If you have read anything from me about Sun Day Red you will know Golf Monthly has tested a lot of apparel and shoes from the brand. For example I recently gave five stars to the Osprey shoe, my colleague and shoe expert Dan Parker came oh so close to doing the same for the Pioneer Cyprus shoe. The quality of the apparel is truly outstanding as well, the Cashmere Hoodie I tested earlier this year is the best golf top I’ve ever tested. Given all of this, I had high hopes when I received the 3L Rain Jacket as part of our Autumn/Winter testing day, and I am pleased to report it delivers.
I could realistically just write that this rain jacket delivers in just about every way you would want one of the best rain jackets to perform, but I will go into more detail don’t worry. Let’s start with the protection because this is arguably the most important element. Constructed with three layers of Polartec Powershield fabric, this jacket offers complete and total protection from adverse weather conditions. In the rain nothing penetrated the layers, and I can say this is true for light rain and absolute downpours because I got caught in both during testing. It dealt with the wind nicely as well, the quality and thickness of the fabric blocked out gusts and I felt cocooned nicely, especially when wearing other layers underneath as well. Finally it is worth saying this performance is not surprising given the seam-sealed design and the heavy duty zippers which prevented water seepage.
This isn’t to say the jacket felt heavy because the fabric still feels soft and lightweight. I found it to be extremely comfortable as well, which is an underrated element in rain jackets, and it paired very well with other layers underneath, such as sweaters, hoodies and quarter zips. The adjustability on offer, such as the toggles at the waist and at the cuffs, allowed me to dial in my fit, whilst I should mention this is a breathable jacket as well. Too often in rain jackets I sweat too much because the seam-sealed fabrics used don’t let anything in or out, but this wasn’t the case here. Additionally the fabric stretched nicely and gave unrestricted movement throughout the swing.
Clearly, Sun Day Red have thought about every single facet of this jacket, and as such the details really elevate the design. For example it barely makes any noise when moving around and swinging, which is rare when using these kinds of fabrics. It also folds down conveniently so should fit in pretty much any golf bag. Additionally to go along with the long-sleeve full zip model I tested, there is a half-zip and a short-sleeve model so whatever you prefer in a rain jacket, there is a design for you.
From a looks perspective there is only one color to choose from but overall it is an understated design with small SDR logos and motifs throughout. As such I think it is very versatile and I’ve used it as much off the golf course as on it, especially for walks around London where a downpour can come out of nowhere.
Finally I should mention the price because not beating around the bush, it has a premium price, but as I hope I have vocalized in this review, it is a jacket that delivers performance at the top end of the market. And given it is a jacket for everywhere, and it is likely to last you many, many years, it is a worthy investment in my opinion. As far as the question goes at the top of this page, is this the best rain jacket on the market? Well I have tested lots of different models, as have other members of the Golf Monthly team, and it is certainly up there in performance. Whether it is the best is tricky to answer with any certainty, but it sits alongside the Rain Walker Jacket from Peter Millar, and other top models from FootJoy, Under Armour and adidas no doubt.
