Bag Boy Nitron Cart - 2023 Forum Review

[GolfSpy_APH]

MyGolfSpy Forum is very excited to announce our testers for the Bag Boy Nitron Cart!

We have 4 great members and testers set to take push cart mafia to a new level with the Nitron!

Please welcome and congratulate our testers!

@Lacassem
@edingc
@Preeway
@Hobert

[Lacassem]

BagBoy Nitron Push Cart – Official MGS Forum Review by Lacassem

My Review will now take the theme of Fast & Furious thank you @GolfSpy_APH

I don't have friends, I've got family:

What’s up everybody?! Super pumped to give this BagBoy Nitron a run for its money. But first things first the introduction. Name is Mark Lacasse resident of Massachusetts. I am 34 close to 35 and Married to a fierce and beautiful woman with 2 kids and 2 dogs.

I am currently at a 5.5 HDCP with some pretty darn good rounds so far this year. Closed out last year rough but here we are. Strengths of my game are typically off the tee and on the green. Approach and wedges are hit or miss. Hopefully can put a few things together this year.

Prior to 2013 I did not really golf much. Here and there when I could in the summer. Looking back, I wish I was playing a lot because in the military there were so many places I could have played, and that opportunity will never present itself again unfortunately. Since getting out of the military though I became an avid maybe borderline obsessed golfer (but we all are here so I am in good company) and as of 2020 an even happier one because I walk every round now (with the exception of tournaments of course) and I absolutely love it.

If there was one thing that I think we all can say was beneficial from COVID was that it took golf and made it (from what I see anyway) acceptable to walk courses any day of the week even weekends. Before we were forced to take a cart on weekends and felt like every time that I said I was walking you got the look of “seriously man? You are going to hold up everyone behind you”. This could not be further from the truth. I find myself playing better, am more relaxed and have way better conversations on course when walking. For me it makes the game so much more enjoyable than it already was.

I live my life one course at a time, and for those few hours, I'm free (what I am looking for in push cart):

I currently use a Caddy-Tek pushcart. I bought it used at the beginning of COVID and have put a ton of rounds, miles, dew, grass clippings, coffee spills among other things on it. She has served well and to be frankly honest this bagboy has a lot to live up to. There are a few features that I really like about the Caddy-Tek:

• The top arms that secure the top of the bag are awesome and pretty universal for most bags I have found
• Lots of storage!
• Light and compact
• The few negatives are that the brake (foot) is a pain. I lost the cup holder (separate attachment) last year so that stunk, opening and closing is finnicky and the top storage compartment door sticks a lot especially in the heat

With the Nitron there are a few things that intrigue me:

• First and foremost, the opening system. I would love to see a very simple way to open and close
• The cup holder looks like a dream. Me being me you start giving me accessories I am going to lose them! This is built in which I can already tell I am going to love
• I am hoping the top lock system is similar to what my Caddy-Tek has because its super simple and works
• Hoping that the storage is enough. Looks like it will be
• Interested to see the hand brake vs. the foot brake. I really dislike the foot brake so I am sure I will like this more

My testing method is just going to be putting this thing through the ringer. I will be able to tell quickly what features will work for me and which one’s wont (if any). Will play at least 18 holes once a week. Will be looking at wear of the tires and with me being in the maintenance field I am going to be looking at if getting debris in this piston area causes issues with opening over time. That will be a big concern for me because once you start getting debris if its not sealed well could cause some big problems.

Enjoying' the ride? Man, its a fast cart, huh? Man, it's a classic old school American muscle. Man a cart like this can do all kinds of things: (first impressions) 6/2/2023

(5 out of 5 stars)

Well I was not able to get a quality video (kids and dogs running around) on setting up to beat @edingc….but I didn't beat him so no need to show that! What I will say is ease of setup on this cart was very straight forward and does not take long. Came in a box and just a few pieces. Wheels snap into place easily and that was about it.

Initial first impression on the unboxing and revamping what I will be looking at now that I have eyes on the equipment:

• Super easy to put together
• Opening and closing is so simple on this cart, mind blowing honestly.
• The design is very sleek and simple
• At this time the straps are really great, something I was curious if I would like
• Do not love the cup holder at this time, more to come
• Slightly heavier but nothing substantial than the Caddytek (will get official weigh in's down the road)
• Little iffy on if it will do well on hills, cart seems to be fairly top heavy

A lot more to come but for now pictures:

LACASSEM FINAL REVIEW (7/3/2023)

Ask any golfer, any real golfer. It don’t matter if you win by an inch or a mile. Winning is winning:

Hey all! Thanks for following along so far on the BagBoy Nitron review. Wanted to thank the MGS staff as well as BagBoy for giving us testers the chance to give this cart a go. It really is amazing as you will see in the review how a simple opening system on a cart can change the walking experience.

