Adidas' Frostguard extends the winter golf season | The Equipment Insider
Not so long ago, if a puffer or down jacket was seen on a golf course, the general thought was that perhaps the person made a wrong turn on his way to the mountains for hiking or skiing. Too much bulk for playing golf, right?
Today, many golf apparel companies have addressed that issue with super lightweight quilted jackets that are every bit as stylish off the course as they are providing warmth and an uninhibited golf swing on the course.
Adidas Frostguard, a new full-zip jacket and insulated vest layering collection for men and women, is specifically designed to extend the golf season during colder months. Both incorporate down-filled panels on the front and back body that keep warmth where it’s needed most, but are super lightweight so they aren’t bulky.
Two-time major champion Dustin Johnson stays warm with Adidas' Frostguard insulated jacket in Collegiate navy blue.
(Photo: Adidas Golf)
In addition to warmth, Adidas designed the pieces with knit side panels and sleeves, which provide mobility, keep the swing quiet and have a comfortable feel. A two-way zipper on both the jacket and vest add style detail and functionality.
Sarah Marai, senior product manager at Adidas Golf, recently talked about the new Frostguard collection.
Q.: It’s easy to see the wearability of Frostguard on the golf course, but what about off-course? Where else do you see Frostguard being worn?
Marai: Frostguard was developed with the course in mind. We put in stretch panels that were designed to be quiet through the swing and water-resistant for early morning, frosty rounds. With that in mind, puffer jackets are trending, and can easily be worn day-to-day. This is an elevated piece and is great for a dressy date night after golf or even running your weekend errands on chilly days. While it was developed for golf, it can certainly be worn off the course whenever you just want to feel warm and comfortable.
Jessica Korda sports the Frostguard insulated vest.
(Photo: Adidas Golf)
Q.: Were any professional players involved in the initial design process or product testing?
Marai: Receiving feedback from our tour pros is always part of our product development process. It gives us valuable information that will help as we design products for future seasons. Specific to Frostguard, we actually just received a
note from Danielle Kang after she defended her title at the Buick LPGA Shanghai to tell us how much she loved the jacket and how warm it kept her throughout her round.
Q.: It appears that more companies like Adidas, who make both men’s and women’s golf apparel, are offering the same style, jackets for example, for both sexes … true statement? If so, why?
Marai: As a performance sports brand, we’re always creating products that are built to perform on the course. We find many key performance needs that are similar in golf for both men and women: stretch, protection against the elements, quiet through the swing, etc. So, based on those performance benefits, we create the best jacket possible. Even though their needs for the course are similar, we do still keep in mind the female golfer needs and men golfer needs when it comes to fit, look, style. With Frostguard, while the benefits are the same for both men and women, our women’s jacket has a slightly different raglan sleeve silhouette that works better for the female body.
The Frostguard jackets (men’s, $200; women’s, $180) and vests ($170/$150, respectively) go with all of Adidas’ layering options for when the temperatures start to drop.