50 Words or Less
Galway Bay rain gear has a wonderful fit and superb waterproofing. An excellent investment for the traveling golfer or any player who refuses to lose rounds to rain.
Introduction
Rain gear is like insurance. It’s not sexy, and most of the time you grumble about the cost, but when you need it, you’re really happy that you’ve got it. Galway Bay’s weatherproof line of outerwear seeks to provide you with the high performance coverage you need without emptying your pockets.
Looks
Galway Bay understands that rain gear is not meant to be the epitome of personal expression but that it doesn’t need to be drab either. Their All Weather Jacket comes in basic colors – black, navy (shown here), and light grey – but each features contrast detailing. The navy jacket with red details is a nice middle ground – it could be worn by anyone but it’s not dull. If you want to play it even straighter, go with the black. Choose the light grey with electric blue accents if you need to pep it up a bit.
The Galway Bay All Weather Pants come in the same array of colors – black, navy, and grey. I also tested the Thermal Water Resistant Sleeves. Similar to the jacket, the sleeves are a staid color (black) but have white stitching and branding.
Fit
Most people don’t think of fit as an important component of outerwear, but it’s every bit as critical as it is in your base layers. If your jacket doesn’t fit comfortably over your regular clothes, or if its bulk inhibits your swing, you can’t golf in it. That can be a very expensive and frustrating mistake.
The Galway Bay All Weather Jacket fit perfectly in my standard size, large. There was plenty of room for my base layer and even a fitted quarter-zip underneath, but it wasn’t billowing or bulky. The sleeve length was ideal – comfortable when untethered, fitted and out of the way when the velcro on the wrists was engaged.
One standout feature on the jacket is the collar. Many rain jackets feature a high collar to keep the rain out, but the downside is that those collars stab you in the throat when full zipped. Galway Bay tapers the collar as it wraps around the front of your neck and rounds the edges. It’s a small thing that makes wearing the jacket more pleasant.
With the All Weather Pants, you need to be a little more thoughtful in your ordering. Galway Bay states that they can be worn as regular pants and they are sized thus. If you order these in the same size as your pants or shorts, wearing them over the top can be a little snug. Unless you’re going to wear the All Weather Pants as your only pants, order them a size up.
Per Galway Bay, the Thermal Water Resistant Sleeves should be purchased in the same size as your jacket. I found this sizing to be appropriate, and the rubber ring on the inside of the bicep kept them in place nicely. Also, the sleeves comes with a zippered carry bag which is a nice extra that makes it easier to keep track of them.
Performance
Rain gear performance comes down to two major things: keeping you dry and allowing you to move. Galway Bay’s apparel excels at both.
Galway Bay uses a proprietary Hydro-Flex 32 fabric in both their pants and jackets. They claim this to be the most breathable waterproof technology in the industry, and I have no problem believing this. I found that both pieces kept me completely dry, even when being sprayed by a garden hose, without overheating.
Both the pants and jacket also performed well during the golf swing. They’re lightweight and well-cut, so your swing is never impeded. There’s also a fraction of stretch in the fabric that allows you to reach back for that little extra in your swing when you need it.
Finally, the Galway Bay Thermal Water Resistant Sleeves are a unique offering that perform as expected. They’re perfect for those days where you don’t want to wear another layer but aren’t comfortable in short sleeves either. Their ability to keep you dry is an added bonus if there’s a light mist.
Conclusion
At approximately $420 for the full rain suit, Galway Bay’s weatherproof gear isn’t cheap but you’ll be thankful you made the investment when it keeps you on the course. Both the jacket and pants provide excellent waterproofing that stays out of the way of your golf swing. And for golfers looking for more options for in between temperatures, the Thermal Water Resistant Sleeves are worth picking up.
Matt Saternus
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Way to expensive
Looks good and would be nice to own one unable to afford.
Looks great but way to expensive almost 500 dollars. Sorry ?