tour trek hybrid travel golf bag

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TourTrek Hybrid Hard Top Golf Travel Bag

The Bottom Line

TourTrek's Hybrid Hard Top golf travel bag provides some protection, but the roomy hard top leaves too much room for your clubs to rattle around.

The Hybrid Hard Top golf bag folds up into the hard top for easy storage, and the storage pockets are very useful.

The hard top isn't as protective as some because it allows for the clubs to move around too much.

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Travel Bags

9 of our favorite golf travel bags to consider for your next golf trip

The proper golf travel bag is necessary for anyone hitting the road. A travel bag needs to check all the boxes —durability, pocket space, padding and an internal strap to keep the bag snug and not moving around inside—the difference-maker is the much-appreciated ability to effortlessly move through the airport. Wheels to allow you to move through the airport with minimum effort is also key.

If you're reading this, it's not too late. You've likely done the hard part—booking your next golf trip. Now you need to figure out how to get your golf clubs safely to your destination. We're here to help, here are a few of our favorite travel bags that'll make things a little easier whenever you hit the road again. RELATED: The best travel cover for golfers

Sun Mountain ClubGlider Meridian

The Sun Mountain ClubGlider Meridian is large enough to hold anything from a standard carry bag to the largest of cart bags. There are enough pockets to store everything from a pair (or two) of golf shoes, raingear, a dozen balls and, on the way home, probably a bag of dirty laundry. At the airport, the pivoting wheels make maneuvering through check-in a breeze.

Caddymatic Hard Top Shell Padded Travel Cover with Wheels

A durable, polyester lower half folds up inside the hard top to make it easier for storage. The shell top of the bag helps protect clubs from damage in transit.

More to consider:

Founders Club Golf Travel Cover Luggage

Samsonite "The Protector Hard & Soft Golf Travel Cover with Shark Wheels

Founders Club Golf Travel Bag Travel Cover Luggage for Golf Clubs with ABS Hard Shell Top

Club Glove Last Bag Collegiate Travel Cover with Stiff Arm

Not only is Club Glove one of the most trusted companies in this space, but it also offers some of the most impressive style offerings in golf. Available in 16 colors, these are well-designed bags, which also include a stiff arm protector to keep your driver safe.

Bag Boy T-2000 Travel Cover

For anyone who's struggled to fit their golf bag into a tight travel case in the past, the Bag Boy will seem like a revelation. The full wraparound zippered compartment makes it simple to get your clubs into the case.

Sun Mountain Kube Travel Cover

This might be the most innovative option in this group. The Kube folds into a versatile little square, making it convenient for condensing in size when your bag's not in there (think in the trunk of your car on a golf trip, or in storage when you're not on a trip).

TourTrek TC PRO Travel Cover

Just like the bag above, this Tour Trek has a large compartment that wraps around and zippers shut. The company also boasts a central internal compression strap to help secure your clubs in transit. There are 11 colorful options to choose from.

SKB Cases ATA Deluxe Standard Hard Golf Bag

This durable case is molded from a durable polyethylene, which the company says was built to better fit golf bags of any size. This case also boasts what the company calls a "patent-pending closure system" with industrial strength latching to make the system more secure.

OGIO Straight Jacket Travel Cover

The strap system on this durable Ogio bag makes it easy to secure your clubs, so they don't move around and become damaged in transit. The travel bag is fully padded to protect your clubs further, and keeping the product as fresh as possible. The company, one of the most reliable for all types of bags, also boasts tip-resistant stability. (This model is currently sold out, but you can shop a similar Ogio travel bag here .)

RELATED: The best golf practice nets available now for indoor/outdoor at-home practice

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Tour Trek GTS Hardcase

The GTS Hardcase from Tour Trek (Golfsmith’s house brand) is one of the few available hardsided golf travel bags. Like the Samsonite Hardside , it has a lightweight ABS shell and comes with four 360-degree spinner wheels on the bottom of the case that enable you to roll it standing up, along with two in-line skate wheels when you need to pull it over rougher terrain.

