IDEAL USES:
Camping/Hiking, Sports, Resort Travel, Urban Travel

Information from the Tester: (all measurements are approximate)
Color: Charcoal
Size: Medium
Weight: 6.4 oz (181 gm)

Location:
Southeast Texas

Conditions:
Rain – Everything from mist to heavy rain, with some snow thrown in.
Wind – 0 mph up to 30 mph (0 to 48 kph)
Temperatures: 28 F to 80 F (-2 C to 27 C)

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


Test Results:
I have tried to destroy this shirt. Actually I have just worn it so much over the last few months that I feel like it should have fallen off of my body in tatters, but this is not the case. It has kept me warm, comfortable, and fashionable on so many occasions that I really value it as an addition to my outdoor wardrobe. Despite the durability and my love of the this top, I finally had to wash my shirt. It was  a heartbreaking moment, but the Give-N-Go Skivvy Top L/S had finally begun to stink even after being aired out for a day. I followed the washing instructions (machine wash cold) and then I laid it out to dry.  I didn't get to see if it dried in only a couple of hours because I fell asleep, but I can say that in the morning it was dry enough to wear.  Let me rephrase that last remark. It was dry. There was no "dry enough to wear" in the equation.  One thing that I found disappointing was that after the first wash, the shirt seemed to pick up an odor much faster.   Not only did it get the "tester stink" to it after just a couple of nights of jogging, but the smell did not air out as it had prior to washing.   Now it did not stink horribly, in fact I would say that it smelled less than a normal shirt would after being profusely doused in sweat, but I was put in the situation of having to wash it once a week in order to be able to keep it in the house.  I imagine that after a whole week on the trail this shirt would probably stink a bit less than my normal clothing, but it was a bit disappointing since the initial prewash shirt seemed to shed smells much quicker and effectively than the post wash shirt.

Now on to another test issue which has to do with construction.  So far I have not ripped any seams have ripped and there are no stray threads for me to pull. I do have some pulls on the sleeves that it developed after some serious geocaching and dayhiking treks.   What I find amazing is that the pulls have remained small and have not gotten worse.  Here in Texas there are nasty sticker vines that tend to snag and tear a lot of my clothes, especially when I get off the trail.  I really expected much worse from the Give-M-Go Skivvy Top after several journeys through sticker vines of this sort, but other than a few pulls there was no real damage.  I have to give this shirt an excellent grade on its construction and durability.

One thing that I have grown to really like are the thumb holes on the sleeves.  I knew from the first moment I unpacked this shirt that this feature was useful, but as time went on, I discovered that I REALLY like it.  I know I have stated earlier that I will never have to worry about sleeves bunching up when I put on a jacket, but the thumb holes also help keep the sleeves covering the top part of my hands.  This little item has helped keep my hands warm and my clothes untwisted. While this may seem like a little thing, it is little things like this that make clothing or gear impressive to me. 

Overall, I like this shirt.  It fits in just right way, not too loose and not too tight.  It drapes over me and doesn't bind, no matter what kind of twisting I do. For once a shirt is long enough for me to wear out over my pants or tuck it in, depending on the situation.  This is a serious problem for a lot of my shirts and Ex Officio has gotten the cut of this top absolutely right.  It has proven well constructed and despite my best attempts to tear or snag it, the Give-N-Go Skivvy Top has resisted coming apart.  It is by no means indestructible, but considering that I am rough on everything I own, especially clothing, the Give-N-G Skivvy Top has held up much better than even I would have expected. 

This shirt has kept me warm as a base layer under other layers and as a stand alone top. I really liked the way it wicked moisture off of my skin and then dried quickly on my body.   Due to the loose cut of the shirt, it didn't stick to me during high impact activities, even if it was worn as a base layer under another shirt.  This kept me from having the icky "sweaty shirt" feeling that I hate.  If it had fit tighter on my body it would not have been such a pleasant experience using this shirt while I jogged.

This shirt is not only functional in a many different situations, but it is also fashionable.  It doesn't matter if the Ex Officio Give-N-Go Skivvy Top is worn under another shirt or on its own. This shirt looks good no matter how it is worn.