For anyone thinking of skipping to the verdict at the end of this PING Sensor Dry 2.5 Jacket review, I’ll save you the trouble: this is the brand’s most advanced waterproof to date and you should seriously consider it if you are looking to upgrade your waterproofs this year.
PING regard this jacket as their flagship waterproof garment and you will understand why when you wear it. It looks, feels and performs superbly, and is clearly one of the best golfing waterproofs you can buy. It would be a fantastic addition to any golfer's wardrobe and is perfect for the variable conditions of a UK summer.
When you experience the benefit that a high quality waterproof gives you it becomes impossible to settle for anything less. I was one of those golfers who preferred spending my money on more exciting things like a new putter, upgrading my wedges, the best golf balls. I’d even buy a new bag or shoes before I’d spend a significant amount on waterproofs that I might only need half a dozen times a year.
I also assumed that there wouldn’t be that much difference between a £50 jacket and a £200 one… but I assumed wrong. The best way of explaining it is that the cheaper jacket will do a reasonable job but you’ll be aware that it’s doing the job. With the PING SensorDry 2.5 you forget you’re even wearing it, which allows you to focus entirely on your game.
PING SensorDry 2.5 Waterproof Jacket: Price and availability
The Ping SensorDry 2.5 Waterproof jacket will set you back anywhere between £170 to £200 in the UK depending on which online retailer you choose. Trousers are also available to buy separately and cost in the region of £120. Neither are currently available in the USA or Australia, but see our pricing widgets for the best current deals in your country.
If ordering online be aware that PING waterproofs as a rule are quite big fitting so if you are usually between sizes always go with the smaller option.
PING SensorDry 2.5 Waterproof Jacket: Technology
Made from 100% polyester the SensorDry 2.5 is waterproof to 20,000mm and has breathability to 20,000g. In layman’s terms that means it doesn’t let water in and you won’t sweat in it when it’s warm.
The engineered 2.5 stretch fabric has a soft and supple feel that gives great freedom during the golf swing and the jacket features a fully seam sealed, two way centre front zipper which goes right up to a collar that sits high enough on the neck to keep the rain out, but not too high that it is restrictive.
Adjustable cuffs ensure no water is getting down your sleeve and the jacket has two front zipped pockets as well as an inner security pocket, which is ideal to keep a scorecard in.
Despite being incredibly lightweight the PING SensorDry 2.5 also boasts great wind resistance to keep that chill out when on those breezy days down at your local links.
PING SensorDry 2.5 Waterproof Jacket: Looks
The design is simple but stylish and it is a very comfortable fit even for someone like myself who does not have, shall we say, the most athletic of builds (no, that is not me in the above photograph, unfortunately).
The colour is a rather fetching ‘snorkel blue’ and the branding is very subtle, with just a small PING branding logo on the right shoulder and smaller, very discreet circle logo on the opposite shoulder and both cuffs.
It’s a real shame that it doesn’t come in any other colours as it would look great in a red or a black, or even a silver. White with black trim would be nice too as that's a colour scheme I always associate with PING due to the great tour bags they produce in that style.
Sadly though blue is the only option, which actually worked out fine for me as it matched the grip on the PING putter I use and I place far more importance on silly things like that than I really ought to.
Only having one colour selection will undoubtedly be enough to put some golfers off as it is an important factor when buying clothing, but aside from that there is no other reason not buy this Jacket.
It’s even fashionable enough that you can wear it away from the golf course too, as the discreet nature of the branding means it just looks like a nice casual rain jacket.
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PING SensorDry 2.5 Waterproof Jacket: Comfort
You’ll do extremely well to find a more comfortable jacket to play golf in than the SensorDry 2.5. I played 18 holes wearing it for the entire round and I've also hit hundreds of balls on the range with it on. The freedom of movement makes it feel like you are not even wearing a jacket.
This is massively important because while some golfers can play their normal game when wearing extra layers, others (raises hand) can struggle when they don’t feel like they have that freedom to swing the club unrestricted.
This jacket is so lightweight and stretchable that it does not impact on your swing at all. The mental aspect of that is significant too as it’s one less thing you can blame when things aren’t going well.
It’s so easy to lose confidence when hitting bad shots and getting it into your head that it’s because you can’t play in a jacket or because your shoes are giving you blisters. It can then become a self fulfilling prophecy.
Having the right gear isn’t going to make you play well but it may remove some of the negative thoughts that can contribute to poor play.
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PING SensorDry 2.5 Waterproof Jacket: Performance
I wore this jacket every day for a week or so. I played golf in it, I hit balls at the driving range in it, I wore it while sat indoors watching the TV, I went for walks with the dog while wearing it and I went to the supermarket in it.
I did this to see how it responded to different weather conditions and temperatures and it responded well no matter the situation.
It kept me dry when I was walking the dog in the rain (sadly there wasn’t one for my poor wet dog!), it protected me from the biting winds that sweep through the local driving range and when I was sat in a warm house watching Gogglebox I didn’t sweat in this jacket.
On the course I played an entire round while wearing the jacket and although it did not rain the weather conditions went from sunny and warm in the late afternoon to cloudy and a bit breezy in the evening. I didn't overheat in the sun and I wasn't chilly when it got cooler.
PING say their SensorDry waterproofs are "lightweight, windproof, waterproof and have great stretch properties". I can confirm all of the above as I barely took that thing off for a week because I didn’t need to.
This jacket suits most situations you will find yourself in on the course or driving range. If it’s wet but hot and muggy you won’t sweat in it. If it’s dry but with a chilly breeze the jacket will shield you from that without restricting your movement in the swing. The only thing it won’t do is keep you warm on a really cold day, but then it isn’t designed for that.
The lightweight nature of the SensorDry 2.5 means you will want to have base layers plus a jumper and/or gilet of some sort underneath when the temperature really plummets in winter. You could buy a thicker jacket that will keep you all snug and warm in the depths of December but the downside to that is it is not going to be much good to you on a showery hot day in July.
The jacket is so light and folds down very small so it adds virtually no weight to your golf bag when you pack it away it in one of the pockets and it takes up hardly any room, meaning you have more space for other essentials.
A waterproof jacket such as the SensorDry 2.5 or something of similar quality is a must have for the serious golfer, so if, like me, you've been 'making do' and spending your money on more glamorous golf kit, it might be time to rethink.
PING SensorDry 2.5 Waterproof Jacket: Verdict
The PING SensorDry 2.5 comes with a five year waterproof guarantee which is pretty unusual and tells you that PING are clearly very confident that this jacket is not going to be letting in any water. If a manufacturer guarantees a product for five years you know it must be good.
This is a jacket that shields you from the wind and rain, doesn’t cause you to sweat on muggy days and does not hamper your golf swing because you won’t even feel like you’re wearing it. It retails at £200 but if you shop around you can find it as low as £170, which isn’t exactly cheap but is great value for a jacket of this quality.
So all in all if you are looking for a jacket to get you through a good old, wet British summer you won’t go far wrong with this offering from PING.
