2016 Sun Mountain Three 5 Bag Review

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50 Words or Less

The 2016 Sun Mountain Three 5 stand bag continues to be an industry standard and has a few small upgrades without reinventing the wheel.

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Introduction

I’ve been using a Sun Mountain Three 5 stand bag (or close relative to it) for the past four seasons.  I’ll be honest, I’ve tried other bags, but I always end up back with a trusty Sun Mountain Three 5.  At this point, I think I’m done trying to go a different route, unless it’s a close relative in the Sun Mountain family…and I couldn’t be happier.  The Three 5 has remained a mainstay of the Sun Mountain lineup for decades because it’s a great functional design, decent weight, and all business looks.  With a few subtle changes in 2016, the Sun Mountain Three 5 continues to be one of the best stand bags in golf.

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Style

One of my favorite things about the Sun Mountain Three 5 is its modest style.  Don’t get me wrong, they’re still super cool looking and you can get some fun color combos, but they don’t have that “I’m trying too hard” look to them.  As stated before, I love how the Three 5’s look means business and has a certain air of seriousness to it.  Almost like putting on a pair of work boots to go outside and get your hands dirty.  Last year I played a black and red Three 5 which was cool, but I felt like I needed just a little more “flair” in my bag this year.  When I opened the white, red, and black bag pictured in this review, I knew I got it right and felt this bag was more of a reflection of my personal taste.  The beauty of the Three 5 is that between the 12 different color options, you can get standard basic color schemes or you can get something a little more bold.  If I see someone using a Sun Mountain Three 5, I know they take their golf seriously.

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Quality

I wouldn’t be nearly as big of a fan of the Sun Mountain Three 5 stand bag if it wasn’t for its exceptional quality.  In fact, I would argue that poor quality is typically the biggest reason people end up having to ditch their bag and try something else.  As far as the 2016 Sun Mountain Three 5, it definitely meets all of the requirements for a good quality stand bag such as a strong stand mechanism, sturdy legs, tough materials, adequate storage, full length dividers, and quality zippers.  A nice new feature for 2016 on the Three 5 is the velour-lined valuables pocket is now waterproof.

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Design & Performance

We’ve established that the 2016 Sun Mountain Three 5 is a high-quality bag and has stood the test of time.  I mentioned the stand working well above, but there are a handful of other additions in 2016 that make the Three 5 a strong bag.  Enhancing the 2016 Three 5 is the new E-Z Fit Dual Strap System.  The new strap system is thicker and has venting so as to provide a much more comfortable carrying experience.  The weight balances nicely and you don’t feel like the bag is digging into your collar bone.  Additionally, the Three 5 is a fairly lightweight option for the player looking to carry their bag during their round but still needing a good amount of storage.

Speaking of the storage, there are seven pockets that allow for plenty of room for all of your golfing supplies.  Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a tour staff bag, but you’ll have more room than a small Sunday carrier.  For your clubs, there’s a four-way flared top with full-length dividers that make it relatively easy to get your clubs in the bag.  It’s not uncommon for me to throw somewhere around 21 clubs in the bag to go do testing.  Yes, it will be a tight fit, but it’s doable.

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Conclusion

As much as I liked my 2015 Sun Mountain Three 5, I LOVE my 2016 Three 5 stand bag.  The highlight to me is the new E-Z Fit Dual Strap System which makes for a much more comfortable carry.  Aside from being a good quality golf bag that’s going to hold up as it’s put through its paces, I love the way it looks and I love taking it out on the course as much as possible.

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Bill Bush

Co-Founder
Bill is a true golf gear nerd by definition who loves making custom club creations in his garage with tools like sledge hammers, blow torches, and his bare hands. By day, Bill is a technology manager living in the Chicago suburbs with his wife and kids. Bill plays Scott Readman Concepts putters and accessories.

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6 Comments

  1. Doug Jamieson
    April 21, 2016 at 2:37 pm  ·  Reply

    I completely agree. I bought 2 of these last summer for a golf trip to Ireland, and they performed admirably. I use it as a carry bag when I walk our home course, but it will serve well as as a cart bag when required. The strap system is the best around.

    I also have 2 of their C130 cart bags — liked the first one so much that I bought its twin for my place in Florida.

    Plus we have a couple of their small standbags for taking a few clubs to the range and trucking clubs back and forth between Toronto and Florida every year.

    Each of the three serves its purpose extremely well. We are completely sold on Sun Mountain bags, and would never buy anything else. Nice to see you agree.

    We’re heading for Newfoundland this summer, and the Three-5’s will be coming along.

  2. Harold Turner
    October 16, 2016 at 7:40 pm  ·  Reply

    My Sun Mountain Innovative stand bag has a leg problem. The legs do an almost split leaving the bag almost on the ground.
    Is there a fix or adjustment that can fix this problem?

  3. Bob ferraris
    May 14, 2017 at 7:39 pm  ·  Reply

    The vertical fiberglass part of the stand mechanism broke after three rounds. Dick’s replaced the bag and the same part broke in the replacement bag after 2 months. Maybe 20 rounds.

    Design flaw

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