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Looking to stay dry this summer? Jonathan Taylor has put the new Abacus Bounce stretch rainshirt to the test.
Abacus is the Swedish golf apparel brand, trusted by numerous Solheim Cup teams to keep them dry and comfortable. The Bounce stretch rainshirt is the latest addition to their rainwear collection. It’s particularly suitable for the summer months, designed with the active golfer in mind, combining function, quality and design.
This is an high quality and robust rainshirt that is particularly suitable for warmer weather.
PROS
CONS
This rain shirt looked and felt extremely well-constructed, soft and stretchy straight out of the box.
I tested the cobalt blue/black version which is essentially a nice blue shade with contrasting black panels on the sleeves, side panels and collar. It is one of just two colour options currently available.
The rain shirt is of a three-layer construction with a waterproof membrane sandwiched between two identical soft and stretchable layers of fabric. This is the same construction as the excellent Bounce rain jacket The absence of any liner contributes to the comfort of the garment. All the seams are sealed with a soft and flexible tape.
There is a half-length waterproof zip to the front of the shirt and a zippered chest pocket. Some waterproof zips can be a bit fiddly. This is definitely not the case here with both seam-sealed zips running very smoothly.
The fabric of the rain shirt is is described as 4-way stretch which means that it stretches lengthways and crossways. It is also waterproof to 15,000mm (waterproof in all but the heaviest rain) and breathable to 15,000g/sq. metre (breathable for high-energy activities). An impressive 3-year waterproof guarantee is offered which reflects the quality of the garment.
Ok, that’s the facts and figures dealt with. Let’s see how it performed on the course?
I am about 173cm tall and weigh about 74kg with an average (ie non-athletic) shape. Following previous experience with the Abacus waterproof range, I opted for a large (chest 41-43) shirt and this fitted just right .
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Testing was carried out over several days, both on and off the golf course in typical summer showery conditions and with generally warm temperatures. I was able to wear this rain shirt with either just a polo shirt underneath, or a couple of layers (polo shirt and gilet or sleeveless sweater) in cooler conditions, and the fit worked well in all situations. I put this down to the excellent stretchiness of the fabric and also the two adjustable hem drawcords. Clearly if you’re going to be wearing a rain shirt, there’s no point having a long sleeved item beneath it.
The shirt remained securely waterproof in the showery weather experienced during testing. It also has windproof properties but because it’s sleeveless, it’s not especially insulating. So it’s really useful on warm showery days but you run the risk of becoming a little chilly in persistent rain.
The single zippered chest pocket is reasonably useful – for tees, ball marker, pencil and scorecard.
And although the three-layer construction certainly gives a sense of robustness, I really found it a delight to swing in, with no restriction to movement, and the material also stayed quiet during and between shots.
The stand-up collar worked well with a soft chin guard at the top of the zip and a drawcord closure to stop rain trickling down the back of the neck.
Considering the construction of the jacket, it folded up really compactly, should you need to take it off.
I have worn this shirt on several occasions, including in some pretty heavy showers. It remained waterproof throughout with no hint of water ingress. It also felt to be really breathable such that after each occasion, I felt entirely comfortable with no build-up of sweat. The sleeveless construction also helps with breathability and I must stress that it most comfortable and convenient to wear in the right conditions.
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I have also worn this rain shirt for walking the dog in the rain. The zippered pocket helps to make this practical for other uses and the three bits of the Abacus logo, on the back collar, next to the chest pocket and just on the right lower panel, all combine to make this a fashionable piece of kit, both on and off the course.
I said in the summary panel at the top that this has limited usefulness. By that I mean that this can never be your go-to all year round waterproof top, because it just won’t be warm enough for cool conditions. It is, however, a great bit of kit for showery summer days where insulation isn’t important. It’d also be great if you want to take a waterproof layer for a golf trip abroad to a warm climate. It dries quickly, performs well and looks smart.
Fit: True to Size/Small/Large
Comfort: 10/10
Value for Money: 8/10
Sizes: S-XXXL
Colours: Cobalt Blue/Black or Grey/Navy.
Available: Now
RRP: £179.90
More info: Abacus website
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