Robb Recommends: This Lightweight Golf Jacket Keeps You Warm Without Affecting Your Swing
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The winter months in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia are no joke. With December being the region’s wettest, January its windiest, and February its coldest, the island that jets out from the eastern end of the Canadian province—almost pointing toward Newfoundland—is at the mercy of all the pitfalls and temperamental conditions of the Gulf of St. Lawrence. This unpredictability can even bring harsh weather in the fall.
But earlier this month, I caught a break. Following a week of wet and windy weather from the remnants of Tropical Storm Ophelia that battered the Northeast, a calm after the storm arrived to provide a much-needed reprieve. It was almost 80 degrees in New York City before I embarked on my trek to Canada, anticipating the harsh and unpredictable climates of the rugged island located in the country, nicknamed the Great White North.
The drive from Halifax on the south coast to Cape Breton on the northeast is long. Not only does it typically take roughly four hours, but the anticipation of playing Cabot Cape Breton, one of the top 100 golf courses in the world, made it seem even longer.
Adidas ULT365 Tour Frostguard Full-Zip Padded Jacket
Finally on the property, I stared out toward a seemingly endless horizon of water with only Sea Wolf Island National Wildlife Area breaking up the sea of wide blue yonder. I wondered what the tides would bring over the next few days. Surprisingly, the weather was more than favorable. In fact, it’s temperate and dry, a welcomed relief for the resort’s caddies who previously spent weeks schlepping bags in wet and windy conditions. We started after 2 p.m., still basking in Cabot Cliffs’ postcard-esque scenery, letting out oohs and ahhs at every tee box. Our pace of play was definitely impeded by the desire—and necessity—to take plenty of pictures . . . and also some errant golf shots.
As we rounded the turn and began the back 9, particularly the final few holes that flanked skyscraper-high bluffs—you definitely aren’t recovering any stray tee shots down there—the sun began to set and a chill and dampness presented itself. Having played in a polo and pants all day, I sought my Adidas Golf ULT365 Tour Frostguard jacket for an extra layer of warmth. It’s not like my play was lighting the course on fire by any means, so any added benefit was welcome.
Part of Adidas’s Frostguard collection, this jacket is a lightweight full-zip piece that almost feels like a gilet with sleeves. A combination of thin yarns, dense structure, and durable water repellent (DWR) finishing, the polar fleece-lined topper, complete with primaloft insulation, was both incredibly lightweight and incredibly insulating—something that I don’t often expect from pieces so streamlined.
But, as I had come to find, that’s the goal of the line. The collection also includes a hoodie and vest, building upon Adidas’s Frostguard technology, which was first introduced in 2019 to help golfers play in all conditions.
Adidas ULT365 Tour Frostguard Full-Zip Padded Jacket
“There’s this common misconception that you can’t have something that’s lightweight and warm at the same time. And the only way to get something warmer is to keep adding layers and weight,” said Chase Aaronson, Adidas Golf’s senior manager of global material development. “With our technologies and our innovations, you’re able to achieve this high level of warmth with a reduced weight factor. That was our priority.”
Aaronson wasn’t lying. My movement and flexibility weren’t inhibited with this jacket, which is priority No. 1 when it comes to golf. Why? If you can’t swing, you can’t hit the ball in the first place. The piece’s recycled nylon and four-way stretch spandex felt comfortable hacking or walking. I typically ride but my caddie Luke said a golfer needs a medical exemption to ride at Cabot Cape Breton due to safety reasons.
After we finished our round, we went right to dinner with the ULT365 Tour Frostguard jacket providing a perfect segue from the golf course to the restaurant. I didn’t have to scramble for another layer, because what I had was lightweight, warm, and incredibly polished.
The following day we played Cabot Links, a different activity from the Cliffs, as well as the Nest, a challenging-yet-fun par-3 course under the lights where, you guessed it, the ULT365 Tour Frostguard jacket was summoned again from my golf bag so I could focus on going lower rather than being cold.
Upon returning to the Big Apple, the unseasonably warm weather was long gone (like a few of my tee shots at Cabot Cape Breton) and the fall weather was back in full force. I couldn’t do laundry soon enough to ensure the Adidas golf ULT365 Tour Frostguard was ready for whatever’s next on my agenda. Which could be a night on the town or, more realistically, playing more golf in the next few weeks.
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