Powakaddy CT8 GPS Review

Powakaddy CT8 GPS Review

It’s a great time to be a golfer. Technology and design are finally catching up to the needs and preferences of modern golfers. Case in point: the Powakaddy CT8 GPS. Remember when you had to carry a golf GPS device in your bag?

Those days are apparently over because the Powakaddy CT8 GPS is an electric golf trolley and golf GPS device in one. But will the average golfer be able to benefit from this new technology? We tested the Powakaddy CT8 GPS our for ourselves and in the following review, we will share our experience and opinion of the Powakaddy CT8 GPS golf trolley.

First Impressions

Unboxing the Powakaddy CT8 GPS was pretty exciting as we saw the beautiful gunmetal gray finish and the super-compact size. When this trolley is in it’s folded position, it’s just a hair over 20 inches high, 16 inches wide and 14 inches long.

Our first impression of this trolley was that it was super compact and indeed it is one of the smallest trolleys currently on the market. We were a bit concerned at first because we didn’t really think that such a small trolley would be able to handle fully loaded bags deftly.

But the Powakaddy CT8 GPS features upper and lower bungee straps to hold your bag securely in place. Another thing we liked about the Powakaddy CT8 GPS right off was the fact that it has a nice wide stance.

The back wheels are larger than the single front wheel so you get good rear stability which ably carries large and heavy bags. Keep in mind that this is an automatic trolley and it can be set to lead you anywhere from 5 to 50 yards.

We were very excited to get this thing onto the course as it has an integrated 3.5 inch touchscreen GPS device right above the handle bar. The GPS device is pre-loaded with 40,000 courses and can automatically detect which course you are on.

But before we get too ahead of ourselves, we should stick to our first impressions and how this golf trolley looks. We really love the gunmetal gray finish and even when it is fully unfolded, it’s compact and sleek. You will definitely turn heads on your local course with the Powakaddy CT8 GPS.

Key Features

The Powakaddy CT8 GPS comes loaded with the latest and most advanced features for both a golf trolley and a golf GPS device. Let’s take a detailed look at each feature:

• Touch Screen GPS – We really liked that the interface of the touch screen GPS was user-friendly. It’s very easy to scroll between menus and screens. The only problem was that it got hard to read under direct sunlight.
• Green View – The Powakaddy CT8 GPS allows you to view the shape of the green of the hole you are playing. It also allows you to adjust the position of the pin. The GPS on the Powakaddy CT8 GPS will also read distances to the back, middle and front of the green.
• Adjustable Handle Bars – The height of the handle bars can be adjusted which is nice for setting the 3.5 inch touchscreen at a height where you can see it clearly.
• Automatic Distance Function – You can set the Powakaddy CT8 GPS to go ahead of you at a distance of 5 to 50 yards.
• Hole Detection – The Powakaddy CT8 GPS has an auto-advance mode where it automatically detects which hole you are playing based on GPS and movement.
• Steps Counter – Not the most essential feature but it is still nice if you want to see how many steps you got in during your round.
• Storage – There honestly isn’t a lot of storage to speak of with the Powakaddy CT8 GPS but it does have a handy tee holder.
• Motor – The 30 volt motor isn’t the strongest on the market but what it lacks in power, it makes up for in quiet operation. We really liked how silently this automatic trolley runs because loud trolleys are usually just a distraction.

What’s the Battery Like?

The major concern with automatic trolley is how long the battery runs and how reliable it is. For starters, we liked that the “plug n play” lithium battery used for the Powakaddy CT8 GPS is nice and slim. It also slides easily into the frame with a satisfying click.

There is even a top-mounted power button so you can shut the whole thing off or on with a touch of a button. It does add about 3 pounds to the trolley which brings the total weight of the Powakaddy CT8 GPS trolley to about 24 pounds.

However, we were pretty pleased with the battery life overall. On a full charge it lasted for just under 2 full rounds of golf (about 34 holes).

How Does it Perform?

The Powakaddy CT8 GPS performs reliably. We really like that it hods heavy bags stably even on slight inclines. It does have a bit of a tipping problem on steeper inclines but such instances were few and far in-between.

The integrated GPS works well but doesn’t have advanced features like distance detection or distances to hazards and doglegs. Still, it is probably the best automatic golf trolley you can find on the market these days.

Pros:

• Integrated GPS
• Compact design
• 2-move folding system
• Convenient carry handle
• Slim battery
• Quiet moto

Cons:

• Battery takes a long time to charge
• Unstable on hills
• Lacking advanced GPS features
• Bluetooth connectivity issues

Overall Score: 96/100

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Other Electric Carts to Consider

• Cart-Tek Electric Golf Push Cart – You can control this cart manually and also set it to run on it’s own. The chassis is made of 6061 aluminum so it’s lightweight and the handle is height adjustable. The battery lasts for over 2 full rounds too.
• MGI Zip Navigator – You can control this electric cart with a remote and the quad-wheel design makes it very stable even on steep inclines. It runs on a lithium  24 volt battery that lasts for just under 2 full rounds.
• Motocaddy M5 GPS DHC Electric Caddy – This cart also features an integrated golf GPS system. The screen is 3.5 inches and is easy to navigate even if you’re wearing gloves. There is an automatic breaking system to keep it from careening down inclines as well.