Reviews > Clothing > Shirts > Ex Officio Give-n-Go Skivvy Top > Thomas Vickers > Field Report

Ex Officio Give-N-Go Skivvy Top L/S Field Report

January 8, 2004

Thomas Vickers
37 years old
Male
5 ft 11 in tall (1.8 m)
170 lb  (77 kg)
redroach@pobox.com
Southeast Texas, Houston Area

Tester Background:
I grew up in the piney woods of southeast Texas. Camping was a quick trip into the mosquito-infested woods behind the house. My style has evolved and over the last 4 or 5 years, I have begun to take a lighter weight approach to hiking gear (I still use sleeping bags and tents, just lighter versions). While I have flirted with lightweight hiking, I feel that I am more of a mid-weight hiker now. My philosophy is one of comfort, while carrying the lightest load possible

Additional Tester Information:
Chest: 38 in (97 cm)
Arm Length (wrist to shoulder): 23 in (58 cm)

Information from the Manufacturer:
Website: http://www.exoffico.com/
Colors available: charcoal and black
Sizes available: S, M, L, XL, XXL
Weight: 4 oz (113 gm)
MSRP:  $ 40.00 US

FEATURES:
· High-performance Give-N-Go Stretch™ —    94% Nylon/6% Spandex
· The same fabric you love in our underwear, ideal for highly aerobic activity
· Extremely breathable and moisture-wicking for comfort; air-dries in hours
· Odor resistant finish keeps you feeling fresh
· Thumb slot with extended sleeves to make layering easier
· Crew neck

Activities:
Day hikes and weekend hiking/camping Trips
Running
Fishing on Lake Conroe


Test Results:
Due to the unpredictable winter weather here in Texas, I have been able to wear this shirt within a wide temperature range and still remain comfortable.  Temperatures have ranged as low as 28 F and as high as 70 F(-2 C to 21 C).  I would have considered myself insane if I truly thought I was going to witness temperatures like this during the testing of this shirt.  Lucky for me, the Ex Officio Give-N-Go Skivvy Top L/S has kept me warm and comfortable through all of these wonderful winter temperature swings.

I have done everything from jogging, sleeping, riding in a boat, fishing, and day hiking with this shirt on.  During these activities I have discovered that the Ex Officio Give-N-Go Skivvy Top L/S does not inhibit my range of motion at all.  Bending, stretching, and twisting motions of all sorts have been carried out without the smallest hint of pulling or tightness anywhere in the shirt.  I don't think there is anything more acrobatic than reeling in fish, landing them in the boat, and trying to bait hooks. The Ex Officio Give-N-Go Skivvy Top L/S never kept me from my full range of motion during any of these activities.

I attribute the non-binding nature of this shirt to the amount of stretch in the fabric. It gives and so far, it has gone back to its natural shape.  One of things that drives me crazy about any shirt without a collar is when the neck hole stretches out and 'hangs' around my neck. The neck opening on this shirt gives, but it has never stretched out of shape without returning to normal. I guess that "Give-N-Go" is an excellent way to describe this shirt.  Being able to sleep in a shirt is a good way for me to test its flexibility.  I have spent nights in a tent and in a hammock with the Ex Officio Give-N-Go Skivvy Top L/S and I have not had it bind, catch or spin around in a manner to bother me.   If I can sleep in it, then there is a great chance that it is not going to hamper any sort of movement I try while wearing it.

Since the temperatures have been lower than I expected, I have been able to wear the Ex Officio Give-N-Go Skivvy Top L/S almost everyday during the field test period.  As of today, I think there have been only 9 days or so that I haven't worn this shirt.  I have worn it alone, as a single outer layer as well as an over and under layer.  The best way to describe the fit of the shirt is that it "drapes" over my torso rather than hugging it tightly.  Not only does this make it a more attractive outer layer (which means it doesn't accent my bulging middle), but it also allowed me to wear a tight base layer under it on several occasions.  My most common way of wearing the Ex Officio Give-N-Go Skivvy Top L/S is to put it on, then put a short sleeve tee shirt on over it. This is very comfortable and if I got too warm, I simply pushed the sleeves up past my elbows.  Definitely a versatile top.  The charcoal color of the shirt even allows me to match it with a wide variety of tops, which may be important to hikers who have more fashion sense than I do.

No matter how I have worn this shirt, it has kept me warm.  It has not mattered if I was active or simply sitting and fishing or racing across Lake Conroe on a chilly winter evening, the Ex Officio Give-N-Go Skivvy Top L/S has done a good job of keeping my bones from getting chilly.  I think that the 'draping' nature of the fit allows for a better layer of warm air to develop around my body than tighter fitting under layers that I have used. I don't like the "second skin" feel of tight fitting clothes and the Ex Officio Give-N-Go Skivvy Top L/S has never felt like this to me. 

Stylish color, comfortable fit, and toasty warmth all in one shirt. What more could I ask for? After wearing the shirt so extensively, probably a nice long washing.  I have not washed the Ex Officio Give-N-Go Skivvy Top L/S during the entire field test period.    I figured that wearing it with and without deodorant would lead to some very bad odors that would not go away.  I will not claim that it is fresh and sweet scented, but it smells no worse than a shirt that has languished in the hamper for a few days.  There have also been no complaints from my wife about the smell. She has a very sensitive sniffer and despite daily wearings of the Ex Officio Give-N-Go Skivvy Top L/S, she has never said a single word about the scent.  Most of my hiking clothes get a bit sour after several days of wearing and that will not go away till they are washed.  This shirt has shrugged off any permanent odor at this point.  There have been several times after a weekend camping trip after which the Ex Officio Give-N-Go Skivvy Top L/S has come home smelling special, but after being off of my body for a few hours, it is back to a fairly normal scent.

Overall I have not been surprised in an unpleasant way by the Ex Officio Give-N-Go Skivvy Top L/S.  It has performed well beyond what I would have expected.  I look forward to pushing this shirt even further in the last phase of the test, but I will not be shocked if it continues to hold up to my wear and tear.

Further Issues:
I have done just about all that I could have conceive of doing in this shirt.  I have yet to wash it or get it wet, but there is still a large part of the test period left.   One thing I am going to investigate during this period is the field drying method that Ex Officio listed on the packaging that the shirt came with. 

"After washing simply wring them out, lay them flat on a dry towel, roll them up like a burrito and stomp away.  Then hang them in a well ventilated area."

I am definitely going to try this method. I have to love gear that comes with the instruction to "stomp away." 

The packaging claims the shirt will "speed-dry (2-4 hours to dry)".  I will see how long it takes the shirt to dry after normal laundering and after the "stomp away" method of preparation.

One last thing on my list also has to do with washing the Ex Officio Give-N-Go Skivvy Top L/S.  Will it return to a fresh smelling shirt and lose the "fresh out of the hamper" odor that it currently has? Don't get me wrong here. The shirt doesn't reek of stale body and sweat, but it doesn't smell new anymore. 

Reviews > Clothing > Shirts > Ex Officio Give-n-Go Skivvy Top > Thomas Vickers > Field Report