An interior pocket or two would have been nice, but now we’re really splitting hairs. The GTS Hardcase and Samsonite Hardside are very similar products (thus the similar scoring), and it ultimately may come down to which one is better priced on a given day (we’ve seen both at discounts to the listed MSRPs), and whether or not you get antsy about the fact that we couldn’t find any warranty information about the product. We presume that Golsmith would stand behind its products, but you may not be as trusting as we are.

If you fill up your golf travel bag to the airline baggage weight limit, you’ll be at 50 pounds. It’s much easier to roll 50 pounds that is standing up on four wheels than it is to lift one edge of a 50 pound bag and drag it behind you on two wheels. Your arms, shoulders and back will all thank you if you make the move.

Retail price: $199.99 Golfsmith: Check price now

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION

As mentioned above, the Tour Trek GTS Hardcase golf travel case is made of ABS (Acrylonitrile butadiene styrene, if you must know what it stands for), a lightweight plastic that has a bit of flexibility. Interestingly, both the Tour Trek GTS Hardcase and the Samsonite Hardside had a number of scuffs and scratches after their maiden voyages – we presume it’s just a propensity of ABS to show wear and tear. There was, however, no damage to the structural integrity of the case, and more importantly, the precious cargo was untouched.

A two-way zipper runs the length of the bag with a ring that enables the zippers to be locked together, and the bag comes with a TSA approved padlock. The dimensions of the GTS Hardcase are approximately 52” x 15” x 14”, compared to the Samsonite Hardside ’s 54″ x 16″ x 12″, and thus the GTS Hardcase has a tad more interior capacity. Note that even though it’s a hair shorter than the Samsonite, it had no problems accommodating a golf carry bag with an oversize driver in it.

The design of the Tour Trek GTS Hardcase also includes:

• four 360-degree “spinner” wheels on the bottom of the case that pivot in any direction, making for a smooth rolling experience and the ability to pivot quickly and easily,
• two additional in-line skate wheels positioned on one side that can be used to pull the case over curbs or uneven surfaces,
• a thin layer of padding throughout the bag, with thicker foam padding at the top to protect the heads of your clubs as they extend out of your regular golf carry bag,
• two internal adjustable straps to secure your golf bag – one that fits around the top of the bag and one toward the bottom,
• two plastic-gripped handles – one at the top of the case, and one on the side – with springs that cause the handles to fold tight with the case when they aren’t being used, and
• only one color option – grey.

We tested the Tour Trek GTS Hardcase with a standard sized carry bag, and were comfortably able to fit a pair of golf shoes, a pair of flip flops, and clothes for a long weekend. On the trip home, we had all of the dirty clothes in a plastic hotel laundry bag, and were easily able to shove the plastic bag into the GTS Hardcase and zip it shut. The ABS exterior has some give to it, so there was actually additional room to cram in additional stuff, but as always, you have to be aware of exceeding airline restrictions on weight.

TRAVEL IMPRESSIONS

Like the Samsonite Hardside , the Tour Trek GTS Hardcase is designed to stand on its base and let you wheel it along on the four “spinner” wheels. If you’re going over a curb or uneven surface, you can easily grab the top handle and drag it behind you on the two in-line skate wheels.

The Tour Trek GTS Hardcase weighed 16 pounds (as tested), making it the second heaviest travel case we tested (topped only by the OGIO Mammoth ), but because it is fully wheeled, the additional weight doesn’t impact the ease of hauling it around. The primary impact of the heavier weight is that it means you’re a bit closer to the airlines’ “overweight” baggage fee for bags over 50 pounds before you’ve even started packing.

While the GTS Hardcase is two inches shorter than the Samsonite Hardside , it’s still difficult to fit in the trunk of a typical import car, so you’ll need to either use a pass through between the trunk and back seat, or you can just lay it across the entire back seat (which worked fine in our rental Toyota Camry).

