Golf Monthly Shaw Golf Viking 1/4 Zip Waterproof Jacket Review
GOLF MONTHLY VERDICT
An impressive garment at a competitive price. Warm with excellent waterproof protection, you'll certainly stand out on course with the design.
REASONS TO BUY
Stand-out design
All-weather protection from wind, cold and rain
Cuffed sleeves make for an excellent fit
In this Shaw Golf Viking 1/4 zip waterproof jacket review, I took this striking garment out onto the golf course on a damp, cold winter day to test everything from the looks and feel, to the warmth and range of motion on offer - is it one of the best golf tops outside of the big manufacturers? '
How tall am I/what is my build?
I'm 5ft 11in and am of a slim build.
What do I normally wear - does it come up big/small?
I'm normally a medium in every golf garment I wear but, after checking the Shaw Golf sizing chart, I actually went down to a small in this waterproof 1/4 zip. The small was spot on for me in the end. While it was a bit tight to get on and off, it had great length in the arms and body once it was on.
How did it fit/feel/perform?
I'll come on to the bold design shortly, but I was really impressed with the overall performance of this waterproof especially considered the RRP of £49.99. The material is really stretchy, allowing for a comfortable fit and plenty of mobility in the swing. The highlight was the fleece lining on the inside which made this a very warm waterproof too. This worked great on the cold winters day I wore it, but I fear this wouldn't be as breathable as you'd like if you wore it on a warmer day.
The waterproofing works well too. I wore this on one of those mizzly, damp days where the rain is always hanging around in the air - the kind of rain that can soak you right through without the right gear on. The garment kept me dry throughout the round and I'd trust it to handle a more significant downpour too thanks to the seam sealed zips. Simply, it does everything the best golf waterproofs should do when it comes to keeping water out.
As for the design, it took me a while to adjust to the hieroglyphic style print but I really warmed to it after I wore it for a few rounds. In comparison to the block colours of every other waterproof 1/4 zip I could see out on course, I think the design is a refreshing, bolder look that will certainly turn heads on course.
Shaw Golf is making a niche for itself by using some really bold designs on its other clothing - with the polo designs in particular. For me, the design on this waterproof sits perfectly short of being garish while still being a bit different.
Any extra details we noticed?
Alongside the warmth and stretchiness of the fabric, the cuffed sleeves made from an altogether enjoyable experience wearing the 1/4 zip. One of my pet peeves with mid-layers or waterproofs is sleeves that are too baggy or overhang, so the cuffed sleeves made for an unencumbered round of golf.
Can you wear it off the course?
Due to it's bold style, it certainly doesn't look like your classic golf garment when you take it off course - so I don't see why not. Indeed, only the Shaw Golf logo on the left breast reveals that its primary use is for golf.
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