Reviews > Clothing > Shirts > IBEX Journey Long Sleeve Crew > Test Report by Robb Pratt

IBEX JOURNEY LONG SLEEVE CREW
TEST SERIES BY ROBB PRATT
LONG-TERM REPORT
June 06, 2022

CLICK HERE TO SKIP TO THE FIELD REPORT
CLICK HERE TO SKIP TO THE LONG-TERM REPORT

TESTER INFORMATION

I backpacked sporadically growing up and rediscovered it back in 2011. Since then, I've taken several weekend trips a year. I also car camp with my family roughly a dozen nights a year when we use tents unless I can convince them I might snore and it would be better for all for me to use my hammock rig. I prefer a light pack (weight without food or water under 20 pounds / 9 kg). My backpacking stomping ground is northern Michigan that has small hills and I typically camp late spring, summer and early fall months.

INITIAL REPORT 12/29/2021

PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: Ibex Brands LLC
Year of Manufacture: 2021
Manufacturer's Website: Ibex Outdoor Clothing
MSRP: US$98
Measured Weight: 6.8 oz (194 g) for Size Large
Other details:
The Ibex Journey Long Sleeve Crew shirt is made of 89% merino wool. The wool is natural moisture wicking and also odor resistant which makes it an ideal, breathable top-layer. Furthermore, Ibex notes that the material is good for "thermoregulating" and that the fibers are known to keep sheep comfortable between temperatures -4 to 95F (-20 to 35C). The remaining 11% is nylon which is used to increase durability. Overall, the fabric weight is 150 gm2 (18.5 microns) which puts this in the lightweight category and great for a baselayer. The actual fabric comes from Australia while the garment is made in Vietnam. Ibex also has quite a bit of information on the tag (as well as their website) about pursing processes that are Carbon Neutral to help the environment and that this garment is Carbon-Neutral Certified.

The Journey Crew shirt comes in sizes for both men and women (as well as long and short sleeve styles). For sizing, the women come in sizes from XS to XL while the men's sizes range from S to XXL. There are also five different shirt colors for both women (black, soft moss, terracotta, sea green and sophora japonica) and men (olive, midnight navy, sophora japonica and evergreen). I received a men's large shirt in Evergreen. e

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS

The packaging that the Ibex Journey Long Sleeve Crew shirt arrived was a cardboard bag with the Ibex logo on the front. Inside, the shirt was placed in a simple, clear plastic bag that was sealed with a slightly sticky tab.

I especially appreciated both of these. The latter because the clear bag wasn't sealed so firmly that I had to risk using a sharp knife or scissors close to my new shirt and the latter because I was able to recycle the shipping bag easily.

After I removed the shirt from the bag, I studied it closely. The fabric had a very soft feel to it. I found the green color to be very vibrant and solid. My wife will especially appreciate it because some of my other lightweight merino wool shirts are partially see-through and she strongly believes hairy man-nipples are something not to be shared with the general public.

From a construction standpoint, the seams are clean and stitching is very precise. I did not find any loose threads that needed clipping which is an idicator to me of good craftsmanship. I also really liked the Ibex branding emblem that was embroidered on the left forearm.



My only complaint is really the tag that comes with the shirt was placed through one of the seams with a small metal clip the size of a pin. I carefully removed it but I can still see a little stress at this one seam, located in the armpit. I will keep an eye on that over the testing period.

CLEANING INSTRUCTIONS

Cleaning instructions are printed in English right above all the mysteries laundry symbols that I usually enjoy making fun about. For simplicity's sake, I'll summarize that they are the same that I use on all my other merino wool gear:
* Machine Wash Cold
* Do Not Use Fabric Softeners
* Do Not Bleach
* Line Dry
* Cool Iron if Needed

TRYING IT ON

From a fit standpoint, it fits me perfectly. I would refer to my body-size as an *average* large size for shirts and this is exactly what I received. It is not over or under-sized at all. The length of sleeves was at the end of my wrists, right where I would expect it to be.

As for the color, I again appreciated the vibrant forest green as one of "my colors". The shirt looked very good on me even if my pictures don't do the color justice.