The Tour Trek GTS Hardcase golf travel bag retails for $199.99, placing it among the least expensive third of bags in our tests. We’ve hammered home the convenience of four-wheeling in this review, but will emphasize it one more time – until you’ve tried it, you don’t know what you’re missing. The hard shell provides great confidence in the protection afforded for your clubs, while staying relatively light.

We couldn’t find any warranty information about the Tour Trek GTS Hardcase either on the packaging or on the retailer’s web site, so it may just be caveat emptor. This is a minor concern, although Golfsmith is a large retailer and presumably would stand behind its house products.

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TC 2.0 Golf Travel Cover

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Product Description

Tour Trek Tour Trek TC-2.0 Golf Travel Cover The Tour Trek TC-2.0 Golf Travel Cover is perfect for hassle free travel. A lightweight, streamlined design and dual in-line wheels are the perfect combination for the golfer on the go. The padded compartment protects clubs and two interior cinch straps keep your golf bag secure. Tech Features: Material: 600 D Nylon Dimensions: 52" H x 13" W x 14" D Weight: 3.9 lbs. Easy Lift Handles: 2 Interior Pockets: 1 Interior security straps: 2 Wheels: 2 inline skate wheels Additional protection: Reinforced plastic wrap base guard Opening: dual zipper center access (TSA lock compatible) Designed to fit: most cart and stand bags ID card holder

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Sleeping bag rental in Moscow for extreme conditions - Moscow Forum

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Sleeping bag rental in Moscow for extreme conditions

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CharmianClare, hi

Are you sure that sleeping outdoor in November in Russian climate IS a good travel idea overall?

-40 in November is definitely unheard of.

I spent a little market research. Sleeping bags for such extreme temperatures, I have not found. Rent a sleeping bag for -18 degrees costs about 100 rubles per day

A few links for you (Rus)

http://moscow.naprokat.info/vitrina/116.htm

http://prokat-palatok.ru/

http://www.prokatsporta.ru/sleep.html

Probabbly buying a discounted one might be not that expensive, and probably more convenient than renting - Sportmaster is the leading sports chain, they have several discount stores around the city and probably have e-shop... If you rent for 10-15 days, buying a new one at, say, R1500 might be a better deal...

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Local Attractions / Travel

The best golf clubs in moscow: luxury, exclusivity, and entertainment.

By Walter Raymond

February 24, 2015

• The Best Golf Clubs in…

In Russia, the western concept of building architecturally beautiful golf courses filled with modern and luxurious amenities has found fertile ground. What was considered a frivolous pastime during the time of the Soviets has become the latest trend for the stylish set. These days, there are countless options around Moscow to practice golf, polo, ski, yachting, and other sports alongside 5-star hotels, luxurious country houses, and magnificent villas.

The game of golf is a sport that requires passion and expertise. It is also part of a culture that considers this pastime a synonym of social prestige and exclusivity. In recent years, the new Russian elite has turned to golf as a vehicle of integration in the era of globalization. Golf courses are also meeting and socializing spaces where Muscovite tycoons can relax and also seal business deals.

Golf Courses in Russia

The Moscow Country Club, Pestovo Golf & Yacht Club, Tseleevo Golf & Polo Club, and Zavidovo Golf Club, PGA National Russia are some of the most exclusive and elegant golf courses in Russia. Some of them have made it to the list of Top 15 golf clubs in the world, a source of great prestige for the country.

Moscow Country Club Moscow Country Club

The first 18-hole golf course built in Russia, Moscow Country Club, hosts the exclusive PGA European Tour. Located just eight miles from the city center, this luxurious facility was created by architect Robert Trent Jones Jr . The design takes advantage of a typical Russian birch and spruce forest to provide a natural environment of extraordinary beauty.

