Reviews > Clothing > Shirts > ODLO Fli Mid Layer > Test Report by Nancy Griffith

ODLO FLI MID-LAYER
TEST SERIES BY NANCY GRIFFITH
LONG-TERM REPORT
May 01, 2022

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

TESTER INFORMATION

My outdoor experience began in high school with a co-ed scout group which made a 10-day canoe voyage through the Quebec wilds. I've been backpacking since college in Pennsylvania. I have hiked 1/4 of the Appalachian Trail and 2/3 of the Pacific Crest Trail. My typical trip is in the Sierra Nevada from a few days to a few weeks long. My base weight is lightweight at 15 lb (6.8 kg) while still using a tent, stove and quilt. Longer mileage summer trips are now stoveless.

INITIAL REPORT

INITIAL REPORT February 14, 2022

PRODUCT INFORMATION & SPECIFICATIONS

Manufacturer: ODLO International AG
Year of Manufacture: 2022
Manufacturer's Website: http://www.odlo.com
MSRP: $130 US

Listed Weight: Not Listed
Measured Weight: 6.5 oz (184 g)

Color Tested: Black
Other Colors Available: Siesta, Jaded
Size Tested: Medium
Other Sizes Available: XS, S, L XL

Made in Romania

PRODUCT DESCRIPTION

The Women's FLI Light Mid-Layer is made of 100% polyester. The outside surface is smooth while the inside grid-patterned fleece is brushed for a softer feel. The athletic fit is tapered but not form-fitting. The FLI is designed to have the right amount of warmth, breathability and comfort with a good warmth-to-weight ratio that packs down small. There is a small zipped chest pocket. The main zipper is full-length with a storm flap, a zipper-pull and a zipper-garage at the top.

ODLO has an excellent chart on their website that shows at what temperatures the garment will be comfortable while sitting vs. walking vs. being active. This mid-layer is in their LIGHT category which is listed as optimum comfort in all situations throughout the year. It is supposed to be versatile year-round sports clothing with excellent moisture wicking properties.
Temperature ranges are as follows:
15 to 25 C (59 to 77 F) Standing still
5 to 15 C (41 to 59 F) Walking
-10 to 10 C (14 to 50 F) Active

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS & TRYING IT OUT

My initial impression was how light this layer is. The construction is top-notch and is solidly constructed, but it is incredibly lightweight. The outer fabric makes a solid smooth surface while the inner is small blocks. I can see through the fabric when holding it up to the light and clearly see the block pattern that is on the inside. However, while wearing the mid-layer, the block pattern or see-through quality isn't noticeable at all. I'll have to try it while wearing a white shirt and see if that still holds true.

Since this is more of a shirt than a jacket, there are no hand-warmer pockets. There is a small chest pocket though. It is too small for a cell phone but my tiny wallet fits inside. Again, since the FLI Light is really a shirt, nothing too heavy could be comfortably carried in the chest pocket.

The fit was perfect based on their size chart. I like that the sleeves are slightly long but was surprised to not find thumb holes. I'm just so used to most mid-layers and light jackets (even base layers) having thumb holes that I naturally looked for them. No issue though. The sleeves seem long enough to pull over my hands if needed.

The inner block-pattern fabric has a slight 'stickiness' to it. The dry skin on my fingers sticks to it. I was concerned that the layer would hang up on any layer under it while trying to put the FLI on, but I haven't noticed any issue at all with that.

READING THE INSTRUCTIONS

Washing instructions say to machine wash warm with the garment inside out with like colors. No bleach or fabric softener is to be used. The garment should not be tumble dried, ironed or dry cleaned.

Machine Wash Warm
No Fabric Softener
No Bleach
Do Not Tumble Dry
Do Not Iron
Do Not Dry Clean

SUMMARY

The ODLO FLI Light Mid-Layer is a full-zip shirt that borders on being a light jacket.

Initial Likes:
Very lightweight
Comfortable
Breathable

Initial Questions:
Will I miss having thumb holes?
What will I use the chest pocket for?

