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Reviews > Clothing > Shirts > Chill Angel Sereni Tee > Test Report by Alyssa Kimber

Chill Angel Sereni-Tee

Test Series by Alyssa Kimber

Tester Information
Name: Alyssa Kimber
Age: 25
Gender: Female
Height: 5' 10" (1.8 Meters)
Weight: 130 lbs (59 Kg)
Email address: alyssakimber at hotmail dot com
City, Province, Country: Fernie, British Columbia, Canada

Backpacking background: I started backpacking last year after moving from the prairies to the Kootenay region of British Columbia. I’m relatively new to backpacking but I have significant outdoors experience having enjoyed camping and day hiking for many years. My trip length is generally one to three nights and ranges from prairie hikes to mountainous terrain. I am a 3-season hiker at present but I plan on extending my trips into the winter season as I pick up more gear. My pack weight varies depending on the trip, but I tend to sacrifice weight savings for comfort.

Initial Report

July 9, 2018

Product Information & Specifications
Manufacturer: Chill Angel, LLC
Year of manufacture: 2018
Manufacturer web site: https://chillangel.com/
Size Tested: Small
Available Sizes: X-Small, Small, Medium, Large, X-Large
Colour Tested: Silver
Available Colours: Black, Silver, Spring Green, Blue Jay
Actual Weight: 4.5 oz (128 g)
MSRP from web site: $89.00 USD

Sereni-Tee The Sereni-Tee arrived in good condition. The package included the shirt, a Chill Angel brochure, and a personalized letter from the founder of the company, Betsy Seabert. The shirt is Silver in colour with a grey stitch and made of 100% superfine Merino Wool, 200 gm jersey knit (see photo). A Chill Angel logo tag is sewn onto the bottom hemline and printed on the back of the shirt at the neckline. The shirt has a loose fit (but not too loose), short sleeves and a curved hemline with flatlock seams. The shirt is described on the Chill Angel website as a pajama tee that is super soft, highly breathable, dissipates heat, removes moisture from the body and eliminates the chill from sweat. The website also suggests the tee can double as active wear.

The personalized letter included with the tee describes Chill Angel as the first sleepwear collection to offer merino wool sleepwear for sleep disruption that results from night time body temperature fluctuations. Merino wool has temperature-regulating and moisture managing properties that are not only beneficial for active sports but also traveling and creating an optimal sleep environment.

Care Instructions
The care instructions are printed on the inside of the shirt and are pretty straightforward. Machine wash cold gentle. Dry flat, no bleach, do not dry clean.

Trying It Out

I tried the shirt on and was happy to see it fit me perfectly. Being on the taller side, I am always concerned when ordering size small that the product will be too short. I was happy to see this was not the case with the Sereni-Tee. The tee fits close enough to my body that I still have shape, yet it is still loose and comfortable. The fabric feels very soft against my skin. I have slept in it the past five nights straight and have not had any problems waking up due to heat fluctuation (which I often do). After five nights of use the shirt does not smell or even look like it has been worn.

Initial Impressions
I was very happy to find that when I tried on the shirt it was true to size. My first impression of the shirt was "wow this is really soft!" I am so used to wool clothing being itchy that I expected it to itch even though it is described as a soft and comfortable shirt on the website. After feeling how comfortable and soft the shirt was I honestly did not want to take it off which is what led to me wearing it to bed five nights in a row!

I was also impressed the founder of the company would take the time to include a personalized letter with the package, but I am not sure this would be typical practice for every consumer.

Summary
My initial impression of the Sereni-Tee is excellent. The Sereni-Tee fit true to size and is amazingly soft and comfortable. I've worn it to bed five nights in a row and have noticed no odour and I have not had any problems waking up due to heat fluctuation. I'm really looking forward to trying out the shirt on the trail.

Pros
1. Super comfortable
2. Fits true to size
3. Made of Merino Wool (temperature regulating and wicking)

Cons
1. None yet

Field Report

September 20, 2018

Field Report Test Locations and Conditions

During the field test period I have worn the tee on two backpacking trips, one overnight car camping trip, two day hikes, as well as various trail runs and while sleeping and lounging at home. All my trips were located in the East Kootenays, British Columbia or the Crowsnest Pass region of Alberta. My trips were in mountainous terrain with vegetation typical of subalpine forest and alpine conditions. Elevations ranged from 3300 ft (1000 m) to 8000 ft (2400 m).

Location of Trip #1: Window Mountain Lake near Blairmore, Alberta
Length: Day trip
Distance: 7 km (4.5 mi)
Day Pack Weight: 5 lb (2.3 kg)
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 28 C (82 F)

Location of Trip #2: Top of the World Provincial Park, British Columbia
Length: 2 days, 1 night
Distance: 28 km (17 mi)
Elevation Gain: 1300 m (4300 ft)
Pack Weight: 30 lbs (13.6 kg)
Day Pack Weight: 5 lb (2.3 kg)
Weather: Partly Cloudy
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 10 to 29 C (50 to 84 F)

Location of Trip #3: First Peak near Jaffray, British Columbia
Length: 1 day, 1 night
Distance: negligible - car camping
Weather: Partly Cloudy, thundershowers in evening
Precipitation: about 2 mm (0.1 in)
Temperature: 15 to 31 C (59 to 88 F)

Location of Trip #4: Spineback and Goldilocks Trail near Fernie, British Columbia
Length: day hike
Distance: 9.5 km (6 mi)
Elevation Gain: 750 m
Day Pack Weight: 5 lb (2.3 kg)
Weather: Mostly sunny but smokey
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 20 C (68 F)

Location of Trip #5: Ralph Lake, Height of the Rockies Provincial Park, British Columbia
Length: 3 days, 2 nights
Distance: 22 km (14 mi)
Elevation Gain: 1350 m (4400 ft)
Pack Weight: 35 lbs (16 kg)
Day Pack Weight: 5 lb (2.3 kg)
Weather: Overcast and rainy
Precipitation: about 5 mm (2 in) plus scuff of snow
Temperature: about -5 to 18 C (23 to 64 F)

Testing also included several trail runs totalling about 20 km (12.5 mi) and about 10 nights sleeping at home.

