Review: The ZÜCA Compact Cart

I’ve been in disc golf long enough to remember when the over-the-shoulder bag was what nearly everybody rocked out on the course. Then, when two-strap backpacks hit the market, it felt like the pinnacle of the disc-golf-gear experience. It took some time for me to get there, but five or six years ago, my wife bought me an Upper Park Shift for Christmas – I was hooked:

• It’s the right size.
• It’s plenty durable.
• It’s incredibly light.

Truth be told, it’s all I’ve ever really needed.

The thought of trying something else just felt weird …

Then, before I knew it, there was a ZÜCA Compact Cart sitting on my doorstep. Those mid-round DGN commercials featuring Paul Ulibarri, club music and his all-white Compact Cart eventually became too hard to resist. If you’re at all like me, you know the weakness well …

Such is an obsession with disc golf.

Full disclosure: I’m a first-time owner of ANY kind of disc golf cart. As such, I figured I’d whip together a quick review of my experience: The good, the bad and the somewhere in-between.

Here’s an honest look at how things went down …

Have at it.

The good of cart ownership

BTW, this is me talking about carts in general …

NOT just the ZÜCA Compact Cart.

If you’ve never pulled the trigger on one, I figured this might be helpful.

It’s a bit of a “duh” point, but carts are easy on the back. When I transitioned from one of those old-school satchels to a full-blown backpack, the reason for doing it was back pain – and I was only in my mid-20s. The backpack was an immediate upgrade. I’ve had my cart for just over a month, and the back already feels better. I didn’t know it could feel better, but it totally does.

And because it feels better, I’ve got more energy. Again, this is another one of those things you might not think you’d need more of, but the second you’ve got more of it, you realize you were missing it all along. Utah’s not flat. Lugging a dozen-ish discs up and down elevation is tiring.

The cart helps.

And lastly, storage …

I don’t need much, but having WAY more is nice.

The not-so-good of cart ownership

Yet again …

Remember: I’m talking general cart ownership.

At least in the beginning, hauling a cart around felt like a bit of a production. Before I got in the flow of things, I’d constantly find myself tightening stuff and checking to make sure nothing was falling apart. In time, as I got more comfortable, that all went away – it was annoying, though.

Also, carts fit in pretty much any kind of vehicle, but the trunk might not be the best place for it. The guy I golf with every Friday has a smaller car. The cart was a tight squeeze in the trunk, so I’d put it in the back seat. This isn’t a big deal, but I’d have to move his daughter’s booster seat to make it happen, not to mention remove the handle on the cart. And tires get muddy. So again, not a big problem, but it’s a production. You toss a bag anywhere – not the case with a cart.

Also, not ALL courses are cart-friendly …

Plan ahead.

The efficiency of the ZÜCA Compact Cart

Enough of that …

The Compact Cart.

I’m not going to copy-and-paste the entire list of features the ZÜCA Compact Cart has to offer. I’ll go over the important ones, but if it’s the laundry list you’re looking for, click here.

Disc Golf Deals USA DOES offer this graphic, though …

It’s worth checking out:

The first thing I’ll say about the Compact Cart is that it’s a solid piece of equipment – literally. It’s strong; it’s sturdy. Don’t let the sour-puss reviews on Reddit fool you: This thing can handle what you can throw at it. When it arrived, while putting it together, I partly expected it to make noise as I pushed it down the fairway – that it’d be rickety. This was not my experience.

After tightening down everything properly, the handle stayed put, the seat was rock-solid and most importantly, the wheel hubs NEVER needed any kind of adjusting. As I understand it, there were issues with this in the past. Thankfully, however, the wheel hubs on current Compact Cart models come with wheel nuts (and an Allen wrench) to keep the wheels firmly in place.

The Compact Cart is a minimalist’s tool. It’s capable of holding up to 15 frisbees in the main compartment. It’s got two sizable, elastic-drawn pockets on both sides of the insert bag. There’s an upper-shelf inside the main compartment with two clear-topped utility pouches for storage.

Without a doubt, there are carts capable of holding WAY more crap. That said, if it’s strictly the essentials you’re most concerned about carrying on the course, the Compact Cart has it covered. For a cart, it’s got everything you need and nothing you don’t – and it’s not wildly expensive.

All in all, the Compact Cart works.

It gets the job done.