Pestovo Golf & Yacht Club Pestovo Golf & Yacht Club

The Pestovo Golf & Yacht Club is 18 miles from the heart of Moscow, close to historical monuments from the 17th and 18th centuries. Designed by famed architects Paul and Dave Thomas , this 18-hole course is part of a complex that includes a yacht club, an equestrian center, and a health and wellness facility. Pestovo Golf & Yacht Club is Russia’s version of a classic country club with multiple attractions.

Tseleevo Golf & Polo Club Tseleevo Golf & Polo Club

This park is among the best in Eastern Europe and was awarded the 2014 World Golf Award as the best golf course in Russia. Located 25 miles from Moscow, it is part of a vast complex featuring an 18-hole golf course, designed by Jack Nicklaus , a polo club and a mountain ski club with four tracks. The design combines classic Scottish, Alpine, and English features in a dreamy landscape.

Zavidovo Golf Club, PGA National Russia Zavidovo Golf Club, PGA National Russia

Less than 60 miles from Moscow, this golf course with a definite Scottish design is the only one in Russia recognized as a PGA (Professional Golfers’ Association) from Britain and Ireland. Located in an ecologically pristine area on the banks of the Volga River, the Zavidovo Golf Club embodies the spirit and appearance of the legendary Scottish golf courses. Its many springs and streams, hills, forests, swamps and lakes justify its reputation as a very demanding circuit. Last year, it entered the exclusive club of the 15 best golf courses in the world.   ■

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Independent Travel to Moscow and St. Petersburg

My wife and I have traveled independently to many European countries and, after reading many of the comments in this forum, feel like we may be able to do so in Moscow and St. Petersburg as well, although we feel somewhat less comfortable than the other countries where we have traveled in Europe.

My biggest question is how much we will miss by visiting the main sites without a tour guide. In the other European countries we have visited on our own we have been comfortable and satisfied with the level of knowledge we have gained by studying and visiting on our own, although we believe a tour guide or tour company in any country would normally be able to provide greater insight than visiting a site on our own, but about in Moscow and St. Petersburg?

Any thoughts would be appreciated.

Unless you speak at least some Russian and read the alphabet it would be difficult without a guide. Very few signs in English especially in Moscow. Also not too many people speak English there.

I visited St Petersburg last Autumn for a protracted period , and did not find it anymore daunting than any other European city . As Ilja says , learning the Cyrillic alphabet is a big plus . I also found that it was fairly easy to grasp . It will , among other things , enable you to read signs with relative ease . I would answer the main part or your question ( about tour guides ) thus - I am not enamored of tour guides or tours. While I only use a tour under duress ( A sites rules prohibiting an independent visit - ie Glasgow School of Art , Municipal House in Prague , etc ) . Doing your own preparation and homework is the best way , in my opinion . My wife and I ventured through St Petersburg with nary a concern ,and made two day trips outside of the central district ( one was twenty five miles away , and no English speakers in sight ) Figuring out the logistical details , did not present any difficulties . While I never use tours , I am an inveterate eavesdropper , have done so many times , and find , that on balance , the information that they impart is fairly elementary . If you want greater detail , they are unlikely to supply it . I also prefer to go at my own pace , not being rushed and being able to dwell on things that most other visitors barely give a passing glance . If you are interested , let me know . I would be happy to provide you with information that will enable you to travel independently

Thank you, Steven. I am encouraged by your comments and feel the same way you do about tour groups. We are very much willing to prepare in advance and learn the basics of the Cyrillic alphabet to help us have a better experience.

I would be very interested in learning more about your experience in Russia and receiving any additional information you can provide on independent travel there, starting perhaps with obtaining the visa.

I am not opposed to hiring a private or small group guide for a specific site or for a day trip outside St Petersburg and Moscow, but, like you said, I much prefer the freedom of staying at places as long or short as I want and seeing the sites that interest me most. For example, neither my wife nor I are big into shopping, yet most tour itineraries leave afternoon time for just that. Not interested!

