 Date:
July 12, 2004
Manufacturer
Information
Name: Ex Officio
Website: http://exofficio.com/
Product
Information
Product Tested: Ex Officio Men’s BUZZ OFF Lite Long Sleeve
Shirt
Year of Manufacture: 2004
Fabric Description: 65%
Polyester/35% Cotton, 3 oz/sq yd (102 g/sq m), treated with
Permethrin
Color: Juniper (green); other colors available are blue and sand
Size: Men’s Medium
Weight Listed: None
Weight as Delivered: 8.7 oz (247 g)
MSRP: $79 US
Product
Description
Ex Officio specializes in outdoor and travel clothing. The Lite
Long Sleeve Shirt is a member of Ex Officio’s new BUZZ OFF Insect
Shield garments. The following
descriptive information is obtained from the manufacturer’s website
and product literature. The Insect Shield treatment is Permethrin, which
repels mosquitoes, ticks, ants, flies, chiggers, and midges or
no-see-ums. For more information on Permethrin and product features, see
my Initial
Report. The Insect Shield treatment lasts for 25 washings, and the
manufacturer advises against retreating the garment with other
Permethrin insect repellent products. Appropriate uses are paddle
sports, fly-fishing, hiking/camping, resort travel, and urban
travel—anywhere insect and sun protection are needed.
Field
Test Report
Test Locations
I tested the Ex Officio Lite LS Shirt on five outings, all in the
Southwest Colorado Mountains. There were very few bugs on the first two
outings, so I mostly tested the shirt for comfort on those outings. The
latter three outings were backpacks, with the amount of flies and
mosquitoes increasing each time. On my last trip, a 6-day backpack on
Colorado’s Continental Divide Trail, the mosquitoes were really
numerous and aggressive, so the BUZZ-OFF shirt got its chance to do its
job. When we were hiking in forested areas, the mosquitoes swarmed
around us within minutes after we stopped. They were particularly heavy
when we camped in the forest at elevations of 10,000-11,000 ft
(3048-3353 m) near water. Daytime temperatures were 60-70 F (16-21 C)
and nighttime temperatures were 30-40 F (-1 to 4 C). We did encounter a
fair amount of wind, but no precipitation. Our humidity levels are
typically low.
Following are my findings and impressions:
Insect Repelling Properties—The BUZZ-OFF Shirt definitely
repels flies and mosquitoes. When
I was in woods thick with mosquitoes, I found that the insects did land
on the shirt, but they did not bite through like they otherwise would.
They sat there for several seconds, then flew away. The mosquitoes were
very pesty and did bite my exposed skin (head, neck, and hands), and I
did have to put DEET on those areas to repel mosquitoes. The combination
of BUZZ-OFF clothing and repellent on exposed skin worked very well,
providing me with complete insect protection using a minimal amount of
DEET. At this point I don’t feel that I can say how much the
Permethrin in the shirt deters mosquitoes from adjacent areas of exposed
skin. That will require more testing.
Comfort—The Lite Long Sleeve Shirt fits me well and is very
comfortable to wear. I would prefer the sleeves to be about one-inch
(2.5 cm) longer so they cover my wrists better. The mesh-lined cape back
and front pockets provide some decent ventilation. The shirt has a broad
comfort range; I have worn it comfortably by itself in temperatures
ranging from 45-75 F (7-24 C) and in windy conditions. I did sweat in
the warmer temperatures, especially when carrying a pack uphill, but the
shirt dried out quickly when I stopped. I usually turn the collar up for
sun protection on my neck. I have not yet worn the shirt in really hot
conditions.
Versatility—So far I have worn the shirt for gardening, day
hiking, and backpacking. It has functioned well in all activities. I
have not yet worn the shirt under a rain suit while hiking, but I have
worn it a lot under a wind shirt. The combination of a wind shirt over
the Lite LS Shirt works extremely well under cool windy conditions.
Usability And Durability—So far I have found the shirt to be
sufficiently durable for backpacking use. It has no snags or abrasions.
