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Reviews > Clothing > Base Layers and Undies > Gordini Lite LS Crew or Princess > Test Report by Nathan Kettner
TOP GORDINI BASE LAYER
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TESTER INFORMATION
I'm a medium weight backpacker, meaning my pack usually weighs 30-35 lb (13-16 kg), and I generally hike a moderate pace and mostly in mountainous terrain. I almost always use a tent (lightweight when backpacking, wall tent when hunting). I'm a weekend backpacker and make lots of day trips and single night outings, plus a few week-long backpack trips. All of my outings have been in the beautiful and rugged Rocky Mountains of Colorado and Wyoming since I started backpacking in 2004.
INITIAL REPORT
PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS
Manufacturer: Gordini INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
The top was packaged in a sharp looking orange box (see pic below). The first thing that struck me as I pulled them out of the box is how really lightweight they were - in fact, I can almost see through them. The material is very soft and stretchy and is advertised as Lavawool (registered trademark of Gordini USA), a fabric that is supposed to have, "The warmth of Merino wool + comfort of fleece." Printed on the inside of the collar, the construction is listed as a blend of 88% polyester and 12% Merino wool. READING THE INSTRUCTIONS The only instructions are the care instructions which say, "Machine wash cold, tumble dry low. No bleach." TRYING IT OUT When I first put the top on, I was happy to note that the sleeves were sufficiently long for my long arms and I had a free range of motion without the sleeves pulling up my forearms. On the down side, I could feel the stitching on the back of my shoulders, but this may just be due to the stitches running from the armpit to the collar, rather than the standard seam running down the top of the shoulder and around the sleeve at the arm pit. I'll have to see if it is noticeable after wearing it in the field. TESTING STRATEGY
I plan to wear this top, under whatever else I need to stay warm and dry, on several day snowshoe trips and at least one overnight snowshoe trip. The average temperature will vary significantly, from lows near 0 Degrees Fahrenheit (-12 Degrees Celsius) to highs near 70 Degrees Fahrenheit (21 Degrees Celsius), with elevations from 6,300 - 13,500 Feet (1,920 - 4,100 Meters) above sea level. I'll be using the following criteria to evaluate this top: SUMMARY - 25 October 2008
As far as I can tell, this top should be just right for my snowshoe trips when I don't need too much insulation because I'm generating enough body heat, but have to have a good moisture-wicking base layer to keep me comfortable. FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
I've had the Gordini top for a little over two months now and have worn it on 3 or 4 sledding trips and one 2-mile (3.2 km) along the Front Range of Colorado, at about 6300 ft (1920 m), and on a Christmas tree cutting expedition up to 8500 ft (2600 m). The sledding trips all saw temperatures just slightly below freezing and the tree cutting trip was slightly colder, around 15 F (-10 C). During the sledding outings, I worked up a sweat pulling the sleds and kids up the steep hills, while the 2-mile (3.2 km) hike and tree cutting were accomplished at a more leisurely pace. PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
I wore the Gordini top under a zippered long sleeve tee, and in temperatures near freezing, that combination would be perfect without any additional insulation. However, the sledding trips required a waterproof (snowproof?) outer shell to keep from getting wet. And during my more casual outings, a third, windproof outer layer was definitely required. SUMMARY - 13 January 2009
Overall, I really like the feel of the Gordini top because it is a soft, warm, lightweight baselayer. It will be my first choice for a baselayer in future outings. LONG-TERM TEST LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
Since I filed my Field Report, I've had the pleasure of wearing the Gordini base layers on many cold days around town, but most interestingly, I wore them on two snowshoeing trips. The first trip was in the Lost Creek Wilderness of central Colorado where the trail starts at about 8,000 ft (2400 m). A friend and I ascended just over 2,000 ft (600 m) in 5 hours of steady climbing in nearly untouched snow and temperatures in the 20's F (-6 to -1 C). We took turns breaking trail, but the sweat factor was high whether I was in the lead or not. PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD
On my snowshoe trips, the only time I realized how much I was sweating was when I took my backpack off and the wind could get to my sweat-soaked back. The rest of my body stayed pleasantly dry and relatively warm because of the wicking properties of the Gordini base layers. SUMMARY - 14 March 2009
Since I have been wearing the Gordini baselayers, I have started to take for granted the comfort and warmth provided by the lightweight, soft, and strechy Lavawool. I think this shirt will be the standard by which I judge all other baselayers. CONTINUED USE Since this shirt looks almost as good as the day I received it more than 4 months ago, even after many uses and trips through the washing machine, I expect that I will wear it for years to come and then I'll have to get another one. This report was created with the BackpackGearTest.org Report Writer Version 1. Copyright 2009. All rights reserved.Read more gear reviews by Nathan Kettner Reviews > Clothing > Base Layers and Undies > Gordini Lite LS Crew or Princess > Test Report by Nathan Kettner |