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Adidas TechFit PowerWeb Review

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“Equipment for your body” is the new mantra for Adidas Golf. They have taken that to a whole new level with their TechFit PowerWeb base layer.

Adidas has had a successful line of compression products already used by players like Sergio Garcia, Natalie Gulbis, and Justin Rose. PowerWeb is the next step in the evolution of compression products. I’ll admit it right away, I usually hate wearing long sleeves to play golf. I’ve always found them restrictive and binding. Living in Texas doesn’t afford me the opportunity to get used to long sleeves either. The idea of testing a compression product left me a little worried about how my own biases would affect the outcome. However, after a few rounds wearing the PowerWeb my mind has changed.

Technology

It seems odd devoting a technology section to an undershirt. However, TechFit PowerWeb products are designed with quite a bit of technology in mind. There some research supporting the idea that compression products keep muscles warm, supported, and lead to better performance. The PowerWeb garments are golf specific versions of products which have already been successfully used in professional track and field, soccer, football, and tennis. According to Tiss Dahan, Adidas Golf’s Global Director of Apparel, “Our parent company found that with PowerWeb athletes are jumping higher, running quicker, and are much more confident. How much is psychological and how much is physiological is difficult to measure but we believe it is a combination of the two.”

The base of the product is ClimaCool – a polyester base which wicks away moisture. A large mesh panel located in the mid back helps promote ventilation. However, the key to the PowerWeb are the strategically placed thermoplastic bands which help enhance compression in key areas such as the core, and back. The bands in the midsection help promote core stability and take pressure of the lower back. Upper bands are used to promote posture without restricting shoulder movement.

Performance

One of the best words to describe the TechFit PowerWeb is “experiential.” You simply have to try it on to see the benefits. The first time I put it on, I felt my back straighten, shoulders roll back, and navel draw in. It is a feeling I haven’t experienced in any other compression shirt I’ve tried before. On the flip side, other compression shirts I’ve worn in the past have been a nightmare when it comes time to take them off. The PowerWeb is a snap to remove with the fabric stretching just enough to make getting it off a breeze.

Out on the golf course the support the PowerWeb provides is very beneficial. The core reinforcement it provides for the core is noticeable especially towards the end of the round. Although it won’t prevent you from getting out of good posture, it served as a good reminder to maintain proper golf posture.

As I mentioned earlier, warm Texas winters and year round golf have ingrained a phobia of long sleeves that I have not been able to break. I’ve found most long sleeve garments to be restrictive. However, what struck me about the PowerWeb was the large range of motion it allows. In fact, once you put the PowerWeb on, it’s easy to forget you’re wearing it – other than the core and posture support.

The best part of this product is how comfortable it is. The ClimaCool fabric kept me dry in warm conditions. I’ve worn my long sleeve shirt on days which started windy in the mid forties and warmed up into the seventies. Not once did I have any inclination to take it off because it was too warm. Small details like flat seams and light weight make it really easy to layer under clothes. A little extra length in the tail was a welcome addition so I wouldn’t have to worry about my shirt tails coming un-tucked.

Although the Power Bands perform as claimed their silver color leads to a bit of a dilemma when it comes to wardrobe choices. Every white polo I wore over the PowerWeb allowed the bands to show through. Although switching to a dark shirt is an easy fix, it would be great to see this product with the same performance attributes which blend under clothes more subtly.

Conclusion

Will the TechFit PowerWeb transform you from a 12 handicap to a 5? Probably not. However, it is an incredibly comfortable base layer which provides more support than similar products on the market. However it does not sacrifice flexibility to achieve support. The potential for this product will be realized further when the thermal versions made for cold weather are introduced later this year.

Currently available as a warm weather shirt in short and long sleeves as well as a compression short, there is a product available for the summer conditions you’ll face. While it may be a bit more expensive than some of the other options on the market, my only advice is to try it on before making up your mind. The difference between the PowerWeb and every other product on the market will be apparent the second you put it on.

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Accessory Reviews

Insider photos from Tiger Woods’ launch event for his new “Sun Day Red” apparel line

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On Monday evening, inside the swanky, second-story “Coach House” event center in the Palisades Village, just minutes down the road from the 2024 Genesis Invitational at Riviera Country Club, Tiger Woods and TaylorMade officially announced their new apparel/footwear/accessory line, called “Sun Day Red.”