From a fabric feel, it felt a little itchy for the first 10-15 minutes but after moving around in it, that feeling went away and I only felt the softness of the fabric.

SUMMARY

The Ibex Journey Long Sleeve Crew shirt is a great looking light-weight, merino wool shirt. It appears to be well made and has a comfortable feeling to it. I'm looking forward to testing it outside in the cold weather as well as taking it on a few hikes in the spring.

FIELD REPORT 3/19/2022

FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS

* Trip (1/28/2022 o 1/30/2022) - Camp Teetonkah near Jackson, Michigan, USA for 3 days, 2 nights. Temperatures ranged from -9 to 20F (-23 to -7C). This also was a base-camping event but as usual, I packed as if it was a backpacking trip and walked in to the site from my car. My pack weight was approximately 35 pounds (16 kg), which is heavier than I normally bring but with the excessively cold weather I brought extra gear.

* General usage - Also worn for a ski trip, a sledding adventure as well as just to the gym for "sweat test".

INITIAL PERFORMANCE

Before I started wandering off into the woods on a cold, blistery night - I decided to have some fun with this shirt. One of the things I try to do during the winter months is get some exercise at the local gym. For me, I usually set a tough uphill pace to really work the blood.

In this case, 15% uphill grade, over 40 minutes at 3 mph (4.8 kph)

Two Days At the Gym

On the left is me wearing a cotton shirt and I was very sweaty around the neck, torso, armpits and of course, my face. The second picture (taken the next day) is the exact same situation and I'm happy to report that while I'm still sweaty around the face, the Ibex Journey shirt wicked the perspiration away from my torso and only a trace amount of sweat was located in the armpit.

To continue this avenue of testing, I placed both shirts in a crumpled heap in a corner of my bedroom and left them there for a week. At the end of that time period, I noted the cotton shirt could have likely gotten up and walked away on its own. It was not something I wanted to wear. In contrast, the Ibex Journey Long Sleeve Crew shirt had no noticeable stench and also had not picked up any wrinkles.

Without washing the Ibex shirt (I promise this was for testing purposes and absolutely not a sign of laziness on my part), I wore it several times over the next few weeks as my baselayer for a day ski trip as well as a sledding adventure that lasted several hours. For both events, I was comfortable with my clothing choice and while I did exert a lot of effort, I never did get noticeably cold. I did not take any pictures of the shirt though as it was hidden. My normal layering system consisted of the Ibex Journey shirt, a fleece sweatshirt and an insulating coat that also acted as a windshell.

While I have only gone on one winter camping trip, I used the Ibex Journey Long Sleeve Crew shirt as part of my sleeping layer (on first night) as well as my daytime shirt. It performed exceedingly well. The first night out was the coldest I have ever camped outdoors at -9F (-23C) and that is without windchill. I threw every trick I had read and heard about to stay warm - from hot water bottles, to multiple sleeping quilts and even a reflective sheet. I managed to sleep comfortably. From a clothing standpoint, my torso only had the Journey shirt on until late into the night when I added a sweatshirt. During the daytime, I added a winter coat.

Camping Site

While pictures again would not do a good job of showing the Ibex Journey Long Sleeve Crew shirt, I've added a picture showing my "nest" for the weekend.

SUMMARY

The Ibex Journey Long Sleeve Crew shirt is a lightweight merino wool shirt that I love wearing. Over the last few months, I have worn it approximately 20 times. It is very stylish and fits me perfectly. It does not feel itchy at all against my skin. It also does a great job of wicking sweat away from my body and when it does get wet, it dries out very quickly and does not hold in odors. Lastly, I really appreciate how it does not wrinkle when left in an unfolded heap. It has also not developed any holes or signs of wear.

I always try to find something negative to say and I've struggled to come up with something - anything - and the only thing I can come up with is I wish they made a few other colors like red or purple.

LONG-TERM REPORT 6/6/2022

LONG-TERM TEST LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS

* Trip (4/22/2022 to 4/24/2022) - Kensington Metro Park in Milford, Michigan, USA for 3 days, 2 nights. Temperatures ranged from 43 to 78F (6 to 26C). We had a lot of rain on Friday night. This was a hike-in camp for me but I also took a 5 mile (8 km) hike on Saturday. My pack weight was 20 pounds (9.1 kg).

