Big Max Aqua Sport 360 Cart Bag Review
Jeremy Ellwood tries out this unique, maximum-capacity cart bag blessed with pocket space around its entire circumference
Very much a bag for the golfer who errs on the side of caution over what they take with them out on the course. There really is space for everything and the attention to detail is impressive. It's waterproof too. Not one for the golfer who likes to carry light and keep things frugal.
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Extremely light for a cart bag
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Huge amount of storage space
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Fully waterproof design
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Possibly a little over-specced for some
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The first thing you notice about the good-looking Big Max Aqua 360 cart bag when you take it out of the box is just how unbelievably light it is - a very far cry from the heavy cart bags of old, which had the ability to put your back out lifting them out of the car. The declared weight is 2.4kg, but it doesn’t even feel that at all. (I recommend reading our best lightweight golf bags guide if you want more models like this).
The next thing you notice is that it has pocket space all the way around the bag, hence the 360 name. Your natural reaction is, “What’s the point of that as there are going to be some pockets you can’t access readily on a trolley or buggy?” A valid question but, having watched the video on the Big Max website, I can see that you may choose to use this additional space to simply streamline the number of things you have to carry to the course, perhaps putting your golf shoes in the big pocket on the side that would often be pocketless, hence no need for a separate shoe bag. Once I started using it, I could see that on the right push cart or electric trolley, where the bag sits away from the support frame, some of these rear pockets are still accessible – certainly on the Big Max trolley I was using.
Of course, the question then is, how much stuff do you really need with you out on the course? We all know there are days when we need to load up for various reasons, and this bag comes into its own then for surely not many bags out there can accommodate more. Being a waterproof golf bag is another excellent string to this model's already sizable bow.
I used to work for Sun Mountain’s UK distributors many years ago at a time when cooler pockets and Sharpie pen sleeves were the latest thing, so I know how important features can be. I wonder if some golf bags have gone overkill now, but I guess there’s always someone out there who really values every little detail in bags like the Big Max Aqua Sport 360, where no stone has been left unturned.
My personal favorites were the extra-capacity drinks cooler pocket, which can comfortably keep two bottles cool, and the comfortable double grab handles at the top to help with maneuvering the bag out of the car boot. Your personal favorites may differ, but I’m afraid I still struggle to bring myself to like 14-way tops, while appreciating the logic and understanding that others think they're the best thing since sliced bread!
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Jeremy Ellwood (Jezz) has worked in golf since 1993 and for Golf Monthly since 2002 when he started out as equipment editor. He is a senior panelist for Golf Monthly's Top 100 UK & Ireland Course Rankings and has played all the Top 100 plus 94 of the Next 100, making him well-qualified to compare our premier tracks. He has played over 1,100 courses in 35 countries, from remote nine-holers in the Scottish Highlands to grand international resorts, hitting the 1,000 mark on his 60th birthday in October 2023 on Vale do Lobo's Ocean course. Put him on a links course anywhere and he'll be blissfully content.
Contact Jezz on X - @JezzEllwoodGolf
Jeremy is playing...
Driver: Ping G425 LST
3 wood: Srixon ZX
Hybrid: Ping G425
Irons 4- to 11-iron: Honma TWorld TW747Vx
Wedge: Ping Glide 54˚
Putter: Ping Fetch