Tracer Stand Bag:
Ready for the
Toughest Fairways

By Kiel T. Christianson,
Senior Writer

LANSING, MI -- How many times have you thought to yourself: “Gee, I wish I could take my golf clubs with me mountain climbing, but my golf bag isn’t sturdy enough.”

OK. Maybe the answer is “Never.” BUT, if you ever do want to take your clubs on some extreme adventure – or simply want to carry your clubs in style – Ogio Sports has the golf bag for you: The new 2002 Tracer stand bag. At just 5 pounds, it just might be the lightest, toughest thing since that chick from the TV show Alias.

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Ogio has built up a reputation for cutting edge design and slick styling. Last year, we raved about the company’s O-Zone YZ stand bag. And the Tracer is one of a new line of chic successors.

Major design features of the Tracer are a 9-inch, 5-bay top with full-length dividers and trademark Putter Pit, 420 D hexweave nylon and 600D Ripstop poly construction, new 4-point Triple T shoulder strap, improved high-mount stand for added stability, and five roomy pockets. Unlike the pretenders you’ll find in discount stores, the Tracer won’t tear apart after only a season or two.

The legs/stand are improved over the O-Zone – nothing short of a minor hurricane could knock the Tracer over. And the rugged yet sexy looks are as impressive as ever. One nice aspect of the O-Zone has been replaced, however. Gone are the Velcro fasteners on the rain hood, replaced by traditional snaps. When asked about this change, Joe Novak of Ogio said simply, “Snaps hold up longer than Velcro when used on a regular basis.” Fair enough, but those straps were sure easier on the fingers.

We passed the Tracer around a bit, and response was generally very positive, with some slight exceptions. The super heavy-duty shoulder straps, although well-padded, are wide and tend to dig into your arm pits after a few holes. The ridges meant to keep your clubs in place don’t really do the job (didn’t in the O-Zone, either); added padding to protect club shafts would be better. And if you don’t spend some time messing with the straps, the bag will hang horizontally from your shoulders, making you worry that your clubs will slide out. But, with the right adjustment, the angle improves.

Finally, if you like to walk but not carry, the bag sits well in a pull cart, too. But then again, who wants to take a pull cart AND their golf clubs mountain climbing?

Ogio Tracer Specs