Date: May 8, 2004 
Manufacturer
Information
Name: Ex
Officio
Website: www.exofficio.com
Product
Information
Product Tested: Ex Officio Men’s BUZZ OFF Convertible Pant
Year of Manufacture: 2004
Fabric Description: Nycott
fabric-100% nylon, 3 oz/sq yd (102 g/sq m), treated with
Permethrin
Color: Khaki (light brown); also available in Cigar (dark brown)
Size: Men’s Medium Long
Weight Listed: None
Weight as Delivered: 9.9 oz/281 g
MSRP: $79 US
Product
Description
Ex Officio
specializes in outdoor and travel clothing. The Convertible Pant is a
member of Ex Officio’s new BUZZ OFF Insect Shield garments.
The following descriptive information is from the manufacturer’s
website and product literature. The Insect Shield treatment is
Permethrin, which repels mosquitoes, ticks, ants, flies, chiggers, and
midges or no-see-ums, (more on Permethrin below). It lasts for 25
washings, and the manufacturer advises against retreating the garment
with other Permethrin insect repellent products. Product features are
listed in the Initial Report section. Appropriate uses are paddle
sports, fly fishing, hiking/camping, resort travel, and urban
travel—anywhere insect and sun protection are needed.
Information
On Permethrin
I did some internet research on Permethrin (the BUZZ OFF Insect Shield
treatment) to find out more about it. Permethrin is an odorless
synthetic analog of a naturally occurring insecticide Pyrethrin from
daisy chrysanthemum flowers. In the formulation that is applied to
clothing (approximately 0.5%), Permethrin is essentially non-toxic to
humans. It is poorly absorbed by the skin (< 2%) and is rapidly
inactivated by skin esterases. There is no evidence of accumulation in
the body, and it has not been shown to be a human teratogen (cause
malformations of an embryo or fetus),
mutagen, or carcinogen.
When applied to clothing it chemically bonds to clothing fibers as it
dries, thus its persistence through multiple washings. Manufacturers of
spray application Permethrin products (0.5%) for clothing recommend that
for best total protection from biting and bloodsucking insects,
Permethrin clothing treatment should be used in combination with a slow
release DEET formulation on the skin. This is standard practice for the
US Military in situations where there is high risk of insect-borne
diseases.
Initial
Report
Product Arrival—Ex Officio knows how to impress. The product
arrived by FedEx overnight delivery in an attractive flip top cardboard
box. The Pant was packaged in a plastic sleeve with an easy open
closure. Also included was an abundant amount of product information on
the BUZZ OFF technology and garments available. They even included a
business card for their marketing/public relations representative and a
BUZZ OFF ball-point pen with floating insects inside (printed on a
plastic strip, not real ones).
Quality and Construction—My wife is an expert seamstress, so I
had her look the garment over for construction quality. She said the
workmanship is impeccable, which is quite a compliment from her. The
fabric has a slightly fuzzy feel, and feels light and airy. There were
no loose threads, frayed edges, or any blemishes or defects.
Features—The Pant is
wrinkle resistant, lightweight, moisture wicking, quick drying, peach
textured, and has a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) of 30+. It has a
partial elastic waist with belt loops (no belt included), a side
security zip pocket, a key pocket, two side cargo/hand pockets, and two
back pockets with hook & loop flap closures. There is a large inseam
gusset for comfort. The legs have 9 in/23 cm zippered openings to allow
the pants to be pulled on over hiking boots. The legs zip off to convert
the pants to shorts. The Pant is available with a short, regular, or
long inseam.
Fit—This Pant has a trim fit. The size medium-long fits me
perfectly (my normal pant size is 34 in/86 cm waist and 34 in/86 cm
inseam). The waist elastic stretches slightly, so wearing a belt with
these pants is optional for me. The front rise (top of pant to the
joining seams at the crotch) is very comfortable and non-binding, thanks
to the large inseam gusset. The legs extend 2.5 in/6 cm below my ankles,
but I like the extra length so the pant legs don’t ride up above my
boots when I step up. Articulation is very good; when I raise either leg
to waist height with my knee bent 90 degrees, the pant leg slides
smoothly without binding and rises about 2 in/5 cm above my ankle. The
legs fit over my boot tops ok, but they tend to ride on top of my boots
somewhat. For me, the diameter at the ankle could be 1 in/2.5 cm larger.
Measurements—Waist (unstretched) 32 in/81 cm; front rise
(including gusset) 15 in/38 cm; inseam 32 in/81 cm; total length 43
in/109 cm; leg circumference where legs zip off 22 in/56 cm; bottom hem
circumference 16.5 in/42 cm, and ankle zips 9 in/23 cm long.
BUZZ OFF First Impressions—The garment has an attractive and
noticeable “BUZZ OFF Insect Shield” label on the edge of the right
rear pocket flap. This is bound to generate questions from curious
people who notice the label—pretty good marketing! I cannot detect any
odor whatsoever from the Permethrin Insect Shield treatment. The garment
looks, smells, and feels like any other outdoor clothing without the
Insect Shield treatment. If it were not for the label, I would not be
able to detect that the garment has an insect repellent treatment.
Drying Time—I wetted one leg of the Pant and it dried very
quickly, in less than half an hour.
Washing Instructions—Label instructions read: “Machine wash
warm; no bleach; tumble dry low; iron low/delicate setting; wash with
like colors; do not dry clean.” The product literature also states
that the garment can be ironed, starched, or pressed without any adverse
effects, and should be washed separately using standard laundry
detergent.
