Galway Bay Rain Gear - 2024 Forum Member Review

[Northern Monkey]

11 hours ago, ChaosReigns said:

Final review 

well it’s the end of the testing phase and while it’s been a fun test it has also been a pain in the weather department. The really good rainy days have been mostly while I’m working or overnight while I’m sleeping. There was a few days of rain that I actually got to get outback and get video of and y’all got to see some horrible chipping from me lol. Thank you to my wife for holding the camera when needed and letting me golf (though I think that was just to get me out of the house lol) she really is an amazing woman. 
 

First impression 

when the package came it was a simple box very nondescript and shipping was fast so win win. 
Inside the box was two separate bags with the pants in one and the jacket in the other. 
After opening them I first noticed the light weight material and the double stitching with cover over on the inside, that Galway Bay logo stood out as well on both the jacket and the pants. 
 

Quality and fit

Once I put the suit on I could immediately feel the material was of very good quality, it was light weight and fit perfectly, the whole suit allows a breeze to come through and in the rain it almost seem cooler inside it. The jacket is the first one I have worn that isn’t restrictive in the swing dept and the pockets are large and can store cellphones or your ranger finder without a hindrance of bulkiness. the pants didn’t ride up when kneeling down or bending down to get the ball and they even accommodated my knee brace that I wear on a daily basis, again win win. The pockets on the pants are like the jacket are perfect. They fit my cellphone in the front left, extra ball in my front right and glove in the back (either one depending) and on the front of the pants by the right pocket is a small ball marker pocket kind of like a typical change pocket on a pair of jeans. I use that pocket for my ball marker and a marble my oldest kids gave me over 20 years ago that I carry with me every day. 
 

Wet vs Dry 

I have worn the suit on both dry and wet days and I’m impressed with both. On a spring day with warm weather it was still good. I felt the breeze of the afternoon come through the pants and the sun didn’t get them overly hot and best of all no swamp a$$ after the round. The weather that day was not jacket weather lol. 
On a rainy day all I can say is it’s amazing. The suit just feels comfortable and the rain just rolls right off. The light weight material allows the breeze to come through, though I do wonder if during the fall the suit will keep me warm but only time will tell.  After coming inside the suit was perfect, just one good shake and the water was gone (and instead all over the walls like my dog just got a bath lol) so it’s a hang up and move on. I recently put them through the washer and the wife and I laughed at the fact it’s water proof and was quite unsure how this would go but alas it’s clean and dry. (Perfect)

My thoughts  

The suit is just over all amazing. It fits perfectly and can store in my golf bag for the just in case days. My golfing buddies all love the color and those closest to my size say the jacket fits like a glove. This is the first real rain suit that I’ve had that I truly like. I love the fact it’s feels like a normal pair of pants and just a windbreaker and really love the way it has changed the weather lol, it’s almost as if the rain is scared of it. Which is sad because I have never wanted to play in the rain more than now lol. I’m not a brand ambassador but on this I will say “It’s worth the buy, if you love to play rain or shine then you won’t be disappointed”. 
 

My Scores

Quality 10/10

Fit           12/10

Wet          10/10

Dry           10/10

Overall   Again 12/10

i give the extra points on this because it’s just a great suit. I am appreciative of the fact I was chosen to test this product and as the first thing I’ve ever tested and review I really hope I did well enough that people will truly give the product a shot, you won’t be disappointed.

 

I would also like to thank @GolfSpy_APH for helping and answering questions. 

 

 

I attempted to add more photos but it’s not allowing me

It sounds like it’s great kit, just not sure I could justify the price for something that I might only use a few times a year

[Mike10487]

8 hours ago, Rob Person said:

That's great that it worked out for you,  even though the weather never cooperated much!!!

