Why, exactly, would golfers be interested in a yoke? Because this one, according to many who tried it, makes carrying a golf bag an easier and more comfortable experience.
The Shling is the newest offering from Ogio and it was introduced at the PGA Show to a great response. It's an organically shaped, padded and curved combination of handle and yoke that fits around the back of the neck, resting securely on the shoulders. It features two inset attachment points - one just below the back of the neck, and one below the front right shoulder. Straps are looped directly through the two attachment points, allowing the bag to hang naturally, nestled comfortably against the carrier’s back or side.
The Shling also serves as a handle for picking up and removing the bag, enabling users to immediately lift their bag onto both shoulders with one fluid motion. And it's ergonomic design balances the distribution of weight.
Ogio says the Shling has been in "covert development" for three years, and describes the look of the Shling as somewhere between a "high-tech boomerang and a monorail." The company expects the Shling to soon appear on products well beyond the golf market, from backpacks to postal bags to military products.
"The best solution for making it easier to carry a bag is simply to hire a caddy," explains OGIO Founder Mike Pratt. "But since more people carry their own bags than can afford such a luxury, we knew there had to be something better. Something easier to load that didn’t require maneuvering in and out of. The Ogio Shling appears forehead-smackingly simple, but it represents thousands of man-hours spent in trial, error, and refinement. We tapped into the most advanced digital scanning technology to take thousands of measurements on people who helped provide the structure’s form. With all the technology Ogio has ever released, this is easily our most revolutionary achievement."
The Ogio Shling is initially featured on two of Ogio's new bags for 2004. Both the Ogio Trick SS (MSRP: $229.00) and the Boss SS (MSRP: $149.99) will be available to consumers on a limited release beginning in the spring.
