As we reach the end of another summer, it is becoming more and more necessary to have another layer with you when you go out to play golf, especially if you tend to play early in the morning or in the evening after work.
Luckily, Ping has just the thing for you. As part of their new AW19 Performance Apparel Collection it has a jacket and vest from the Norse Primaloft Series, which are designed for lightweight warmth and protection from the wind.
What's It All About?
The Ping Norse Primaloft Zoned Jacket II follows on from last year's range and is described as a hybrid jacket which is engineered for core warmth, and guards against the wind to keep you warm and comfortable 'throughout the changing seasons'.
Special Silver Active Insulation is on the front and back of the jacket and, together with a stretch outer fabric, still allows you the freedom to swing uninhibited whilst keeping you warm. A water-resistant finish means this could be the jacket of choice even if the weather takes a turn for the worst.
The Ping Norse PrimaLoft Vest utilises a new PrimaLoft Golf Insulation with CrossCore Technology and is said to be pushing the limits in providing golfers with lightweight warmth.
It is an ultra-lightweight and fully insulated reversible vest which maintains warmth better than Ping products have previously been able to.
There's a chevron-quilted black fabric on the outer side, and when reversed, this becomes a 'snorkel blue' colour which should make you easy to spot out on the course.
Ping Says...
PrimaLoft Gold Insulation with Cross Core technology is a revolutionary fusion of PrimaLoft insulation, with silica aerogel that results in previously unattainable levels of warmth and comfort protection, never achieved before with a synthetic insulation.
The Test
I took the jacket and vest down to Stockport Golf Club for a full day of testing. Playing 18 holes with each product, I wanted to see whether they lived up to Ping's claims of protecting me from the elements whilst still providing freedom of movement.
Ping Norse Primaloft Series Review
Looks
As a general rule I am not a huge fan of big patterns on my golf clothing, so I was pleased to see that Ping has kept things relatively simple with the design of the jacket.
I was a big fan of the two-tone look with the blue insulation panels as a bit of visible technology and this actually gives you the confidence that the jacket will do the job for you if the weather takes a turn for the worse.
The design is also one which I think will suit a wide array of golfers. It's pretty classical but the more modern features, such as elastic hems and padded sections, mean that I could envisage both young and old players turning up early on a Saturday morning sporting one of these.
I was a little less enthusiastic about the Norse PrimaLoft Vest, however. For a product which comes at an RRP of £110, I couldn't help but think that it looked and felt a little cheap. Although the design of the quilted black side was pretty plain and smart, the shiny finish was not to my taste and the quality just didn't seem as good as the jacket.
Personally, I don't think I would use the reversible blue side at all as it did not really look like a true reversible option.
If the vest is priced at £110 you want to come away feeling like you've got two £55 vests, but from looks alone I don't think it could be argued that it lived up to that price tag.
Performance
Throughout my round I was extremely impressed with the jacket and really enjoyed wearing it for 18 holes. Starting early in the morning I needed an extra layer to keep me warm and this was the perfect lightweight option. I could particularly feel the padded section working well to keep all the vital organs in check.
When using a jacket like this one of the most important things for me is that it still allows you to swing freely. Back before brands and golfers were fully educated on proper layering techniques, it was a very common occurence in the winter to hear of players moaning that it's their clothes' fault that they duffed that shot or thinned the chip, because they couldn't 'swing properly'.
There were no such troubles with the PrimaLoft Zoned II, as it felt that I was swinging in just a polo shirt - a big bonus.
Perhaps my favourite feature of the jacket was the elasticated cuffs on both the bottom of the arms and around the waist, which creates a much better, tighter fit and also helps to eradicate the baggy feeling which golfers dread when it comes to waterproofs or extra layers.
Whilst the Vest did a good job of keeping my body warm, and was very lightweight to wear, I found that the fit wasn't quite as good despite being the same size as the jacket.
The material was a little baggy which was a little off-putting during the swing. Nobody wants to hear themselves rustling whilst trying to focus on their next shot!
Versatility
Ping says that the PrimaLoft Vest is a perfect layering piece to sit on top of a mid-layer or underneath a waterproof jacket on cooler days, with easy folding for convenient storage in your golf bag.
I actually think that this statement is true of both the vest and the jacket, and would say that one of the best features of both items is that I could envisage them being just as useful in freezing winter conditions as on chilly mornings in the summer.
I wouldn't recommend using either the jacket or the vest alone on top of a polo shirt in the winter, as I think you'd want something a little thicker, but the fact that they are thin and lightweight means that they stack up to Ping's claim of being the perfect layering component.
Ping Norse Primaloft Series Verdict
In short, the jacket was great, and the vest, not so great. But one thing that was evident across both products was that the technology works, and their clean looks should have a widespread appeal.
Ping also has one of the most loyal customer bases out there so you will find plenty of people who trust the brand and will be keen to get their hands on this year's latest products.
The Zoned Jacket II is about as good as you're going to get for a mid-layer type jacket. It looks smart, is extremely comfortable, allows you to swing freely and keeps you warm too. It is ideal to wear on top of a polo shirt when it's a little chilly, or underneath a thicker jacket if its very cold or raining.
All-in-all, I am giving the range 4 stars, although the jacket alone is worthy of 5.
Pros
- Jacket is extremely comfortable and breathable
- Jacket looks great
- Protects you well from the elements on cooler mornings/evenings
- Elasticated seams around the wrist and bottom of jacket are a great feature
Cons
- Looks of the vest were not great
- If it was very cold, I'd want something a little thicker
- Water-resistant but not waterproof
- £110 is too expensive for the vest