I am in that same boat. The weather here has been just plain weird. Florida in May should be mid 80s with frontal influences about every 5-8 days and RAIN! The saying in Florida is May showers bring June heat and flowers. Our temps are WAYYYY above average for May. Our precipitation is 1/6th normal. With temps sweltering in the mid to upper 90s for most of May and the lack of humidity, we have been issues water restrictions and burn notices. This feels like August! Which has me really concerned about the REAL summer. This is the worst weather to ever test rainwear! This will break and we will get it done!

[ChaosReigns]

5 hours ago, Northern Monkey said:

It sounds like it’s great kit, just not sure I could justify the price for something that I might only use a few times a year

I will agree it is expensive. But for quality and feel it’s worth it. And I love that you can wear just the jacket if running errands and it’s a wet day. And after 18 holes the pants aren’t soaked with sweat so you can still wear them out to dinner that night. 

[Rob Person]

13 hours ago, Mike10487 said:

I am in that same boat. The weather here has been just plain weird. Florida in May should be mid 80s with frontal influences about every 5-8 days and RAIN! The saying in Florida is May showers bring June heat and flowers. Our temps are WAYYYY above average for May. Our precipitation is 1/6th normal. With temps sweltering in the mid to upper 90s for most of May and the lack of humidity, we have been issues water restrictions and burn notices. This feels like August! Which has me really concerned about the REAL summer. This is the worst weather to ever test rainwear! This will break and we will get it done!

Doesn't everyone in Florida have in ground sprinklers you can stand in front of?   

 

I feel ya on the weather part. Of course, being north of the panhandle, we get all the weather from the north, south, and west!!!

Edited June 1 by Rob Person

[Mike10487]

9 hours ago, Rob Person said:

Doesn't everyone in Florida have in ground sprinklers you can stand in front of?   

 

I feel ya on the weather part. Of course, being north of the panhandle, we get all the weather from the north, south, and west!!!

Yes. But being an irrigation contractor, when we are under mandated water restrictions, I have to watch my P's and Q's.  You guys have been getting all the storms! "Don't be greedy, send some rain to the needy"

Edited June 1 by Mike10487

[Rob Person]

8 minutes ago, Mike10487 said:

Yes. But being an irrigation contractor, when we are under mandated water restrictions, I have to watch my P's and Q's.  You guys have been getting all the storms! "Don't be greedy, send some rain to the needy"

Don't worry,  you're DAILY prediction of thunderstorms between 2-4pm is coming!

[Rob Person]

Anyone want some rain?!?! 

[Rob Person]

I do have a question for the testers.  Have you done any direct comparison tests against other rain gear you own? What would make this brand really stand out over others to justify the costs?

[Mike10487]

19 hours ago, Rob Person said:

Anyone want some rain?!?! 

10 days worth, please!

[Shapotomous]

My Galway Bay pants arrived today.  They look good and are very soft and quiet.  There is no swishing noise when you walk like with the cheaper stiffer rain pants.  I got them in 34 x 30 and the 34 waist fits about like my size 33 dickie jeans.  The pant legs themselves are what I would call slim fit.  The leg length is what i expected for a 30, which for me is about 1" too long.  There was not an option for anything less than 30 or I would have got a 29 length.  I planned on getting them shortened 1" when i ordered them.  I didn't get a chance to wear them outside to hit balls yet that will happen later this week.

[Randall Robbins]

Rob, saw your question - I have a Walter Hagen jacket and some pants from Cabela.  Compared to the Galway Bay suit, they don't breathe as well, and when I have taken them off, I'm almost as wet as if I had played without them, as the heat buildup was that bad for me.  Didn't get that with this, which was the most notable feature.

[Rob Person]

14 hours ago, Randall Robbins said:

Rob, saw your question - I have a Walter Hagen jacket and some pants from Cabela.  Compared to the Galway Bay suit, they don't breathe as well, and when I have taken them off, I'm almost as wet as if I had played without them, as the heat buildup was that bad for me.  Didn't get that with this, which was the most notable feature.

