Abacus Men’s Elgin Hybrid vest review
Abacus was established as a golf clothing brand back in 1991, aiming to combine Swedish design with high performance fabrics, with clothing made for the active golfer in mind. Here we review the all-important insulating layer, the Elgin Hybrid vest.
Abacus Men’s Elgin Hybrid vest review: NCG Summary
NCG SUMMARY
This is a really well-designed and premium gilet that is particularly suitable for cold and windy conditions. It comes highly recommended.
PROS
- Warm and comfortable.
- Smart appearance.
- Premium construction.
- Useful zippered pockets.
CONS
- Slightly bulky to stow away
Abacus Men’s Elgin Hybrid vest
Now: £99.99
Check out the best deals on the Abacus Men’s Elgin Hybrid vest…
First Impressions
A crucial component of an outdoor layering system is the insulating layer. For the golfer this will typically be a sleeved mid-layer but the gilet or vest (or body warmer) has proved to be an increasingly useful and popular layering option because it can provide warmth without restricting a golf swing. I was excited to test out the Elgin hybrid jacket from Abacus, the premium Swedish brand.
This garment looked and felt to be of really top quality straight out of the box. I tested the black version. This is one of six colour options on offer from Abacus although I could only find three of those available in the UK.
There is a seamless, quilted and padded windproof fabric to the front and back with side panels and shoulders constructed from stretchy fleece, which has a grid pattern on the inner aspect for additional warmth. There is elastic binding at the armholes to help keep the wind out, a full-length zip with grey reflective piping to one side and two zippered front pockets.
A fairly unobtrusive Abacus ‘Count on it’ logo sits on the lower right front, just beneath the pocket. The overall appearance is of a well constructed, smart and warm piece of kit.
On-course testing
I tested the Elgin over a number of rounds of golf, generally in cool and windy conditions. I’m about 173 cm tall and weigh 74 kg with an average (ie non-athletic) shape. The large size fitted really well. The fit was enhanced by an adjustable drawcord hem. The garment felt extremely cosy, and, as is usually the case with gilets, there was no restriction of movement when swinging.
The level of insulation meant that I usually just wore this over a base layer, such as the Abacus Tenby long sleeve top, but I found that I could easily add a mid layer in colder weather if required, because the garment is so nice and stretchy. I could also add a waterproof layer over the top when the heavens opened, the only issue with that was a tendency to get a bit too hot.
The zip was of high quality and the collar was just the right height. It was comfortable if zipped all the way up because of a soft chin guard, but did not interfere if it was partly open.
The two zippered front pockets were a decent size and therefore useful. In some similar garments, the front can sag forward a bit, which is particularly noticeable when putting or chipping. There was none of that with the Elgin, whether or not the pockets were open or closed.
The 19th hole
I do like a decent gilet and I have to say that this an excellent product. I could find nothing to dislike about the Elgin, other than the fact that it is, perhaps, a little bulky to stow away in a golf bag, were I ever to take it off. It looks smart, is well-made, feels good to wear and is really warm and windproof.
The black colour works well for this sort of gear, and the other colour options available look similarly smart.
I have already found myself wearing this gilet for other outdoor activities including dog walking. However, I think it’ll spend plenty of time being used for golfing activities. I would add that the price point for such a well-made bit of kit seems to be very reasonable and may tempt you to pick up a couple of different colours in this excellent product.
Fit: True to Size/Small/Large
Out of Box Comfort: 9.5/10
Value for Money: 9.5/10
Sizes: UK S-XXL
Colour options: Black, Navy, Dark grey.
Abacus Men’s Elgin Hybrid vest
Now: £99.99
Check out the best deals on the Abacus Men’s Elgin Hybrid vest…
Abacus Men’s Elgin Hybrid vest review: The Details
Available: Now
RRP: £99.99
More info: Abacus website
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Jonathan Taylor
Jonathan also known as JT, is one of the biggest golf nuts on the NCG team.
He has quickly become a go-to for expertise on golf shoes and technical apparel. In fact he may have a different pair of shoes and a new waterproof jacket for every club medal he plays in.
He previously worked as a GP, which means he likes to get into the details of things, such as weighing golf shoes with his kitchen scales.
Jonathan is a member at Alwoodley Golf Club and regularly gets out on the golf course to maintain his handicap of five.