First wanted to get into some of the technology. I was unfamiliar with the Nitron system and how exactly it worked as well as the Top-Lok system BagBoy uses.

• The Nitron cart uses “nitro-piston technology” to aid in opening of the cart. There is a nitrogen canister that creates air pressure and opens the cart and front wheel.
• Top-Lok technology is the attachment design to hold the bag in place. It is designed for BagBoy and Datrek style bags but come to find out is not exclusive to just those bags. (Will get more into the Top-Lok in the good/bad in between section)

One of my biggest questions coming from a facilities background was on the nitro-piston and that whole system if it were to fail how difficult is it to replace? While I did not go through doing this, there are how-to’s online and BagBoy has a full description on how to do so on their website with a full parts list as well. It does not seem all that complicated so that is a big thumbs up for me. I would not want to go replacing a cart that works if I can do some repairs as needed. It looks like almost every part of this cart can easily be replaced which is a big bonus IMO.

https://www.dynamicbrands.com/pages/faq-bag-boy

Aesthetics (5 out of 5 Stars)

In a word I think this is one of the “sleekest” carts out there. I have received countless comments on its look, simplicity and of course ease of set up/breakdown. I have had folks’ jaws drop when I open it. It is just a very modern, solid and well-built look. Material wise it just looks and feels like a solid cart, my previous cart was sturdy but you can tell the difference in material when you look at them side by side.

It is a much more modern looking cart with great touches on color added in the right spots. The wheels are little flashy for me and if I ever need to replace them, I will probably go to all black.

On The Course (5 out of 5 stars)

This is where the cart really matters for me. The open and closing is great and speeds things up, Getting the cart in and out is literally the simplest thing and while it may be miniscule it makes setup so much nicer. Outside of the opening and closing the hand brake and the small basket are my favorite features.

The hand brake is a complete game changer. Like a bike hand brake if there were any issues would be easy to replace. On slopes it slides a little bit if you have the brake applied and it’s not in a good position, but it is extremely secure and literally at the tip of my fingers. I just have to make sure I have it placed in a good spot, not much different than any other cart. 

Side note on the brake system. It’s the little things that are bonuses for me, they did a great job running clean lines and using fabric to hold the brake line tight to the cart. Small details.

The small basket works better for my water jug among all my other material I bring with me from snacks to car keys. A big miss for me on the cup holder unfortunately (discuss more in the good/bad in between later) but fortunately the basket section is a big hit for me. It is also a little higher up than my previous cart which I like.

Other factors I enjoy are the ergonomics, ease of pushing and stability. This was something the bag boy checked off on all fronts:

• Ergonomics-The adjustable handle, while simple, adds a ton of ease in pushing for me. The cushioned handle is a great feature as well.

• Ease of pushing-In addition to the handle the softer tires (not a hard plastic) roll very easily
•  Stability-Took several videos of the cart going down hills. It has its issues (like any carts really) on some hills when applying the brake but other than that its incredibly stable and have had no issues with it tipping or flipping. There are several spots on the cart that have clear stabilizers which you can see below, the red braces and the wire between the tires.

The Good, the bad, the in-between (3 out of 5 stars)

There are a few features on the cart that are wins and a few that are misses for me. These are little things that aren’t really functionality but preferences for me.

Out of all the additional features I have previously talked about. The wins for me are the storage case under the card holder. Plenty of space and the ball holder is a nice feature. Besides the stuff in this picture, I have been putting my range finder in there as well.

There is another plastic piece that the cart folds into and holds it when folded. When it is unfolded it serves as a great water bottle/Gatorade holder

The other feature I like is the umbrella holder connection. It is dual purpose for me, I never needed an umbrella for any of my rounds, but the holder works great for me as a holder for my wet club brush Holds it perfectly on the side of the cart. I can connect it like its supposed to be as well and have it by the handle.

Miss for me is the top-lok. I enjoy my Ping bag and wish it would work better on the cart. Don’t get me wrong it works but I do see some twisting and my bag keeps getting pulled a little bit off the base. Through the rounds I have had to adjust. The cart for me is worth it I will just have to find a top-lok bag. Again, this is more of a hit on that it’s not a universal system for all bags than the actual functionality.

The other big miss is the cup holder. It works for my coffee cup but it’s a one size and doesn’t fit my Yeti unfortunately. Again, its functional and works (I did have to adjust my club setup so my clubs were not in the way) but it does not fit my water jug. Fortunately, the basket underneath like I discussed before works great for anything I need to put in there including my water.

Play it or Trade it? (5 out of 5 stars)

100% playing. The cart is extremely functional for me and a better cart than what I had. It is sturdy, well-built, and so easy to use. There are a few things I would change Like I discussed but nothing that is substantial.

Conclusion

As I always say…. Here is my Snopes version you skipper of reviews!

