Vessel Sunday III DXR Stand Bag Review

Scott Kramer takes the latest premium golf bag from Vessel to the course to assess the carrying experience on offer

Vessel Sunday III DXR Stand Bag Review
(Image credit: Scott Kramer)
Golf Monthly Verdict

Vessel is a Southern California brand also known for its elevated-luxury travel and tennis bags. Once you take the Sunday III DXR Stand bag to play, you’re sold on the first hole. The bag quality is plain outstanding, the look is aesthetically clean, and it’s comfortably lightweight to carry 18 holes.

Reasons to buy
  • +

    Holds a full set of clubs

  • +

    Can be used as a double or single strap

  • +

    Magnetic pulls and pocket are powerful

Reasons to avoid
  • -

    Expensive for a Sunday bag

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Vessel Sunday III DXR Stand Bag Review

Most Sunday-style bags on the market will hold up to eight clubs. But Vessel’s is not like those. It houses an entire 14-club set... without feeling congested. Mind you, it’s the same physical size as many competitor models, but really well designed. If you’ve ever used a typical Sunday stand bag, you know it feels especially cramped when you stand it up. That’s because the club grips down by the base often get caught up in the folding fabric. The Vessel, however, was designed to elevate the grips slightly above that crease, so that they can never get caught. So you’ll always be able to easily slide the right club out. It's one of many clever features that demonstrates how Vessel is redefining how golf bags are made

Vessel Sunday III DXR Stand Bag

(Image credit: Scott Kramer)

The Sunday III bag is made with DXR – Diamond X-PAC Ripstop nylon – which is like a super-strong, three-layer parachute material that’s true ripstop. It weighs just 4.15 pounds without the half-pound strap. So it’s super easy to carry. And because the strap is equilibrium-minded, it truly feels weightless and perfectly balanced on your shoulders. The company calls it an “effortless carry,” which is accurate. And while we love using it as a double strap, it can also transform into a single, as well. 

Vessel Sunday III DXR Stand Bag detail

(Image credit: Scott Kramer)

The bag offers five pockets, including a magnetic accessories pocket, water bottle pocket, antimicrobial valuables pocket, and large apparel pocket. A 3-way top helps organize the clubs in a minimal-looking way. There are also waterproof zippers, a padded hip panel, all-leather touch points and zipper pulls, and a complete absence of rivets up top – so that your clubs won’t get scratched up. 

Plus, the bag is designed so it’s never top heavy – meaning your clubs won’t tip the bag over and fall out. The tapered carbon fiber legs also have secure housing at the base, so they’ll never get roughed up if you decide to strap it to a cart. The attention to detail on this bag is what sets it apart and so if you're interested in investing in the best Sunday golf bags, this new option from Vessel should be at the top of your list. At $295 it's a lot of money, but the way it combines style with functionality justifies it.

Scott Kramer

Scott Kramer is a freelance writer based in Southern California. He carries a 5.2 index, along with a hacker's short game. Yet the former Senior Editor of GOLF Magazine always tries to bring his "A" game to his writing. 

Here's what's in Scott's golf bag: Driver: Callaway Epic Speed driver Fairway wood: Titleist TSi2 4-wood Hybrid: Titleist H1 hybrid Irons: Titleist AP1 irons Wedges: Vokey wedges Putter: An old Odyssey Versa putter that's been refurbished twice!