Review: Sun Mountain Reflex Cart

New Design - Same Awesomeness
Sun Mountain in my mind is the first company to make push carts functional and practical.  They have lead the way in making it acceptable to use a push cart for younger golfers.  I rarely walk anymore without using a push cart.  I see the benefits for my back and my game.  The various designs of push carts has been changing.  3-wheeled or 4 wheeled, fold up small or hold the bag on even while folded?  The new Sun Mountain Reflex cart is kind of a hybrid by design.  While it is a 4-wheeled cart, it has closer to a 3 wheeled footprint.  The folded design which is very compact also takes on a slightly different shape and the consoles are very different from precious push carts.  Even though it is a new design, it still has the same Sun Mountain Awesomeness of previous carts.
 
Starting with the wheels of the Sun Mountain Reflex, this is a new style of 4-wheel cart.  The back 2 wheels are big and pretty much the same as most other carts, while the front 2-wheels are smaller and close together, right under the base of the bag.  The act almost like a single wheel with just a little added stability.  When pushing the cart it acts more like a 3 wheel cart when it comes to turning and maneuvering.  You don’t have to watch out what those front wheels might bump into because of how they are under the bag.   It pushes easily down the fairway and rough.  Because the front wheels are smallish, it doesn’t do the real deep stuff or big ruts the best.
 

Folding and unfolding the Sun Mountain Reflex is very easy.  There are no twisting parts or complex manuevers that need to be made, just a couple levers are flipped and it opens/closes with easy.  You then just re-flip them to lock it in place.  The folded size is great because it is different from other carts.  It isn’t as boxy as others, but a little longer, flatter and narrower than others which works really great in the back of my MINI Countryman.   Any space savings is important to me, even if my car was bigger.

I went with the Charcoal/Red cart as my choice out of the 4 colorways.  The others are pretty sharp too, Black, Silver and Black/Lime.   I like how they are done with subtle color to make them just pop a little.  They all have the same airless tires and combination of metal frame work with plastic levers.

The Sun Mountain Reflex offers a completely different design in the console/handle area.  The handle bars are really cool how they adjust.  You pull and pivot to lock them into place.  You can do each side independent of the other.  If you like to walk more off the the side, you can tip the handle straight up for really easy steering.  It makes pushing the cart just a little more comfortable.  The console itself is different since it has 2 compartments instead of 1 big one.  I think this too is a great feature since there are things that I want available in the console, but sometimes don’t want it mixed up with other things.  For example, I like to have a couple golf balls in the console, but don’t always like them bouncing off my phone.  Now I can separate those items between the split console. Or you can keep some snacks in one and valuables in the other.  The top one is smoked so you can actually see inside too if you have your cellphone in there.
 

The Sun Mountain Reflex holds the bag nicely and securely in its brackets.  Sun Mountain finally listened and gave us a strap back for securing the bag.  It is only on the bottom bracket, but still an improvement in my opinion. While their previous bag clamps worked, the new ones have gripper ridges for extra security. 

The brake lever is hidden underneath the console nicely so that isn’t in your way when your walking or using it.  It is easy to engage/disengage and will hold your cart stopped on a moderate hill.  It stops the front wheels from turning.  Just make sure to disengage the brake for folding, otherwise the cart won’t fold all the way down.

The beverage holder clips into a slot on the handle and will hold a 20oz bottle nicely.  The angle does change depending on how you adjust the handle.  It pops off pretty easy so just be careful when folding and unfolding that you don’t lose it. 

The Sun Mountain Reflex is a seriously good cart.  The many innovative features make it one of the best new carts.  If you don’t have a push cart yet, check this one out or if it is time for an upgrade, the Reflex has a whole lot of useful innovations.  It folds up super small, yet acts very big when unfolded and rolling down the fairways.  It is a new design, but is the same Sun Mountain awesomeness.

For more information: www.sunmountain.com

Quick Hits
+Excellent folding/unfolding simplicity
+Easy rolling
+Dual console compartments
+Lots of adjustments
+Holds bag securely

–Gets bogged down in the real deep or bumpy terrain