This cart is the perfect fit of functionality and features for the cost. At $280 I don’t think you can really beat the quality of the cart with the features. It does not have a ton of out of the box storage, for me it is not a big deal because I do not need to much storage but there are some accessories if needed to aid in that

If you are looking for a very easy open/close, lightweight, extremely well built, functional and compact during storage, then this is the one for you. The main feature of it opening and closing easy is exactly what it is made out to be. I highly recommend going back and watching the video I added because it really is so simple and from what I see any issues with the system down the road will be very easy to replace. Big bonus in my opinion.

Other than the easy open and close there are several great features with the cart that I enjoy. One being ergonomic with a very nice adjustable handle. Second the hand brake is probably my favorite feature and is so functional and simple.

As discussed, there are a few “misses” in design but nothing that is a deal breaker because the other features are so fantastic. I will be looking at the next bag being a top-lok design just for fitting purposes and not getting the twist in the bag. The other is the cup holder, but with plenty of other storage for me not something I am too concerned with.

I cannot recommend this cart enough for those looking for something on the affordable side. I receive so many compliments on this cart and don’t doubt anyone else that gets it will too.

Final Score (23 out of 25 stars)
 

 

[edingc]

Bag Boy Nitron Push Cart – Official MGS Forum Review by @edingc

Introduction - May 18, 2023

Thank you to Bag Boy and the MyGolfSpy forums for yet another amazing testing opportunity.

My name is Cody. You may remember me from hits such as the 2020 #CobraConnect Challenge or the 2022 Edel SMS wedge review! I am from the West Michigan area and have been a member here on the forums since late 2018.

I currently play to a mid-single digit handicap, down from about 25 when I joined the forums. My strength is my length, while my accuracy tends to cause issues at times. Generally, as my tee game goes, my score goes.

My family and work situations allow for play almost every day from May to September. I am extraordinarily lucky in that regard! I walk nine or 18 holes at least four times per week, and from Memorial Day to the end of July I aim for six days of play per week. Additionally, I spend my lunch hours at the practice facility almost everyday.

Since the beginning of 2019, I’ve played around 275 rounds of golf. More than 85 percent of those rounds have been walking with a push cart. It is fantastic exercise, especially when walking with pace. I also feel I stay more mentally focused while walking vs. riding.

I play almost all my golf at a single course, which is a hilly track that tips out around 6,200 yards. An 18 hole round of golf ends up being between four and five miles of walking, depending on how straight I hit the ball!  Several of the holes are uphill, and the steepest grades top 10 percent in both directions. 

What am I looking for in a golf push cart?

Like @Lacassem, I also currently use a CaddyTek push cart (and did an unofficial review back in 2019). The cart has served its purpose well. It is only finally starting to show major wear and tear after over 1,000 miles of walking. The main feature I love about the CaddyTek are the top bag arms which hold my bag in place without straps.

The Nitron peaked my interest for several reasons:

• The appearance. I’ve seen the Nitron in person and it looks a lot more sleek than my CaddyTek.
• The hand brake. I don’t usually bother with the CaddyTek’s foot brake, but as a result I’ve had to chase down my bag more than once!
• The number of Bag Boy accessories available. For this particular test, I purchased the following accessories on my own and will be trying them out:
  • Cart Storage Bag
  • Cart Hand Warmer Gloves
  • Cart Storage Basket
• The “Nitron” opening system. The CaddyTek can be clunky to open/close.

My major concern is the “Top-Lock” system and how it will work with bags not designed for it. I have a Sun Mountain Sync push cart bag, a Vessel stand bag and an OGIO cart bag that I will use during my testing.

I am planning on putting a lot of miles on the Bag Boy once received as we are entering the meat of my season. That means six rounds per week assuming no blips in my schedule. By the time final reviews are due, I should have well over 75 miles on it!

Unboxing and First Impressions - May 25, 2023

As I posted earlier, FedEx delivered my Nitron cart on Monday, May 22. The cart came securely packaged in its branded box, surviving its trip from Chicago to me without issue. I had to put it together right away!

The time-stamped video below shows the ease of assembly. The main cart (the “Nitron” part) comes already put together. I only had to install the three wheels. Honestly, it was harder to figure out where to attach the storage bag I purchased than to set up the cart itself. One important part of the setup is that you must match the orientation of two small stars on the cart frame and front wheel during installation.

I had the cart ready to go in under six minutes.

The build quality is impressive. It is obvious this is not a cheaply constructed item. The frame has some weight to it, and the plastic parts are sturdy and solid.

The top handle assembly adjusts easily using a quick release knob. The handbrake is located on the left side of the top assembly and has a bicycle-like brake line that runs down to the right rear wheel.

The top assembly also has the cupholder and a storage compartment for balls and other small items. I love that this is not a spring-loaded door (likely to fail), instead a simple open/close door.

Rounding out the handle assembly is the cell phone holder and small storage bag on the underside.

I have been able to get out for 27 holes with the Nitron so far and have been enjoying my time. 

