Things you can count on. They can be things we appreciate like the natural phenomena of the sun rising or changing seasons. They can be things we trust on a more personal level like counting on family and friends as a constant in life. They can even be practical things like healthy routines and habits that give us a sense of security and comfort.
In the golf universe one thing you can count on is Vessel designing absolutely extraordinary golf stand bags. And in 2025 Vessel Golf has introduced their new Player V Pro Stand bag that you're going to appreciate even more, trust even more, and find to be more comfortable to carry than ever. The Player V Pro is a shining example of Vessel's dedication to the golfer and striving to always be better. In a nutshell the Player V Pro is Vessel Being Vessel.
Vessel made some enhancements to the Player V Pro Stand Bag that are real and practical upgrades over their Player IV Pro and I'm going to highlight some of these improvements in this review. I'll touch on a few differences and similarities for you between the Player V Pro and Player V as well.
Here are 10 Things to Know about the new Vessel Player V Pro Stand Bag.
Number 1. ◾ They say everything we are comes from our choices and Vessel has really opened up their color options in 2025 for the Player V Pro Stand bag. You have 10 different color options with the Player V Pro (more options offered than any previous Vessel Player bag I believe), including the color I chose - Iron Brew.
Iron Brew is hands down my favorite color of any bag I've carried since I began playing golf. It's a color that resonates and radiates all kinds old-school feel. It reminds me of nostalgic days past when players gripped their own clubs and often in classic cowhide wraps. Color is all about preference I know, but to my eye this might as well be a limited edition color and I love it completely. And Vessel giving us more choices just shows they're committed to our complete satisfaction.
Number 2. ◾ The Vessel Player V Pro has a velour top (like it did with the Player IV Pro), but they also added a velour top to the standard Player V bag. And in a world where we could hypothetically have everything we want in a golf stand bag? I'd vote for velour tops every single time. Yes velour is luxurious and Vessel's velour seems to take that up a notch. But also on a practical note velour is a more dense and solid material so it protects your clubs better than traditional mesh tops. I've also found the Vessel velour actually cleans better and easier than synthetic and mesh tops.
Vessel also added velour in the Player V Pro bag's new small pocket on top of the main compartment, in the low valuables pocket, and in the main compartment itself. These pockets are stylish, sophisticated, and offer the ultimate protection of your valuables. I'll touch more on the pockets below.
Number 3. ◾ Vessel also upgraded the Player V Pro by adding genuine leather touch points. So all the handles and zipper pulls are leather. This might not sound like a big deal but in addition to making the entire bag look even more magnificent (even the stitching in the leather is elaborate) I found it also makes the bag more comfortable.
The Player V Pro leather touch points have a firmer more direct feel than synthetic material. And while this isn't necessarily a make or break upgrade for a golf bag, it's an upgrade nevertheless. And for many like me it will mean just more enjoyment using the bag.
Number 4. ◾ Another improvement to the Vessel Player V Pro Stand bag is a more comfortable back rest. And this became obvious the very first time I carried. There's noticeably more padding in the back rest area. I don't know if it's also ergonomic but it's one of the best feeling back rests I've experienced with any stand bag. If you double strap your walks you're going to appreciate this enormously. Really well done here Vessel.
Number 5. ◾ And speaking of comfortable carry there is simply no better strap system in golf than Vessel's patented Equilibrium 2.0 Double Strap. It's basically a Sleep Number bed for your shoulders and back. Or maybe better said like a luxury car's seat controls that offer forward and back movement, height, tilt, and backrest angle adjustment, and even lumbar support.
Basically the Vessel's patented Dual Strap system connects all four ends of the straps to a center disk that allows the straps to move and slide adjusting to your body type. It doesn't matter if you have broad or narrow shoulders, a small or large back. The Dual Strap system balances the bag pretty much perfectly on your shoulders and back for the most comfortable (and adaptable) carry you'll ever experience. It also makes your carry feel lighter because of this enhanced balance.
