Callaway Hyper Dry C: golfers can travel light with this fully waterproof stand bag

The Hyper Dry C stand bag from Callaway is an extremely lightweight, fully waterproof and simplistic looking golf bag that might be just what the doctor ordered if you are looking to invest in a new bag for this golf season.

For the price, I would rank it among the best golf bags of the year so far. It's not one for those who need masses of storage space, but it is a slick and very lightweight design. It's a great buy for anyone who like to whizz around the course with their best driver within easy reach.

Callaway Hyper Dry C: Overview

The Hyper Dry C is slightly shorter than most stand bags and the emphasis is very much on travelling light. When empty you can lift this bag comfortably with just your little finger as it feels as light as a feather. Officially it weighs in at just under four pounds, or 1.8 kilos to be precise. 

The bag is fully waterproof, the zips are welded and every seam is internally sealed to keep water out. The bag comes in seven different colours so there is something to cater for everyone’s taste.

The top measures 8.5” and the graphite divider is a four way, which is fairly standard on bags of this type, although you will find more on some other stand bags. Personally I’ve always found four to be sufficient but some of you may prefer five or six. 

Titleist actually do a stand bag with fourteen dividers, which sounds good in theory but can cause clubs to get stuck. It works well with cart of tour bags, but with stand bags its all about ease of use and convenience. Four is plenty - woods and hybrids in the top, irons in the two middle ones and wedges and putter in the lower.

One of the cool things with the Hyper Dry C is that the dividers go all the way down to the bottom of the bag, which not only prevents the grips on the clubs tangling up but also helps keep them dry on rainy days. So if your driver grip is wet the only other clubs affected by that will be the ones in the same section of divider, whereas everything else will be kept away from that.

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Callaway Hyper Dry C: Storage

When it comes to pockets, the Hyper Dry C is functional at best as there are only four as well as a side pouch. It is not packed with hidden compartments and tons of storage space because that isn’t what this bag was built for. It’s all about travelling light and staying dry and the pockets are seam sealed and fully waterproof.

If you want a lot of storage space then this bag is not for you but if you don’t take a lot of items with you onto the course then a bag such as this fits the bill nicely. There is more than enough room for your essentials.

You have the standard pocket for golf balls as well as the traditional full length apparel pocket on the side where you can keep waterproofs, a jumper, a change of shoes or your lunch. Basically whatever you like as this is the roomiest pocket on the bag.

On the opposite side is a smaller accessory pocket which holds the waterproof rain cover but also has room for other small stuff should you require. Next to that is an open drinks pouch will comfortably hold a standard sized container. 

Finally, there is a velour lined valuables pocket where you can keep your smartphone, wallet, car keys etc. This pocket is deep and very narrow, however, so if your keys or loose change fall to the bottom of it then it isn’t easy to reach them. And by not easy, I mean nigh on impossible.

There is an attached clip you can hook your keys to which makes retrieving them simple. In theory this is a nice little feature but in reality anything that goes in there that you can’t attach to the clip is not coming out again in a hurry. 

I have fairly average sized hands but I could not get even halfway down the pocket without getting stuck, so for anyone with larger hands this pocket is basically useless other than being able to store keys you have attached to the clip.

It seems strange that Callaway would design a valuables pocket so deep and narrow. Surely it could not have been that difficult to make it wide enough to fit a full hand in  comfortably? If you are using it to store a wallet or an item you won’t need until your round is finished then that isn’t so bad but if it’s a smartphone and you like to regularly check it then this pocket is unusable.

In fairness that is just about the only fault I could find with what is otherwise a top quality product.

Callaway Hyper Dry C: Functionality

The non-slip foot pads are a nice little feature that I appreciated. On the course the wider foot design is designed to prevent the legs sinking into wet turf but it was off the course when I really noticed the benefit as it was a nice change to be able to put a bag down on the laminate floor and have it grip rather than see the legs spread-eagling. 

On the side of the bag there is an umbrella holder as well as loop which can be used to attach your GPS or range finder device to, but somewhat surprisingly there is no velcro glove holder. That is a standard feature on many bags and it is something I use a lot, so its absence was very noticeable to me. 

While doing research on this bag I came across some user reviews. Most were favourable but the self balancing X-Act double comfort tech strap seemingly wasn’t to the taste of everybody. A common complaint seemed to be that the bag was too top heavy and that clubs would often slide out while being carried. 

This was not something I experienced at all. The strap did indeed self balance and the bag was very comfortable and lightweight to carry on my back. Perhaps it wasn’t sitting at the same angle as other bags that these unhappy campers had used, but if you don’t like how this one sits when it has self balanced all it takes is a little pull on the strap to get it into whatever position you are comfortable with. 

The shoulder straps are one of the best features of this bag so do not be put off by anything you might read to the contrary. There is also a padded section where the bag rests against your back and this provides added comfort. Every little helps when you are carrying a bag full of golf clubs around for nearly four hours.

The grab handle is a useful feature which I use a lot and not just for loading or unloading the clubs from the car. There is also a strap at the very bottom of the bag which when used in tandem with the grab handle makes lifting it in and out of your vehicle very simple. 

The grab handle is also handy when moving the bag around the green, such as after a chip or a bunker shot when you need to leave the bag in a convenient spot adjacent to where the next tee is.

On that note, there are few things more annoying in golf than being stood on the fairway, waiting for the group ahead to clear the green and one of them has left his bag on the opposite side of the green to the exit point for the next tee. Don’t be that golfer. Move your bag to the correct side of the green to speed up play.

Anyway, yeah, the grab handle is great when you just need to move the bag a short distance. Alternatively there is also a carry handle on the front of the bag which makes lifting even easier. You don’t want to be having to put the bag on and off your back using the shoulder straps when you’re only moving ten yards, but because this bag is so light you can just pick it up one handed with the grab or carry handle and save time.

Most stand bags have grab and carry handles so this is certainly not unique to the Hyper Dry C, but not all of them are as light as this bag and carrying one handed is therefore not always this effortless.

Callaway Hyper Dry C: Verdict

In terms of price this sits somewhere in the mid-range. There are cheaper stand bags out there but be aware that not all of them are fully waterproof. There is a lot to like about this bag with the only potential negative being the lack of storage and the poorly designed valuables pocket.

If you are in the market for a new stand bag then you could certainly do a lot worse than this offering from Callaway, especially if you already play Callaway clubs and want to keep everything the same brand.

Overall, the Callaway Hyper Dry C is a good all around stand bag and at its current price represents decent value.