The Sun Day Red website officially launched on Monday night during the event, and the products are set to go on sale starting May 1.

The “Sun Day Red,” or “SDR” name will be self-explanatory for most golf fans, since he’s been wearing a victory-red shirt on Sunday’s for his entire professional career, but Woods explained the meaning of Sun Day Red at the launch event:

“It started with mom. Mom thought – being a Capricorn – that my power color was red, so I wore red as a junior golfer and I won some tournaments. Lo and behold, I go to a university that is red; Stanford is red. We wore red on the final day of every single tournament, and then every single tournament I’ve played as a professional I’ve worn red. It’s just become synonymous with me.”

The Sunday Red outfit has worked to perfection for his 82 PGA Tour victories, including 15 majors, so why not make an entire apparel line based on the career-long superstition?

As I learned at Monday’s launch event, the new Sun Day Red line includes much more than just clothing. To go along with a slew of different golf shirt designs and colorways, there were also windbreakers, hoodies, shoes, hats, headcovers, ball markers and gloves on display.

The upscale event was hosted by sports media personality Erin Andrews, with special guests David Abeles (CEO of TaylorMade) and Tiger Woods himself.

As explained by Abeles, the Sun Day Red brand is an independently-run business under the TaylorMade umbrella, and is based in San Clemente, California (rather than Carlsbad, where TaylorMade headquarters is located), and it’s run by a newly-formed, independent group. Brad Blackinship, formerly of Quiksilver and RVCA, is the appointed president of the new brand.

As for the logo itself, obviously, it’s made to look like a Tiger (the animal), and is comprised of 15 tiger stripes, which correspond with Woods’ 15 major championships. While the logo may need a 16th stripe if Woods adds a major trophy to his collection, it makes perfect sense for the time being.

The golf/lifestyle line is meant to combine premium precision and athletic comfort, while still having plenty of wearability and style off the course. Like Woods said on stage at the event, he wants to be able to go right from the course to dinner wearing Sun Day Red, and that was exactly the aesthetic on display at the event on Monday.

Following the official announcement from Woods and Abeles, they revealed multiple pieces of clothing, accessories and footwear for the event-goers to ogle (and photograph). Check out a selection of product/event photos below, or head over to our @GolfWRX Instagram page for video coverage…OR, head into our GolfWRX Forums for even more photos and member discussion.

Enjoy this exclusive look at Tiger Woods’ new Sun Day Red apparel lineup below.

See more photos from the Sun Day Red launch event here

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Apparel Reviews

Apparel review: Justin Rose Collection @ Bonobos

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Bonobos? Bonnaroo? What do they have in common, besides being fun words to pronounce that belong to today’s generations? That’s a question for another story. We’re here to tell you about the latest addition to our curated polo collection, the Performance Golf Polo from the Justin Rose collection. It comes from Bonobos, so kick back to this 2020 Bonnaroo mixtape and read up on white anchors.

Professional golfer, Justin Rose, photographed for his Spring 2021 Bonobos capsule collection.

Bonobos has been working to reinvigorate its golf category that launched in 2011 and bring a fresh face and new thinking to their golf mix. The brand has been eyeing pro-golfer Justin Rose for some time, especially as he’s risen in the game and his style on and off course aligned with the brand’s aesthetic, it was a natural fit. Bonobos made the official partnership in 2019 and since then, Justin has worn Bonobos on the course during his tours, and in his everyday life, by choice.

In March 2021, the brand launched the Justin Rose Golf Collection, its first co-designed golf line with Justin consisting of an assortment of printed performance polos, pants, and shorts that are versatile for casual days on the course, to playing 18-holes and to the clubhouse afterward.

My fit arrived promptly, and I couldn’t help but throw it over my head and shoulders, and strut around the house. No matter the time of year nor the weather outside, a golf polo always works in the indoor arena. I had considered the slim fit, but opted for the standard. It was reassuring to realize that either one would have draped well over my torso. Plenty of room from shoulders to ribs to belly, both static and active. First box, checked.

The next task was no less arduous: wear the shirt in the out-and-about. A brisk day arrived, so I tucked a long-sleeved shirt beneath my polo, and went about my daily business, aka teaching. My students perked up when I entered the hall, and asked immediately about the anchors. “Ya know, just a new polo,” I replied. The company logo was apparent on my sleeve, so no need to ask about its origin. I’ve worn polos in the past that did not interface well with a shirt beneath. When you play golf in the wee morning hours or the evening gloaming, or the shoulder seasons of spring and fall, you often need to trick out your fit with another layer. The Bonobos Performance Golf Polo was comfortable beyond words on this day, and the collaboration with the long sleeve was a success. Second box, checked.