I found the Player V Pro straps to be a near perfect blend of thick padding and flexibility making everything about my carry extremely enjoyable. Maybe the only thing missing in this Strap System is a heating element and a relay switch to control temperature. Get on it Vessel!
Number 6. ◾ Vessel's proprietary Tour Grade synthetic leather construction has two benefits that also enhance Player V Pro comfort and durability. This material is extremely soft to touch, softer than many premium leathers in my opinion. Yet at the same time it's more durable than leather and resists scraping and smudging better than leather. This keeps it looking newer longer (especially if you like using your stand bag sometimes in the golf cart).
And speaking of the Vessel Tour Grade material one of you asked me on X last month how my Player V Pro performs in the rain. Let me just say it would take a severe weather alert with the most wicked of downpours to saturate this bag. I've played an entire round in the rain with it and water just beads up and slides off. And I believe the zippers must be waterproof or sealed somehow because none of the pockets were wet in the slightest.
Number 7. ◾ There are other very smart and useful upgrades to the Vessel Player V Pro Stand bag as well including a cart strap passthrough that allows cart straps to be slide inside and through the bag (rather than outside rubbing against it). This secures the bag in tighter to the cart and prevents it from moving around as much. And it also prevents the cart strap from covering bag pockets which is a common bane of most golf stand bags when using them in a cart. Think of it this like a giant belt loop for your bag.
The Vessel Player V Pro also has increased storage space compared to the Player IV Pro including the above mentioned pocket on the front top of the bag. And like the low pocket on the back side of the bag this one is lined in velour with magnetic closure. The side towel loop is adjustable so it can be used a a towel holder or umbrella holder. The main compartment features a locking feature. The two side bottle sleeves are large, expandable, and magnetic. And the dedicated cooler pocket is insulated with drainage. All told you have 10 exterior pockets and six interior ones. Vessel is pretty much giving us everything with the Player V Pro.
Number 8. ◾ So with all this extra storage the new Vessel Player V Pro Stand bag has to be a heavier carry than the Player IV Pro, right? Sort of unbelievably... it's not. The Player V Pro is one pound heavier than the Player IV Pro. And yet when I put them both on my back and walked around with them I swear the Player V Pro feels as light if not lighter than the Player IV Pro despite being a slightly larger bag.
I honestly have no idea how to explain why other than guessing (going back to the Strap System) that Vessel has truly figured out how to take weight and balance it perfectly on your back and shoulders with their Pro Series bags. Player V Pro is clearly engineered for comfort as much as it is style, luxury, and performance.
Number 9. ◾ You can get the Player V Pro in two top designs (a new 7-way and non-traditional 14-way). Mine is the 7-way top and features a dedicated putter well. What I found really interesting (and I assume this has something to do with the 7-way top) is that I found it slightly easier to pull and return clubs from my Player V Pro than my Player IV Pro (a 6-way top). Both bags feature full-length dividers but there seems to be just a little less jamming of my clubs with the Player V Pro.
Number 10. ◾ And least but not last the Player V Pro base is probably the steadiest stand bag base you'll find on the market today. Think of how easy it is to knock a book over when it's standing vertically. Then think of how it's pretty much impossible to knock a book over when its laying horizontally. Player V Pro has almost horizontal book kind of stability. It's simply extremely unlikely to ever topple over (even in high winds or on uneven lies). Short of you going into some kind of WWE Raw rage attack on your bag it's standing tall and not budging.
The Player V Pro bag has a Vessel patented rotator base system that lets the bottom of the bag sit flush to the ground when the legs are extended. The base is also very wide giving it even more stability. When I just gently kicked or shoved my Player V Pro it almost seemed bracketed to the ground. The legs themselves are extremely well designed, clearly optimizing weight distribution, balance, and stability. It's like they're wearing gravity lock boots. And when the legs extend and retract you can tell the mechanism is very strong and durable.
Vessel is clearly a company that never rests. Until their good is better and their better is best, Vessel continues to make stand bags that check off all the boxes. The new Player V Pro golf stand bag will likely exceed even your most demanding expectations.
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