I had the pleasure of being in a lot of weather this weekend and wore a few different items. Here's a quick rundown on how it went.
Ping Low Side Full Zip Rain Jacket
The Good: This is an inexpensive light jacket (can find it on sale for 1/2 off MSRP, about $40). It has a concealed hood, fits well and doesn't constrict movement. This has been my go to jacket when we have typical PNW drizzly light rain and it has been great.
The Bad: I learned the hard way this jacket is not intended for sustained heavy storms. It just couldn't handle the conditions I played in and I was soaked through to the bone and miserable.
Snake Eyes Performance Weather Jacket
The Good: The model I own has removable zippered sleeves which makes it an extremely versatile piece, either a full jacket or a jacket with sleeves that extend to about the elbow to improve mobility and breathability. The Goretex materials used by GolfSmith are very effective at keeping the rain out.
The Bad: Those same Goretex-like materials GolfSmith uses aren't as good as the real deal and it shows when it comes to breathability, which this jacket does not have. While the rain may stay out the sweat stays in, and you end up wet anyway. Also, the jacket is cut rather large so fit isn't superior.
FootJoy Tour XP Rain Jacket
The Good: The jacket is a little heavier than the Ping without sacrificing mobility. It kept me warm in high winds and cool temperatures. It kept me perfectly dry too, although the rain wasn't as heavy or continuous as the day I wore the Ping Jacket. Fit is great and I like the styling (I got several compliments on the jacket). I'll feel more comfortable saying this after I'm out in heavier weather but my initial impression is this is a top notch piece of clothing/gear.
The Bad: The front zipper is a little sticky but that's getting a little nit-picky, as the jacket is new and this will hopefully improve with time.
Columbia Sportswear Omni-Tech Packable Pants
The Good: I wore these all three days and didn't feel a drop of rain or sweat ever even though I was in some serious weather. Awesome performance from these pants. The pants have a Velcro adjustment above the foot to tighten the pant leg. Bandon caddies wear Columbia gear under their mandatory rain gear to stay dry, which tells me a lot about the quality of these products.
The Bad: My pants are actually backpacking pants. The material is a touch on the noisy side and the cut is a touch large, unlike modern rain pants that are meant to look like slacks. Also, the pockets were just okay for golf use.
Ping Low Side Full Zip Rain Jacket
The Good: This is an inexpensive light jacket (can find it on sale for 1/2 off MSRP, about $40). It has a concealed hood, fits well and doesn't constrict movement. This has been my go to jacket when we have typical PNW drizzly light rain and it has been great.
The Bad: I learned the hard way this jacket is not intended for sustained heavy storms. It just couldn't handle the conditions I played in and I was soaked through to the bone and miserable.
Snake Eyes Performance Weather Jacket
The Good: The model I own has removable zippered sleeves which makes it an extremely versatile piece, either a full jacket or a jacket with sleeves that extend to about the elbow to improve mobility and breathability. The Goretex materials used by GolfSmith are very effective at keeping the rain out.
The Bad: Those same Goretex-like materials GolfSmith uses aren't as good as the real deal and it shows when it comes to breathability, which this jacket does not have. While the rain may stay out the sweat stays in, and you end up wet anyway. Also, the jacket is cut rather large so fit isn't superior.
FootJoy Tour XP Rain Jacket
The Good: The jacket is a little heavier than the Ping without sacrificing mobility. It kept me warm in high winds and cool temperatures. It kept me perfectly dry too, although the rain wasn't as heavy or continuous as the day I wore the Ping Jacket. Fit is great and I like the styling (I got several compliments on the jacket). I'll feel more comfortable saying this after I'm out in heavier weather but my initial impression is this is a top notch piece of clothing/gear.
The Bad: The front zipper is a little sticky but that's getting a little nit-picky, as the jacket is new and this will hopefully improve with time.
Columbia Sportswear Omni-Tech Packable Pants
The Good: I wore these all three days and didn't feel a drop of rain or sweat ever even though I was in some serious weather. Awesome performance from these pants. The pants have a Velcro adjustment above the foot to tighten the pant leg. Bandon caddies wear Columbia gear under their mandatory rain gear to stay dry, which tells me a lot about the quality of these products.
The Bad: My pants are actually backpacking pants. The material is a touch on the noisy side and the cut is a touch large, unlike modern rain pants that are meant to look like slacks. Also, the pockets were just okay for golf use.
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