Thermal, water-resistant, and stretchy – is the Ping Elevation Midlayer the perfect piece of outerwear for spring time golf? Let’s take a look…
Ping Elevation Midlayer review: NCG Summary
NCG SUMMARY
An impressive midlayer, it traps heat exceptionally well and looks great in the clubhouse too.
PROS
- Thermal properties are very evident. This is a very warm midlayer to wear.
- Raised print design is eye-catching and stands out on the course.
- Excellent fit, particularly at the cuffs, means it is very easy to swing in.
CONS
- It retains heat so well you probably won’t need to wear it during the summer.
Ping Elevation Midlayer
Now: £80
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Ping Elevation Midlayer review: First Impressions
Spring is a tricky time on the golf course, isn’t it? Some days you’re basking in sunshine and others you’ll be asking yourself if winter has yet to leave. If you’re not careful you can spend your round constantly stripping off and adding garments as the conditions change.
The Ping Elevation Midlayer is a serious contender to consign that fiddling about to history – providing the warmth you need while also allowing you to send a serious fashion statement to your playing partners.
What grabs you when first putting it on is how warm it is. It’s got the properties and lightweight character of a midlayer but it feels like a fleece inside.
Ping say their SensorWarm styles provide a “thermal layer to trap warm air and resist wind-chill” and the Elevation certainly does that. In first testing in some windy conditions at Kilspindie Golf Club, in East Lothian, I almost felt over-dressed when combining with a base-layer and polo shirt.
It also looks really good. The raised print design around the right shoulder – replicating the split ball logo that features on other parts of Ping’s latest clothing range – is eye-catching and smart but doesn’t dominate the rest of the garment.
The stretch properties come thanks to a mix of polyester and a small amount of elastane, but it is still a robust piece of fabric.
Ping Elevation Midlayer review: NCG Review
I’ve won the Ping Elevation Midlayer in all manner of conditions: on a golf trip to East Lothian, on my home course at York, and in a more social setting too. It deals with the cold tremendously well – so well, in fact, that I spurned a baselayer the second time I had it on as I was confident it would trap body heat on its own.
It’s well-fitted and snug without being restrictive. The fitting is true to size, too, the cuffs hanging nicely around the wrists and not overlapping towards your thumbs.
The hint of elasticity, through the elastane, means it moves just enough to make swinging easy. There is no resistance around the collar or the top of the arms and neither does the bottom ride up.
I found myself caught in a couple of small showers and the Ping Elevation Midlayer dealt with them easily. It is said to be water resistant and droplets do seem to bounce off rather than become absorbed into the fabric. This keeps it lightweight – and it is really light to pick up and put on. I doubt it would be able to withstand a sustained downpour, but that’s what waterproofs are for.
And though it is described as a brushed-back fleece, this midlayer has none of the crinkling or rustling sound that you might experience with similar products. It is completely silent as you move around the course.
I think it will work at its best during the early spring and autumn when conditions can change swiftly but where we’re yet to see the worst of the cold weather. I would also utilise it, though, as part of a winter clothing package. I’ll be interested to see if the SensorWarm experience proves a little too warm when the mercury starts to rise.
Ping Elevation Midlayer review: The 19th hole
Not only did I look the part in the clubhouse, but I’ve also found this is the perfect piece of clothing to consider in more social occasions too. I’d happily put this on if I was popping out somewhere but didn’t want to be burdened with a coat. I tested the Danube colour scheme but, in my opinion, the Navy is even more fetching.
I’ve got a love-hate relationship with golf clothing and the washing machine. There are some things that even a cold cycle just seems to shrink, click, or destroy, but thankfully, the Ping Elevation Midlayer comes through with flying colours.
There hasn’t been a nick in sight. It has held its shape really well and, while it’s not promising to be crease resistant, mine has yet to go near an iron.
Around £80 seems to be the going rate for a top-quality midlayer, at present, and you can feel confident that you’ll get plenty of wear for your cash. Overall, it’s an impressive garment. It performs well on the course, looks great, and is equally stylish in the clubhouse too.
Ping Elevation Midlayer: The Details
Fit: True to Size/Small/Larger
Comfort: 9/10
Value for Money: 8/10
Sizes: Small through XXXL
Colour options: Navy, Pearl Grey, Danube
Available: Now
RRP: £80
More info: Ping website
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Steve Carroll