That is good to hear! I've worn alot of rain gear for various recreational things (mostly motorcycle trips) and have not found a quality, purposeful, set that doesn't create that humidity trap between layers. The biggest difference is with golf, you aren't contending with protective gear underneath that the rain gear restricts air flow. I may have to break out my froggs-toggs on the course one day. (Thanks for the idea!)

[Mike10487]

On 6/1/2024 at 11:03 AM, Rob Person said:

I do have a question for the testers.  Have you done any direct comparison tests against other rain gear you own? What would make this brand really stand out over others to justify the costs?

I have only tested the pants in mostly indoor conditions. I wore them to dinner and around the house. I could never do either of these with my normal raingear. The pants are very breathable and do not make much (if any) noise. The main draw back in warmer regions is the planning on weather. If you are packing the pants in your bag, you would have to strip down to your skivvies or run to a bathroom/locker room. To be honest, I'd wear these to a wedding without a 2nd thought.  I have HUK, Columbia, Cabela's, and Adidas rain suits and none of them look or feel anything like GB.

[Rob Person]

28 minutes ago, Mike10487 said:

I have only tested the pants in mostly indoor conditions. I wore them to dinner and around the house. I could never do either of these with my normal raingear. The pants are very breathable and do not make much (if any) noise. The main draw back in warmer regions is the planning on weather. If you are packing the pants in your bag, you would have to strip down to your skivvies or run to a bathroom/locker room. To be honest, I'd wear these to a wedding without a 2nd thought.  I have HUK, Columbia, Cabela's, and Adidas rain suits and none of them look or feel anything like GB.

So these are not designed as overpass? Or would you order 1 size bigger on just the pants to accommodate that?

[Randall Robbins]

6 hours ago, Rob Person said:

So these are not designed as overpass? Or would you order 1 size bigger on just the pants to accommodate that?

Rob, take a look at my review/earlier comments.  I talked about that.

[ChaosReigns]

On 6/1/2024 at 11:03 AM, Rob Person said:

I do have a question for the testers.  Have you done any direct comparison tests against other rain gear you own? What would make this brand really stand out over others to justify the costs?

I tested again my mossy oak rain gear that my son is currently using. And also against a pair of hi-viz rain pants and jacket and the Galway bay suit is just lighter and less noisy compared to the others. The swing movement with the Galway bay is better also because it’s thinner material even in the jacket compared to the others but I think that’s mostly because the jackets are thicker. The rain pants from the other sets are noisy but have adequate pockets and protection with the trade off of swamp but at the end of the round. Also I noticed with the GB rain jacket, it still feels cool even with a collared shirt. The breeze just passes through. 
 

The hi-viz set I bought for working but they are normal-ish material. I say normal-ish because the GB suit is made from actual cloth material and the mossy oak and hi viz feel more like synthetic and rubber 

Edited June 5 by ChaosReigns

[ChaosReigns]

7 hours ago, Rob Person said:

So these are not designed as overpass? Or would you order 1 size bigger on just the pants to accommodate that?

I tried wearing my normal golf shorts under and they just don’t fit right even with a bigger size. At least to me they didn’t, they kept riding up when walking and got irritating to wear

[Mike10487]

7 hours ago, Rob Person said:

So these are not designed as overpass? Or would you order 1 size bigger on just the pants to accommodate that?

No, these are designed to be worn as regular slacks. I guess you could do that. I would go up 2" to accommodate your actual pants or shorts more comfortable. You would have to use your belt on the rain pants.

[Mike10487]

 I just finished my final review of this product. I will add that I have purchased (and used) a pair of gloves and just order 2 more pairs of "slacks".  I will update this post as I get more on course time with this product. Two big thumbs up from me!

[Rob Person]

8 minutes ago, Mike10487 said:

 I just finished my final review of this product. I will add that I have purchased (and used) a pair of gloves and just order 2 more pairs of "slacks".  I will update this post as I get more on course time with this product. Two big thumbs up from me!

