DryShirt UK Prowik Short Sleeve Shirt

Tester series by Josh Cormier

Picture from DryShirt UK website

Initial report: 6-Aug-08

Field report: 29-Oct-08

Long term report: 6-Jan-09

Personal biographical information:

• Name:  Josh Cormier
• Age: 28
• Gender: Male
• Height: 5’ 11” (1.80 m)
• Weight: 155 lb (70 kg)
• Email address:  swifteagle1 at hotmail dot com
• City: Los Gatos, California
• Date: 6-Aug-08

Backpacking background:

I joined the Boy Scouts when I was 11 and have been camping and backpacking ever since. I like to do challenging trips ranging from week long to weekend in mountainous areas. I would classify my gear as mid weight although now I am trying to move more toward lightweight. I now go backpacking at least once a year in the Sierra Nevada Mountains as well as monthly car camping trips with the Scouts.

Product Information: (information taken from DryShirt UK website)

- Manufacture: DryShirt UK

- Manufactures web site: http://www.dryshirt.co.uk

- Item Description: DryShirt UK Prowik Short Sleeve Shirt

- Size: Medium

- Color: Titanium

- Material: 100% Nylon Helix micro fiber knit

- Features: Invasan AM 110 Anti Microbial anti odor system, 100% Made in U.S.A. insures quality and product safety, UPF 50+ sun protection rating, Stain release and anti static properties ensure comfort

- Listed Weight: None Specified

- Measured Weight: 5.8 oz (164 g)

- Year of Manufacture: 2008

- MSRP: £19.00 GBP ($39.44 USD)

- Item Received: 30-July-08

Initial Report - 6-Aug-08

Product Description:

The shirt arrived in a clear plastic bag with no markings whatsoever on it. The shirt was the color (Titanium) and size (M) I had requested, it looked just as I expected it from the pictures on the website. When I opened up the bag and removed the shirt, I noticed that the shirt had no tags on it either. On the right sleeve is printed ProWik and inside the shirt below the collar is printed “ProWik”, the shirt size, material, and washing instructions. The washing instructions state: “Wash in mild detergent in cold water. Hang dry out of direct sun”.

First impressions:

The first thing I noticed about this shirt was the lack of static. Even though it had been shipped in a plastic bag, I could detect no static discharge or clinging. However I did notice that when I removed it from the packaging it had creases in it from being folded. These creases stayed in the shirt until I wore it for a while, then they disappeared. I took the shirt off and laid it out, the next day there were creases in it again. Once again these creases came out after I wore the shirt for a while.

The feel of the shirt fabric is soft and is very comfortable to wear. It feels somewhat silky and cool to the touch, the cut of the shirt is comfortable as well. The collar fits close to my neck but does not constrict, the sleeves hang off my shoulders but are not too long giving my arms free and unrestricted movement. The shirt fits loosely but is not too long, and is light and comfortable. All the seams look to be well constructed and secure and there are no nits or picks in the material. I also like that there is no tag in the neck to irritate me as it rubs.

I am happy with the quality I see in this shirt and am eager to test it on my next backpacking trip.

Field Report - 29-Oct-08

Field Conditions:

I have worn this shirt many places, around the house, to bed at night, camping near the ocean at Half Moon Bay and day hiking in Morgan Hill, CA.

I wore this shirt on a day hike in Morgan Hill, CA, elevation 350 – 1,402 ft (107 – 427 m). The climate was sunny and warm with no clouds in the sky and a temperature of 78 – 82 deg F (26 – 28 C). The terrain was brushy with rolling hills and loose dusty dirt.

I also used this shirt on a 3 day 2 night camping trip at Half Moon Bay State Park. The elevation ranged from 0 – 100 ft (0 – 31 m) and the temperature ranged from 55 – 76 F (13 – 24 C). There was a slight mist one night during this testing period, and some fog. The area was a sandy beach with some small trees, shrubs, and a grassy area where I placed my tent.

Field use:

First I have to say that this shirt is comfortable to wear, I never feel confined or restricted in movement when I have it on. It feels cool to the skin not heavy or damp like a cotton shirt might. The one thing that bugs me about this shirt is the wrinkle factor. If I have the shirt lying out or hanging up there is not wrinkle to be seen. If I fold the shirt or scrunch it in my hands for a few minutes, it looks like I’m living out of my car. Fortunately to remove the wrinkles I only have to lay it out, hang it up or wear it for ~15 minutes and the wrinkles disappear.

