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Reviews > Clothing > Base Layers and Undies > Patagonia Capiline 1 Silkweight Crew > Owner Review by alex leggPatagonia Capilene 1 Silkweight Crew
Owner Review by Alex Legg October 27, 2011  Picture from http://www.patagonia.com Reviewer Information: Name: Alex Legg Age: 30 Gender: Male Height: 6'4" (1.9 m) Weight: 195 lbs (88 kg) Email address: alexlegg2 AT yahoo DOT com City, State, Country: Tucson, Arizona, USA Backpacking Background: I grew up backpacking in the Rockies. I hike ranges near Tucson, Arizona during winter, Colorado during summer. I carry a light pack, mostly water. I tend to camp with a tarp whenever possible to reduce the weight of my two person tent. Primarily I do day hikes, but I am known to spend 5 days out. Temperatures range from extreme winter to 100 F (38 C), and elevation from 2000' (600 m) to 14,000' (4,300 m). I bag a mountain every weekend, and walk my dogs daily through deep sand and overgrown mesquite trees in our local washes. Product Information and Specifications: Manufacturer: Patagonia, Inc. Year of Manufacturer: 2011 URL: http://www.patagonia.com Listed weight: 4.2 oz (119 g) Actual weight: 4.3 oz (122 g) Size: L Available sizes: XS - XXL Color: Black Available color: Black, Channel Blue, White, Mango, Watercress. MSRP: $45.00 Product Description: The Patagonia Capilene 1 Silkweight Crew shirt is the lightest baselayer that Patagonia makes. They claim that it can keep me cool and dry while protecting me from the sun with 15-UPF. I have yet to get a sunburn while wearing it, and I can attest it's the breathability and quick drying claims. I often sweat a lot while hiking, even in cool temperatures, and its important for my clothes to allow moisture to escape without being absorbed into the fabric. I wear this shirt by itself mostly, but it is ideal as a base layer on those cold days and nights. It is tightly knit, and allows little heat to escape. It is snug and form fitting. The collar fits tight as do the cuffs at the wrist, also adding to the warmth that can be contained. The shirt is very comfortable even though it is not as soft as cotton. The offset shoulder seams are supposed to give me a full range of motion and pack wearing comfort. Considering this is one of my go to shirts, I'd say that it's pretty comfortable with a large or small pack on. I never feel as though I have limited motion while wearing this shirt, if anything it feels like an extension to my own skin. Patagonia states that 3.4 oz (96 g) of the shirt is composed of 100% recycled polyester containing Gladiodor odor control. This is good due to the fact that I tend to get pretty stinky on the trail. I have noticed that I will take the shirt off and I smell terrible, but the fabric doesn't hold the odor the way my body does. Pretty cool feature. Field Conditions: I have been wearing the Patagonia Capaline Silkweight Crew shirt a lot since I first got it. This is a shirt that I use regularly at home as well as while in the backcountry. When the weather is cool in the house I will throw it on first thing every day while I get my morning chores done. If I am in the backcountry it's likely that I will sleep in the shirt for added warmth. I like having the barrier from the cold when I first get out of my sleeping bag. I have had it on in temperatures ranging from 25 F (-3.8 C) to 65 F (18.33 C), and in elevations from 2,000' (610 m) to 13,000' (3,962 m). This shirt has experienced rain, sleet and snow as well as beautiful sunny days. Performance: This is a highly performing shirt. It is not only the best baselayer I have worn to date, but it also serves as a great single layer all on its own. It is warm yet breathable, with great wicking abilities and fast dry time. I have not experienced any sun burning through the fabric, even after multiple days hiking on bright sunny days, as well as while working outside for 8 to 12 hours at a time. I would say that the 15-UPF does its job. This is my go to shirt to combat the morning chill of my uninsulated house, as well as the night time chill of the great outdoors. I probably get more use out of this piece of clothing than most anything and it still looks new. I have washed it hundreds of times without much thought. It just goes in the wash with like colors, then goes through a tumble dry cycle. I use a non-toxic, all natural detergent, but I think the shirt would still be fine with any regular detergent. I have never had any shrinkage issues, and it keeps coming out nice and clean. I like how form fitting the shirt is and how little cool air penetrates the Capilene. The sleeves never ride up my arm and expose me to the elements, and the bottom of the shirt as well as the collar have kept their integrity and shape far better than I expected. Nothing has become stretched out over extensive use. When the shirt has gotten saturated either by me or by the sky, I have found it to dry exceptionally fast, often while I am still wearing it. Sometimes I will take it off if I get too sweaty, and throw it over my shoulder. Within minutes it dries up as though it was never wet. After being caught in the rain, I have hung the shirt on a chair to dry and been astonished by how quickly it is perfectly dry again. Summary: This shirt has been tested on many occasions over the last year. It is a great piece of gear! Patagonia has created a product that has me sold to the point that I don't think I will every buy a baslayer from another company. All of the manufacturer's claims have been addressed and proven factual through my use. No sunburns, great odor control, and it keeps me warm while retaining breathability. The Capilene fabric has great wicking abilities, and dries very fast. It seems to pull moisture out from within, and dispel it into the atmosphere. I am very pleased with how quickly it dries after I sweat too much or get rained on. The Gladiodor garment odor control seems to hold up to even my most stinky days. I notice that I smell worse than the shirt most times. It's amazing to take off a shirt and immediately smell the scent of dirty locker room coming from my skin, then hold the fabric to my face and almost smell nothing at all. Even if it does hold onto a bad scent, a few hours hanging out in the wind will return it to a more manageable odor. The shirt keeps its integrity of shape and tightness after many many uses. It is still as tight and form fitting as it was the day I purchased it. It has not gotten stretched out by repetitive use or shrunken by the hot clothes dryer. It holds up to the toughest of tests, and keeps its composure. Pros: 1. Great wicking ability. 2. Odor control. 3. 15-UPF sun protection. 4. Form fitting and warm. Cons: 1. Not as soft as cotton. 2. I don't have more of these shirts. Read more gear reviews by alex legg Reviews > Clothing > Base Layers and Undies > Patagonia Capiline 1 Silkweight Crew > Owner Review by alex legg | ||||