Final Review - July 4, 2023

Final review time!

I’ve thoroughly enjoyed my time with the Bag Boy Nitron cart. Since receiving the cart at the end of May, I’ve walked 459 holes of golf spread out over 38 trips to the course. While I don’t have official numbers, I estimate I’ve put over 100 miles on the cart during the review period.

Aesthetics (5 out of 5 Stars)

The Bag Boy Nitron is a very attractive cart with its very sleek and clean design.

I’ve grown to love the red/black color scheme. It pairs fantastically with my black Sun Mountain Sync bag.

There is nothing I would change about the cart’s appearance. I hope Bag Boy restocks inventory soon as several color ways appear to be out of stock.

Features (4 out of 5 Stars)

The selling point of the Nitron is the auto-opening mechanism. This feature is amazing. It takes little to no effort to have the cart unfolded and ready to go within seconds of opening my trunk. An added benefit of the mechanism is that it also keeps the cart held together when it is moving around.

I love the fixed front wheel design. There is no requirement to move a front wheel into position, which I have had to do with other carts in the past.

Bag Boy added a good amount of storage and a cell phone holder, both necessities for any good push cart. There are also a ton of official accessories, which I detailed in the below post.

The Nitron comes with Bag Boy’s proprietary “Top-Lok” system. The system locks compatible Bag Boy or Datrek-branded bags into the cart's upper arms. While the cart also supports non-Top Lok bags (like my Sun Mountain), a Top-Lok bag would make the most of the cart's features.

On the Course (5 out of 5 Stars)

I hated the under mounted storage bag ... for about two rounds and then grew used to it. The bag can hold quite a bit. Its design ensures things don’t fall out even when the cart handle folds down for transportation.

The cart has been very stable for me, even on my hilly course. I have made good use of the hand brake to hold the cart still on the many side hill lies I encounter.

The wheels glide smoothly and the cart tracks well.

Since the Nitron is so easy to open/close, I have been wheeling my entire bag on the cart out to the range. In the past, I would carry only a few clubs. This has led to me using my entire bag to practice more often. I really need to do more of that if I want to reach my long-term goal of a scratch handicap.

The Good, The Bag, The In Between (3 out of 5 Stars)

My biggest concern with the Nitron is the longevity of the wear parts. The biggest areas of concern for me are the Nitron opener itself, the hand brake and handle adjustment. While the build quality of the cart is excellent, these areas are moved/used frequently and I can see them eventually wearing out.

Additionally, we as testers noticed a good amount of paint wear just from normal opening/closing.

Play It or Trade It? (5 out of 5 Stars) 

My old CaddyTek has is now a loaner cart for anyone who wants to walk with me. Bag Boy has produced a very nice cart. I love the Nitron opener which has made the setup/take down of the cart a breeze!

Conclusion

The Bag Boy Nitron is solidly built, has a ton of features, and it looks good! If you are in the market for a new cart, I’d recommend taking a good look at the Nitron. If you have a Top Lok-compatible bag, I’d not even bother looking at alternatives.

22/25 Stars

[Preeway]

Introduction (May 17, 2023)

Greetings, my fellow spies. My name is Chris and I presently live in Omaha, NE. I’m excited to be chosen as a product tester and this couldn’t be a better product for me to be chosen for. I’ve been a loyal golf cart mafia member for over a decade. My original motivation to make the move to a cart came after seeing a friend of mine using one and deciding that carrying a bag in 90+ temps and 80%+ humidity is just really stupid, lol. However, my current motivation for using a cart has more to do with foot and knee injuries over the last couple of years making carrying my bag too difficult.

I am married to a wonderful wife who supports my golf habit, even when she shouldn’t. I have three sons all finishing their freshman year of high school. Yep, triplets. One of my boys has picked up golf and is improving at really fast rate. He went from shooting low to mid 100s last summer to breaking 90 for the first time in his last high school tournament two weeks ago. He has set a lofty goal of breaking 85 this summer and I honestly won’t be surprised if he manages to break 80 at least once.

I began golfing when I was 10 and just celebrated turning 50 in March. At my peak in college I played to a 1.2 handicap but never managed to break par for 18 holes. I’m currently a 5.9 handicap with my scores in 2023 trending into the mid 70s pretty consistently. Although I don’t really focus on the handicap number as much as my overall game, I am hoping to get down below a 3.0 by the end of the season. My goal this year is to play 50 rounds to celebrate my 50th birthday which might be a loftier goal than I first thought considering the golf season runs from Mid March to late October/early November. I have 11 under the belt so far so as long as my knee holds out I think I can make it happen.

