NCG TESTS: 2011/12 Waterproofs
Galvin Green Ayers/Alf – NCG Best on Test
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“This suit is genuinely unbeatable on any factor apart from price in my eyes. It looks great, the cuffs work brilliantly, the material gets rid of water almost instantly, the size options in the trousers are comprehensive and the overall look is excellent. Above all, it’s functional – Galvin suits are designed to play golf in” Dan
“It is a little bit noisy for my liking, but you can move freely in it and with a name like Galvin Green you know you are on to a winner when it comes to being durable and reliable” James
“Before this test I always turned my nose up a little at Galvin Green. Charging so much for a suit never sat well with me, but now I have tried it for myself and seen the results, I’m a convert. I couldn’t get over just how well it did even after a real drenching. I would prefer it to fit a little tighter and perhaps stretch, but when it comes to performance I don’t have a bad word to say” Joe
DETAILS
TESTED: December 2011
TESTERS: Dan Murphy (3hcap), James Whitaker (pro), Joe Whitley (9hcap)
SRP: £319 Ayers jacket £209 Alf trousers
COLOURS: 3
SIZES: 6
WATERPROOF GUARANTEE: Lifetime
w: galvingreen.com
t: 01932 503 33
Proquip Tourflex – NCG Runner-Up
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“The look is traditional, but the cut is still good so overall this is a superb all-round suit. You don’t get lots of excess material and it clearly deals with the water with little difficulty. If you’re an experienced, serious player looking for performance and fit but without gaudy, bright colours, this is the suit for you. And I think it’s a suit (and brand) you can trust” Dan
“I’ll be honest – this is not really the suit for me in terms of looks, I’d want something more modern. But I was surprised – it was fine to swing in and the water fell off it as well as anything. I agree with Dan – there can’t be many waterproofs better suited to those with traditional tastes” Joe
“Very smart but in a traditional sense, which I like. This is the ideal alternative to Swedish styles – although it is not exactly fashionable, it is very reliable” James
DETAILS
TESTED: December 2011
TESTERS: Dan Murphy (3hcap), James Whitaker (pro), Joe Whitley (9hcap)
SRP: £140 (jacket) £100 (trousers)
COLOURS: 3
SIZES: 6
WATERPROOF GUARANTEE: 3 years
w: proquipgolf.com
t: 01315 557 920
Under Armour ArmourStorm ColdGear
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“This is as good as it gets in terms of fit and stretch – and that’s speaking as someone who doesn’t like playing in waterproof tops. It really feels like you’re not wearing a jacket at all!” Joe
“This is a young man’s suit – the fit is clinging. But thanks to the stretch there is no restriction. I tried a size smaller than normal to test this and it still allowed me to swing freely. Great value, too.” Dan
DETAILS
TESTED: December 2011
TESTERS: Dan Murphy (3hcap), James Whitaker (pro), Joe Whitley (9hcap)
SRP: £120 jacket, £80 trousers
COLOURS: 3
SIZES: 5
WATERPROOF GUARANTEE: 2 years
w: underarmour.com
Abacus Pitch Nordic
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“There’s no doubting that this is a top-class suit – it performs as well as anything – I just don’t see the need for a hood” James
“I disagree and wonder why no-one has thought of this before! I dislike wearing hats and caps, so something like this to keep your head dry is fantastic. Your peripheral vision suffers, but your swing is otherwise unaffected” Joe
“The hood aside, this is a classy suit that deals with water very well” Dan
DETAILS
TESTED: December 2011
TESTERS: Dan Murphy (3hcap), James Whitaker (pro), Joe Whitley (9hcap)
SRP: £179 suit
COLOURS: 2
SIZES: 7
WATERPROOF GUARANTEE: 2 years
w: abacus-outdoor.com
t: 01189 328 867
Func Factory Men’s Stretch
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“When it come to the fit, few are better than Func Factory. The sleeves are a little short, but there is no excess material and the stretch means you can swing effortlessly” Dan
“You could easily wear this to go out in – it’s really stylish! The cuffs are excellent, too, exactly what I look for” James
“What impressed me most about this suit was how well it dealt with the water – it isn’t Gore-Tex but it performed like it” Joe
DETAILS
TESTED: December 2011
TESTERS: Dan Murphy (3hcap), James Whitaker (pro), Joe Whitley (9hcap)
SRP: £139.99 (jacket) £119.99 (trousers)
COLOURS: 3
SIZES: 5
WATERPROOF GUARANTEE: 3 years
