Wilson Staff Nexus Golf Bag Review

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Wilson Nexus Stand Bag (14)

50 Words or Less

Legitimately different stand bag design with real performance improvements.  Light, comfortable to carry, and plenty of space inside.

Wilson Nexus Stand Bag (8)

Introduction

When I first heard from Wilson Staff that they were releasing an “innovative” new stand bag, I had serious doubts.  What can be better about a stand bag?  You shaved off a few ounces?  Added more pockets?  Yawn.  But then I got the Nexus in hand, saw the base of the bag, and became intrigued.  So it this really a stand bag innovation or just more pockets?  I’ve got the answers.

Wilson Nexus Stand Bag (12)

Style

No one wants to carry a cruddy looking bag, so style is important.  Wilson Staff did a good job on that front.  The four color choices, black, white, red, and blue, are pretty standard, but the accent colors are bold and used often enough to keep the bags from being boring.  The branding hits the sweet spot between, “Who made that?” and “Walking billboard.”

Wilson Nexus Stand Bag (9)

Quality

Quality is another prerequisite: a golf bag’s life should be measured in seasons, not rounds.  Again, Wilson Staff delivered.  I can’t claim to have put dozens of rounds on this bag yet, but I did put all the components through pretty tough stress tests.  All the pockets, zippers, and stitching are equal to the best bags on the market: there were no snags, stuck zippers, or lose seams anywhere.  The material is light without feeling cheap.  As for the heart of the bag, the legs, they’re as sturdy as any I’ve encountered.  Of particular note are the handles.  Both handles, top and front, are solid plastic as opposed to padded nylon.  This not only enhances the feel of the bag (everyone who picked it up said, “Wow, that’s sturdy”), but it makes it function better as well.

Wilson Nexus Stand Bag (6)

Design and Performance

So what’s the big deal about the Nexus?  It’s all in the base.  Look at the picture above: the Nexus keeps the entire base on the ground when its legs are out where a typical stand bag has only a small fraction of the base on the ground.  This doesn’t seem like a big deal until you try putting your bag down on an hilly lie, only to watch it topple over.  The Nexus base is also more stable in the “legs up” position.  On a carpeted floor (where my bag spends most of its time), most stand bags need to be leaned against something to keep from falling; the Nexus does not.

In addition to this major improvement, the Nexus offers all the standard stand bag niceties.  There’s a towel hook with Velcro for your glove, a lined valuables pocket, and plenty of space for extra balls and rain gear.  Wilson Staff also added two features just for the walkers: a zipper-free, insulated water bottle pocket and a rangefinder compartment.  I particularly like this second feature since I’m addicted to my laser but hate zipping it in and out of a pocket on every shot.

Overall, the Nexus offers a legitimate improvement on stand bag stability without compromising in any other area.

Wilson Nexus Stand Bag (22)

Conclusion

The Wilson Nexus Stand Bag gets my highest compliment: it’s going in the bag, or, rather, it is the new bag.  I was perfectly happy with my old stand bag, but this is simply better.  The construction of the Nexus makes it stable in all situations and it offers plenty of well-designed storage.  This is a bag all walking golfers should check out.

Price and Availability

The Nexus Stand Bag retails for $199.

It’s available now in 4 different colors: Black, White, Red, and Blue.

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Matt Saternus

Founder, Editor In Chief at PluggedInGolf.com
Matt is the Founder and Editor in Chief of Plugged In Golf. He's worked in nearly every job in the golf industry from club fitting to instruction to writing and speaking. Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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13 Comments

  1. Willie
    November 15, 2013 at 10:57 am  ·  Reply

    Great review! How is it in a cart? I’ve been leaning towards Sun Mountian/Titleist for the CFB, but this bag looks better for walking.

    • Matt Saternus
      November 15, 2013 at 12:53 pm  ·  Reply

      Thanks!
      I used to have a Sun Mountain with the CFB, and I don’t think it’s any better than the Nexus. If anything, I like the Nexus more for loading/unloading because the handles are so sturdy.
      Hope that helps.

      Best,

      Matt

  2. Bob
    December 18, 2013 at 12:21 pm  ·  Reply

    Hi Matt, Nice review. Finally a bag with some new engineering. You give it good marks when it comes to stability and quality but what about the other factors that are equally important in a carry bag. Features like weight distribution, strap adjustment and padding, full length dividers, and ability to keep club grips from binding with each other?

    • Matt Saternus
      December 18, 2013 at 1:29 pm  ·  Reply

      Bob,

      Thank you, and thanks for the questions. Let me see if I can answer them all here:

      Weight distribution is good. I view it as one of those “if I don’t notice it, it must be ok” type of things.

      Straps: Adjustments are pretty standard, 2 adjustments/strap. Padding is good. Not the most padded straps I’ve ever seen, but certainly comfortable.

      Dividers: It has 5 sections and 3 full length dividers. No bag will ever be able to stop the grips from binding without 14 separate, full length compartments, but the Nexus is pretty good.

      I hope that helps.

      Best,

      Matt

  3. Stephen
    February 16, 2014 at 8:55 am  ·  Reply

    Hi Matt, great review I really want this bag but my only problem is picking the colour!! I really like the white bag design but as I play in the rainy north n the courses are a little muddy. Is it a easy bag to clean/wipe down or over time will it become discoloured? Am I better going for the red or black colours? Thanks

    • Matt Saternus
      February 17, 2014 at 7:47 am  ·  Reply

      Stephen,

      Great question. I haven’t gotten my Nexus *really* dirty yet, but for little dirt and dust, it’s pretty average to clean. I would say that if you know you’re going to be getting muddy, opt for something other than white.

      Best,

      Matt

  4. Cedric Theofanous
    February 25, 2014 at 11:40 pm  ·  Reply

    Wilson coming through big here, a laser pouch sounds glorious. My range finder case has a buckle which I hate dealing with.

  5. Aaron Uribe
    January 22, 2015 at 7:37 am  ·  Reply

    How does the base fit in a cart?

    Does the water bottle pocket have a drain, and if so, where does it go. My current bag, unfortunately, has a grommet that drains directly in to another pocket!

  6. DR
    March 16, 2015 at 9:16 am  ·  Reply

    Matt, I saw a suggestion that this bag doesn’t fit on an electric cart due to the metal frame on the base being larger than a traditional bag. Have you tried yours on a cart yet? (driving cart, not push cart)

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