The look of the ZÜCA Compact Cart

I’ve not carried more than 15 discs in over a decade …

But even if I did, the slim, sleek look of the Compact Cart might be enough to draw me away from other larger, more robust-looking ZÜCA carts. The Compact Cart is an unassuming piece of equipment. While a Rovic “hot-dog stand” demands attention, the Compact Cart never feels out of place. It’s the carry-on, overhead-compartment of disc golf carts. That’s pretty cool.

I’m as patriotic as they come, but I will say the American-flag design on the insert bag is more steampunk than I’d like it to be. If I could go back, I’d probably opt for a red, navy or royal-blue frame with a black insert bag. Regardless, there are plenty of options – even this wild design.

Speaking of options, you can “pimp this ride” as much as you like. ZÜCA has thought of every imaginable way to milk buyers out of as much hard-earned capital as possible. If you caught me on the right day, you could maybe convince me a putter-pouch is needed. As I see it, though, the Compact Cart offers more than enough to cover your bases – no bells and whistles required.

Also, the neon-green handle (more on that later) is freaking sweet.

8 must-know items about the ZÜCA Compact Cart

You can watch all the YouTube videos you like on this thing …

These eight items come straight from my brain – and first-hand experience.

Take notes:

1. There are no instructions. This is my biggest complaint against the Compact Cart – or any ZÜCA cart, for that matter. The box doesn’t come with any assembly instructions. No, putting this thing together isn’t rocket science, but it’s trickier than you’d think. YouTube proved helpful. Below, you’ll find the video I watched to get this right:

2. This can (kind of) hold 15 discs. Any normal mix of putters, midranges and drivers will get you 15 discs in the main compartment. I’m working with four putters, two midranges and nine drivers. That setup had me crushing my fingers to retrieve discs. To resolve the issue, I put my two putting putters in one of the side pockets – problem solved.

3. Tilt all main-compartment inserts. There are two of these: 1) One to separate discs and keep them from falling out in the main compartment, and 2) one to form the upper-shelf in the main compartment – this is used for storage via the two utility pouches. When installing these, tilt them slightly upwards. By so doing, things stay in place better.

4. Tighten everything. Then tighten again. No, you won’t need to do this over and over (and over) again. You can put the Compact Cart together in 15 minutes. Instead, take 30 to make sure everything’s locked and loaded. Also, if your handle keeps wiggling on you, THIS is what needs tightening. Use a six-millimeter Allen wrench to make it happen.

5. The two utility pouches are great for bags. I’m in love with these things. It’s easy to transfer my 15 discs from the Compact Cart to the bag. It’s the little knick-knacks that are annoying to move: pens, minis, towels, Tylenol, sandpaper, etc. Store all this stuff in the utility pouches. When you make the change, you switch ‘em back and forth – done.

6. Put your putting putters in the side pocket. As I see it, one of the best things about bags is that most of them come with some sort of putter pocket on top for ease of access. I put both of mine in one of the side pockets, and it virtually accomplished the same thing. Again, it’s not for me, but you can buy a putter-pouch for your cart, too.

7. You need a handle cover – this one’s the best. ZÜCA carts don’t come with handle covers of any kind. The handle is metal. When it’s hot, it’ll burn the flesh right off your hand. And when it’s cold, your fingertips will feel it. Don’t wrap it in handlebar tape or anything. Buy one of these 3D-printed FlighTowel handle covers – they’re gold.

8. Give this a few rounds of use to find a rhythm. If you’re new to carts like I was, give yourself five or so rounds to find your flow. As mentioned earlier, in the beginning, the “production” of it all was frustrating. The whole car thing wasn’t my favorite, either. But once I found what worked, it became second nature. I now “get” all this cart business.

And there you have it …

Those are ALL my secrets.

Am I still using the ZÜCA Compact Cart?

No doubt.

As I mentioned in the previous section, the pair of clear-topped utility pouches have made switching back and forth between my bag and cart as simple as it gets. With most courses in my area being cart-compatible, however, hands-down, the ZÜCA is seeing the bulk of the action.

Are there better carts out there?

Maybe.

I’ve only tried one.

But ZÜCA is a household name for a reason …

Their carts work, last and deliver.

You can’t go wrong with a ZÜCA Compact Cart.

The Final Green Splatter Grade: A

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