Please provide whatever you may feel would be helpful for us.

Russ , I see you are quite near San Francisco - you can start by looking at the VISA procedure , it's fairly straightforward . Since there is a consulate in San Francisco - look here http://www.consulrussia.org/eng/visa-sub1.html

And here - http://ils-usa.com/main.php

Having always traveled independently, we thought we could do a better job than any tour. How misguided (pun intended) we were. Now that we have had the experience of having someone native to the area walk us around and explain things through a personal perspective we realize how much we missed. For St. Petersburg I highly recommend http://www.peterswalk.com/tours.html . This is not a traditional guided tour, but an opportunity to receive some orientation to the area as well as insight into the "Russian soul". I think if you did this upon arrival the rest of your time would be much more meaningful. We really liked the http://www.pushka-inn.com . The location is superb (just around the corner from the Hermitage square), the rooms lovely, the included breakfast at the restaurant next door ample and overall an excellent value. We used this company to get our visa: https://www.passportvisasexpress.com/site/san_francisco_customer_service Note that it costs about the same for a 3-year visa as a one-year, and you never know if you might want to return within that more extended window of time. It is not cheap, so factor that into your planning.

If you like traveling without a guide in other countries and find this satisfying, the same will be true in Moscow and St. Petersburg. Of course it's not either/or - you can certainly take a guided walk or boat tour, for instance.

I cannot emphasize enough the importance of learning Cyrillic if you're going on your own. The book I used was Teach Yourself Beginner's Russian Script, which was great. It breaks down the alphabet into letters that are the same as English, letters that look the same but are pronounced differently, etc. It's out of print, but you can get used copies on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Teach-Yourself-Beginners-Russian-Script/dp/0071419861/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1459701143&sr=8-2&keywords=teach+yourself+russian+script

Russia is indeed a bit more "foreign" than say, Italy. However, in Moscow and St. Petersburg, I found enough English to be able to get by. Many restaurants had English menus and/or English speaking staff, for instance. This was most emphatically not true in Vladimir and Suzdal (two cities in the Golden Ring outside Moscow). I went with my sister, a Russian speaker, and if she hadn't been there, I would have been in big trouble. So, if you want to see places outside these two big cities, use a guided tour (even if just for that part). Also, Moscow and St. Petersburg are huge cities. Coming from New York, I wasn't intimidated, but those not used to a megacity may not be so cavalier (even I found them overwhelming at times, especially Moscow).

I found both Lonely Planet and Rough Guide to be helpful, and both to have various errors. Look at both, buy whichever one has a more recent edition, and then be prepared to have to discard some of the advice therein. Also, these places change more quickly than places in Western Europe. Be very careful of outdated advice. For instance, I was there in 2001 and 2010, so I won't give you any specifics on getting a visa - that changes constantly.

Just as a teaser, two things I saw and loved that I doubt would be included in any escorted tour are the Gorky House in Moscow (an Art Nouveau wonder) and the Sheremyetov Palace in St. Petersburg (it's now a museum of musical instruments, and the decor is amazing, particularly in the Etruscan Room).

Thanks for all the good advice. Any additional thoughts are welcomed.

One of history's seminal works pertaining to Russian history and culture and a MUST for anyone contemplating a visit or simply interested , is this fine work from 1980 - http://www.amazon.com/Land-Firebird-The-Beauty-Russia/dp/096441841X

This is about you and not about Petersburg. Do you like guided tours? We don't and didn't find that a guide added to our experience in China where we did hire private guides mostly for the logistics; it was easy to have someone drive us places. But once at a site, we didn't need the guide. I felt the same way about our 9 nights in Petersburg. We did hire a guide for the trip to the Catherine Palace again for the ease of logistics for us Olds. Here is our visit: https://janettravels.wordpress.com/2016/01/23/an-easy-trip-to-the-catherine-palace/ There are also snapshots of the Church on Spilled Blood in this photo journal. Having someone pick us up at the apartment and get us in without line ups and shepherd us through the palace steering clear of the tour groups was lovely. But we didn't need commentary because we can read and prepare.

