DryShirt UK Prowik Short Sleeve Shirt

Tester series by Josh Cormier

Picture from DryShirt UK website

Initial report: 6-Aug-08

Field report: 29-Oct-08

Personal biographical information:

• Name:  Josh Cormier
• Age: 28
• Gender: Male
• Height: 5’ 11” (1.80 m)
• Weight: 155 lb (70 kg)
• Email address:  swifteagle1 at hotmail dot com
• City: Los Gatos, California
• Date: 6-Aug-08

Backpacking background:

I joined the Boy Scouts when I was 11 and have been camping and backpacking ever since. I like to do challenging trips ranging from week long to weekend in mountainous areas. I would classify my gear as mid weight although now I am trying to move more toward lightweight. I now go backpacking at least once a year in the Sierra Nevada Mountains as well as monthly car camping trips with the Scouts.

Product Information: (information taken from DryShirt UK website)

- Manufacture: DryShirt UK

- Manufactures web site: http://www.dryshirt.co.uk

- Item Description: DryShirt UK Prowik Short Sleeve Shirt

- Size: Medium

- Color: Titanium

- Material: 100% Nylon Helix micro fiber knit

- Features: Invasan AM 110 Anti Microbial anti odor system, 100% Made in U.S.A. insures quality and product safety, UPF 50+ sun protection rating, Stain release and anti static properties ensure comfort

- Listed Weight: None Specified

- Measured Weight: 5.8 oz (164 g)

- Year of Manufacture: 2008

- MSRP: £19.00 GBP ($39.44 USD)

- Item Received: 30-July-08

Initial Report - 6-Aug-08

Product Description:

The shirt arrived in a clear plastic bag with no markings whatsoever on it. The shirt was the color (Titanium) and size (M) I had requested, it looked just as I expected it from the pictures on the website. When I opened up the bag and removed the shirt, I noticed that the shirt had no tags on it either. On the right sleeve is printed ProWik and inside the shirt below the collar is printed “ProWik”, the shirt size, material, and washing instructions. The washing instructions state: “Wash in mild detergent in cold water. Hang dry out of direct sun”.

First impressions:

The first thing I noticed about this shirt was the lack of static. Even though it had been shipped in a plastic bag, I could detect no static discharge or clinging. However I did notice that when I removed it from the packaging it had creases in it from being folded. These creases stayed in the shirt until I wore it for a while, then they disappeared. I took the shirt off and laid it out, the next day there were creases in it again. Once again these creases came out after I wore the shirt for a while.

The feel of the shirt fabric is soft and is very comfortable to wear. It feels somewhat silky and cool to the touch, the cut of the shirt is comfortable as well. The collar fits close to my neck but does not constrict, the sleeves hang off my shoulders but are not too long giving my arms free and unrestricted movement. The shirt fits loosely but is not too long, and is light and comfortable. All the seams look to be well constructed and secure and there are no nits or picks in the material. I also like that there is no tag in the neck to irritate me as it rubs.

I am happy with the quality I see in this shirt and am eager to test it on my next backpacking trip.

Field Report - 29-Oct-08

Field Conditions:

I have worn this shirt many places, around the house, to bed at night, camping near the ocean at Half Moon Bay and day hiking in Morgan Hill, CA.

I wore this shirt on a day hike in Morgan Hill, CA, elevation 350 – 1,402 ft (107 – 427 m). The climate was sunny and warm with no clouds in the sky and a temperature of 78 – 82 deg F (26 – 28 C). The terrain was brushy with rolling hills and loose dusty dirt.

I also used this shirt on a 3 day 2 night camping trip at Half Moon Bay State Park. The elevation ranged from 0 – 100 ft (0 – 31 m) and the temperature ranged from 55 – 76 F (13 – 24 C). There was a slight mist one night during this testing period, and some fog. The area was a sandy beach with some small trees, shrubs, and a grassy area where I placed my tent.

Field use:

First I have to say that this shirt is comfortable to wear, I never feel confined or restricted in movement when I have it on. It feels cool to the skin not heavy or damp like a cotton shirt might. The one thing that bugs me about this shirt is the wrinkle factor. If I have the shirt lying out or hanging up there is not wrinkle to be seen. If I fold the shirt or scrunch it in my hands for a few minutes, it looks like I’m living out of my car. Fortunately to remove the wrinkles I only have to lay it out, hang it up or wear it for ~15 minutes and the wrinkles disappear.

Fit – My measurements are 19.5 inches (495 mm) across the shoulders and 37 inches (940 mm) around the chest. I ordered a medium shirt which is for chest sizes less than 36 inches (914 mm) and is supposed to fit loose. The shirt fits me fine and is not tight at all; the shoulder seams even hang an inch (25 mm) beyond my shoulders. I have worn the shirt with a backpack on my back and have not noticed any rubbing or chaffing from the seams or collar. The seams are still holding after many uses and the collar does not look worn. There are some small picks on the front of the shirt that pull the thread making the shirt bunch a little in the area. These are minor and not very noticeable, but I’m not sure how they got there.

Moisture/odor – Hiking in Morgan Hill built up some sweat but the shirt did a good job of wicking the moisture away from my body and allowing the air to circulate. When I finished hiking I was fully expecting to have sweat stains on my shirt but there were none. The shirt also did not smell strongly after the hike which is a testament to the anti odor properties designed into it. After the hike I was able to wear the shirt into a pizza parlor without worrying about sweat stains or my hiking odor.

Washing – Washing the shirt has not posed any problems and I have not seen any deterioration of the shirt due to washing it. I have not placed the shirt in the dryer yet since it says to hang dry and the shirt dries pretty quickly once it is hung out. I have not tried washing it by hand and hanging it out to dry to see how easy they wash and dry in the field yet. I will have to try that on my next backpacking trip.

I look forward to continue testing this shirt over the next several months and will be looking to answer the following questions at the conclusion of my test.

Dependability:

Does the fabric stretch or sag over time?

Does the shirt resist snagging?

Does the shirt resist wearing from rubbing against my backpack?

Efficiency:

Does the shirt keep me from chafing?

Will the shirt keep me warm even if it gets wet?

Does the shirt provide enough air circulation to keep me reasonably dry during hard hot hikes?

Does the shirt stay fresh smelling even though I may not?

Ease of Use:

Does the shirt wash out easy in lake water?

If the shirt gets wet will it dry quickly?

This concludes my Field Report. The Long Term Report will be appended to this report in approximately two months from the date of this report. Please check back then for further information.

Thank you to DryShirt UK and BackpackGearTest.org for the opportunity to test this shirt.