Review Caddytrek R2 Electric Cart Review

[MonroeBob1955]

With the Black Friday Sales going on decided to pull the trigger on an electric push cart. My priorities were ease of use, durability, easy setup, price.

While most of the electric push carts meet those priorities, well most all, except price; the Caddytrek met them all, plus had follow function and was/is $500 off.

Arrived last night, came fully assembled, minus the accessories of course. Charged up the battery and the remote.

This morning decide to make its inaugural voyage over 9 holes at my local course. The Caddytrek does fold up nicely and compact and fit easily in my compact car trunk with my golf bag, shoes and who know what else I had stashed back there.

Setup was like two minutes including bag on and ready to go. My Subtle Patriot cart bag fit perfectly. Used the RC (Remote Control) mode to maneuver to the pro shop. Very easy and doesn’t over react to commands from the remote.

The course was quite wet as we had heavy rain Friday night. Everything was soaked and had large puddles/ponds all over the course.

Continued using RC mode for the first hole getting used to controlling the R2. It tracts very straight. After finishing the hole, figured it was time to try the Follow mode.

All modes are accessed from SB (Stand By). Push the left arrow twice and you’re in RC mode. Press the Follow button and you’re in Follow or March Mode. And Press the up arrow twice and you’re in Free Wheel push mode. Entering the Follow/March modes have to be done within 6’ in line with the sensors. All easy, even for me to figure out.

Used the Follow mode for next 3 holes. Kept a decent pace and the R2 stayed right behind me. Pressing the Follow Button when you got to your ball or green disengages the mode so you can move around and hit your shot or whatever.

The processes are fairly intuitive and became second nature very quickly. There’s a bridge between the 4th green and 5th tee box. So put the R2 in March mode where you walk with the cart in front of you keeping it safely centerline on the bridge.

Used Follow mode the rest of the front 9 and it never lost contact. Super simple. I did check behind me a lot to make sure it was still there and it was right behind me.

On the 9th green left the R2 off the front of the green, back flag. After finishing the hole, walked off the back towards the clubhouse and engaged RC and steered the R2 around the green and meet me midway to the club house. The guy in the pro shot saw this and was impressed.

Assessment. Probably the easiest 9 I’ve walked in more years than I can count. The R2 did everything it’s advertised to do and controlling it is a piece of cake. Most difficult thing to figure out is what to do with the remote when you’re walking down the fairway in RC mode. I’m sure I’ll figure that out fairly quickly.

At $999, no tax or delivery charge, it’s an absolute bargain in my opinion. And walking is so much easier without lugging or pushing 25-40 pounds around.

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[Gyro25]

I like the follow feature, something I would definitely want in an electric push cart

 

[MonroeBob1955]

I like the follow feature, something I would definitely want in an electric push cart

I think the follow feature is a huge benefit. Honestly felt like I was walking with a caddie not having to pay attention to the cart.


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[PatsFan]

Nice write up. Follow feature is huge.

 

[JW Smoove]

Great write up - sounds to me like many of the issues I had with mine (maybe the version before yours - though mine looked exactly the same - even the same red color) have been addressed and resolved. The price is now also very attractive. I would surely consider this if I did not have a push cart already - noted in many other related threads.

Enjoy it and learn to trust it - that was my issue, I had so many bad moments where it would not follow or even address the remote (had to turn off and push it), that even when it started to work, I could not trust it, so like you said, in my case spent way too much time making sure it was there. Also, I am deaf and my model made a lot of chirps and beeps that I could not hear and which I did not want to hinder those playing in my group - so that was another issue.

Glad they work as they were intended! Do they still chirp/beep?

 

[MonroeBob1955]

Great write up - sounds to me like many of the issues I had with mine (maybe the version before yours - though mine looked exactly the same - even the same red color) have been addressed and resolved. The price is now also very attractive. I would surely consider this if I did not have a push cart already - noted in many other related threads.

