PING Apparel’s reboot has been well chronicled here at GolfThreads over the past few years. Since bringing its apparel business in-house in 2016, the brand has risen the ranks by creating fashionable and functional apparel for the course.
For Summer 2018, PING brings innovative fabrics, a combination of vibrant and sophisticated colors, cutting-edge technologies, and modern details to the course. Stylish new polos like the Theodore, Harrison, and Harvey are mixed with old favorites like the Karsten and Ellis in updated colorways. New layering pieces like the Knowles sweater and the Delta jacket are as fashionable as they are functional. The brand has even released a new short, the Hendrick, with a clean fit and stretchy waistband.
PING has always been a technology leader in the world of equipment and it is bringing that same ‘Engineered to Play’ philosophy to its soft goods business. With temperatures on the rise, the brand’s SensorCool platform finds itself front and center for the season. Designed for hot and humid conditions, the SensorCool technology dries quickly, moves moisture away from the skin, provides UV protection, and stretches with the swing. These fabrics were made for the hot and humid conditions that summer throws at us.
See Also: PING Apparel AW’17: 4 Hot Outfits for Cold Days
New for the season in the SensorCool platform is the Coolmax All Season performance fabric. Think of this as a ‘smart fabric’—one that changes as the conditions change. The hollow fibers help to move moisture away from the skin as the body starts to sweat. When temperatures drop, these same fibers help to insulate the body.
As you gear up for the hottest months of the year, here are a few outfits from PING Apparel to help you beat the heat and stay on trend this summer.
Outfit #1: Drift Away
PING’s Drift Away colorstory features one of the coolest colors to hit the fairways this summer—seafoam green. This soft hue brings a fresh and airy vibe to the course. It is also more versatile than what you may think. Pair it with black, silver, or a dark grey (as we did here) to bring depth to these dark and sophisticated colors. For a more youthful and athletic look, combine it with white, light grey, or even navy bottoms.
Harper Polo
The Harper is the latest in a long list of engineered stripe polos from PING and it is the centerpiece of this setup. In the Drift Away colorstory, the Harper uses gentle pops of seafoam green to bring a youthful exuberance to the silver and black backdrop. This is a great example of how PING is infusing classic designs with modern details.
Hendrick Short
For Summer 2018, PING has expanded its range of shorts with the introduction of the Hendrick. This short is built for comfort and loaded with the latest technology. The marl print gives the Hendrick a dressier look that works as well on the course as it does for a warm summer night on the town. The 100% polyester fabric moves moisture, resists wrinkles, and stretches in four different directions. The biggest comfort feature can be found at the waist, though. The new Tekfit waistband technology stretches up to 2 inches, but won’t lose its shape over time. So whether you are ripping a drive or ripping into a burger at the turn, the Hendrick will move with you.
Knowles Sweater
I can’t resist a great golf sweater and the Knowles is my favorite piece of knitwear this season. Granted, unless you are traveling to Scotland or Bandon Dunes (in which case, I’m jealous), you probably have as much need for a sweater as the Yankees have for another bat in the lineup. Nonetheless, this is a sweater you’ll want to grab before it is gone and then save it for fall. The heathered color-blocked design is modern and sporty, and the sleeve cuffs provide a nice balance with the front panel. Part of PING’s SensorWarm platform, this 100% Merino sweater possesses natural thermal and moisture wicking properties to help regulate body temperature.
Outfit #2: Disruption
First of all, props to PING for naming this colorstory Disruption. Combining vibrant imperial blue with pops of orange burst definitely creates a beautiful disturbance. These washed out oranges or apricots have joined the aforementioned seafoam green as the trendy colors for summer. For best results, pair them with the neutral of summer—navy blue. To make a stronger statement, opt for this imperial blue. You can think of it as royal blue amped up to 11. Combining it with a light stone or white short will create just the right amount of contrast.
Harvey Polo
Elegant, yet modern; the Harvey polo is an essential with personality. From a distance, it wears like a solid, but it is anything but basic. The space dye effect gives it texture and dimension. Space dyeing is a new process of dyeing yarn to give a textile a unique, multi-colored effect. It is set to become a big trend in the world of golf apparel and PING finds itself ahead of the curve. In the case of the Harvey, the space dyeing softens the intensity of the bright orange burst color to give it a refined edge.
From a comfort standpoint, the Harvey will make you do a double take. One touch of the soft peached fabric and you’ll swear it is cotton. Instead, you get the best of both worlds—great feel with the performance, stretch and wrinkle resistance of a Poly/Spandex blend. Not to be overlooked is the concealed button-down collar that keeps everything neat and tidy.
Elliot Polo
Similar to the Harvey, the Elliot Polo uses a space dye effect. In the case of the Elliot, though, the texture is heavier and creates a bold two-toned look. If you are looking to dial up an energetic outfit for the final round of the club championship, the Elliot is a no-brainer. Plus, the Elliot is fabricated from the CoolMax All Season fabric to keep you cool when warm and warm when cool.
Delta Jacket
Remember the days of the good ol’ golf windbreaker. Those lightweight Polyester shells offered little protection against the wind and leaked more than a 100-year old roof. Well, meet PING’s Delta jacket. It is anything but your dad’s golf jacket. Part of the brand’s SensorWarm platform, the Delta’s windproof and water-resistant shell combats those light summer showers and is a feathery layering option for cool mornings and evenings. The stretchy mesh lining and vents in the back allow excess heat to escape. Two additional zippered chest vents not only help to regulate temperature but also provide an edgy design.
Outfit #3: Purple Haze
When you think of purple hues for summer, pastels like lavender and lilac probably come to mind. PING has taken a different approach with its Purple Haze colorstory. The sophisticated palette combines shades of rich plum paired with cool celestial blues. This is a colorstory that can be worn year round, especially for those transition periods between seasons.
For this outfit, we’ve combined the aggressive multi-colored stripes of the Theodore polo with the Bradley short in a deep navy. I have to admit, I first paired this plum colorway of the Theodore with a pair of grey shorts and it looked flat and unbalanced. Pairing it with navy tied it all together and brought the plum to life. This is now one of my favorite kits of the season.
Theodore Polo
The Theodore combines two classic designs—color blocking and feeder stripes—into one polo. The contrasting sleeves, collar, and placket give the classic design a contemporary attitude. The Theodore also reads as a roadmap for the colorstory, as it combines all the hues into one fashionable design.
Bradley Short
Classic looks with modern fits have been the key to PING’s success over the past few seasons. A great example of this design philosophy is the Bradley. It feels a little more traditional than the Hendrick, but the fit is absolutely on point. Hemmed about an inch above the knee with a tailored fit through the hips and thigh, the Bradley has quickly become one of my favorites. As with the Hendrick, the Bradley includes the Tekfit waistband for extra stretch and the silky pocket liners won’t become sticky, even in hot and humid conditions.
I really enjoyed all three kits put together. Great use of pairing colors. Ping has come such a long way from Khaki earth tone colors that were very drab to solid well thought out designs.
Thanks, Jim. Ping has really upped their game since bringing their apparel business in-house. They have a talented team over there.