I’m guessing you aren’t too familiar with Linkslite golf bags. I had never heard of the brand before being asked to review one of their bags. But the last time I tested a bag from a brand I’d never heard of, I ended up making a full-time switch, so I knew better than to go in with a closed mind.
At $199, the Explorer is pitched as a lightweight, fully waterproof stand bag with all the features you'd expect from a hybrid bag. I tested the Smokey Onyx colorway, which is mostly black with the subtlest of accents. After three rounds of testing, my gripes are minor and overall, I’m impressed. Here’s everything you need to know.
How We Tested
I played three rounds (54 holes) with the Explorer. Two were walking rounds with the bag on my back, and one was with the bag strapped to a cart. One of the days brought some rain, and all three were layering days, so the bag carried a full 14 clubs plus a jacket's worth of extra clothing during testing.
Linkslite Explorer: Built for Walkers
Yes, Explorer is a hybrid bag, complete with the strap pass through, but make no mistake, it’s a carry bag first, and it carries well. Linkslite lists the 5-Way edition of the Explorer at 4.5 pounds, and it certainly feels light on your back. Over two walking rounds I never caught myself shifting the straps around or dreading the walk up to the next tee.
The dual-strap system is easy to get on and off, and to dial in the perfect balance when it’s loaded with clubs. That’s not a given, I’ve fought strap systems on other bags that never seemed to want to get the club heads above the grips, which never ends well.
Pros
- Light and comfortable to carry, with easy dual straps
- Fits 14 clubs with room to spare
- Full-length side pocket swallows a jacket
- Waterproof build with seam-sealed zippers
- Handy details: magnetic pocket, dual-zipper center pocket, cart-strap pass-through
- Clean, minimal look at a $199 price
Cons
- Water bottle sleeve can dump your bottle while walking
- Only one magnetic pocket
Storage: The Two Big Upgrades
I’ve been using the MNML MR1 for two years now, and not only does it draw way more compliments from strangers than I ever thought a golf bag could elicit, but it’s easily been my favorite golf bag of the half-dozen I’ve used over the last 10 years.
The Explorer beats my MNML bag in two places, and they're two that make a difference every round.
First, club room. My MNML bag fits 14 clubs, but the ideal number is probably 13. The 14th club is almost always met with friction. The Explorer swallows a full set without a battle, which was a welcomed upgrade.
The 5-Way top uses full-length dividers, so clubs slide in and out without snagging grips on the way down.
Second, pocket space. My current MNML bag only has small side pockets, which is fine until you peel off a layer on the 4th hole and have nowhere to put it. The Explorer has a full-length side pocket that easily holds a jacket or any other bulky gear. If you play in shoulder-season weather, that apparel pocket is almost a non-negotiable.
Waterproof, Not Just Water-Resistant
Linkslite builds the Explorer from 300D ripstop polyester with seam-sealed construction and waterproof zippers, and it includes a rain cover. That's impressive for a $199 bag, a price category where "water-resistant" is usually the best you'll get.
I only caught light rain during one of my three rounds, so this wasn't a monsoon test. But the bag handled it without any fuss, and it's good peace of mind if you're the type who plays regardless of the forecast.
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The Little Things
The lone magnetic pocket is the kind of feature you don't think about until you have one. It opens and closes effortlessly, so that mid-round reload requires one hand and zero zipper work.
The main center pocket has two zippers that meet at the top. A friend I played with noticed that seemingly small detail right away. The same pocket on his old bag had a single zipper, so he had to open the pocket much wider than necessary just to dig something out. Sure, it’s a small detail, but it tells you someone actually used the bag before shipping it.
The cart-strap pass-through is also a nice feature. On my cart round, the strap ran straight through the bag and held it steady while keeping full access to the valuables pocket, which came in handy at the turn.
And I'll admit it: I like how it looks. It's minimal with a touch of color, which happens to be my taste. It looks sharp without the main-character energy some bags seek.
Where It Falls Short
The water bottle sleeve is my one real complaint. It occasionally dumped my bottle while I was walking. The sleeve doesn't sit quite vertical enough when the bag is on your back, and there's no cinch or snug fit to hold the bottle in place. It wasn’t a constant problem, but definitely something to keep an eye on.
The other knock is relative. The Explorer has one magnetic pocket, whereas all three pockets on my MNML bag are magnetic. Magnetic pockets proved to be a “I’ll never go back” luxury for me after using the MNML bag. Dropping back to one felt like going back in time.
Final Verdict
The Linkslite Explorer 5-Way is a simple, light, well-thought-out stand bag that fits everything I need. Outside of a bottle sleeve that needs a better grip and fewer magnetic pockets than I'm used to – which admittedly are both minor knocks – I don't have real complaints.
At $199, it’s about $75-100 less than most of the established name-brand stand bags while beating my own gamer on club room and pocket space. If you walk most of your rounds and want a bag that’s easy to carry, stays dry and doesn't scream for attention, I’d certainly recommend the Explorer.
