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Coolibar Travel Shirt
Long Term Report - November, 2006
Contents
Reviewer Information [return to top]
Name: Chuck Kime
Nickname: Fuzzy
Age: 40
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 8" (1.72 m)
Weight: 250 lb (113 kg)
Email address: chuck_kime AT yahoo DOT com
City, State, Country: Upper Darby (Philadelphia suburb), PA, U.S.A.
Additional Information applicable to this test
Neck: 18”+ (46 cm)
Shoulders: 56” (142 cm)
Girth at chest: 57” (145 cm)
Chest: 46” (117 cm)
Waist: 40” (102 cm)
Hips: 46” (117 cm)
Torso: 21½” (55 cm)
Backpacking Background [return to top]
My family started car/trailer camping when I was about 5. After 17 years in the Army Reserve fine-tuning my packing methodology I was down to a fairly respectable 75-80 lb (34-36 kg) load in my ALICE pack. Advancing age, arthritic knees and injuries have led me to seriously rethink my gear choices, experiment with tarps and hammocks, make some of my own gear, and look closer at my ‘toys’ with an eye for multi-use and light weight. I now have a sub-30 lb (14 kg) 3-season load, and should be able to reduce it well under 20 lb (9 kg) – before food, fuel and water – without much more effort.
Additional Information applicable to this test
I have been wearing shirts for… lesseee… twelve times four… plus three… carry the one… oh, over 40 years now. I prefer synthetics over cotton for my hiking/camping shirts, but have not yet tried wool. I also wear my ‘technical/hiking’ clothing at other times, so as not to increase the storage space I require by having duplicate items, and to give me increased testing opportunities.
Product Information [return to top]
Manufacturer: Coolibar
Model: Travel Shirt
Year of Manufacture: 2006
URL: http://www.coolibar.com
Listed weight: None
Measured weight (size XXL): 9.1 oz (258 g), scale accurate to 0.1 oz
Color: Cactus Green
Other colors available: Stone, Cloud Blue, Fog White, Desert Tan
MSRP: $59.95 US
Features/claims (from web site) [return to top]
- Combining the innovative features a globetrotter needs with the sun-protective features a savvy traveler depends on, our Travel Shirt includes a discreet but easy-access zip security pocket, triple-fold collar for neck protection, and hidden mesh ventilation that allows air to circulate. Fabric wicks away moisture and is wrinkle-resistant for day-after-day wear. Made of dri SUNTECT™ rated to block 98% UV.
Description [return to top]
The Travel Shirt is constructed from dri SUNTECT, Coolibar’s 100% Polyester. The shirt has two-button cuffs, button-through sleeve plackets, and a hidden-button-down collar, as well as two chest pockets with hook-and-loop flaps, plus bellows on both sides and center of each pocket. The Travel Shirt has a “triple-fold collar” which can be extended to cover even more of the neck when the collar is turned up. The back of the Travel Shirt is lined with 100% Coolmax Mesh Polyester. A similarly vented section occurs at the back of each sleeve, as well as in front of and behind each side seam.
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For a much more detailed description, please see my Initial Report.
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Field Testing [return to top]
Our Boy Scout troop camps monthly, generally in the wooded areas of southeastern Pennsylvania and the Pocono Mountains. Almost all of these outings included a minimum of 2 nights of camping, with temperatures from lows around 28 ºF (-3 ºC) to highs around 105 ºF (41 ºC) with fairly high humidity creating a heat index of 115 °F (46 °C) during the 4-month test period. Elevations ranged from sea level to approximately 1,500’ (457 m).
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Since my Field Report, I took some hikes around the Valley Forge and Gettysburg battlefields, as well as spending a weekend on/around the Appalachian Trail in New Jersey, all in generally wooded areas with elevations as noted above. The shirt served me well, being comfortable under a jacket in lower temperatures around 40 °F (4 °C) and alone in upper temperatures around 75 ºF (27 ºC).
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I have also worn the shirt to the office several times, and was quite happy with the results there. It is cut like a regular shirt, but helps keep me cooler in an environment where everyone but me thinks putting on a sweater at work is not necessary when the thermostat can be turned up.
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Things I was looking for:
- Fit. Does it fit me? My chest puts me in the size category for the XL, while my waist and neck (and, possibly, shoulders) put me in XXL – I prefer slightly too big to slightly too small. Does it move well with me?
- Fabric. Is it durable? Does it stretch? Does it fade? Is it windproof? Does it pill, pull, or snag readily?
- Comfort. Does it stick to my skin if I am wet/sweaty? If so, does it bind or inhibit my movement? Does it itch?
- Packability. How packable is the shirt? I plan to put it in a relatively small pocket on my pack when I’m not actually wearing it (shouldn’t be often).
- Does it dry well? Does it hold much dirt in the first place?
- Durability. Does it stand up to wear and washing? Does it pill, pull, or otherwise abrade significantly under normal circumstances? If not, how long does it take for this to happen?
- Ease of washing. Would it be easy to wash in a trail town, for example? Are there particular washing instructions that must be followed? Does it dry quickly?
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My findings:
- Fit. The Travel Shirt seems to be sized to fit loosely, as I found myself swimming in the XXL. I returned it for exchange with an XL.
- Fabric. The fabric is somewhat difficult – though not overly so – to breathe through, although the quantity and volume of vents sort of render the shirt un-windproof.
- Comfort. No complaints. None. Nada. Zero.
- Packability. This stuff is thin and light. If I am not concerned about wrinkles, it gets pretty tiny.
- Durability. The shirt was worn for about half the day for 5 straight days, plus another 5-10 days throughout the test. I had a pack on about 50% of the time I wore it. No pilling, fuzzing, or other noticeable wear.
- Ease of washing. The shirt was worn for 5 straight days, with only cold water and a little hand soap for washing. It has exactly one small stain from some tree sap that I haven’t managed to completely remove, but it is on the back below the belt line – tucked in while in town, and not a concern on the trail. I have washed it at home (machine wash/hang dry) since summer camp, and it continues to look good and dry fast.
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Things I like [return to top]
- Very light.
- Comfortable to the touch.
- Well made with lots of details.
Things I don't like [return to top]
- Sizing. It is cut much more generously than I expected. Would not be an issue if I tried it on in a store.
- The fabric is a little prone to wrinkling when packed down tightly. This is only an issue – and a very small issue, at that – when I wear it to work.
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Summary [return to top]
This is a nice shirt, comfortable and well made. I will be taking it on all outdoor trips, as well as any vacation traveling.
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Thank you for your time.
Chuck Kime
a.k.a. Fuzzy
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