The New Clicgear 3.5+ Golf Push Cart Review - Still The Best And Now Even Better - Great Golf Deals.com Blog

The first Clicgear Push Cart was introduced in 2007 at the annual PGA Merchandise show in Orlando where it won the "Best New Product" award. I was at that show and I remember the crowd reaction when they first saw the cart. You would have thought that they just invented a new golf club that guaranteed everyone would hit it 300 yards and straight. People couldn't get enough of it and had to get there hands on it as soon as it was available.

 

From there, the Clicgear cart has continued to improve the cart and it has reached almost a "cult" status where previous model owners will upgrade to the newest model as soon as it is released - even though the cart they have is perfectly fine. In a sense, the Clicgear cart has almost become the Apple iPhone of golf push carts.

New for 2013, the Clicgear 3.5+ Golf Push Cart is Clicgear’s latest model. Built for those of us who prefer to play golf the way it was meant to be played - by walking the golf course and taking in the surrounding while getting some actual exercise.  The new 3.5+ push cart has some subtle improvements over Clicgear’s previous 3.0 model, including: a larger storage net, larger cup holder, an improved bag strap system, improved umbrella holder storage bracket, and an improved positive lock braking system. They didn’t reinvent the wheel this time around as they didn't have to it is already a great cart. Clicgear simply has taken what many have called “the best push cart” and maximized it’s potential… at least until version 4.0 is designed.


WHAT'S NEW?
You can’t roll out a new model without some modifications. While I didn’t expect the modifications to be extensive, I do think that they should be improvements, thus adding to the quality of the overall cart. Here are the changes for the Clicgear 3.5+:

1. Increased Cargo Net Volume: It’s 80% larger! OK, that’s cool. More room to drop stuff in the net. I’d call that a plus. It’s not so huge that it gets in the way under the console, or that things get lost in its vastness.
   
2. Improved Braking System: Visually the brake is the same, but the locking cogs are easier to engage. The pin is smaller and there are more cogs, so you are less likely to hit the dividers which at times happened in the past. Before it was just a little roll forward or backward to engage the brake, now it isn't necessary, it engages almost every time you flip the lever.
3. Improved Umbrella Holder Storage Bracket: OK this one is reaching a bit. It works, and works better, no argument. However, I don’t use an umbrella and I actually leave the holder at home to prevent losing it and excess weight.
4. Larger Adjustable Cup Holder: At first I was skeptical of the smaller size, wondering if I could get a Gatorade bottle in it, but what I found is that this one will hold both the skinny Gatorade bottles as well as the larger sized ones. Because of the spiral expansion design it will hold tight just about any size beverage container. (within reason) It also holds the beverage much tighter, thus reducing spills and possible drops.
5. Improved Bag Strap System: This was the one thing that I was initially very puzzled about. The great thing about the previous clip systems was their adjustability. I thought it was pretty easy to adjust the strap length to match the diameter of the bag. The new hook and ring system definitely looks different, and guess what, it’s a better system. All of the adjusting is accomplished on the ring end, with the elastic cords sliding through and fastening on both the top and bottom of the ring. Pop the cords out, position the ring, and lock the cords back in place. It’s an easy system. If you always use the same bag, then you set it once and go. If you change bags all of the time like I do, the ease of adjustment is great.

DESIGN:

The Clicgear 3.5+ is everything you could ever ask for (and more) in a push cart. It’s made from strong over-sized aircraft grade aluminum tubing which is both highly durable and excessively lightweight (the 3.5+ is 18 lbs. total). When folded up the 3.5+ is incredibly small and easy to carry, making it great for storage and transportation to and from the golf course. We also discovered that this push cart will fit just about anywhere when folded up.

Not only is the Clicgear 3.5+ lightweight, sturdy and compact(able), but it’s also packed with features that are thoughtfully placed and intuitive. Some features that caught our attention during testing were the upgraded braking system, center console and storage net.


SET UP:

Unfolding the Clicgear 3.5+ is not the most intuitive process, which may explain why the company makes instructional unfolding and folding videos available on their web site. Clicgear tries to make the 5-step process easier by highlighting the critical knobs and levers in bright colors, but despite the fact that we’ve used these carts many times, we still do a little bit of head-scratching each time we come back to them. It truthfully isn’t rocket science, but there is a sequence that must be followed, and if you try to do something out of order, you tend to hit a dead end and have to start all over again.


VERDICT:

The Clicgear 3.5+ is likely the last push cart you’ll ever need. It is shockingly lightweight, extremely durable and can fold up in to a pint sized cube for incredible storage. We fell in love with this push cart’s ability to roll down the fairways smooth and straight. We found it to be effortless to maneuver and also comes with some impressive storage capabilities. If you’re a walking golfer who’s serious about your game, we highly recommend the Clicgear 3.5+ push cart for you.

PRICE:
The Clicgear 3.5+ retails for $219.99 and at that price it is still worth it. For a limited time you can pick up one of these carts for $189.99 at Great Golf Deals.com or purchase on "Open Box" version for $179.99.  If you're a walker and do not want to carry bags on your back, do yourself a favor and pick up this push cart  - you will not be disappointed.