Great review !!   And wow!  More pants!

[Mike10487]

7 hours ago, Rob Person said:

Great review !!   And wow!  More pants!

I did not order the oversized pants as discussed as "pullovers". I stuck with the correct size to make these multipurpose. I threw out my Izod, Haggar and other dress slacks.  I really want to do a tissue test with these pants, without the jacket on. I didn't think about that before. The jacket covered the pants pockets perfectly. I am now questioning if the pockets will hold water or if they allow the water to roll through. As an aside, the gloves are thicker than I imagined, but not hot. I will do a separate review on those in the "What have you bought lately"  

[GolfSpy_APH]

On 4/9/2024 at 8:58 AM, Mike10487 said:

Introduction:

My name is Mike and I have been addicted to the outdoors my entire life. I am 54 years old. 49 of those years in Vero Beach Florida. I am lucky to be married to a wonderfully understanding woman for nearly 30 years. I started playing golf 1986 while working at a restaurant "Charlie Brown's". The wait staff had started a Superbowl golf outing and invited the kitchen help. How hard could it be to hit a ball that is sitting still!!!!! We put together a foursome and borrowed 2 sets of clubs. That was my first taste of this beautifully sadomasochistic game. We stunk the place up! THIRTY-EIGHT years later, I now run this golf outing and we still have 10 foursomes! I currently play to an 8.5 index. I'm a mudder! I don't know why but, I play better in inclement weather. I love to play in the wind, the stronger the better. Outside of golf, I am an avid tournament bass fisherman. I fish 3 "trails" and split my time with golf. I really wish I could find a fishing/golfing tournament; I'd be in heaven.

Here goes the funny part for this testing opportunity. My chosen profession, you guessed it, I'm an Irrigation contractor for the past 26 years. I can say I intimately know water and not just the golf course. I wear rainwear at a minimum of 2 times per week for work and carry 3 rain jackets in my truck. I have tried numerous name brand rain jackets for work, none of them withstand a rotor blasting at 65 psi. While fishing I wear HUK Gore-Tex bibs and jacket. The bibs work great, but the jacket leaves a lot to be desired. I expected more for the price.  I have always looked at GB, but never pulled the trigger as I thought they were made for colder climates. I am super interested to test this product and give my honest opinion of performance, style and breathability.  If anyone has any questions or thoughts on a test they would like to see, please let me know.  I'm off to work! 

 

4/19:  Update:   I played a member guest today. I collected my 5th Hole-in-one! (It was with a "white box" Callaway Tour X) I drive to the house and see this nondescript box sitting at the door.  Hello Galway Bay. What a day!!

Unboxing:  This very mundane brown box that doesn't scream steal me off the doorstep. It's nice to not have all the logos smeared all over the box. The neatly folder suit was in individual Ziplock bags. I immediately noticed the lightness of the packages. 10 of 10

First impressions:  Upon opening the bags and eyeballing the suit. My initial thought was " this set reeks of quality". 

The jacket- Super lightweight material was extremely soft and smooth to the touch. The zippers were easy to pull down but felt firm. It's kind of hard to explain but once again the word quality came to mind. The zipper flap had nice Velcro but the way it is stitched, I don't know that it needed it. The stitching was very tight, so tight I had to look very closely to make sure it was actual stitches.  The pants- Once again super lightweight and they look like slacks. I'd have trouble differentiating them out of my dress slacks area of the closet. The fabric stretches nicely and I like that they have the shirt holder rubber lining in the waistband. The only drawback for me is there are only 5 beltloops. Certainly not a deal breaker by any means, but I do prefer 6 to better keep the pants from drooping. 9/10

Initial try on-

I'd say the jacket sizes run a bit small. The sizing chart said 2xl. The mid-section is fine, the shoulder area is a little tighter than I thought it should be. Upon zipping the jacket up fully, the zipper really digs into my Adam's apple due to the neck size being a little smaller than a normal 2XL. None of this affected the fabric moving properly throughout a simulated swing. I felt little to no restraint as the jacket seem to stretch in all the right places. Jacket rating 8.5/10       