WITB:

I considered myself a PING brand loyalist for decades going back to high school when I bought my first set of PING Eye 2 irons. Loved them so much I played them through last fall. Yep, 32 years with that set of irons. Played my PING Anser putter that I bought in 1988 until last fall as well. I even played the original TaylorMade Burner driver as well that I bought around 1992-ish that came out before the graphite Bubble shaft became popular. I took a lot of grief from friends every time we played for using outdated clubs but it was always hard to justify the expense of a whole new set when I could still break 80 on a regular basis. I don’t know what finally happened to make me pull the trigger, tired of getting harassed or a desire to finally break par, but I finally splurged and bought a whole new set of everything. Including a new bag replacing my beat up PING Hoofer that I loved so much. My current setup is  listed in my profile if you want to see the full set up. I’ve always wanted to play Mizuno irons so I’m glad I finally made the splurge.

Now, down to the nitty gritty. When it comes to a push cart, there are several features that are key in my opinion and I will be focusing on during my review. The first of which is ease of opening and closing. My current cart is pretty easy to open and close but it does take multiple steps to get it open and secured. A process which typically takes 2-3 minutes. While this doesn’t really seem like a huge deal, it seems like there should be an easier and faster way to get from open to closed and vice-versa. We shall see if the Nitron delivers in this area.

The second feature I will focus on is how easy it is to load and unload and how secure the bag is in the cart. My biggest complaint with my current cart is the degree of difficulty with getting a bag loaded depending on the shape and size of the top and bottom collars. Once loaded it is pretty rare for my bag to come loose but it has happened. The Top-Lock feature on the cart sounds like an added bonus for securing a bag and could be enough to convince me to buy a new bag based on what I’ve read so far. More to come on this front for sure.

The third key aspect for me to judge is how easy it is to push around the course and its stability on hilly terrain. My current cart tends to turn slightly to the left as it rolls which is rather annoying after a while as I have to continually steer and correct its course as I walk. It also has fair stability on side hills but it is prone to tipping when left sideways. It also struggles to move smoothly through rougher terrain like trees and deep rough when chasing after those random stray shots.

Admittedly, I don’t know a lot about this product other than what I’ve read online. If there are other aspects or features you want to know more about during this review process please let me know in the comments. My ultimate goal is to help everyone else make an informed decision if this product is on your short list of golf carts.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS 6/2/2023

Coming out of the box, I was really impressed with how easy this was going to be to assemble. The chassis is a single unit and the three wheels all insert with ease and lock into place. I actually took more time trying to get it open the first time than I did getting it assmebled. It turns out it is extremely intuitive  to open and I was just over thinking it. Kind of like my golf game, lol.

Once I got it assembled and I understood how easy it was to open, I had to time test it to see how it compared to opening my old Sun Mountain cart. Well, it was a whopping 8x faster coming in at just under 5 seconds. After a couple more times of getting it open and closed I was able to get it closer to 4 seconds. I was just blown away at how fast it really is to get open and closed. So much nicer than my old cart.

My only initial critique, and it's a small one, is the need to open the handle prior to "popping" it open the rest of the way. Granted, this takes all of maybe one second to do but a part of me just wishes it too would open on its own. Alas, I will settle for under 5 seconds instead of under 4 seconds 

The next step was getting my bag loaded on the cart. This was one of the parts I really loathed with my old cart. It has what I call "batwings" that you have to open and then tighten close to secure the bag. The process was tedious, taking nearly 60 seconds to complete, and even when done correctly did not ensure the bag wold stay secure on the cart. The straps on the Nitro took a couple of tries to really understand how they work most effectively but after that it was easy to get the bag on the cart and secure in less than 30 seconds.

ON THE COURSE

To date, I've been able to use the cart on a course twice for a total of 27 holes. I have a torn meniscus in my left knee which will occasionally flare up and cause fits which happened earlier this week. I have plenty of golf scheduled in the month of June so I'm not worried about putting this glorious cart to the test. But so far, I've been really impressed with the handling and stability. Out of the box it rolls perfectly strait and extremely smooth. I've even let it roll down hills, albeit not too extreme, and it stayed on a very strait path and didn't tip over, even after picking up quite a bit of speed. The brake feature is something I plan to give more attention to as I'm not yet 100% convinced it's going to work as well as I like. Only one of the two back wheels has a brake so I could see the potential for failure on sidehills . So far I haven't had any issues but plan to be more intentional when I take it out again during league play next week.

That's all for now. I will delve more into the features of the cart in my next section later this weekend. Suffice to say for now, I am quite impressed.

 

Final Review - July 9th

I want to begin by thanking MGS for the opportunity to be a product tester and BagBoy for trusting the MGS members with this task. I was able to get in an average of 18 holes walking each week at a variety of courses so was able to compare how it worked on relatively flat courses as well as more hilly/undulating courses. When I started this test I was comparing it to my existing Sun Mountain cart that was over 10 years old. Cart technology has come a long way in the last decade and I was more than impressed with how much this cart out performed my old cart.

Aesthetics - 5/5

This cart is very much a head turner. I received numerous comments from my players in my men’s league, strangers I met when playing as a single, and even my kids commented on how nice it looked.

