50 Words or Less
The Sun Mountain Eclipse E-3.5 golf bag is a highly organized, high capacity bag. Smart new base design is more durable and functional. One bag that can be carried, pushed, or loaded onto a cart.
Introduction
If you’re not a golfer, a golf bag is a golf bag. Regular players, however, understand that a series of seemingly small things add up to make a golf bag great or a total headache. The new Sun Mountain Eclipse E-3.5 golf bag is definitely one of the former with a variety of smart new features that make it one of the best, most versatile bags that I’ve tested.
Looks
Sun Mountain shows an understanding of golf’s trends with the design of the Eclipse Series bags. “Golf bag as billboard” is out, minimalism is in.
The branding has been dialed way down with one small mountain logo on either side. “Sun Mountain” appears twice on the back of the bag, but both instances are modestly sized. This puts the visual focus on the contrast zippers and the texture of the padded areas. Overall, this is an understated golf bag, though you can go bolder with certain colorways.
The Sun Mountain Eclipse E-3.5 14-way golf bag comes in eight colorways. Black/White is shown here. Other options include Falcon Blue, Green Jacket, Snow Camo, and a head-turning Forest Green/Sport Navy/Red combo.
Features
If you like to bring a lot of gear to the course, the Sun Mountain Eclipse E-3.5 golf bag has you covered. Starting on the left side, there’s a large insulated drink sleeve and a capacious zippered pocket. The back of the bag has a velour-lined, magnetic-closure pocket for a rangefinder and a ball pocket that swallowed up four dozen golf balls without looking anywhere near full. Also, the ball pocket can be zipped off for customization.
The right size of the bag has a velour-lined valuables pocket above a large apparel pocket. This section has a clip for keys or another small item (see above) and is cleverly subdivided for better organization. I can’t overstate the importance of this for players who want to bring a lot of gear to the course. A big apparel pocket is great, but after seeing it so well organized, I don’t think I could go back to digging around to find the one thing I want.
Rounding out the features on the Sun Mountain Eclipse E-3.5 golf bag are the standards we’ve come to expect from a high end golf bag. There’s a velcro patch for your glove, a pencil holder, and two spots to clip a towel, rangefinder case, or brush. One standard that’s been elevated is the umbrella holder: rather than just having a loop of fabric near the base, Sun Mountain gave the E-3.5 a sleeve to keep the umbrella securely in place.
Performance
There are three different golf bags in the new Eclipse Series, differentiated by their weight and tops. The Sun Mountain Eclipse E-3.5 14-way stand bag has a 14-way top, as the name suggests. What’s more, each of those openings has a full length divider. The top is as large as any I’ve seen on a stand bag – roughly 9″ X 10″ – so you can easily slide in 14 midsized grips without any binding or hassle. Also noteworthy is the duratech mesh that covers the top four inches of each section, providing added protection for your shafts.
All of this organization comes at the cost of weight. The E-3.5 14-way is the heaviest Eclipse Series bag, tipping the scales at over 5.5 pounds. The standard E-3.5, which features a 4-way top, is a full pound lighter. Regular walkers will appreciate the Sun Mountain Eclipse E-2.5 which tips the scales at just over four pounds.
The other major feature that Sun Mountain is promoting with the Eclipse Series is the Internal Compression Bottom. As you can see above, there’s no “foot” to activate the stand mechanism. Instead, the base hinges to deploy the stand. This has two major benefits. First, it’s more durable, particularly when you’re putting the bag on a cart. Second, it keeps more of the base in contact with the ground (below), so the bag is less likely to tip over.
I found that the Internal Compression Mechanism worked just as promised. The stand deployed easily and retracted as the bag was stood up. It stood strong in heavy spring winds, and the base fit naturally onto both riding and push carts like the Sun Mountain Ridgeline 3 [review HERE].
Finally, the X-Fit Dual Strap System makes the Sun Mountain Eclipse E-3.5 golf bag a very comfortable carry. The straps are heavily padded, as is the portion of the bag that rests on your back. Both straps slide effortlessly through the X-Fit mechanism, giving you a balanced carry with one strap or two. Additionally, the entire system can be removed with four clips if you want it out of the way on days when you’re pushing or riding.
Conclusion
With superior capacity, organization, and an upgraded stand system, the Sun Mountain Eclipse E-3.5 makes a strong case to be the only golf bag you need. Pick a colorway to suit your personal style and you’ll have a bag that will serve you well for numerous seasons.
Support Plugged In Golf, Buy the Sun Mountain Eclipse E-3.5 HERE
He founded Plugged In Golf in 2013 with the goal of helping all golfers play better and enjoy the game more.
Matt lives in the northwest suburbs of Chicago with his wife and two daughters.
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3 Comments
Hi Matt,
With the removal of the external base mechanism, did you notice any pinching between the base of the bag and the grips in the bottom three slots of the divider/any club tangle issues?
Best,
Adrian
Adrian,
No, I didn’t.
-Matt
I just received my bag today and found the issue with my grips getting pinched at the bottom not allowing me to pull them out unless the bag was in its upright position.
I returned it today.