Callaway Weather Series Pullover
The new Callaway Weather Series pullovers are designed to keep help you keep your game sharp during the winter months, keeping you warm when you need it, or cool and dry under all of those layers. This review features the Swing Tech Outlast Midlayer and Swing Tech Waffle pullovers from this lineup.
The Looks
From first glance, both of the Callaway Weather Series pullovers we reviewed are what you expect from a golf 1/4 zip. They provide that classic look suitable for on or off of the course, and are fitting for a go-to extra layer during those slightly colder months.
The Swing Tech Waffle fleece has nice waffle-textured pattern which gives off a slight hint of differentiation from the other golf 1/4 zips hanging in your closet. The embroidered Callaway logo on the arm is also a nice touch on the Waffle Fleece.
The Swing Tech Outlast Midlayer pullover has a little more pop in its design, featuring a different color stitching and zipper than the base color of the pullover, as well as a thin cuff on the sleeve to match.
Comfort Level
For me, comfort is the main component to a good pullover. Let’s start with fit for the Callaway Weather Series Waffle fleece. I thought this pullover was the better fitting of the two. It’s more of a standard cut (versus tailored or “slim fit”) in the body, but the arms fit snug enough to keep you warm. The Waffle fleece also has a drawstring around the bottom of the body so you can tighten the fit and keep that ever-important body warmth in. From a material standpoint, a textured material always worries me from a comfort perspective, but the Waffle fleece is soft and comfy on the skin.
The Swing Tech Outlast Midlayer had a different fit. The arms were a little baggy, while the length of the body and arms felt fine. Some might prefer this when swinging a club, but personally, I like a more snug fit in the arms while playing. In terms of material, the Outlast Midlayer had a “textured” feel on the inside as well. Typically, performance fabrics have a smooth, soft feel to them, but the inside of the Outlast Midlayer felt somewhat coarse, for lack of a better term.
On-Course Performance
As someone who is pretty picky about my golf clothes, my apparel needs to be comfortable and functional on and off of the course. With that, we again start with the Callaway Weather Series Waffle fleece. The waffle material did a great job of keeping me warm. Now, I’m not saying go golf in 40º weather with just this on, but for a pullover, the thicker material did a good job of insulating and keeping body heat in. Thick material doesn’t hurt from a warmth standpoint either, but it’s not overly bulky, so you can still use this as a base layer as well.
The fabric is also moisture wicking, so it will help keep you dry in the arms. It also has UV protection of SPF 50, in case you have some sunshine with the cold. In terms of on-the-course, the waffle material stretches well, and doesn’t restrict the swing in any way.
The Outlast Midlayer utilizes “Outlast” material that was originally designed to be used by NASA for maintaining body temperature. It is a “phase change material” that is designed to absorb and release heat when needed for optimal thermal comfort. What does that mean? It cools you down when hot, and warms you up when cold. For me, I found the best use of the Midlayer as exactly that – a middle layer with a warmer jacket on top, like a thermal. I didn’t find it to retain heat as well as the waffle fleece, but it might be due to the baggier sleeves. To combat that, you may want to size down on this one. In terms of making a golf swing, the material also flexes and stretches, so you won’t have any issues there.
Final Thoughts – Callaway Weather Series Pullovers
All in all, the Callaway Weather Series Pullovers do exactly as you’d hope they would. They keep you warm and provide another layer in the colder months of golf. They flex and stretch well during your swing, and don’t restrict you like other thicker layers tend to do, all while keeping you warm. If you need some more cold weather gear this winter golf season, you might want to check out the Callaway Weather Series.