I really like the variety of color options available and the sleek lines show a lot of attention to detail went into the design

Features - 5/5

I actually went back and forth on this category a lot. Not because I was thinking of giving low marks but trying to decide whether a 5/5 was too high. I’ll explain as I go…

To start, I was blown away at the piston technology that went into the Nitron design and how easy it is to open and close the cart. My old cart was all about and tightening/loosening screws which was extremely tedious and somewhat time consuming. I hated started and ending each round with the hassle. The Nitron is truly a breeze and takes less than 10 seconds to open and close and once open it is secure and ready to go.

The Top Lock design and straps allow for any bag to fit and be secured with ease. Although my existing cart bag and carry bag don’t have the Top Lock feature, both are able to fit snug and secure.

The hand brake is both convenient and effective. My only negative is that only one wheel is braked which allows the cart to swivel in effect if you stop on a sidehill. More on this is a different section below.

The top tray and bottom compartment located on the handle are well designed and functional. I’m not looking for a lot of storage space on the cart itself since I have plenty in my bag. I was really impressed with the storage space below the handle not so much because of the size but because it provided some degree of shade and protection for what was inside. This is where I typically kept my rangefinder and glove while walking.

The cup holder was another area for me where my opinion waxed and waned. I don’t typically bring my own water bottle with me and instead will get water or Gatorade from the pro shop. I never had any issues with getting these to fit, and was also able to get a beer can in a koozie to fit without problem as well. However, there were a couple of times when it was really hot and humid when I brought a large Gatorade for the round and the larger bottles are just a tad too large in diameter to fit. I think the cupholder is designed to hold anything you can buy at the course, which to me seems reasonable, so I didn’t deduct any points here

On top of the tray is a place to hold a scorecard and pencil and cell phone. The clip for the scorecard does the job and holds a card very secure. Almost too secure. I had one rip when taking it out but I’ll blame that more on the flimsy paper rather than the clip itself. While the strap that holds the cell phone in place is extremely effective, the pencil holder is virtually worthless if the pencil comes equipped with an eraser as that style is too long to fit. Since eraser pencils seem to be more common these days this was an area of note for me.

On The Course - 4/5

This is where the rubber (or plastic wheel as it were) meets the road. My experience with this cart on the course was nothing short of marvelous.

The cart rolls smooth and straight and has the ability to be adjusted if it begins to pull one direction or the others. I used two different bags with my cart and both fit perfectly fine and were extremely secure once attached. While the Top Lock technology doesn’t work perfectly with off brands, it does manage to hold the bag firm albeit imperfect.

The hand brake was top notch and conveniently located on the handle. The only downside is only one wheel locks while the other remains free allowing it to swivel turn if parked on a sidehill. I’ve only had this issue a couple of times and now I know how to situate the cart to prevent it but it still kind of bugs me that it is something I have to keep in mind. Maybe I’m nitpicking but for me this is why I deducted a point.

I was extremely impressed with how stable and balanced the cart was when loaded with a bag. I allowed the cart to roll several times down very steep hills of various lengths and it never tipped over. I’ve included a couple of videos.

 

The Good, Bad, and In Between - 4/5

My biggest area of concern is the overall wear and tear. The opening and closing began to show signs of wear on the paint where the wheels opened in a hinge like manner. While this itself wasn’t cause for grave concern, it does lead me to wonder how well other parts like the brake cable will hold up over time.

A big upside is the amount of accessories available for the cart. I am already looking at buying the cart mitts for playing in the fall and spring. Also looking at getting the sand bottle that clamps onto he handle as I’m prone for taking quite a few divots over 18 holes. Replacement parts are also available online which gives me confidence this will be my cart for many years to come. A link to the accessories is below.

https://www.dynamicbrands.com/collections/bag-boy/Push-Cart-Accessories 

Play It or Trade It - 5/5

100% Play it. If I wasn’t able to keep this cart as part of this testing process I wouldn’t hesitate to buy it. I really like the color I chose and despite it’s light weight frame, it is extremely sturdy and I expect to last for many years.

Conclusion - 23/25

The recap, or as I like to call it, the short, short version. Overall, I was really impressed with this cart. Anyone looking to buy a cart and join the walking mafia should really give this model serious consideration.

 

[Hobert]

Bag Boy Nitron Push Cart – Official MGS Forum Review by Hobert

Intro (5/21/2023)

Hi, I’m Jim. I currently live in Winston-Salem, NC with my wonderful wife and adorable daughter. My son just finished his freshman year at the University of Texas and is home for the summer. 