FIELD REPORT

FIELD REPORT April 8, 2022

FIELD LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS

I wore the ODLO FLI Mid-Layer on one overnight snowshoe trip, one snowshoe day hike, six day hikes, one mountain bike ride and three morning runs. I also wore the jacket as my primary layer for walks, softball, motorcycle rides and around town.

Snowshoeing/Backpacking:
Shadow Lake, Sierra Nevada, California: overnight trip of 10 mi (16 km); 6,327 to 7,264 ft (1,928 to 2,214 m); 28 to 42 F (-2 to 6 C); sunny and clear

Coldstream Valley, Northern Sierra Nevada, California: 4.8 mi (7.7 km); 5,935 to 6,236 ft (1,809 to 1,901 m) elevation; 21 to 24 F (-6 to -4 C); partly cloudy and breezy

Hiking:
Two hikes on El Dorado Trail, Sierra Nevada, California: 4 mi (6 km) and 5.8 mi (9.3 km); 1,630 to 1,900 ft (500 to 580 m) elevation; 48 to 53 F (9 to 12 C) and 64 F (18 C)

Brown's Ravine Trail, Folsom Lake, California: 4 mi (6 km); 490 to 600 ft (149 to 183 m) elevation; 42 F (6 C)

Monroe Ridge Trail, Sierra Nevada, California; 5.5 mi (8.9 km); 743 to 1,262 ft (226 to 385 m) elevation; 45 to 52 F (7 to 11 C)

Sleeping Giant Trail, Kauai, Hawaii; 4 mi (6 km); 200 to 1,137 ft (61 to 347 m) elevation; 73 F (23 C)

Beek's Bight, Folsom Lake, California: 5 mi (8 km); 472 to 527 ft (144 to 161 m) elevation; 66 F (19 C)

Mountain Biking:
Magnolia Ranch, California: 8 mi (13 km); 562 to 940 ft (171 to 450 m); 34 to 41 F (1 to 5 C)

PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD

I started off the test period wearing the ODLO FLI Mid-Layer along with the ODLO base layers and ODLO Aegis jacket for my activities. As things warmed up, I typically would wear a short-sleeved shirt instead of the base layer and then add the ODLO FLI mid-layer OR the ODLO Aegis jacket atop. But in most cases, I opted for the FLI mid-layer since it is cozier especially if I didn't need any wind or rain protection.

The FLI mid-layer is very comfortable and versatile. I like the athletic tapered fit. The mid-layer breathes fabulously so I rarely got too hot or built up sweat. I also like the look enough to wear it around town and not just on the trails.

I liked having the chest pocket available. Somehow women's pants rarely have pockets (or deep enough pockets) so I rely on my jacket too for additional storage space. I was able to fit my small wallet and a car key in the chest pocket which only left my phone to have to store elsewhere. This is a great feature for something that is a 'shirt'. Even with the weight of those items in the pocket, the mid-layer stayed taut against my body and didn't sag or bounce which would have made it uncomfortable to use.

I probably only washed the mid-layer three times over the test period. I wanted to see how well it resisted odor and I also was wearing it so often that it missed getting into the wash. I didn't notice any odor (amazingly) and plan to wash it more often in the next period to see how it holds up.

On one hike, I brushed by an old piece of jagged wood and it caught and snagged my sleeve. There was fabric that snagged and then the resulting line of pull. When I got home, I pulled the snagged fabric back in from the inside but was left with the pull and a small hole. I was very disappointed because I really love wearing this mid-layer for comfort but also for the fashion. The resulting hole and pull aren't too noticeable but I wish it hadn't happened.

LONG-TERM REPORT

LONG-TERM REPORT May 1, 2022

LONG-TERM TEST LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS

Rain test hike - FLI is underneath

I wore the ODLO FLI Mid-Layer practically every day in April. I wore it on six day hikes and five morning runs. I also wore the jacket for four softball games, walks, motorcycle rides, around town and inside the house.

