Buying golf rain gear is like asking a favor of Don Corleone.
“Someday – and that day may never come – I’ll call upon you to do a service for me.”
Owning rain gear is literally preparing for a rainy day, but you hope to never use it. If that’s the case, why bother buying rain gear that may be considered expensive?
Well, what if that day should ever come? What if you’re at St Andrews or Pebble Beach, and rain starts to fall? You’ll want your rain gear to do a service for you.
Galvin Green can certainly lay claim to being the godfather of modern golf rain gear. That is, after all, how the company got its start in Sweden in 1990. Not one to sit still, Galvin Green says its next-generation waterproof technology brings rain gear to a new level of comfort and performance.
In other words, Galvin Green is going to make Mother Nature an offer she can’t refuse.
Galvin Green’s new golf rain gear: lighter, more comfortable and recycled
Reading a Galvin Green press release is a master class in deciphering acronyms. In announcing the new additions to its waterproof line, we learn of PFAS-free lined GORE-TEX® and an innovative ePE membrane, both further enhancing the company’s multi-material DRYVR rainwear collection.
Yeah, there’s a lot to unpack there.
We’ll get to what that all means in a second. We must first, however, meet the new additions.
The ASTON (jacket) and ARON (pants) are the new Galvin Green men’s duo. The women’s offering includes the AVA jacket and APRIL pants, but those aren’t listed on the Galvin Green website just yet. The company says they’re all 100 percent waterproof and windproof, extremely breathable and available in an extended range of sizes.
Deciphering the alphabet soup
There are a lot of letters associated with these new Galvin Green waterproofs. Let’s find out what they all mean.
First off, Galvin Green tells us the new line is PFAS-free lined GORE-TEX®. GORE-TEX®, as you know, is a waterproof, windproof and breathable fabric. Traditionally, its lining was made from expanded polyfluoroalkyl substance, PFAS. It’s a group of synthetic so-called “forever” chemicals that don’t break down in the environment and have been linked to thyroid disease and cancer. PFAS-free means the material Galvin Green uses in its GORE-TEX® lining is made from safer materials such as silicone, polypropylene or polyolefins.
That’s where the new ePE lining comes in. ePE stands for expanded polyethylene and is considered the next generation in waterproof membranes. It’s lighter than PFAS-based linings, as well as safer. Galvin Green also uses recycled textiles to make its ePE lining, reducing its carbon footprint.
From a practical standpoint, ePE makes the new Galvin Green rain gear highly breathable while maintaining its windproof and waterproof properties. It also creates a quieter and softer GORE-TEX®, which can tend to be somewhat stiff and crinkly feeling.
One potential downside is that the new materials may require regular washing to keep dirt and oils from clogging the membrane. Because of that, the garments may require recoating with a Durable Water Repellant, or DWR. Think of DWR like the wax on your car. It causes water to bead up and roll off the fabric instead of soaking in. Products such as Revlvex Water Repellent Spray or Nikwax DWR spray will do the trick.
The new Galvin Green line also includes padded jackets as well as half-zip outer layers and assorted tops and bottoms for both men and women.
Galvin Green ASTON and ARON: Price and availability
As mentioned, Galvin Green can be considered the godfather of modern waterproof golf gear. The company started in 1990 in Sweden at a time when golf apparel in general, and rainwear in particular, was heavy, dark, uncomfortable and restrictive. Galvin Green’s first waterproof gear was launched in 1992, introducing comfort, style and functionality specifically for golfers.
The company entered the U.S. market in 2013, partnering with green grass accounts and golf-specific retailers. Today, more than 50 percent of its U.S. business is green grass.
That said, don’t expect these to be Amazon Prime Day bargains.
The ARON rain pants, for example, run $349 in 13 different waist and inseam sizes. The ASTON jacket is $389, in sizes ranging from Small up to 5XL.
A lot for rain gear? Oh, hell yes. Worth it? Only you can decide for yourself. There’s dry and then there’s dry enough. However, if you’re on that once-in-a-lifetime trip and you’re on the first tee at Carnoustie and the skies open up? Dry, my friends, is better than dry enough.
If it’s your normal Sunday morning round with your buds at your local and the skies open up? Most folks just stay home.
For more information on the new offerings from Galvin Green, visit their website www.galvingreen.com.
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