While last in the list of testers, I am certainly not least (in terms of the number of strokes it takes me to get around a course). I am not a single digit handicap like the others; not even close! I picked up the game while in college playing occasionally, but not regularly until my mid-20’s.  At that time, I was playing a couple times a month with friends and weekly in the Motorola Golf League. My ball striking was finally finding some consistency and my overall play was improving. Then I decided to change careers and go to Law School. Between having young kids, going to school, and then joining a Big Law firm, I found almost no time to play.  Fast Forward to the present, I am now 45, with one kid in college and the other heading into high school next year.  About two years ago, I decided to get back into the game, joined MGS, and this March, my wife and I joined Maple Chase here in Winston-Salem.

When I played my first round at Maple Chase in March, I immediately noticed the number of people walking–both carrying bags and pushing carts. I also noticed that with 10 minutes between tee times and some empty tee times between groups, Maple Chase appeared quite welcoming for walkers.  Wanting to join those experiencing golf in its purest form, I began researching the ideal bag for carrying. I ultimately pulled the trigger on a Sun Mountain 2.5+ (which I love) and began walking 9 holes by myself on weekend afternoons and on weeknights after work once the time changed. While carrying is great, I soon recognized the potential benefits of a push cart and put it on my Christmas wish list. Low and behold, Santa delivered in May!

I am stoked to test the Bag Boy Nitron! The compact collapsed size and quick set-up with the Nitro-Piston auto-open technology look quite promising as does the Top-Lok bag to cart attachment system. Unfortunately, I do not currently have a Bag Boy or Datrek bag to try out the Top-Lok functionality. I plan to test the cart using my Sun Mountain 2.5+ and my old trusty Nike University of Miami stand bag. I will also look for opportunities to borrow a Bag Boy or Datrek bag to give the Top-Lok functionality a whirl. I will play at least once a week, but will shoot for my standing summer goal of 9 one weeknight after work and 18 on the weekend. I will primarily test the Nitron at Maple Chase where the front 9 has more gently sloping hills but the back 9 has several much steeper elevation changes. I look forward to sharing my thoughts. Among other aspects, I plan to focus one the following:

• Ease of setup
• Stability and maneuverability
• Storage (including whether the drink holder will fit my 32 oz insulated water bottle)
• Umbrella holder for both rainy and hot sunny days
• Bag positioning (any unwanted twisting, etc.)
• Durability (I was scouting out a Nitron at my club and noticed the tread on the tires was nearly gone; see pic below)

 

Unboxing / Initial Setup (6/10/2023) (5 out of 5 stars)

Upon seeing the Nitron box on my front porch, I was excited for all of the obvious reasons, but also because the small size of the box gave an immediate clue to how compact the Nitron must be in its closed position. 

Unpacking and assembling the Nitron was quick, easy, and straightforward (although it is worth taking a few extra seconds to install the front wheel as it is possible to, and I almost did, put it in backwards). Even with taking photos, unpacking and assembly took less than 5 minutes.

Unfolding and folding the Nitron is even easier than the assembly. With a little initial push on the two halves of the cart, Nitro-Piston does an excellent job of popping the cart right open. My initial impressions of the materials and craftsmanship are that the cart is well-made and sturdy, not to mention purrrrrdy! The one minor nit is that the green of the bungee cords for strapping in the bag differ a bit from the green accents on the wheels and other parts of the cart. When folded, part of the bottom bag rest becomes a handle allowing for easily carrying the compact and light package.

 

Final Review (5/21/2023)

I had a blast reviewing the BagBoy Nitron push cart! Thank you MGS and @Bag Boy for this fantastic opportunity! I had actually never previously used a push cart prior to testing the Nitron at my home course playing several 9 hole rounds and an 18 hole round. Not to give away too much of my review, but it was love at first sight/unfolding.

 

Aesthetics (5 out of 5 Stars) 

As noted above in my Unboxing summary, the Nitron is an extremely attractive push cart when unfolded and quite compact when folded. The materials and finishes along with the clean lines suggest a well-designed high-quality push cart. 

While I had a hard time choosing from the various tasteful color schemes offered by Bag Boy, throughout testing I remained very pleased with my selected color scheme (Battleship Gray / Lime).  Once I started testing, I naturally started paying attention to the many other cats used by members at my club. I have not yet found one that looks better to me than my

 

Out of the Truck / Onto The Course (5 out of 5 stars)

Before using a push cart on the course, you first need get it out of their vehicle, unfold it, and attach your golf bag. The Nitron truly shines in this area. Due to the Nitro-Piston technology, it literally unfolds with ease in seconds (as I demonstrated to an awed work colleague in our office parking lot). I am able to secure my Sun Mountain 2.5+ stand bag fairly quickly with the bungee straps.  Unfortunately, I did not have access to a Bag Boy or Datrek bag to try the Top-Lok attachment functionality which purports to make attaching your bag a snap.  Adjusting the handle height is easily performed using locking/unlocking lever on the right side of the Nitron.

