New Rohan Goa Tops
The new Rohan Goa Tops have arrived!
Here at Rohan we’ve always loved overhead tops: they’re a purer, more effective solution to upper body wear than jackets. This love affair goes back to the original Moving On top in the early ‘80’s.
The Goa Top is the same concept updated with state-of-the-art technology and a clean, highly effective design.
Designed to be worn as a windshell or for warmth over base or warm layers the Men’s Goa Top is amazingly versatile: an essential component in your active travel system. In foul weather you can layer your waterproof shell over it.
The level of wind resistance is set very high, but not total. This is intentional: it allows unimpeded breathability, reducing the effects of windchill down to nearly zero but allowing greater comfort in hotter weather or when very active.
The fabric is equipped with our high specification Dynamic Moisture Control™ rather than water repellence. Again, this gives greater comfort and allows it to work better in hot and sweaty conditions. In showers or mixed weather the outer apparently wets quite quickly but any water is held on the very top surface of the fabric, where it spreads quickly and dries very fast – providing much better protection than it looks like it would.
The women’s has a fixed, roll-down hood. Both men’s and women’s have a useful, hands pocket and a cavernous, deep, chest pocket. This is the perfect place to stow maps and accessories, or documents and paraphernalia when travelling. The scale and position of this chest pocket is one of the reasons we love overhead tops so much.
A deep neck zip provides plenty of ventilation. The cuffs and hem adjust and the rear hem is dropped lower, which is perfect under a rucksack or when you’re on your bike.
So you can take a Goa Top with you on all your adventures the front pocket is also a Packpocket™.
The Rohan Goa Tops Women’s Goa Top available now.
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24 Comments
Dear Tim
Thank you for your reply to my query. I’ve added a Goa top to my Rohan collection, and look forward to wearing it.
Bromdale
Dear Bromdale. The Goa Top is highly windresistant, so cuts windchill right down without affecting your breathability and comfort. It is a “wicking” fabric, not showerproofed, but showers and drizzle will dry off quickly. You’re right, it’s not designed as a waterproof. The “wicking” performance makes the Top more comfortable and quicker drying when worn in active use. It’s reasonably light but also tough, and will resist stowing and packing. All of this makes the Top very versatile across a wide range of conditions and activities. Hope this helps. Best regards, Tim Jasper
I’m still a bit confused about this item. How much weather protection does it actually provide? I can understand that it’s not designed for a downpour, but what about – say – steady light drizzle? It certainly looks nice and it’s impressively compact and light.
My favourite Rohan item is the Blue/ clay top overhaed top- can’t read the label it is white now but the size says unisex ! this has been such a useful top goes any where, folds into the pocket and then has a waist strap. i ripped the front and cried as it was not replaceable and was no longer smart enough to travel with. However repaired with a patch it is indespensible for cycling and walking I hjave even replaced a piece of the velcro which i prefer having small wrists poppers are always too loose and let the rain in. This top is even showert proof think the fabric is like the bags it certainly dries quickly. So i hope the new Goa hoodless will be as good so I can start again and look smarter. i won’t part with it though it is great to garden in!
I have used Rohan overhead jackets since I bought a Moving on in 1987, which I still use!
I have also had Movi, Olfio, NewOlfio Backpacker Rush and even a limited run Axiom.
These are all great tops. (I have 15 of these variants, I just went and counted them all!)
There are lots of advantages to a hood. Pull the hood up when walking across town, be it Milton Keynes Marakesh or Addis Ababa and you will be left alone, just put your hands in the pockets and your head down. Absolutely invaluable.
Pull the hood over a hat on a cold day whilst peering through a telescope waiting for a rare bird to arrive, and you won’t be shivering when it does.
The backpacker top is my absolute favourite design, but if it had a rear pocket, and longer sleeves, so I could use it cycling and carry even more if I had to, and it was available in fabric options, ie fabulously light for some conditions but tough and gnarly for others you would have a class leading allround top and I would have quite a few more.
Dear Julia. Thanks for the feedback. Next spring (and this autumn) there are some brighter, less “dreary” colours. We all need some anti-recession cheering up! And thanks for the comments on the fit. We are beginning to offer some larger sizes on the women’s garments from this autumn too. Let me know what you think, if you would.
Dear John. Good news! Khombo is back from this September. Not exactly the same, but we think better. Exactly the same concept. It’ll be called Kombi. Let me know what you think when you’ve had a look.
Best regards, Tim
I still wear my Moving On for days in the hills–the roll up sleeves are a boon. Replaced my Olfio with a newer one from EBAY last year. You cannot beat over the head wear!!!
Just found this website! I too love the Rohan stuff, but would also like to see more wearable-to-workable stuff as we are not ALWAYS climbing mountains!!! My only critisism is of the women’s range – the last two years have had some awful dreary colours – I understand to a certain extent why, but sometimes whilst out walking it’s good to be able to bee seen, not always to blend in? Also, the sizes in the blouses are very small! I am a good size 16 and couldn’t get many of the blouses to fasten even in the XL. I also buy the men’s trousers as the women’s are to ‘hippy’ in the cut! Glad to see you also now have shorter leg lengths. Other than that, keep up the good work, and let’s have some orange in the women’s range too!!!
Have you ever thought of taking back the Khombo Pullover? I have two of these but they are looking a bit tatty now.
Dear Jemima. Many thanks for the great feedback and suggestions. I’d like to rise to your challenge – but life’s not quite that simple here… Great ideas though and plenty of food for thought for us, so keep an eye on what we come up with. Glad you’ve found your Rohan so useful. I’m staying younger longer too! Best wishes. Tim
Hello Tim (Design Director),
I love the whole concept of Rohan clothing. I have a few of the Bags trousers & shorts but I buy the Mens Bags as I find the cut easier to wear as they are less nipped in around the waist! The fabric is fantastic & more could be done with it!!! Why not bring in a straighter but narrow cut leg with a wider straighter waist, all pockets as with original style but in Black with black zips. These would be perfect city break trousers that can be worn day to night.
