Bonobos Golf Apparel - Review

[Matt Saternus]

Bonobos Apparel Review

Introduction

 

Bonobos launched in 2007 with a simple goal: make better pants and give men an easy way to shop for them. Since then the brand has grown to offer a full line of menswear. Recently, they have turned their attention to creating golf apparel that is both stylish and functional. Have they succeeded? Read on spies…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cut/Fit – 15 points

 

If you've read my past apparel reviews, you know that my preference is for slimmer cut clothes (particularly shirts), and shorter sleeves. Bonobos delivers on both counts. While not “skinny,” the Bonobos golf shirt is definitely the slimmest cut that I've reviewed so far. The slim cut is balanced nicely with a fabric that has some stretch to it (more on this later). The sleeves are also the shortest yet, which I love (I hate having short sleeves anywhere near my elbow when I'm swinging).

 

As I mentioned earlier, Bonobos made their name in pants, and it's easy to see why. The pants strike a great balance between the traditional American style (baggy) and the Euro style (tight). The pants also feature a curved waistband for better fit, and a rubber insert on the inside of the waist to keep your shirt tucked in – genius!

 

Score: 15/15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Style – 15 points

 

As it is a fairly new part of their lineup, the style of the Bonobos golf line is fairly basic. They do have a couple pairs of plaid pants, but the shirts and other pants are all solid colors. The only evidence of branding is a small script “B” on the collar of the shirt and the pocket of the pants. While simple and classic always work for me, I know that many golfers want more “loud” in their golf apparel. I'll score the style as a B, though I expect this will probably grow to an A over time.

 

Score: 13/15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Movement – 15 points

 

As far as movement, the Bonobos golf shirt is simply the best that I've worn yet. I believe that this is largely due to the cut and the fabric. As I mentioned earlier, the cut of the shirt is on the slim side and the sleeves are quite short. This adds up to their being no excess fabric to get in the way of the swing. The fabric has a little stretch to it so that you can move easily. Combine these two elements with excellent moisture wicking, and you have a shirt that you barely notice, even when it's 98+ with tons of humidity.

 

The pants also score very well for movement. They are cut with enough room to allow you to swing freely. What I noticed most is that they are very cool. Usually I would not wear pants in the summer under any circumstance, but I wore these in the aforementioned 98+ degrees and was not uncomfortable at all. If I were a golf pro and had to wear pants all summer, I'd have a closet full of these.

 

Score: 15/15

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Value – 15 points

 

The Bonobos golf shirts cost $68 and the pants seen here are $98. They also have a couple pair of lightweight wool pants that sell for $175. In my estimation, these prices lean slightly towards the high end of the golf apparel market, but are not too far from the mainstream. I can report that the clothes hold up well to multiple washings, which, to me, is a key component to good value. Furthermore, the clothes have a quality feel and appearance. As with any apparel, the clothes are only a good value if you like the style, and, since I do, I find the Bonobos line to be a fair value.

 

Score: 13/15

 

 

 

The Peanut Gallery – 40 points

 

The Peanut Gallery had many positive things to say about the Bonobos apparel. Certainly, the most remarked-upon piece of the apparel was the white pants. While I thought I'd be taking a healthy ribbing for wearing them, the vast majority of friends and co-workers thought they were cool. More importantly, my wife and female friends gave them their unanimous support. The shirt did not receive any particularly strong feelings one way or the other, though the younger guys in the shop did like the more athletic cut. As always, price created the biggest division: some couldn't quite see their way to paying for Bonobos, others felt that the prices were pretty reasonable for good quality clothing. When I mentioned $50 off your first $100 purchase, almost everyone asked for the website.

 

Score: 35/40

 

 

 

 

 

Final Thoughts

 

As far as fit, nothing I've tested to date has been as good as Bonobos. This applies equally to the shirt and the pants. While they have some room for growth in terms of offering different colors and styles, I expect that this will change as the popularity of their clothing grows. The clothes are not cheap, but the quality is such that I doubt anyone who buys from Bonobos will feel that it wasn't a good investment. Given their top notch customer service and the aforementioned $50 off your first $100 order, I think anyone looking to upgrade their golf attire needs to check out Bonobos.

 

Score: 91/100

[Matt Saternus]

Putting my money where my mouth is: just ordered two more Bonobos golf shirts. They're the best I've worn to date.

[GolfSpy Tim]

I think the best part is that you've actually gone and ordered more, that speaks HUGE