T-shirt Shrinking and Customer Service

The tee was accidentally thrown in the dryer fairly early on in the test period. I had used the tee at home and on a few trail runs but had not yet used it hiking. The tee came out of the dryer slightly misshapen (side seams were twisted so one seam was slightly in front of the body and one seam slightly behind the body) and the tee had shrunken slightly. I also noticed some pilling and the tee didn't feel as soft. I emailed Chill Angel customer service to ask for suggestions for returning the tee to it's original condition. Chill Angel responded within 8 hours and recommended I wash the tee again with a gentle detergent in cold water and air dry. They also suggested steaming the tee. I don't own a steamer but I did follow their suggestions to wash the tee again in cold water and air dry. I made sure I shaped the tee as best I could while it was still wet. I found this helped quite a bit in restoring the tee to its shape before shrinking. I think the tee is still a little bit smaller than when it arrived but it was designed to be loose so the new size doesn't bother me. I was a little disappointed the tee did not restore it's softness and still looks pilled. However, it's still comfortable to lounge around and sleep in. Chill Angel followed up within 3 days to inquire if the steps had helped.

Performance in the Field


After receiving the shirt I wore it for about 5 nights sleeping at home and then on a trail run. I loved the how soft the shirt was for lounging and sleeping. When I wore it on the trail run it was a hot day (29 C/84 F) and I thought the shirt felt a bit "heavy" for the heat. The tee was definitely ready for a wash after sweating in it. After the trail run was when I shrunk the shirt (see above experience). The below photos are of the shirt at the trail run (left) and on Spineback trail after drying the tee (right).

tee_before    tee_after

I continued to wear the shirt on a few more trail runs and while backpacking and dayhiking. Overall, I find the tee too heavy to wear in hot temperatures. The tee does well at wicking away sweat from my body, but I find the tee feels heavy and wet when I'm sweating, compared to other wicking shirts I own (you can see in the photo below the shirt "hanging" due to the weight of the sweat). If I stop sweating, the tee takes about an hour to dry out in the sun. I find the tee itchy when I'm sweating while also wearing a backpack, especially on my chest. I find the pack keeps the tee pressed against my skin, which, when combined with heat and sweat, starts to make me itch.

sweat

I've worn the tee once in cooler temperatures (Ralph Lake trip) and I thought it worked well as a base layer. On this trip I also experimented with wearing a wicking tank top underneath the shirt, which I found was more comfortable and prevented the itching. The thickness of the tee was appreciated in the cooler temperatures as I felt it kept me warmer.

I find there is usually an odour on the tee after sweating in it once, but it can go about two rounds of sweating without a wash. On a backpacking trip, I'll plan to wear the tee while sleeping and then as my day shirt on the hike out, so I don't have to worry about drying it out or sleeping in a stinky shirt.

I feel the tee has worsened in condition with each wash. I've washed the tee about six times and after the first shrinking experience, I feel the shirt has continued to pill and softness has not returned. I tried to capture a photo of the pilling below. I do suspect this is largely due to drying the tee in the dryer the first time. The condition does not make the tee unwearable by any means, but it is disappointing knowing how soft and smooth the shirt was when it first arrived!

pilling

In addition to wearing the tee during strenuous activity, I've also continued to wear the tee while sleeping at home. I haven't woken up sweating once while wearing the tee to bed, which is a great accomplishment as I often do sweat in the night.

Long Term Report

November 19, 2018

During the long term testing period I've worn the tee on two days hikes, while sleeping at home, and as an extra wicking layer while out biking and running in cooler temperatures.

Location of Trip #7: Silver Spring Lakes near Elko, British Columbia, Canada
Length: Day trip
Distance: 4 km (2.5 miles)
Day Pack Weight: 5 lb (2.3 kg)
Weather: Sunny
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 10 C (50 F)

Location of Trip #8: Silver Springs Overlook near Elko, British Columbia, Canada
Length: Day Trip
Distance: 6 km (3.7 miles)
Day Pack Weight: 5 lb (2.3 kg)
Weather: Sunny
Precipitation: None
Temperature: 4 C (39 F)

I was able to test the tee in cooler temperatures during the long term test period so it acted as a warming base layer rather than a cooling wicking layer. The tee is comfortable to wear as a base layer with a long sleeve or tank top underneath and it kept me comfortably warm in cool fall temperatures. I also find the tee comfortable to wear while sleeping. However, I still find the tee itchy when sweating during physical activity. I find the tee is best suited for cooler weather outings as it feels too heavy in hot weather.

The tee is in similar condition to that described in the field report. It has not worsened nor have I been able to restore it to it's original condition which was softer, slightly larger and with no pilling. There are no snags, holes or fraying after four months of use. The only "wear" is a result of accidently drying the tee in the clothes dryer.

I've enjoyed testing the Chill Angel tee over the last four months and will continue to enjoy wearing the tee in the future, particularly while lounging, sleeping or out in cool weather.

Summary

Pros:
1. Wicks away sweat
2. Works well as a base layer in cool weather
3. Regulates my body temperature while sleeping

Cons:
1. Feels heavy in hot weather
2. Itchy when I'm hot and sweaty
3. Did not keep its softness (might be attributed to drying the shirt in the clothes dryer)


Thank you Chill Angel and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test this product. This concludes my report of the test.



Read more reviews of Chill Angel gear
Read more gear reviews by Alyssa Kimber

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