I love the Shimmer shirts which have a gorgeous subtle sparkle to them and are made from a textured fabric which NEVER needs ironing and are perfect to wear in the evening. Please continue to supply these increasing the colours & keeping the fabric texture fine & delicate. Perhaps vary the design to a short cuffed sleeve as well. The body shape is perfect worn over trousers.
I would like to see a womens Bag Shirt with short & long sleeves in clay, navy & pink!!
I challenge you to create a “capsule wardrobe” made from the Bags Fabric in Black to include straight leg trousers, A line skirt (below knee or unhemmed so as to choose your own length, or two lengths offered!) worn with a Rohan silky white T shirt perfect city hoping clothes. A shimmer, shower proof jacket/mac something unlined, that has a black Rohan Bags chunky zip with elasticated cuffs & packable. Not too much to ask haha. Basically practical meets stylish sophistication.
I don’t always go travelling to climb mountains or walk through deserts but require the same practicality as those who do! I only ever travel with a small bag so its all got to be practicle & interchangeable.
As for hoods on jackets, well I love the New womens style Goa, its a little younger and that’s a good thing. Don’t forget that we are staying younger longer.
Jemima
Hi Dejay,
Erm, it must be advancing age, but I can’t remember all the details of the Voyager… I do remember it was a wind top with useful pockets, so I guess the short answer is that it is pretty similar to the new Goa Top. Fabric specification will definitely have improved since the Voyager days.
I have a Voyager top – remember that Tim?
What’s the difference ‘tween it and the Goa top lookalike.
Dejay
Good choice Jonathan. I just got myself one in Pimento and wore it to travel out on my current trip here to Asia. The Pimento is a good colour for reuniting yourself with lost colleagues at the airport as you stand out nicely… Looking forward to trying the same effect out on the hills soon. Just one drawback to the design! – the front pocket is so huge you end up weighed down by passport, documents, wallet, phone, pen and all the other travel paraphernalia that seems to build up and slow you down…
Just ordered this in Pimento, about time there was a greater choice of colours for Goa tops. Will be perfect for wearing to work on cool,blustery and dry days like today and my hiking trips to Morocco and Turkey this year.
I agree with Tim that the Goa without a hood is better. Most of us rarely put up a hood in day-to-day use – even when it is raining. If you are on top of the mountain eating your sarnies you will – but walking down the High Street few men will raise a hood.
Not sure whether it has already been discussed, but i hate velcro on Rohan products – it always tangles with other synthetic products (as well as ruining silk ties).
So down with velcro…………..my Goa jacket has stud fastenings at the wrist – much, much better.
Why don’t you produce the Goa in white? A few years ago you did a lovely lightweight sort of rainproof goa-style over the head top in white which I loved – but so did someone else and it was nicked to my huge disappointment. None of your similar products since have been available in white which is a great summer colour. Could you produce the Goa or something similar again, in white? Yours, in ever hopeful anticipation, Lynne Walker
Hi Tim,
Thanks for the open response. I don’t for a moment think that Rohan is a hoody brand – so I would push for functionality above all else.
I generally buy Rohan products for travel/every day wear or use in the hills, but find a good level of cross over bewteen the two (Icelander trousers are a god send on a cold winters day – on the hill or at work if I am field based).
I guess in my world it is far simpler, I choose on the basis of whether I personally like it or not (usually based on fit, functionality and price (oh and colour). I don’t have to be concerned with things like marketing, brand protection, price points and manufacturing costs – I like any design/engineering it i achieving the best compromise fo all these aspects.
May be consider a roll away hood for the future.
Kind regards, James
Hi Jt – why no hood
It’s a good question. Now I look back on these designs it’s one I ask
myself too.
It’s true that a hood is a very practical and useful feature and we do
like consistency – if it’s sauce for the goose it should be sauce for
the gander.
But when we prototyped the men’s with a hood we got a fair bit of
feedback that the Top started to look a bit too “trendy” and
“hoody-ish”. Women were much less concerned about this. And as it’s a
well-known, scientific fact that women feel the cold more than men they
were adamant that the protection the hood offered outweighed any other
“fashion” concerns.
What do you think? Is Rohan a hoody brand..? Should we stop worrying
about this kind of thing and just keep on doing the best thing
functionally? Let me know what you think, please. Thanks.
Personally, I like the Goa Top without a hood. It’s lighter, more
streamlined, doesn’t get caught under a rucksack, or fill with wind and
act as a drag brake when cycling…
Best regards, Tim Jasper
I still have an original Goa in blue. I also have it’s forerunner, the Moving-On, in red and blue. A personal preference, I buy mine one size larger and this allows plenty of room for mid-layers, etc, or purely for the added unrestricted movemement. Both get stuffed in the bottom of day bags etc and go all over the place. They have both seen active service on dive sites around the world, had lots of wear and still look great. One still looks brand new and the other has ‘character’.
If you are reading this kids, the dust coloured one looks great and it is nearly Father’s Day.
Looks great, but why doesn’t the men’s version have a hood as well? Just the thing for keeping the wind off, especially if it is big enough to go over your climbing helmet as well.
its great to see over the head coming back. I am a fan of over the head tops. The pockets are always so much better. I think they are more practical.
Love the top I like the over the head design, one for the shopping list.
Really like the look of the new Goa top its great to read about it early. I am a fan of over the head tops so it looks right up my street. This is on my shopping list.