Enjoy it and learn to trust it - that was my issue, I had so many bad moments where it would not follow or even address the remote (had to turn off and push it), that even when it started to work, I could not trust it, so like you said, in my case spent way too much time making sure it was there. Also, I am deaf and my model made a lot of chirps and beeps that I could not hear and which I did not want to hinder those playing in my group - so that was another issue.

Glad they work as they were intended! Do they still chirp/beep?

I had read where people had issues with it losing contact and trouble reconnecting. The only time I lost contact yesterday was when I was walking off the back of green while steering the cart around the side of the green to catch up with me. Of course dumb me walked around a hill where I lost line of sight contact for about ten seconds. The R2 stopped in its tracks. Once I had line of sight I hit the forward button and off she went on its intended path towards me.

Does it still chirp/beep? Yes. My ears also have electronic assist (hearing aids). I can hear the beeps. Can’t tell if it would be bothersome for anyone outside a small radius. Have read where I can silence that feature and will talk with my golf mates and determine if it’s detectable/bothersome at all to them.


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[JW Smoove]

I had read where people had issues with it losing contact and trouble reconnecting. The only time I lost contact yesterday was when I was walking off the back of green while steering the cart around the side of the green to catch up with me. Of course dumb me walked around a hill where I lost line of sight contact for about ten seconds. The R2 stopped in its tracks. Once I had line of sight I hit the forward button and off she went on its intended path towards me.

Does it still chirp/beep? Yes. My ears also have electronic assist (hearing aids). I can hear the beeps. Can’t tell if it would be bothersome for anyone outside a small radius. Have read where I can silence that feature and will talk with my golf mates and determine if it’s detectable/bothersome at all to them.


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Good to know. My hearing loss prevents me hearing the noise the thing makes (beeps/chirps), too high frequency for me, but I wear hearing aids too. When my cart did work I was occasionally informed by others that it was beeping - otherwise - to this day I would never have known! I contacted the company (at that time) and they told me no it was able to be toggled on or off. As to regaining contact that is very good to know as well, mine would lose the connection, and I would have to push the cart for a hole or a couple shots. I assume in hindsight it was simply not ready for primetime at the time it came out. Sounds like its received a lot of improvements between then and now.

Enjoy it, I agree walking unencumbered makes a round of golf about as enjoyable as one can be. I am still happy to ride occasionally or with friends - but as a solo, or with my kid, the walk is just great.

 

[MonroeBob1955]

My three week update:
After nine or ten rounds, I’ve altered some of my tactics/processes. And, have learned a few things.

The battery cannot be removed when cart is folded up. Have to loosen upper arms, slight unfold, then remove battery. Easier to remove battery before you fold up cart and put it in the trunk.

When folded the front axel pivots freely. This gets annoying when shifting and maneuvering in your trunk.

The scorecard holder is cheap and rather worthless the way it hangs off the side of the handle. Have since removed it.

The cell phone holder appears well made, but lack of pivot range makes it difficult to see/use your phone unless you have push handle perpendicular to the ground.

Use remote mode in parking lot and crossing streets on the course. Pretty much use follow mode rest of the round which I really like. It does pretty darn well following me. Hasn’t performed any crazy Ivan’s, gone wandering off, or just stopped on its own. Quite impressive actually. Now user error if your sweater jacket cover the remote, the R2 will stop in its tracks. Likewise if you let your golf towel covers the sensors.

When traversing shallow ditches, cart paths, areas where it bounces excessively, it will temporarily lose contact with the remote and go herky jerky as t tries to reconnect. If I slow down when traversing these obstacles it would probably be fine.

My old pushcart has a net for storage. Trying to figure a way to affix it to the cart. The accessory bag that comes with the R2 is nice. But the location where it mounts is definitely not convenient. Have tried several locations and not happy with that yet.

All in all I’m very pleased with the R2. Is it the perfect solution? No but it’s pretty darn good. Would I have preferred a non-follow model? No. I really like follow feature.

Hit your shot. Put your club away. Press a button. Walk away taking your glove off, putting it in your pocket while you contemplate your next shot. It kinda really is like having a cadd that doesn’t snicker at your bad shots.


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