The pants- Let's call them slacks. I have now been wearing these "slacks" for 3 hours. They are as comfortable as any pair of dress "slacks" I have ever owned. I have not adjusted any areas of my body, which is a constant fight with my Haggar and Izod slacks. I can actually feel the air movement in these. Which is begging for the question of "how the hell did they do this?". If these are even remotely waterproof, this is an absolute homerun! Noise level is not even remotely an issue. I would not hesitate to throw on a dress shirt and go to any 5-star restaurant. If I could give the "slacks" an eleven I would. 10/10

Super impressed so far. I look forward testing these against the elements. With little to no rainfall in the 10-day forecast, we will get creative.  

 

 

 

 

6/8/24 Final review: Although we have not received any rain to actually do a on the course test. We are looking for some tropical influence next week. I was able to wear the pants around the house several times and out to dinner.  I was able to conduct a shower test in which I had tissues in every pocket. I tested the tissues at 1 minute, 5 minute and 15-minute increments. the only moisture that was on the tissues even after 15 minutes in the shower was from my hands pulling them from the pockets. absolutely amazing! I went from hot to cold on the water several times and felt very little in the way of discomfort. I will add here that when I stepped away to pull the tissues, I could feel the A/C breathing through the pants and the jacket. This first picture is a tissue that was in the zipped front pocket of the jacket after 15 minutes!  The tissue that I had in the pants pocket was perfectly dry. I will test this on the course as I wasn't stretching and twisting in the shower.  Insanely dry. The water beads up and runs right off the fabric.  Even my most expensive 100MPH Gore-Tex suit does not even come close to this. 

 

 

First impressions:  Upon opening the bags and eyeballing the suit. My initial thought was " this set reeks of quality". 

The jacket- Super lightweight material was extremely soft and smooth to the touch. The zippers were easy to pull down but felt firm. It's kind of hard to explain but once again the word quality came to mind. The zipper flap had nice Velcro but the way it is stitched, I don't know that it needed it. The stitching was very tight, so tight I had to look very closely to make sure it was actual stitches.  The pants- Once again super lightweight and they look like slacks. I'd have trouble differentiating them out of my dress slacks area of the closet. The fabric stretches nicely and I like that they have the shirt holder rubber lining in the waistband. The only drawback for me is there are only 5 beltloops. Certainly not a deal breaker by any means, but I do prefer 6 to better keep the pants from drooping. 9/10

 

Aesthetics: 10 of 10         This suit looks amazing! Colors are perfect. Most of the other rain wear I have had small color fades or imperfections. I believe this to be a shake it off and store it suit. water repellency is unmatched.

 

Fit and comfort: 18 of 20   The jacket seems a little tight in the shoulder area. I do not think this affects the ability to swing, but it is tighter than I thought it would be. I ordered a 2X for my shoulders and belly. As you can tell by the last picture, the shoulder area is snug. The pants are true to size and very comfortable. Just know in advance, these are NOT pull overs. They are worn as trousers. If you plan on wearing these over your shorts, order 2 sizes larger and be prepared to use your belt in the pants. 

 

On Course: 20 of 20     I did not get to test these on the course. Wearing them around the house the pants were extremely stretchy and comfortable. This fabric is amazingly breathable, yet extremely waterproof. I've never said that in the same sentence before.  The jacket stretches very well and the zippers are the tightest and most waterproof I have ever seen. On course testing will happen as soon as we get a rainy day.

 

The Good, Bad and Ugly: 18 of 20 I deducted one point for the fit being off a little on the jacket (as described above) and one point for the main zipper. The main zipper when pulled to the top really digs into your Adam's apple. it was to the point that I would purposely zip it up to see how long I could stand it. 20 seconds was the max for me. I would recommend that they put a small piece of felt or padding behind it. This is simply the best rain suit you will ever own. 

