Date: May 9, 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 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 (more
on Permethrin below). It lasts for 25 washings, and the manufacturer
advises against retreating the garment with other Permethrin insect
repellent products. Product features are listed in the Initial Report
section. Appropriate uses are paddle sports, fly fishing,
hiking/camping, resort travel, and urban travel—anywhere insect and
sun protection are needed.
Information
On Permethrin
I did some internet research on Permethrin (the BUZZ OFF Insect Shield
treatment) to find out more about it. Permethrin is an odorless
synthetic analog of a naturally occurring insecticide Pyrethrin from
daisy chrysanthemum flowers. In the formulation that is applied to
clothing (approximately 0.5%), Permethrin is essentially non-toxic to
humans. It is poorly absorbed by the skin (< 2%) and is rapidly
inactivated by skin esterases. There is no evidence of accumulation in
the body, and it has not been shown to be a human teratogen (cause
malformations of an embryo or fetus),
mutagen, or carcinogen.
When applied to clothing it chemically bonds to clothing fibers as it
dries, thus its persistence through multiple washings. Manufacturers of
spray application Permethrin products (0.5%) for clothing recommend that
for best total protection from biting and bloodsucking insects,
Permethrin clothing treatment should be used in combination with a slow
release DEET formulation on the skin. This is standard practice for the
US Military in situations where there is high risk of insect-borne
diseases.
Initial
Report
Product Arrival—Ex Officio knows how to impress. The product
arrived by FedEx overnight delivery in an attractive flip top cardboard
box. The Shirt was packaged in a plastic sleeve with an easy open
closure.
Product Information—Included with the shirt was an abundant
amount of product information on the BUZZ OFF technology and garments
available. They even included a business card for their marketing/public
relations representative and a BUZZ OFF ball-point pen with floating
insects inside (printed on a plastic strip, not real ones). Also, the Ex
Officio website provides a clear description of the BUZZ OFF products.
Quality and Construction—My wife is an expert seamstress, so I
had her look the garment over for construction quality. She said the
workmanship is impeccable, which is quite a compliment from her. There
were no loose threads, frayed edges, or any blemishes or defects. The
fabric has a soft hand, has no stretch, and feels light and airy.
Features—The Shirt is lightweight, quick drying, moisture
wicking, and has a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) of 30+. It has an
“Aeromesh” lined cape vent in the back to increase ventilation. Two
zippered front pockets are also mesh lined and have 1 in/2.5 cm matching
cloth pull tabs. The sleeves have tabs to secure them when they are
rolled up. The bottom hem is straight so the Shirt can be worn untucked
for better ventilation.
Fit—The size medium fits me perfectly (my normal shirt size is
16 in/41 cm neck, 41 in/104 cm chest, and 34 in/86 cm sleeve). The body
extends 10 in/25 cm below my waist. The shoulder seam is right on. The
sleeves cover my wrists but would be better if they were 1 in/2.5 cm
longer. Articulation is fair; when I cross my arms the sleeves pull up
my arms about 2 in/5 cm above my wrists; when I raise my arms above my
head the sleeves pull up about 3 in/8 cm above my wrists and the bottom
hem rises about 5 in/13 cm. There is definitely a feeling of binding
when I stretch.
Measurements—Body length 29.5 in/75 cm; sleeve length 34.3
in/87 cm; neck circumference 16.5 in/42 cm; chest circumference 45
in/114 cm; waist circumference 46 in/117 cm.
BUZZ OFF First Impressions—The garment has an attractive and
noticeable “BUZZ OFF Insect Shield” label on the edge of the back
vent. This is bound to generate questions from curious people who notice
the label—pretty good marketing! I cannot detect any odor whatsoever
from the Permethrin Insect Shield treatment. The garment looks, smells,
and feels like any other outdoor clothing without the Insect Shield
treatment. If it were not for the label, I would not be able to detect
that the garment has an insect repellent treatment.
Drying Time—I wetted one side of the Shirt and it dried very
quickly, in less than half an hour
Washing Instructions—Label instructions read: “Machine wash
cold; no bleach; tumble dry low, remove promptly; iron low setting; do
not dry clean; wash with like colors.” The product literature also
states that the garment can be ironed, starched, or pressed without any
adverse effects, and should be washed separately using standard laundry
detergent.
Test Plan
Test Locations—I will test the Ex Officio Lite LS Shirt in a
variety of terrains and climates. This spring I will do numerous trips
in the canyon country of Arizona, Utah, and New Mexico. During the
summer I will do numerous trips in the high mountains of Colorado. I do
not have any major travel plans to far distant locations. The testing
environments will consist of: desert brushlands, badlands desert, canyon
country, pine forest, montane forest, and high elevation alpine country.
