Regular readers of Cascade Golfer know that when it comes to bags, we love our Sun Mountains. So naturally, we were eager to find out what the Missoula, Mont.-based innovator was planning for 2009. As it turns out, the company has two major releases — the Swift X and the Four 5, both of which set market standards. The Swift X is one of Sun Mountain’s finest achievements yet — a full-size bag that can accommodate 14 clubs with a seven-and-a-half inch, two-way top, a two-strap carrying system and separate pockets for clothes, valuables, balls and water bottles … all weighing in at under three pounds. Putting the Swift X on your shoulders is about as physically demanding as carrying a loaf of bread or a paperback book — a difference you’ll appreciate at the end of a five-hour round. The Swift X also comes standard with an umbrella holder, towel holder and matching rainhood, as well as Sun Mountain’s top-mounted stand attachment, unmatched for its durability and stability. If you like the idea of an ultra-light bag but don’t want to sacrifice your individual club dividers, check out Sun Mountain’s all-new Four 5. At just 4.5 pounds (Four 5 – get it?), it’s the lightest stand bag in its class, and includes a 14-way divider and all of the same outstanding peripheral features as the Swift X. On the Four 5, Sun Mountain has also adopted the E-Z Fit Dual Strap System, featuring a small square that positions between the shoulder blades to help redistribute weight — as if you needed to make carrying this bag even easier. Heck, with such light and durable bags on the market, we’re starting to wonder why anyone bothers to pay cart fees anymore.