 

Play it or trade it: 20 of 20   I would play this EVERY time. The price may seem steep, and it is, but this is a quality that I have never seen before. I believe this set is absolutely worth the price and I will be getting a couple more pair of the pants. I would say this set is best for the guys who play rain or shine. I would also say that climates where it rains for days like the UK or the Pacific NW would really benefit from this product. It is truly amazing. 

Conclusion: I have been a competitive golfer and a tournament bass fisherman for nearly 30 years. I have probably owned 40+ rainsuits from nearly every manufacturer on the planet. I always shied away from Galway Bay due to price and I thought they were meant for more northern climates. I was very wrong. The product quality is leaps and bounds above the competition, and it isn't even close. This fabric has some serious breathability, I still say VooDoo. I cannot believe this product is this waterproof and is even remotely breathable, flabbergasted. You just have to experience this for yourself. I would recommend this product to anyone who plays outdoors in the elements. 

 

Final score: 95/100

LOVE IT! Thanks for getting creative with this and glad you were finally able to see how they performed in the wet!

[ChaosReigns]

6 hours ago, Mike10487 said:

I did not order the oversized pants as discussed as "pullovers". I stuck with the correct size to make these multipurpose. I threw out my Izod, Haggar and other dress slacks.  I really want to do a tissue test with these pants, without the jacket on. I didn't think about that before. The jacket covered the pants pockets perfectly. I am now questioning if the pockets will hold water or if they allow the water to roll through. As an aside, the gloves are thicker than I imagined, but not hot. I will do a separate review on those in the "What have you bought lately"  

I’m considering ordering a pair of the gloves also so let me know how they do for you

[Randall Robbins]

Mike, I don't think water will go in the pockets any more than regular pants.  I had them out in the sprinklers and never saw anything like that.  Glad you can get a couple more pair of pants,  I would have my head handed to me if I spent that kind of money on pants, even if they last forever.....

[Mike10487]

43 minutes ago, Randall Robbins said:

Mike, I don't think water will go in the pockets any more than regular pants.  I had them out in the sprinklers and never saw anything like that.  Glad you can get a couple more pair of pants,  I would have my head handed to me if I spent that kind of money on pants, even if they last forever.....

Shhhhh. I never made mention of it to the boss. I've learned it's easier to beg for forgiveness than ask permission. I'm thinking business expense!

[Mike10487]

2 hours ago, ChaosReigns said:

I’m considering ordering a pair of the gloves also so let me know how they do for you

Just posted a quasi review in  "What have you bought lately"  

[Mike10487]

On 6/1/2024 at 11:03 AM, Rob Person said:

I do have a question for the testers.  Have you done any direct comparison tests against other rain gear you own? What would make this brand really stand out over others to justify the costs?

Rob, I own BPS 100MPH Gore-Tex suit ($500), HUK Gore-Tex Bib suit($350), Columbia Gore-Tex ($300), Frog Togs ($70) for fishing. I own Adidas ($129) and Swing free ($99) rain jackets for golf. None of these compare to the quality of GB.     Feel, comfort, breathability nothing comes close. I will update when we get some full days of rain and tell you if it soaks through. 

[Randall Robbins]

4 hours ago, Mike10487 said:

Shhhhh. I never made mention of it to the boss. I've learned it's easier to beg for forgiveness than ask permission. I'm thinking business expense!

Good luck with that!

[buckpillar]

Love the reviews by all the testers.

Question, Are the suits breathable and and do they run big or smaller size wise?

[ChaosReigns]

12 minutes ago, buckpillar said:

Love the reviews by all the testers.

Question, Are the suits breathable and and do they run big or smaller size wise?

Suits are very breathable. You can feel the lightest breeze. And mine ran true to my size I would normally wear.