Reviews > Clothing > Shirts > Ex Officio Give-n-Go Skivvy Top > Anthony Smith > Long Term Report

Tester Bio
Name: Anthony (TJ) Smith
Age: 30 years old
Gender: Male
Height: 5’10” (1.78 meters)
Weight: 165 lbs (75 kg)
Neck: 15.5 in (39.5 cm)
Chest: 42 in (106 cm)
Arm Length: 34 in (86.5 cm)
Email address: tj@leaess.com
City, State, Country: Pensacola, FL USA
Date: May 10, 2005

Backpacking Background: I have been camping regularly for a little over 5 years now, mostly car camping. I have recently begun backpacking, and I am constantly adding new gear to my “collection” in an effort to get my gear list tailored more towards backpacking, specifically lightweight backpacking. Most of my backpacking trips are short duration, not more than one or two nights. However, I am planning some longer trips in the near future.

Product Information

Year of Manufacture – 2004
Manufacturer URL – http://www.exofficio.com/
Stated Weight – 4 oz/sq yd fabric (no other weight listed)
Weight as Delivered – 6.3 oz (179 g)
Size – Men’s Medium
Color - Charcoal

For more product information and initial testing period, please see my initial report and field report.

Testing and Impressions

I have continued to use the Skivvy Top throughout the duration of the testing period, both in a variety of backwoods locations in Florida and around town in Pensacola, Florida. I was able to test this top as both a base layer and as a stand alone layer all in one trip during the testing period. While attending the Florida Trails Association's annual conference in Live Oak, Florida, I experienced temperatures ranging from 33 F (C) at night to 82 F ( C) during the last of 3 days. As a base layer, the Ex-Officio Give-N-Go functioned as the bottom of 4 layers. It was very comfortable in this role, and I did not feel like the top was bunching or binding under all the other layers I had on over. The functionality of this top in this role allowed me to remove layers as the day warmed up and remain comfortable. As the temperatures began dropping towards nightfall, I was able to place those same layers back on and maintain my comfort. I have also utilized the top on numerous day hikes in the Blackwater River State Forest in Northwest Florida, under similar temperature variations during the hike, and was equally satisfied throughout my experiences with the Give-N-Go.

The top has remained comfortable for me with minimal stretching beginning to develop, mostly around the wrist area of the sleeves. The top has not developed any strong odors from a lack of washing, but it has developed a unique scent. I would not describe the scent as pleasant or unpleasant, but it does have a unique scent. The top has been washed a couple times in the six months I have had it, and has held up to washing in a top-loading washing machine with no apparent damage from that. I have not placed the top into the dryer, instead choosing to hang dry. I feel this prolongs the life of fabrics, and it also gives me another opportunity to test drying times for the top, under a somewhat controlled environment. After washing, the top rarely takes more than one hour to dry. However, it should be noted, the top is not soaked when removed from the washing machine. A good deal of the water is extracted during the spin cycle.

Both on the trail and in everyday wear, the top remains very comfortable in a wide variety of temperatures. I have utilized the top for both a base layer and a stand-alone layer. I have used it during the day while hiking, and at night for sleeping. I have used the top in temperatures ranging from 28 F (-2 C) to 85 F (29 C). The top remained comfortable through the entire temperature range, even with the top having long sleeves. If I become too warm while wearing the top, it is a simple matter to push the sleeves up above my elbows. The top is quite breathable, and allows the sweat to wick away from my body, aiding in cooling at warmer temperatures. The long sleeves also provide the added benefit of protection from the sun when traveling in areas not shaded by tree cover.

During the testing period, I encountered several periods of rain, ranging from light sprinkles to a quite heavy downpour. Even from completely soaked, the top dried out in less than two hours once I located suitable shelter to remove me from the rain. With the light sprinkles and less than heavy rain, if I remained active and moving, the top would dry out in less than 30 minutes in most occasions, a very acceptable period for me.

In addition to the stretching of the wrist areas I mentioned previously, I have also developed some “pilling” of the fabric in a couple areas. This is due to snagging the top on the hook and loop closure system of my Hennessy Hammock, and should not be attributed to a failure of the top, as I have other clothing with the same construction presenting similar issues. I have not experienced any staining of the top, and what few spots I have gotten (from spilled food, beverages, etc) have cleaned off easily with water and mild soap. I have not experienced any other problems related to these aspects of the top.
One feature of the Ex-Officio Give-N-Go Skivvy as stated on the manufacturer’s web site is the shoulder seams being located further forward to minimize rubbing under the straps of a backpack. I have not encountered any issues with these seams causing rubbing either during single day or multi-day trips, with a variety of backpacks.

Overall, I have been extremely pleased with my experiences with the Ex-Officio Give-N-Go Skivvy top, and I intend to continue utilizing this top as a key item in my hiking and camping wardrobe.

My overall opinions:

Pros
Rapid Drying Time
Flexibility for my use in a variety of climatic conditions
Comfort

Cons (Though not necessarily bad, but needed a heading)
Stretching around wrists
“Pilling” of the fabric

I would like to express my thanks to Ex-Officio and Backpackgeartest for being able to test the Give-N-Go Skivvy.

Reviews > Clothing > Shirts > Ex Officio Give-n-Go Skivvy Top > Anthony Smith > Long Term Report