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Limited-edition collaborations generally fall into one of three categories: cool, collectible or both.
Cynics, of course, can say they’re also an overpriced waste of money (as opposed to a value-priced waste of money?) but we’re going to keep it light and upbeat today, my friends.
This new limited-edition collaboration from Sun Mountain and baseball bat giant Marucci is most certainly fun and collectible. It also, however, gives you cynics plenty of ammo to fuel your cynicism.
If you want one, plan on setting aside a couple grand.
Just remember: Light and upbeat. It’s not a social statement or anything. It’s just a golf bag.
Albeit a very cool one.
Sun Mountain x Marucci: Golf meets baseball
Do you remember the smell of your first new baseball glove? Mine was a Rawlings Brooks Robinson model that served me well until the fastballs got too fast. If you remember oiling up your first glove and putting it under your mattress to help break it in, this golf bag might be right up your alley.
If, of course, you want to pay the freight.
The new Sun Mountain x Marucci stand bag is hand-crafted from the same Japanese-tanned steerhide leather Marucci uses to make its Magnolia baseball gloves. The level of detail in the stitching and the webbing is as flawless as a 6-4-3 double play. Hell, even Sun Mountain’s catchphrase “Built to break in, not break down” is cool.
“Marucci is the leader in elite baseball performance, handcrafting premium gear for the best players in the world,” Sun Mountain Marketing Director Grant Lordan tells MyGolfSpy. “Sun Mountain is driven by quality, craftsmanship and innovation. We strive to work with brands that are dedicated to creating premium products as well.”
The bag features woven leather detail on the spine, ball pocket and apparel pocket. The baseball diamond-shaped towel ring is a nice touch as is the Lizard Skin wrap on the top handle. Lizard Skin, if you didn’t know, is the official bat tape of Major League Baseball.
It’s a collab out of left field
While we’re not aware of any corporate connections between Sun Mountain and Marucci, both companies have similar DNA.
“A strong collaboration allows for a narrative,” explains Lordan. “We wanted to tell the story of two sports with similar heritage and values. The end result was something unexpected. (It) draws inspiration from classic baseball design elements and materials, reimagined through the lens of premium golf craftsmanship.”
Sun Mountain was founded in 1981 by former golf pro Rick Reimers. The company made its name by specializing in lightweight golf bags. The Sun Mountain Eclipse, released in 1986, is considered the industry’s first modern lightweight stand bag.
Reimers was the company’s sole shareholder through early 2022 when he sold Sun Mountain to Solace Capital Partners, a Los Angeles-based private investment firm. Reimers retained ownership of Sun Mountain Motor Sports, which makes the Finn golf scooter.
Marucci has similar humble beginnings. In 2002, Jack Marucci was the head athletic trainer at LSU when his eight-year-old son asked for a wooden baseball bat to use in Little League. By 2002, no one was making wooden bats that small so he bought a lathe and made one in his tool shed.
Marucci kept making bats and, through connections, they eventually made it to the major leagues. By 2013, Marucci supplanted Louisville Slugger as the No. 1 bat in the majors, used by players such as David Ortiz, Albert Pujols, Bryce Harper and Giancarlo Stanton. Marucci eventually expanded into helmets, chest protectors, balls and gloves.
In 2023, Marucci was purchased by Fox Factory (best known for off-road racing components) for $572 million.
Now, about that price tag …
Regardless of how these two crazy kids got together, we can say the Sun Mountain x Marucci limited edition stand bag does break new ground in cool.
The question, however, is whether it’s $1,999.99 cool.
“Yes, the bags are expensive because the product is as premium as it gets,” says Lordan. “The collaboration embodies the same commitment to precision, durability and timeless craftsmanship that defines Marucci’s game-tested gear.”
Don’t worry, Sun Mountain isn’t teaming up with Marucci to price the “average guy” out of the game. We checked the Sun Mountain website this morning. It’s still offering a full lineup of stand bags and cart bags for us regular folks priced below $300. We also checked other websites and you can still buy good-quality golf bags for under $200 if you’re so inclined.
It bears repeating: The introduction of a premium-priced product to a market does not mean a lower-priced product is being eliminated. It’s not a zero-sum game.
Who buys a $2,000 golf bag? Anyone who wants one and has the cash to spend on one, that’s who. Since it’s a limited edition, scarcity creates demand, so there’s no doubt Sun Mountain will sell out of these in relatively short order.
Sun Mountain x Marucci: The details
As mentioned, this Sun Mountain x Marucci limited-edition stand bag is hand-crafted from Japanese-tanned baseball glove leather. It features 11 pockets, with leather woven detailing on the two side pockets and the ball compartment. As you’d expect, it’s on the heavy side at 7.4 pounds.
The bag is available in four baseball glove-inspired colorways: Toffee-White, White-Mesa, Full Mesa and Black-Camel. Only 50 of each colorway are being produced.
A Lizard Skin-made putter grip is included and the bags come in a custom-made box.
It’s available at www.sunmountain.com.
The post This Sun Mountain x Marucci Baseball Collab Is Cool But Is It $2K Cool? appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
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