At this point, a little transparency will help matters. I looked good in this shirt, but when I read the added description about the model 40-inch chest, six feet two inches tall, size medium slim fit), I couldn’t help but feel a bit…inadequate? Then I looked in the mirror again, smiled, and winked, and I still looked good.

The final checkpoint was my new, Bryson-esque golf swing pitted against the Bonobos PGP. Having played golf with a gentle, consistent, non-violent swing since I picked up a club, I made the decision that 2021 would be the year that I would tear the cover off the ball. Why wait for a better time than the present, am I right? Swing after swing at the dome produced a variety of shot traces (Bryson wasn’t built in a day, after all), and my body still loved my second skin. Box three, checked.

In addition to the White Anchor pattern, something I would call the small-repeat, Bonobos offers five other patterns for purchase in this shirt model. Two floral patterns (Red Tropical and Teal & Pink) fall under the large-repeat style. The Green Sailboat Geo fills the entire top with a small-repeat, making it hard on the eyes for me. The Blue Lighthouses pattern is a medium-repeat; not as large as the Florals, but more sizable than the anchors, sailboats, and the last pattern (on a dark-blue shirt) the Navy Golf Bags small-repeat. Three white backgrounds, one blue, one red, one teal. That’s a pretty nice lineup from which to select a few new coller-poppers.

End of the day: Two happy shoulders (out of two) for the affordable ($69 retail) Bonobos Performance Golf Polo. If you’ll excuse me, I’m off to check out the rest of their virtual Guideshop. Peace!

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Apparel Reviews

WRX Spotlight: Adidas TOUR360 XT Twin Boa Golf Shoe

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The Product

The new Adidas TOUR360 XT Twin Boa, available in North America now, selling for $250 at adidas.com (only available on Adidas’ website, this shoe will not be at retail).

The Pitch

From Adidas: “The adidas TOUR360 XT Twin Boa® is the epitome of performance golf footwear, designed to offer micro-adjustability in two separate zones. The first is the independent main dial with high strength Boa lace that when combined with the forged 360 wrap creates unparalleled power for your swing by locking the area between your midfoot and forefoot. The second provides micro-adjustability from the middle to bottom instep for a customized fit, feel, and support. The Boa Fit System activates both zones to deliver the ultimate in power, stability, and performance.”

Our take on Adidas TOUR360 XT Twin Boa

BOA technology, a ratcheting cable system that replaces laces for securing the shoe, has been around for a while now. It was a radical departure when it first hit the market and traditionalists viewed it with some skepticism, but those who tried shoes using the system became hooked on the ease of use, secure feel, and reliability of the system. I have had to replace shoelaces, but I have never had a cable fail in a pair of shoes with Boa technology.

With the TOUR360 XT Twin Boa, Adidas has introduced the next step on Boa technology (pun intended). The shoe has a sleek, technology-forward look that is associated with Adidas products. It even looks good in the size 13 that I sport. The color selection is limited, to say the least. You can choose from white with green trim or white without green trim. But the star of the show is the Boa technology, which is implemented in two dials located on the outside of each shoe, replacing the one dial on previous iterations.

Each dial controls the fit for a different part of the shoe, and the ratcheting dial gives the wearer the most precise fit available. The real advantage over laces is that the Boa system stays secure longer and is easier to tighten than re-tying shoelaces. It’s so easy to reach down and give a couple of clicks that it became routine for me to check on each tee box to make sure I had a good fit before teeing off. Equally pleasing is the quick release on each dial that gets you out of your shoes at the end of a round without the terror of facing a wet double-knot.

The shoe is waterproof leather, and it is light and comfortable enough to walk 18 on hilly tracks. I personally would have preferred a slightly wider toe box, but that is nit-picking.

Overall, the Adidas TOUR360 XT Twin Boa is a performance shoe that promises, fit, comfort and stability, and it delivers on all fronts. Not everyone has $250 to drop on a pair of golf shoes, but if you want the tech on your feet to match the tech in your bag, then the Adidas TOUR360 XT Twin Boa is perfect for you.

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