However, I have not used it in really abrasive conditions yet, and will
have more to report on this in my Long Term Report. The shirt is
resistant to getting dirty and launders well. I have washed it twice so
far, according to instructions. It cleaned up well without any special
treatment, except for some pitch that required using spot treatment with
a cleaning solvent.
Ultralight Backpacking Use—The Lite Long Sleeve shirt works
great for lightweight backpacking. At 8.7 oz (247 g) for size large, the
Lite LS Shirt weighs a little less than a Patagonia mid-weight Capeline
top (9.2 oz/261 g) or a Wickers LS turtleneck (9.9 oz/281 g). This shirt
has a good balance of durability, functionality, and lightweight. The
cape back is not functional for ventilation while wearing a backpack.
Overall, I am very pleased with the Ex-Officio BUZZ-OFF Lite Long Sleeve
Shirt. The materials and construction are superb, it fits well (except
the sleeves could be a bit longer), it’s very comfortable to wear, it
repels bugs from the body surface it covers, and enables one to achieve
complete insect protection with minimal use of contact repellents.
Update On
My
Expectations For The Ex Officio Buzz Off Lite LS Shirt
The following is an update on my expectations for the Lite
Long Sleeve Shirt that I listed in my Initial Report.
- The Shirt’s BUZZ OFF treatment will repel
a variety of insects in a broad range of situations without the need
for supplemental DEET on exposed skin. Partially true. The
BUZZ-OFF shirt effectively repels insects from the area it covers,
but I have seen no evidence so far that it repels insects from
adjacent exposed skin. More observation is needed.
- Only in severe insect conditions will I need
to apply DEET on exposed skin to obtain adequate protection.
True, supplemental DEET on exposed skin is definitely needed for
severe insect conditions. I have worn the shirt only under light and
heavy insect conditions so far, and not much in between, so further
testing is needed to evaluate the shirt’s insect repellent
ability.
- The BUZZ OFF Insect Shield will last at
least six months or 25 washings. So far it has been washed twice
according to instructions with no noticeable change.
- The Shirt will be high quality with adequate
reinforcement in stress areas, and will be sized well and fit
comfortably. True. The quality and construction are excellent.
The sleeve length could be about 1 in (2.5 cm) longer for me.
- The Ex Officio Lite LS Shirt will be
comfortable to wear and will have a broad comfort range. Very
true. The shirt is comfortable and seems to have a broad temperature
and wind comfort range.)
- The Shirt will dry out fast after getting
damp or wet. True for sweating.
I have not yet tested it in the rain.
- The Ex Officio Lite LS Shirt will be very
versatile and perform well in a variety of outdoor activities.
True so far. I hope to use it in more activities during the next
three months.
- The Shirt will be a lightweight and
functional component of an ultralight backpacking system. True.
The Lite LS shirt weighs a little less than other backpacking shirts
I have, and is very comfortable to wear. However, it requires more
effort and time to donn and doff because of its buttons.
- The Ex Officio Lite LS Shirt will be
adequately durable under normal backpacking use. True so far,
but I have not subjected it to any really abrasive conditions yet.
- The Shirt will repeatedly machine wash,
following instructions, without shrinking, fading, retaining stains,
or wrinkling badly. True so far.
Tester
Information
Tester:
Will Rietveld
E-mail: willi_wabbit@Bresnan.net
Male
Height: 6 ft (1.8 m)
Weight: 170 lb (77 kg)
Age: 61
Measurements: Chest 41 in (104 cm); sleeve length 34 in (86 cm); waist 34 in (86 cm)
Location: Southwest Colorado, USA
Backpacking Experience: 46 years
Backpacking Skill Level: Advanced
Backpacking Style: Ultralight (5 years)
Personal Website: Southwest
Ultralight Backpacking
Acknowledgements
I would like to thank Ex Officio and the BackpackGearTest Group for
selecting me to participate in this test.
Will Rietveld |