* Trip (5/13/2022 to 5/14/2022) - Kensington Metro Park in Milford, Michigan, USA for 2 days, 1 night. Temperatures ranged from 55 to 83F (13 to 28C). We had no rain but packed up and left Saturday evening as a huge Thunderstorm was set to hit. I did not hike for this camping trip as the intent was to practice cooking skills over an open fire.

* Trip (5/20/2022 to 5/22/2022) - Yankee Springs Recreational Area near Hastings, Michigan, USA for 3 days, 2 nights. Temperatures ranged from 52 to 84F (11 to 29C). Friday night had an intense thunderstorm with a recorded rainfall of 0.82 inches (2.1 cm). The terrain was packed dirt and sand. I did not hike for this camping trip as the focus was on fishing.

* Trip (5/28/2022 to 5/29/2022): Manistee River Trail in Brethren, Michigan, USA for 2 days, 1 nights. Temperatures ranged from 52 to 81F (11 to 27C). The weather was overall beautiful though quite a bit muggy on the second day. The terrain was packed dirt, some sand and lots of tree roots. My pack weight started at 25.6 pounds (11.6 kg) and slowly reduced over the length of the trip. I hiked the entire trail of 20 miles (32 km) over the two days.

PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD

Overall, I have had a lot of time to test out the Ibex Journey Long Sleeve Crew shirt. During the four different trips I've taken, I have used it mostly in the evenings or as a sleeping shirt. During the daytime, I have used it during cooler weather, but I have found that once the day heats up (greater than 75F / 24C) and muggy with high humidity, I would start bunching the sleeves up to my elbows until I eventually switched to a thinner short sleeve shirt.

During nighttime, I have found the Ibex Journey Long Sleeve Crew shirt to be very comfortable to sleep in. I have not had any issues with it being itchy and when it has gotten wet a few times, it has dried incredibly fast. Granted, I haven't taken it swimming but some of the rainstorms were pretty fierce and even a quick jog out to the nearest tree at night left it more than damp but the way my body heat dried it, I never had to wait long to return to my hammock nest.

After a Great Night Sleep

As far as cleaning it, I promised myself I would wash it after my field report. I really did mean to but then it sat on my shelf and I got sidetracked. When I went to pack up for my April trip, it passed what I politely refer to as "the sniff test". It had no odor at all so off it went into the pack. That's in spite of even using it as an exercise shirt once at the gym.

After that, it became a challenge to see what would happen if I sweat in it or got it wet from splashing around in one of the creeks or running through the rain briefly and then letting it air dry. My wife would tell me that's laziness. I call it commitment to testing.

I was able to take a good backpacking trip over the last weekend in May and after that, I finally did decide to wash it. Not because it was dirty or had any noticeable odor but just because I was feeling guilty that I really should wash it. I cleaned it the same way I clean all my other camp clothing - cold water with detergent only (no softener). I hung it up to air dry later so it didn't experience dryer heat. It still looks the same though now it smells a bit more clean. For a drying time, it was under an hour.

After washing and all the times I've worn it, I inspected it closely. It has no signs of wear, holes or even pilling up that sometimes happens with wool cloths. From a durability standpoint, I give it a two thumbs up.

SUMMARY

Overall, I really love the Ibex Journey Long Sleeve Crew shirt. It is stylish and I like the green color. It has a high level of quality in it and I have found it to be very durable. It also does a great job of not absorbing any odors and dries quickly.

When I look at my various gear that I pack up for a trip, I've found that over most camping and backpacking trips, I really do enjoy having a long sleeve shirt with me. During summer months, I sometimes only take short sleeve shirts but having tested the Ibex Journey crew shirt during the fall, winter and spring months, I have found I really enjoy it and will be packing it on future trips, especially when I head to northern Michigan for another backpacking trip in July.

This concludes my Long Term Report. Thank you to both BackpackGearTest.org and Ibex for allowing me to test the Journey Long Sleeve Crew shirt.

Reviews > Clothing > Shirts > IBEX Journey Long Sleeve Crew > Test Report by Robb Pratt