Test
Plan
Test Locations—I will test the Ex Officio Convertible Pant in a
variety of terrains and climates. This spring I will do numerous trips
in the canyon country of Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. During the
summer I will do numerous trips in the high mountains of Colorado. I do
not have any major travel plans to far distant locations. The testing
environments will consist of: desert brushlands, badlands desert, canyon
country, pine forest, montane forest, and high elevation alpine country.
I will also wear the pants while doing gardening and yard work.
Test Conditions—Expected climatic and weather conditions
include: dry and arid, intense sun, strong winds, dust storms, heavy
rain, snow, low temperatures, high temperatures, and high elevations
with intense UV radiation. In each location there are plenty of bugs.
The bugs are already out in Utah (mosquitoes, no-see-ums, and biting
flies) and will soon be the norm in Colorado. For doing gardening and
yard work, no-see-ums are a problem after sunset. West Nile Disease,
carried by mosquitoes, is currently a major concern in Colorado.
How the Pant Will Be Used—The Pant will be used very little for
casual and social wear. It will mainly be used for hiking and
gardening/yard work at home. Wearing time as pants and as shorts will be
about equal. Overall, the Pant will get a lot of use in the backcountry
and will get sweaty and dirty. Testing will be conducted under normal
use, using appropriate care to avoid abuse. This will not be a test to
challenge the product to see if I can make it fail.
Fundamental Questions—The product literature is vague on the
issue of whether or not DEET is needed on exposed skin when the BUZZ OFF
garment is worn. The full Pant protects the legs, but when the legs are
zipped off, do the shorts provide insect protection for my exposed legs?
The highest priority questions to be answered in this test are: 1) For
what environmental conditions, insect types, and insect density levels
does the BUZZ OFF technology work without needing supplemental DEET (or
other repellent) on exposed skin? 2) For what environmental conditions,
insect types, and insect density levels is supplemental DEET on exposed
skin needed for adequate protection? Other fundamental questions are: 3)
How long does the insect protection last? 4) How broad is the comfort
range of the Pant? And 5) How durable is it in terms of resisting stains
and abrasion?
Observations and Data—This test will be mostly subjective, and
performance will be measured in terms of personal comfort, i.e., not
being bitten and feeling comfortable while hiking and doing yard work.
My goal is to test the Ex Officio Convertible Pant in a wide variety of
terrains, climates, weather conditions, and bug conditions. I will carry
a notebook on my trips and record my observations while I am in the
field, then transcribe them into a trip report when I get home. I will
also take a thermometer with me to record the actual temperatures. Data
I will record daily are: 1) how the Convertible Pant was worn each day,
2) my exertion levels, 3) temperatures, 4) estimated wind speed, 5)
estimated humidity, 6) altitude, 7) precipitation (including what form),
8) type and amount of bugs encountered (on a scale of 0 –10), and 9)
my comfort level (on a scale of 0-10) in terms of not being bitten by
insects and my hiking comfort. Recording these data on a daily basis and
then writing a trip report will ensure that my evaluations are accurate
and consistent.
Factors Evaluated—The specific factors I will evaluate are as
follows:
Performance: How does the Pant repel bugs of different types and
densities? How well does it repel bugs when I have bare skin exposed?
Under what conditions is supplemental DEET needed, if any? How
comfortable is the Pant to wear at different temperature and exertion
levels? What is its comfortable temperature range? How comfortable is it
in hot weather? How much cool weather insulation does it provide? How
comfortable is it in windy conditions? When it gets damp or wet, how
long does it take to dry out?
Versatility—How well does the Pant function in a variety of
outdoor activities and weather conditions?
Ultralight Use—Does the Ex Officio Convertible Pant have a good
balance between durability, functionality, and light weight?
Usability And Durability—How tough is it, i.e., how well does
the Pant hold up under “normal use”? How abrasion and snag resistant
is it? Is the Pant machine washable without shrinking and is it wrinkle
resistant? I will keep track of the number of washings and pay close
attention to the Pant’s ability to repel insects over time.
My
Expectations For The Ex Officio Buzz Off Convertible Pant
Following are my
expectations for the Pant, stated as hypotheses. I will test these
hypotheses to determine if they are true or not, and present my findings
in my reports.
- The Pant’s BUZZ OFF
treatment will repel a variety of insects in a broad range of
situations without the need for supplemental DEET on exposed skin.
- Only in severe insect
conditions will I need to apply DEET on exposed skin to obtain
adequate protection.
- The BUZZ OFF Insect Shield
will last at least six months or 25 washings.
- The Pant will be high
quality with adequate reinforcement in stress areas, and will be
sized well and fit comfortably. (True. The quality and construction
are excellent. The bottom of the pants could be a little larger in
diameter to fit over boot tops.)
- The Ex Officio Convertible
Pant will be comfortable to wear and will have a broad comfort
range.
- The Pant will dry out fast
after getting damp or wet. (True)
- The Ex Officio Convertible
Pant will be very versatile and perform well in a variety of outdoor
activities.
- The Pant will be a
lightweight and functional component of an ultralight backpacking
system.
- The Ex Officio Convertible
Pant will be adequately durable under normal use.
- The Pant will
repeatedly machine wash, following instructions, without shrinking,
fading, or retaining stains.
Tester Information
Tester: Will Rietveld
Email: willi_wabbit@bresnan.net
Male
Height: 6 ft (1.83 meters)
Weight: 170 lb (77 kg)
Age: 61
Measurements: Waist 34 in/86 cm, inseam 34 in/86 cm
Location: Southwest Colorado, USA
Backpacking Experience: 46 years
Backpacking Skill Level: Advanced
Backpacking Style: Ultralight (5 years)
Personal Website: Southwest Ultralight Backpacking
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Ex Officio and the BackpackGearTest Group for selecting me to participate in this test.
Will Rietveld
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