You certainly don't need a guide for the Hermitage (we spent 4 days there), the Russian Museum, the Kazan Cathedral or Church on Spilled Blood or the Faberge Museum. We enjoyed a number of self guided walking tours including a couple from Rick Steves guidebooks. We took the canal cruise suggested by RS that had an English commentator. I would not take one without that as you will be totally clueless. The commentator was not all that good but at least we had some idea what we were seeing. So for people like us who like to do our own thing and can read a guidebook and don't particularly like to be led about, a tour is not needed. If you enjoy tour groups, then go for it. Petersburg is easy to negotiate. It helps if you can read the cyrillic alphabet and it is also useful to have the google translate ap on your phone. We found ourselves translating packages in grocery stores with it and the occasional museum sign or menu. I have one food I need to avoid and so it was handy to have the translator to talk with waiters (I could either show them the sentence, or play it for them or play it to myself and then repeat it to the waiter -- that all worked well)

Dear Russ, I cannot help you with Moscow, but about four years ago, my husband and I went to St Petersburg on our own. But, we did use a private guide for 4 half days. We both feel that our guide absolutely made our trip (we stayed 6 or 7 nights). We used a company owned by Tatyana Chiurikova, www.tour-stpetersburg.com I cannot say enough good things about her and our experience. I emailed her and we worked out a schedule/ sights that was tailored to our interests. She also offered some recommendations, which we took. The guide will meet you at your hotel. And frequently, at certain places, with the guide, we were able to skip the long entrance lines. We had an half day driving tour of the city (car, driver, & guide). You are taken to & go in places such as Peter & Paul Fortress, some of the cathedrals, etc. We had a half day with the guide at the Hermitage which ensured that we would see the major sights there. And, of course, you can stay after your guide leaves or return another day. Also, we had the guide for Peterhof (a must & go by boat) and Catherine's Palace. I hope that you will go to the website. As I said, our guide made our trip. I am positive that we would have missed quite a bit on our own everyday. And I'm sure we would have wasted a lot of time trying to get to various place.This was the best of both worlds, a guide where needed and plenty of time on our own. Whatever you do, I'm sure that you will love St Petersburg! Ashley

I am curious about the lines as we encountered no lines on our trip -- but it was in September. We got tickets for the Hermitage at machines and skipped those lines and our guide for the Catherine Palace which was our only guided experience (as noted before, chosen for the logistics of getting there) had arranged tickets and we didn't have a line, but then we also didn't see lines. We did not find lines at any other site.

Both Moscow and St Petersburg I've done on my own, that is together with the Dear Partner. I can't remember any problem getting where we wanted to go. The Metro systems are well signed, and with a little exercise and patience you can recognize the station names. With a good map and a good guide - we had the Rough Guides - that part of the logistics is solved. The language is a major problem, but the usual tricks of pointing, looking helpless, and making a joke of it all do wonders. I would hate to be led by a guide, but for others it is a comfortable thought.

We also did both cities on our own. I found the DK Eyewitness guide for Moscow has the best map. I used the one from our library (kept the book at home). Took the smaller RS book for St. Petersburg ( his book on northern cities). His map and restaurant ideas were all good. We also downloaded the Google maps in our Android Samsung tablets/phones for both cities and then could get directions to any place we typed in. The blue ball guided us everywhere. I'm sure we missed somethings by not having a guide, but we just enjoy walking around and getting a sense of a place. If you like art, The Hermitage is great. We went 3 times and still missed alot. In St. Peterburg we stayed at the 3 Mosta which we loved (quite and not far from the Church of Spilled Blood.) We also loved the Georgian food in both cities. There's a great Georgian restaurant near the 3 Mosta hotel. We're now in Belarus- very scenic. Enjoy your trip!!

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