Craghoppers Golf Clothing With Insect Repellent & UV Protection Review

Do you get eaten alive every time you play golf in the early mornings or evenings by biting, flying insects?

I must be good meat as I have always been sought out by flying bugs and insects and dealt with a range of bites over the years. I still carry a scar from one bite that is over five years old. I carry insect repellent spray in my golf bag, such is the problem.

When I was offered the chance to test and sample the recently released Craghopper golf range, I jumped at the chance given my past excellent experience with the brand as a walker and hiker. I have products that I use for dog walking that are over 15 years old.

Featured Content

The new range has a garment lifetime guarantee attached to it and is sourced from a renewable plant-based source.

I was particularly keen to use the clothing for a trip I recently undertook in Tunisia. I had read of problems with mosquitoes and thought this would be a great test of the product's claims.

First Impressions

I love the design, styling and sensible features within the golf trousers. All items in the range are impregnated with NosiLife that is designed to deter any kind of insect when playing in warmer climes.

It is a natural based product originated from eucalyptus. I could not detect a smell on the clothes and it seems to be interwoven into the thread itself.

I was provided with a collared long sleeved polo shirt, a lightweight full zipped jacket, and a pair of matching trousers.

All are lightweight and practical with a generous fit. 

I have now been using the products for five weeks and am still as impressed as I was when I first tried them on.

They all passed the shower test after a particularly warm day in Tunisia when I decided to wash them in the shower in my room. They dried easily left on hangers over the bath and were available for use the next day without ironing.

The jacket is a great lightweight garment, ideal for layering in British weather conditions. It has extra room under the arms to enable easier swinging. 

I have a confession to make here because the jacket has been in almost daily use for dog walking. The zipped pockets are ideal for the phone and poo bags and I have become convinced of its effectiveness against my biting insect foe. 

The long sleeve polo shirt is another effective layering tool keeping the arms covered from the sun. It contains UV protection of 30 UPF which is also a bonus for any golfer wishing to avoid exposure to the sun’s harmful rays.

I intend to discover more about the science involved in these garments but am certainly finding myself confident that they are effective in deterring the flying insects that usually feast upon me when I play golf.

Trousers

As a layman I had never thought about golf trouser design prior to trying testing these out. I love the glasses cleaning feature. This is a cleaning cloth that is attached to an elasticated clip that sits unobtrusively in the pocket. This is in regular use to keep my glasses in use when playing golf.  

Anyone using varifocal glasses for golf knows the hassle of keeping rain drops or fogging through sweating from the lens.

This clever design feature prevents all of this by allowing a quick, clean and dry lens wipe between shots. This is a genius feature for the golfer who needs glasses. 

For those golfers who don’t wear glasses this could be just as useful for cleaning golf balls.

The same pocket has a separate zipped area for other golfing clutter. Whoever designed these trousers has played golf and understands a golfer's needs.

I think these are excellent. The pocket design is revolutionary and so helpful to any golfer who plays in glasses or sunglasses. I expect this concept to be copied by other manufacturers. The fit is comfortable and flexible with the elasticated waist band and extra strength hems to the trousers. The style is classic and smart. 

My only criticism is that there is a limited colourway currently available. The range for women has an attractive and more diverse choice of colours.

Polo Shirt

This is very comfortable and perfect for layering with other garments. The long sleeves afford extra protection to the sun and insect bites and it is getting regular use during this period of excellent weather. Plain white looks smart and the logos are discreet. I love it. No criticism.

Jacket

This jacket is comfortable, smart and lightweight. I like the full body zip and the zipped pockets and style. Currently available in navy blue to match the trousers. I would like to see other colours as I expect this to become a popular garment for golfers and walkers alike.

Verdict

The garments do what they claim, providing functional and smart golf clothing. I have not seen scientific evidence of their effectiveness but I now feel confident that they offer extra protection from flying, biting insects. I am using them almost daily for dog walking, etc.

Life of Garment Guarantee

Craghoppers offer an excellent warranty that covers each garment for its lifetime. They also have an arrangement with Timpson stores nationally for the provision of a free repair service for garments that need it. This is ecologically sound and provides great value for money when selecting these garments for purchase.

They offer a range supported by the Duke of Edinburgh's Award scheme and appear to have adopted ethically supportive manufacturing processes.

I had no expectations when I agreed to try this equipment but have been very pleasantly surprised at its effectiveness and comfort. 

If you want to know more about Craghoppers clothing, especially its new golfing line, please click here.