Fit – My measurements are 19.5 inches (495 mm) across the shoulders and 37 inches (940 mm) around the chest. I ordered a medium shirt which is for chest sizes less than 36 inches (914 mm) and is supposed to fit loose. The shirt fits me fine and is not tight at all; the shoulder seams even hang an inch (25 mm) beyond my shoulders. I have worn the shirt with a backpack on my back and have not noticed any rubbing or chaffing from the seams or collar. The seams are still holding after many uses and the collar does not look worn. There are some small picks on the front of the shirt that pull the thread making the shirt bunch a little in the area. These are minor and not very noticeable, but I’m not sure how they got there.

Moisture/odor – Hiking in Morgan Hill built up some sweat but the shirt did a good job of wicking the moisture away from my body and allowing the air to circulate. When I finished hiking I was fully expecting to have sweat stains on my shirt but there were none. The shirt also did not smell strongly after the hike which is a testament to the anti odor properties designed into it. After the hike I was able to wear the shirt into a pizza parlor without worrying about sweat stains or my hiking odor.

Washing – Washing the shirt has not posed any problems and I have not seen any deterioration of the shirt due to washing it. I have not placed the shirt in the dryer yet since it says to hang dry and the shirt dries pretty quickly once it is hung out. I have not tried washing it by hand and hanging it out to dry to see how easy they wash and dry in the field yet.

Long Term report: 6-Jan-09

Field Conditions:

I wore this shirt at Planet Granite. This is an indoor rock climbing area were all levels of climbs can be found. The temperature was about 65 deg F (18 C) inside.

 I got in a good long day of testing this shirt while snowboarding in Tahoe, California elevation 7,000 – 7,700 ft (2134 to 2347m). The climate was sunny but cold with a slight wind 20 – 38 deg F (-6.7 to 3.3 C). The terrain was mountainous with trees, lots of snow, and ice.

I also go to wear this shirt for several days in Austin, Texas elevation ~ 500ft (152 m). The temperature ranged from 70 – 96 deg F (21 to 36 C) with high humidity.

The shirt was comfortable to climb in and it did not bind or constrict my movements. It also did not cling to me which I really like because when I move it allows air to flow between the shirt and me.  I was sweating but I could tell that the shirt was helping to wick the moisture away from my body. When I was finished the shirt did have an odor but it was not noticeable from a foot away.

I wore this shirt as my base layer when I was snowboarding all day. Over it I wore a fleece and a waterproof but breathable jacket. This shirt was an excellent base layer; it was cool and comfortable to the skin and provided excellent air circulation underneath all my layers. Even though I was sweating I never felt like my shirt was wet or cold. In fact once I got out there I never really noticed the shirt. That’s important because it means the seams did not push on me, the material did not irritate me, and the shirt did not constrict me. I’d say it’s a good sign when my gear works and I don’t have to think about it.

I did get a chance to hand wash the shirt, which was pretty straight forward. I swished it around in the water and squeezed it into a ball a few times. Then I took it out of the water and squeezed it dry. I did this a few times until the water came out of it clear. Then I stretched it out to dry in the sun. It did not take long to dry but when it was finished it was wrinkled like always. Washing it with just water did get it somewhat cleaner but did not remove all odors from the shirt. Looks like it's going to take soap to get it completely clean.

I really like this shirt, as I said before it’s cool and comfortable to wear, its light weight and does not stain easily. After many washing in the machine the shirt is starting to show some small fuzzing and what looks like one small pick. Still the shirt is in good condition; all the seams are holding and the material still looks good. I have enjoyed testing this shirt and will continue to use it on my outdoor adventures.

Dependability:

Does the fabric stretch or sag over time?

- No

Does the shirt resist snagging?

- Somewhat, I did develop a pick in mine but I’m not sure how

Does the shirt resist wearing from rubbing against my backpack?

- Yes, the area under the backpack straps does not show any more wear than the rest of the shirt

Efficiency:

Does the shirt keep me from chafing?

- Yes

Will the shirt keep me warm even if it gets wet?

- I would say, it’s more that the shirt does not make me cold when it gets wet

Does the shirt provide enough air circulation to keep me reasonably dry during hard hot hikes?

- Yes, it does an excellent job of this

Does the shirt stay fresh smelling even though I may not?

- Reasonably

Ease of Use:

Does the shirt wash out easy by hand in water?

- Yes, but water alone will not remove all of the odor

If the shirt gets wet will it dry quickly?

- Yes

This concludes my Long Term Report. Thank you to DryShirt UK and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test this shirt.