Did Vessel Just Perfect the Walking Bag?

Vessel has made a name for themselves with elevated materials and an ultra-premium aesthetic. Despite their cult-following and solid bags, they’ve often fallen flat in one key attribute: weight.

Premium materials and construction usually come with a trade-off in the weight department. Vessel hopes to remedy that with the introduction of the all-new Player Air stand bag.

While we’ve already had our hands on this bag for a while (you can check out the Most Wanted Stand Bags of 2024), I’m here to break down exactly what Vessel did to save weight and, hopefully, help you “walk” away with a new golf bag.

The Specs

• 30 perecent reduction in weight (just under 5 lb)
• Cordura fabric construction
• Six-way or 14-way divider top
• Nightfall, navy, white, gray
• Magnetic rangefinder pocket
• Carbon fiber legs
• Spacious ball pocket

Cool in Cordura

How did Vessel achieve such drastic weight savings? Cordura. You’ve probably heard of them, though their golf applications are relatively non-existent.

Cordura is often used in workwear and is praised for its durability. Ever head of Carhartt? Yeah, they use it. NIKE does in some of their more stout shoe offerings. Not only does the Player Air’s Cordura fabric provide great durability and tear resistance but it also provided the requisite weight savings.

In short, the switch to Cordura Naturalle Ripstop Nylon made the Player Air lighter without sacrificing any durability. That’s a win in my book.

Because I’ve had the luxury of testing the Player Air for over a month now, I will mention that the switch in materials has made the large side apparel pocket harder to unzip. The Cordura Naturalle Ripstop Nylon just isn’t quite as rigid as Vessel’s typical synthetic leather.

But that’s neither here nor there. The Vessel Player Air is much more comfortable to carry than its heavier counterparts.

Still A Vessel

The 30-percent weight reduction is nice, sure. But the Player Air is still a Vessel Bag through and through (that’s a good thing). We’re talking magnets galore, spacious pockets and comfortable carry straps.

Couple that with a pretty good stand system and quality dividers and you’ve got yourself a solid bag.

Even with the switch to Cordura, the Player Air still encapsulates the refined look and feel that are synonymous with Vessel. It’s a Vessel, but lighter.

If that was the goal, the Player Air is a win.