Reviews > Clothing > Shirts > Ex Officio Give-n-Go Skivvy Top > Stephanie Martin > Long Term Report

Long Term Report: Ex Officio Give-n-Go Skivvy Top

Product Information:
Manufacturer:	Ex Officio [http://www.exofficio.com]
Year of Manufacture:	2004
Listed Weight:	4 ounces (113.4 grams)
Weight as Delivered:	4.8 ounces (136.1 grams)
Color:	Light Blue
Size:	Women's Medium
MSRP:	$38
Style of Product:	Lightweight, slim fitting long underwear shirt.
Contents - Product Use and Performance - Summary

Details in this Field Report are intended to be taken in addition to findings as listed in my Initial Report and my Field Report.

Product Use and Performance
Since the filing of my field report, the Ex Officio Give-n-Go Skivvy has seen plenty more use.  I've continued wearing it on all of my outdoor adventures.  I've worn it while lounging around at home, on both leisurely and aggressive jaunts and dayhikes as well as down (and up!) canyons.  The Give-n-Go Skivvy has been folded nicely and packed into my pack, and unceremoniously squashed and bundled up and stashed in pockets of my various backpacks.  I'm pleased to report that the Skivvy continued to hold up well and has earned a favored spot in my adventure wardrobe.

As reported in my Field Report, my Give-n-Go Skivvy Top has held up well during the course of testing, with all stitching remaining in good condition.  Over the course of testing, the Skivvy has remained true to size, and has not lost any elasticity even after numerous washer and dryer cycles! The sleeves of the Skivvy are also a great demonstration of the long-lasting elasticity of the shirt as they continue to stay up when I push them up, even though I have pushed them up and pulled them down innumerable times during the testing period. I've noticed that the shirt has developed a bit more pilling on the back, resulting from the Skivvy rubbing with garments I've worn on top of it while under the weight of my pack.  The pilling on the shirt seems limited to areas that are under friction when worn in combination with other layers, as I have not observed any pilling on other high-wear areas on the Skivvy, such as the sleeves.  My shirt also shows some cosmetic snags and runs from when I have caught it on prickly plants while out adventuring in the desert backcountry.  The shirt still has one persistent smudge on the fabric, even after numerous washings, though for the most part the fabric has proven to be surprisingly stain resistant.

The things that make the Skivvy a winner in my gear closet are its ease of care, its comfort and versatility.  I was pleasantly surprised at the wide range of temperatures and activities I was able to wear the Skivvy in.  Previously, I often found myself shedding my long sleeve shirt early in the day.  The Give-n-Go Skivvy has proven to be more breathable and have better wicking properties than my other long sleeve shirts - and as such, I was often able to wear it for the majority of my days' activities, if not all day by simply raising and lowering the sleeves as needed. 

The design of the Skivvy was well thought out and executed.  The hem of the shirt is long enough to tuck in and stay put or leave out and not look like a tube dress.  The sleeves on the shirt are a perfect length for me, allowing me to comfortably wear them with or without my thumbs in the thumbholes as the situation needs. The combination of the shirt's cut and the remarkable amount of stretch in the fabric produces a close fitting and flattering garment.  Because of its stretchiness, I've never felt as if the shirt was hindering my movement or clinging uncomfortably to my body.  With its close fit, I have been uncomfortable wearing the Skivvy around town, however the trim fit makes adding layers on top of the Skivvy easy.  

Caring for the Give-n-Go Skivvy is a simple matter.  When at home, it can be washed into the washing machine and thrown into the dryer.  While on the trail, the Skivvy can be hand washed and hung to dry.  While I have occasionally found the Skivvy still damp in the morning, it quickly dried with the aid of my body heat.  Though I did note that the Skivvy often came out wrinkly if I failed to remove it promptly from the dryer or if I carelessly wadded it up into a pack pocket, I found the wrinkles were quickly released when worn.  Although the Skivvy's Anti-Microbe shield didn't seem to keep the shirt from developing any odor, it was certainly a marked improvement over my shirts with no such treatment.
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Summary: Woo Hoo's and Boo Hoo's  
I really am glad to have had the opportunity to test the Ex Officio Give-n-Go Skivvy.  I usually don't find myself hiking in long sleeves, because most shirts I've worn in the past have too limited a comfort range.  This shirt has proven to be a pleasant surprise.  With that said, here are my "Woo Hoo's" (likes) and my "Boo Hoo's" (some room for improvement).

- Woo Hoo: Nice cut and plenty of stretch
- Woo Hoo: I really like the thumb holes; they provide that little bit of extra warmth when I don't want to wear gloves - and they make pulling on additional layers easier! No more trying to grab the sleeve of my base layer while pulling on additional layers!
- General Comment: The fabric is prone to running when snagged on plant matter
- Boo Hoo: AEGIS Microbe Shield didn't prevent the Skivvy from developing a definite odor after high exertion or extended wear
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My thanks to BackpackGearTest.org and Ex Officio for this testing opportunity.

Reviews > Clothing > Shirts > Ex Officio Give-n-Go Skivvy Top > Stephanie Martin > Long Term Report