w: mastersgolf.co.uk
t: 01934 523 900
Sunice CARNEGIE/ULTIMATE V3
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“I’ve been wearing a Sunice suit for the past year and in countless bad-weather rounds, it is yet to let me down. This model quite plain to look at, but undoubtedly a superb performer” Joe
“The jacket was an impenetrable fortress, but the trousers seemed to soak up water a little more for some reason” Dan
“The cuffs are great but I found the collar a little harsh on my chin, which was slightly annoying when swinging” James
DETAILS
TESTED: December 2011
TESTERS: Dan Murphy (3hcap), James Whitaker (pro), Joe Whitley (9hcap)
SRP: £185 (jacket) £275 (trousers)
COLOURS: 4
SIZES: 6
WATERPROOF GUARANTEE: Lifetime
w: sunice.com
t: 01932 568 330
Benross XTEX
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Really sharp looking – the most stylish Benross suit I’ve seen” Dan
“A bit hard to swing in – quite tight around the arms and doesn’t stretch” James
DETAILS
TESTED: December 2011
TESTERS: Dan Murphy (3hcap), James Whitaker (pro), Joe Whitley (9hcap)
SRP: £79.99 jacket, £59.99 trousers
COLOURS: 3
SIZES: 5
WATERPROOF GUARANTEE: 2 years
w: benrossgolf.com
t: 01932 821 200
Nike Golf Storm Fit Elite
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“This suit didn’t deal with the water brilliantly, but I thought the fit was good” Dan
“There isn’t much give, and the looks are a little plain for me’ Joe
DETAILS
TESTED: December 2011
TESTERS: Dan Murphy (3hcap), James Whitaker (pro), Joe Whitley (9hcap)
SRP: £170 jacket, £130 trousers
COLOURS: 1
SIZES: 5
WATERPROOF GUARANTEE: Lifetime
w: nikegolf.eu
t: 08000 561 640
Adidas Climaproof Storm
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Looks great on the body but there’s a bit of excess material around the midriff, which can interfere when putting” Joe
DETAILS
TESTED: December 2011
TESTERS: Dan Murphy (3hcap), James Whitaker (pro), Joe Whitley (9hcap)
SRP: £99.99 jacket, £99.99 trousers
COLOURS: 3
SIZES: 4
WATERPROOF GUARANTEE: 3 years
w: adidasgolf.eu
t: 08000 728 624
Ping Collection Evolution/Tornado
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“It’s definitely not the most stylish suit”Joe
“It coped with water well but the sleeves bunch and the fit is quite baggy” Dan
DETAILS
TESTED: December 2011
TESTERS: Dan Murphy (3hcap), James Whitaker (pro), Joe Whitley (9hcap)
SRP: £150 jacket, £100 trousers
COLOURS: 3
SIZES: 6
WATERPROOF GUARANTEE: 2 years
t: 01614 865 880
Footjoy Dryjoys Performance
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“The colour scheme is by no means stylish, but the suit performs well” James
“Baggy fit but sheds water very well” Joe
DETAILS
TESTED: December 2011
TESTERS: Dan Murphy (3hcap), James Whitaker (pro), Joe Whitley (9hcap)
SRP: £105 jacket, £85 trousers
COLOURS: 3
SIZES: 5
WATERPROOF GUARANTEE: 2 years
w: footjoy.co.uk
t: 01480 301 114
Galvin Green Argo/Aquila
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Surprisingly, I didn’t think this coped with water as well as Galvin’s other suit on test” Dan
“I love the striking colours and light weight but it is quite noisy” Joe
DETAILS
TESTED: December 2011
TESTERS: Dan Murphy (3hcap), James Whitaker (pro), Joe Whitley (9hcap)
SRP: £299 jacket, £299 trousers
COLOURS: 5
SIZES: 7
WATERPROOF GUARANTEE: Lifetime
w: galvingreen.com
t: 01932 503 330
Mizuno Impermalite Performance Shell
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“Although this looks smart and fits well, it didn’t cope with the water as well as I expected” James
DETAILS
TESTED: December 2011
TESTERS: Dan Murphy (3hcap), James Whitaker (pro), Joe Whitley (9hcap)
SRP: £145 jacket, £115 trousers
COLOURS: 4
SIZES: 5
WATERPROOF GUARANTEE: 5 years
w: mizuno.com
t: 01189 362 100
Sunice Bowen/Grove
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“The stretchy FlexVent material is impressive” Dan
“The fit is on the large side, but performance is very good” James
DETAILS
TESTED: December 2011
TESTERS: Dan Murphy (3hcap), James Whitaker (pro), Joe Whitley (9hcap)
SRP: £175 jacket, £143 trousers
COLOURS: 3
SIZES: 6
WATERPROOF GUARANTEE: 4 years
w: sunice.com
t: 01932 568 330
Sunderland Tournament
WHAT WE THOUGHT
“There’s no doubting that the technology involved is effective, but the cut is shapeless and the fit is baggy. Quiet and easy to swing in, though” Joe
DETAILS
TESTED: December 2011
TESTERS: Dan Murphy (3hcap), James Whitaker (pro), Joe Whitley (9hcap)
SRP: £195 jacket, £130 trousers
COLOURS: 3
SIZES: 6
WATERPROOF GUARANTEE: 3 years
w: sunderlandgolf.com
