SmartWool
Women's
Lightweight Zip T
Owner Review by Andrea Murland
March 13, 2012
Tester Information
Name: |
Andrea Murland |
Email: |
amurland AT
shaw DOT ca |
Age: |
26 |
Location: |
Elkford
& Kimberley,
British Columbia, Canada |
Gender: |
Female |
Height: |
5 ft 2 in (1.57
m) |
Weight: |
125 lb (57 kg) |
I began hiking frequently in 2006 and have
since hiked in Western Canada, Australia, and spent 2 months
backpacking in the Alps. I spend most weekends either day-hiking or on
2-3 day backpacking trips, with some longer trips when I can manage
them. I also snowshoe and ski in the winter, but don’t have a lot of
experience with winter in the backcountry yet. Elevation is typically
500-3,000 m (1,600-10,000 ft), in the Canadian Rockies and the Selkirk,
Purcell, and Monashee ranges. I try for a light pack, but I don’t
consider myself a lightweight backpacker.
Product
Information
Manufacturer: |
SmartWool |
Manufacturer's
URL: |
www.Smartwool.com
|
Year of
Manufacture: |
2008 |
Model: |
Women's
Lightweight Zip T |
MSRP: |
USD $85.00 |
Colour: |
Chocolate Print
(no longer available) |
Other Colours
Available: |
Sunrise, Teal,
Claret, Imperial, Black |
Sizes
Available: |
XS, S, M, L,
XL
|
Size Reviewed: |
Small |
Listed Weight: |
None
|
Measured
Weight: |
170 g (6.0 oz)
|
Description
The SmartWool Lightweight Zip T is a long-sleeve, pullover merino wool
baselayer with a front zipper. It has a 6.3 cm (2.5 in) collar, and
the zipper is 20.3 cm (8 in) long. The Zip T is sewn with flatlock
seams for comfort and has a dropped hem at the back for better
coverage. The SmartWool logo is screen printed onto the left sleeve.
Field
Conditions
I purchased the SmartWool Lightweight Zip T in 2008 and it has been my
primary baselayer since then. I have worn it countless times while
downhill skiing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, and ski touring. In
the summer, I wear this layer for hiking and climbing. I usually end up
wearing it to sleep on overnight trips, unless it’s really warm in the
summer and I’m not wearing long sleeves for some reason. It has also
spent a lot of time stuffed in my pack as a “just-in-case” layer. In
the winter I usually wear it as my baselayer, and in the summer I
usually wear it on top of a tank top or t-shirt so that I can take it
off or put it on as the temperature of the day changes. Overall, I’ve
probably worn this shirt several hundred times, and it’s in the laundry
for about 2/3 of the loads that I wash. I’ve worn/carried it in
conditions down to -35 C (-31 F) and up to 30 C (86 F), and in
everything from
sunshine to snow and rain. I always hang it to dry.
|
Review
Comfort & Fit:
The Zip T is very comfortable and fits me well; there’s a reason I wear
it most often of all my layers! It is fitted without being tight, and
slides on easily. The wool is soft and comfortable, though I
occasionally have an itchy day. Granted, I have itchy days in other
clothes too...thank you low humidity! The flatlock seams are
comfortable when I wear the Zip T under another layer.
Warmth & Breathability:
The Zip T is very functional. In the summer it’s the layer that I use
for temperature control in the shade or as temperatures drop, before I
reach for heavier insulation. I can also hike in it without getting
ridiculously hot, and it gets rid of moisture rapidly and dries quickly
once wet. In the winter it breathes well, quickly transporting moisture
out towards my outer layer. Even if damp, the layer is warm and
comfortable. Dumping heat by undoing the zipper works well, especially
when there’s a bit of a breeze (either natural or from my motion). I do
find that the dark colour can be a challenge in the summer, as it heats
up in the sun. I will note that the Zip T offers little resistance to
mosquitoes, so I often have to find a thicker layer to cover up with in
camp.
A great example of this shirt working well for me was just this past
weekend. I was already wearing it from a Search and Rescue call when
another call came in. The ZipT handled the sweaty adrenaline rush
&
gear-gathering, the cooling off while jumping in the helicopter, the
sweating as I tried to keep my stomach contents in my stomach while the
helicopter was circling the windy ridge, the sweating as I skied and
bootpacked my way to the top of the ridge, the cooling off while we
waited for an avalanche assessment, the sweating while trying to skin
down a narrow track backwards, the cooling off while rigging ropes, the
sweating while pulling ropes during the rope rescue, the cooling off
while we took down all the ropes, the sweating while we cut down trees
by hand for a helicopter landing pad, and finally the cooling down and
shivering while attempting to sleep in a cold snowpit for a few hours.
I was thinking about the other 6 layers I had on and off at some point,
but this layer remained warm, comfortable, and never felt cold, wet, or
clammy, so I didn't have to think about it at all.
Durability:
The Zip T has held up very well to abuse over the past 3.5 years. I
haven’t noticed any fading or thinning of the fabric, though I also
don’t have a new one to compare to. There is some pilling at the seams,
but no loose threads. There are two holes and runs in the fabric, one
on my lower back, and one on my right sleeve. The screen printed logo
on the sleeve is starting to peel off, but I’m not too worried about
that.
Summary
The SmartWool Lightweight Zip T is a functional, comfortable,
flattering baselayer that handles moisture and temperature control
well. I will continue to wear it until it completely falls apart!
Thumbs Up:
Breathable
Comfortable (not itchy!)
Good durability
Thumbs Down:
Little bug resistance
Small holes starting