Hiking:
Two hikes on El Dorado Trail, Sierra Nevada, California: 4 mi (6 km) each; 1,630 to 1,900 ft (500 to 580 m) elevation; 42 to 49 F (5 to 9 C) and 48 to 54 F (9 to 12 C); conditions were cool overcast with a few sprinkles

Three hikes in Auburn Recreation Area, California: 2.5 to 3.5 mi (4 to 5.6 km); 764 to 921 ft (233 to 281 m) elevation; 38 to 52 F (3 to 11 C); conditions ranged from cold and clear to cloudy to rainy

Off-trail Sierra Nevada Foothills, California: 2 mi (3 km); 1,890 to 1,950 ft (576 to 594 m) elevation; 45 F (7 C); steady rain in light winds

Running:
Multiple early morning runs at 1,900 ft (579 m) elevation with minimal elevation change; temperatures started in the upper 30s to low 40s F (3 to 6 C) and a few times warmed into the 50s F (10 to 15 C) as the sun hit; conditions ranged from overcast with light rain to clear and cold

PERFORMANCE IN THE FIELD

Typical layering

Our mild February and March turned more winter-like in April which was perfect for testing. I wore the FLI mid-layer practically every day and usually with a base layer beneath and a waterproof shell atop when going outside. I found myself wearing the FLI inside the house as a cozy layer.

I just love the light weight of the FLI mid-layer while still feeling warm and cozy. It isn't bulky and functions perfectly as a mid-layer. It is so light and easy to pack that I was always willing to toss it in a day pack or even luggage in order to have a layer when needed.

I found the upper temperature ranges listed by ODLO to be spot-on. It shows active use extending to 50 F (10 C) which is just about the point where I would remove the FLI during my running. It lists walking use extending to 59 F (15 C) which is also just about right for me. The low ends of the ranges are another story because it shows the low end of active use at 14 F (-10 C) which certainly doesn't mean (for me anyway) only wearing the FLI as my main layer. At that temperature even with vigorous activity, I would have to wear a jacket overtop. It makes more sense to think of the low end as whether I would even consider wearing the light mid-layer when it is that cold. I would likely choose a heavier warmer layer to keep from having too much bulk with many light layers.

The chest pocket works well for carrying my wallet and car key fob. Even while running, the items don't bounce around in any way that causes discomfort or annoyance. I did miss having hand-warmer pockets for carrying my phone on the days that I didn't need the waterproof shell layer atop (with its pockets). Even though I love thumb holes, I found that the longer sleeve length allowed for hand-warming when needed. So, I didn't really miss having thumb holes.

With perfect rain conditions one afternoon, I decided to test out my rain jacket. I wore the FLI mid-layer underneath with a base layer under it. During the hike, water came through the rain jacket at the shoulders and got a small spot on my shoulders wet. I could feel coolness at my shoulders, but the FLI mid-layer did a great job of still keeping me warm enough. And the water dried from my body heat in no time once I removed the jacket. The fabric of the FLI mid-layer is great for not becoming saturated and for quick-drying.

I washed the mid-layer six more times. One day I was in a hurry and the FLI is supposed to dry flat (not in the machine) but I wanted to wear it. I wore it over a base layer and under a shell. I never noticed any moisture, coolness or clamminess or any discomfort. In fact, I completely forgot about it and next thing I knew the FLI mid-layer was dry. This is an excellent feature especially for backpacking where clothes get wet (from rain or washing) and there aren't always adequate conditions for a thorough drying.

The jacket still looks great. The snag/hole in the sleeve hasn't worsened at all, and I barely notice it anymore. I haven't had any further snagging or issues.

SUMMARY

The ODLO FLI Light Mid-Layer is a full-zip shirt that functions well as a light jacket.

Great:
Very lightweight
Comfortable
Breathable
Longer sleeve length
Chest pocket fits a small wallet and key
Doesn't saturate
Dries quickly

Not-as-great:
Fabric snagged easily

This concludes my Long-Term Report and this test series. Thanks to ODLO and BackpackGearTest.org for allowing me to test this product.

Reviews > Clothing > Shirts > ODLO Fli Mid Layer > Test Report by Nancy Griffith