag is exactly that, a hybrid carry and cart bag. It is a full-featured,100% waterproof bag. Can it do everything, or is it a compromise? Gillon Fabbroni tests it to find out.

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Big Max Dri Lite Hybrid Plus Waterproof Golf Bag: NCG Summary

NCG Summary

This is a capacious, full-featured bag. It is large enough to deal with most golfing requirements and, if not too fully laden, a very comfortable carry bag.

PROS

Waterproof
Attractive looks
Good storage
Well-priced for the features
Performs well as both carry and cart bag

CONS

An inevitable compromise between being a carry bag and a cart bag.

First Impressions

A decent waterproof bag is pretty important if one is to try and play golf in the changeable UK weather. There’s no question that having a bag on a trolley with judiciously selected clothing to combat the rain can help ease the pain if playing in poor conditions.

In that respect, a bag needs to be large enough to accommodate the required paraphernalia, and that can mean a cart bag. But with a cart bag comes the lack of flexibility. While this is ideal when preparing for the weekly medal, in the rain, fully laden and with your trolley, it is not so convenient if you fancy nipping out for a quick 6 holes on a sunny evening. This is the hole that the hybrid bag tries to plug.

Firstly, I really like the Big Max look on all its bags. There is a good selection of colours across all the ranges and they look modern and interesting.

The Dry Lite Hybrid plus is 100% waterproof with zips that look exactly that. The top is sizeable with 14 dividers, including a large putter compartment. On one side there is a phone/valuable pocket, another valuable organiser pocket and a large full length storage pocket.

The other side sports the cushioned air channel design for comfortable carry. Below that are two more pockets of small and medium size. The front has a large and deep cool pocket above a large ball pocket.

In short, there is plenty of storage.

The dividers are not too grippy, and it is a big bag given its weight (2kg). On the subject of weight, I hate a heavy carry bag, and with 14 clubs and a limited amount of extra stuff, this is a breeze to carry.

On the trolley, due to the recess in the bottom, it sits snugly on my Motocaddy cart with no irritating rotations. The stand mechanism is a clever design allowing the bottom to be flat for stability on a trolley.

NCG Verdict

This is an excellent bag. Its size makes it something to consider as a cart bag in its own right. Its weight however, makes it a perfectly acceptable carry bag, and I think this is its strength.

There is no way a hybrid bag can get around being something of a compromise, but that is not necessarily a negative thing. My main bag is a hybrid bag, and I use it summer and winter on my electric trolley as it is big enough to carry pretty much everything I need.

My bag is a little heavier than this and as it has accumulated paraphernalia it has got to the point where it is too heavy to carry, hence it essentially used as a cart bag. When I want to carry, I transfer my clubs to a smaller bag.

The Big Max Dry Lite Hybrid, however, with its lighter weight, would genuinely function as a cart bag and carry bag with a little organisation. If you stick 3 dozen balls, 2 towels, 3 tops and so on, in it, it is not going to function as a carry bag. With a sensible amount of accessories, I found this to be eminently carryable and may well become my new go to bag.

Final Thoughts

In an ideal world, we would all have the budget and space for a cart bag and carry bag. However, constantly transferring clubs as well as the aforementioned factors may not be convenient or possible. The Big Max Dry Lite Hybrid by virtue of its size and weight can genuinely be used summer and winter, on a trolley or carried and as such may be the only bag you need.

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