On the course, the Nitron rolls easily, smoothly, and straight on flat areas. The Nitron does a great job distributing the weight of your bag across the wheels leaving the front wheel light and easily maneuverable. The hand brake is conveniently located and works quite well. That said, since the brake only engages one wheel, you need pay attention when using the brake on hills to avoid the cart rotating around the braked wheel due to gravity. Caution must also be exercised when stopping on steep inclines as the cart can get a bit top heavy in that situation and fall backwards (this happened to me one time).

I experienced absolutely no bag twisting during my testing. I believe this is due, at least in part, to the upper bracket for the legs on my Sun Mountain 2.5+ fitting nearly perfectly between the Top-Lok brackets (see pic below) which prevents it from twisting.

The primary storage compartment works well for storing extra balls, a couple of tees, range finder, pencil, or anything else you might need while on the course. I really like the clip for holding your scorecard on the top cover of the storage compartment. 

While the cup holder did not fit my preferred 32oz water bottle, the storage bag under the handle is extremely convenient for holding my water bottle with plenty of room to spare for other items. I also tried the cup holder with a large Tervis tumbler. This worked reasonably well, although it was in close proximity to my wedges resulting in some grass on my Tervis lid from time to time and needing to nudge a wedge to the side to remove the Tervis for drinking.

When finished for the day, the Nitron folds right back up almost as easily as it unfolds.

 

The Good, the Bad, the In Between (3.5 out of 5 stars)

The Good:

• Nitro-Piston assisted unfolding (it is Awesome)
• Rolls and handles great!
• Extremely good-looking push cart
• Phone-holder is quite secure and makes phone very accessible
• Umbrella holder can be attached to either side of handle and works well

The In Between:

• Hand brake is accessible and easy to use, but would be even better if it engaged both wheels
• Cup holder is conveniently located but does not fit larger bottles and clubs may interfere with removing beverage (works great as secondary phone holder though)

The Bad (not much, so nitpicking):

• I did notice bit of light wear marks on the legs from folding/unfolding.

 

Play it or Trade it? (5 out of 5 stars)

You’d have to pry it out of my cold dead hands!!! Seriously though, the Nitron meets all of my requirements and preferences for a push cart. Based on my experience, if I was not fortunate enough to already have a Nitron due to my participation in this test, I would pony up the $280 to purchase one without hesitation and without a second look at the competition.  

 

Conclusion

In my experience, the Bag Boy Nitron is a fantastic push cart. When folded, it is quite compact for easy storage and transport to the course. Once at the course, the Nitron eagerly pops open with only the slightest nudge. Any bag is secured easily with bungee cords. On the course, the Nitron is light and nimble and its looks are the envy of all of the other push carts at the club. I strongly recommend that anyone in the market for a push cart take a long look at the Nitron!
 

Final Score (23.5 out of 25 stars)

 

 

 

[sirchunksalot]

Congratulations on getting selected to test the Nitron cart everyone! Bag Boy looks like they've got a great group to put it to the test. 

[Getoffmylawn]

Congrats!  Solid group of testers there…

[rkj427]

Congrats. to this great group chosen for this cart.

Looking forward to their comments and reviews.

[ParFore74x]

Congratulations Nitron testers! Looking forward to your reviews for this cart. 

[DRLEONARD58]

Congratulations to all the testers! Looking forward to the reviews with only a little bit of envy or jealousy 

[Bogeys ov]

Congratulations 

[MattF]

Congratulations all.

[Shapotomous]

Congrats Testers!

[Woody83]

Congratulations to the selected testers.  Look forward to hearing about your tests.

[Bucky CC]

Congrats everyone.  Anybody trying out a push cart for the very first time, or are you all converting from something else?

[edingc]

5 minutes ago, Bucky CC said:

Congrats everyone.  Anybody trying out a push cart for the very first time, or are you all converting from something else?

I currently have a Caddytek model that has 4 years and several hundred rounds/1,000+ miles on it. I'll dive more in on this throughout the review, but there are quite a few features of the Nitron that are things I think I will enjoy over the Caddytek - one of which is the handbrake.

[cksurfdude]

Very nice and CONGRATS!! to @Lacassem, @edingc, @Preeway and @Hobert 

Looking forward to reading about how this compares to your current setups, and how well or not the easy open-close feature works.

 

[Hobert]

Thanks all! As a newer member of the walk whenever I can club, I am super stoked to put the Nitron through it's paces. Also toying with buying a BagBoy bag so that I can try the Top-Lok feature.

[Josh Ross]

Man, that's a star-studded lineup there! Congrats fellas! Wish this was something I could use but you have to be insane to walk the courses around here. There's exercise, and then there's torture, haha.

[Preeway]

15 minutes ago, Bucky CC said:

Congrats everyone.  Anybody trying out a push cart for the very first time, or are you all converting from something else?

I currently have a Sun Mountain push cart that's roughly 10 years old. I was looking at getting a new one for Father's Day this year since my current one is seeing some significant wear and tear so this is a pretty cool situation to be in.