Test Conditions—Expected conditions include: dry and arid,
intense sun, strong winds, dust storms, heavy rain, snow, low
temperatures, high temperatures, and high elevations with intense UV
radiation. In each location there are plenty of bugs. The bugs are
already out in Utah (mosquitoes, no-see-ums, and biting flies) and will
soon be the norm in Colorado. For doing gardening and yard work,
no-see-ums are a problem after sunset. West Nile Disease, carried by
mosquitoes, is currently a major concern in Colorado.
How the Shirt Will Be Used—The Ex Officio Lite LS Shirt will be
used for hiking, canoeing, and gardening/yard work at home. It will be
used initially for occasional casual and social wear. It will get a lot
of use in the backcountry and will get sweaty and dirty. Testing will be
conducted under normal use, using appropriate care to avoid abuse. This
will not be a test to challenge the product to see if I can make it
fail.
Fundamental Questions—The product literature is vague on the
issue of whether or not DEET is needed on exposed skin when the BUZZ OFF
garment is worn. The garment covers the upper body, but it does not
cover the hands, face, and sometimes the arms. Does wearing the Shirt
provide protection for exposed areas? The highest priority questions to
be answered in this test are: 1) For what environmental conditions,
insect types, and insect density levels does the BUZZ OFF technology
work without needing supplemental DEET (or other repellent) on exposed
skin? 2) For what environmental conditions, insect types, and insect
density levels is supplemental DEET on exposed skin needed for adequate
protection? Other fundamental questions are: 3) How long does the insect
protection last? 4) How broad is the comfort range of the Shirt? And 5)
How durable is it in terms of resisting stains and abrasion?
Observations and Data—This test will be mostly subjective, and
performance will be measured in terms of personal comfort, i.e., not
being bitten and feeling comfortable while hiking and doing yard work.
My goal is to test the Ex Officio Lite LS Shirt in a wide variety of
terrains, climates, weather conditions, and bug conditions. I will carry
a notebook on my trips and record my observations while I am in the
field, then transcribe them into a trip report when I get home. I will
also take a thermometer with me to record the actual temperatures. Data
I will record daily are: 1) how the Ex Officio Lite LS Shirt was worn
each day, 2) my exertion levels, 3) temperatures, 4) estimated wind
speed, 5) estimated humidity, 6) altitude, 7) precipitation (including
what form), 8) type and amount of bugs encountered (on a scale of 0
–10), and 9) my comfort level (on a scale of 0-10) in terms of not
being bitten by insects and my hiking comfort. Recording these data on a
daily basis and then writing a trip report will ensure that my
evaluations are accurate and consistent.
Factors Evaluated—The specific factors I will evaluate are as
follows:
Performance: How does the Shirt repel bugs of different types and
densities? How well does it repel bugs when I have bare skin exposed?
Under what conditions is supplemental DEET needed, if any? How
comfortable is the Shirt to wear at different temperature and exertion
levels? What is its comfortable temperature range? How comfortable is it
in hot weather? How much cool weather insulation does it provide? How
comfortable is it in windy conditions? When it gets damp or wet, how
long does it take to dry out?
- Versatility: How well does the
Shirt function in a variety of outdoor activities and weather
conditions?
- Ultralight Use: Does the Ex
Officio Lite LS Shirt have a good balance between durability,
functionality, and lightweight?
- Usability And Durability: How
tough is it, i.e., how well does the Shirt hold up under “normal
use”? How abrasion and snag resistant is it? Is the Shirt machine
washable without shrinking and is it wrinkle resistant? I will keep
track of the number of washings and pay close attention to the
Shirt’s ability to repel insects over time.
My
Expectations For The Ex Officio Buzz Off Lite LS Shirt
Based on information provided by the Ex Officio website and product
information, the following are my expectations for the Shirt, stated as
hypotheses. I will test these hypotheses to determine if they are true
or not, and present my findings in my reports.
- 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.
- Only in severe insect conditions will
I need to apply DEET on exposed skin to obtain adequate protection.
- The BUZZ OFF Insect Shield will last
at least six months or 25 washings.
- 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.
- The Shirt will dry out fast after
getting damp or wet. (True)
- The Ex Officio Lite LS Shirt will be
very versatile and perform well in a variety of outdoor activities.
- The Shirt will be a lightweight and
functional component of an ultralight backpacking system.
- The Ex Officio Lite LS
Shirt will be adequately durable under normal backpacking
use.
- The Shirt will repeatedly machine
wash, following instructions, without shrinking, fading, retaining
stains, or wrinkling badly.
Tester
Information
Tester: Will Rietveld
Email: 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
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