Sun Mountain Outerwear is divided into three categories: Rain wear, Wind wear, and Thermal wear. Within each category, there are Men’s and Women’s models.
This article is focusing on Men’s Golf Rain jackets.
In choosing a golf rain jacket there are some important terms to understand. Qualities and characteristics which Sun Mountain uses to compare / contrast its variety of rain jackets include: Waterproof, Windproof, Breathable, Stretch, Adjustable, and Quiet. Other facts that typically come into play include: Sleeve Length, Zipper Length, Color and Price.
Some terms one might see in reference to rain wear include: waterproof, water resistant, DWR, waterproof zippers, storm flaps, waterproof membrane and seam-sealed.
For Sun Mountain, waterproof references rain jackets constructed from fabric that keeps moisture out AND have a waterproof membrane laminated to the inside of the fabric AND are seam-sealed with waterproof tape on the seams so water does not seep in around the stitches. Water resistant refers to garments with rain resistant fabric and waterproof laminated membrane but that are not seam-sealed. Thus, a waterproof jacket offers more protection and costs more than a water resistance jacket.
DWR is short for Durable Water Repellant which references a finish that is applied to the exterior of a fabric to cause water to bead up and roll off, like rain on a newly waxed car. DWR does wear off over time and can be reapplied at home.
Water has a way of seeping in at the smallest openings including through and around zippers. The two solutions to this are waterproof zippers and storm flaps. Waterproof zippers can be identified by the rubber-like material that covers the zipper teeth. Storm flaps refer to a strip of fabric that lies over and sometimes snaps across the zipper. Waterproof zippers cost more than storm flaps so typically the higher-end rain jackets have waterproof zippers.
A jacket can be windproof without being waterproof but all waterproof jackets are also windproof.
When referencing breathability in a golf rain jacket, we are talking about the fabric’s ability to keep rain out and let one’s body heat escape. We all remember the yellow rain slickers when we were kids – great at keeping the rain out, but got wet on the inside by holding in our body heat. Waterproof is easy. Waterproof and breathable takes some technology and adds greatly to the comfort of a rain jacket.
Stretch references the ability of the rain jacket’s fabric to move with the body and is thus an important characteristic in golf rain jackets.
The characteristic of “adjustable“ refers to the qualities of the jacket that can be adjusted to one’s individual liking. Examples include: adjustable cuffs, and cinch straps at the hem.
Quiet refers to the ‘swish swish’ sound that comes from a lot of golf rain jackets when one is swinging arms. Making a garment more quiet is removing a potential distraction from an already challenging game.
Sun Mountain men’s golf rain jackets for 2013 include: Stormtight jacket, Stormtight long-sleeve pullover and Stormtight short-sleeve pullover; Rainflex jacket, Rainflex long-sleeve pullover and Rainflex short-sleeve pullover; Monsoon jacket; and Provisional jacket.
Armed with this information, you can compare and contrast different rain jackets to find the perfect solution for your specific needs.