Reviewer Information

• Name: Cora Shea
• Age: 24
• Gender: Female
• Height: 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m)
• Weight: 150 lb (70 kg)
• Email address: cahhmc "at" yahoo "dot" com
• Location: Los Angeles, California, USA
• Date: November 1, 2004

Basic Product Information

• Manufacturer: Ex-Officio
• Model: Micro-Stretch Fleece Skivvy Zip Pullover
• Year of Manufacture: 2004
• URL: http://www.exofficio.com/
• Listed weight: Unknown
• Listed fabric weight: 7 oz (200 g) per yard (91 cm) of fabric
• Overall weight as delivered: 8 oz (230 g)
• Size: Women's Large
• Color: Navy

Preliminary Information

• Date of arrival: November 1, 2004
• Contents of package (contents were complete):
  • Two Micro Stretch Fleece Skivvy Zip Pullovers
  • Reusable snap bags packaging the Skivvys
  • A packing slip
• Condition upon arrival: Excellent
• The Skivvy is easy and intuitive to use
• The Skivvy is what I expected from reading the website,
  although the color is much darker and the website has limited information

Product Description

General:

The Micro Stretch Fleece Skivvy Zip Pullover (MSF Skivvy) is a long-underwear style shirt. The fabric is thin, soft and smooth. The MSF Skivvy has a collar zip which reaches down to the bottom of my sternum, a high collar, and thumb holes in the ends of the sleeves. From the website, the advertised features are as follows, and my initial impression comments are after each one in parentheses.

• Soft, stretchable Micro Stretch Fleece - 97% Polyester / 3% Spandex
  (Very soft fabric, and very stretchy. More like velvet than fleece, and the fabric is also thinner than I expected)
• A cozy layer of insulation for cold-weather adventure
  (It sure is cozy wearing it now, but field use will tell more...)
• Mock neck zips open for more ventilation; protective zipper neck guard
  (The neck has a 10 inch / 25 cm long locking zipper with rubber pull tab, but it does not have any neck zipper protector that I can find, unfortunately)
• Moisture wicking with an odor-resistant finish to keep you feeling fresh
  (Looking forward to using it in the field...)
• Shaping seams for a flattering fit; flat lock stitching reduces bulk
  (A full additional panel shapes the sides of the torso, and the seam around the neck has an additional flat ribbon sewn over it)
• Thumb slot with extended sleeves to make layering easier
  (The thumb slots are large and comfortable. However, the sleeves are not long enough to prevent the shirt from lifting when I raise my arms with my thumbs in the slots)

Additionally, the MSF Skivvy claims to have 'Stretch' and a 'Peach Finish', and to be 'Odor Resistant' and 'Moisture Wicking'. These attributes are described by little graphics on the website and on the back of the collar on the MSF Skivvy itself, and of course will be examined with use.

Fit and Sizing:

My personal sizing is 36 in (91 cm) bust and 33 in (84 cm) sleeves, which would put me at a Women's Medium by the sizing chart. However, due to past experience that my bust is actually not an accurate measurement for me (I have larger-than-average shoulders and upper arms) I requested a Women's Large.

The large sizing proved to be the correct choice. The fit is slim and athletic around my shoulders and neck, and looser around my bust and waist, which is common for most general clothing I own. In other words, the sizing was exactly what I expected, and I am quite happy.

As for the fit, the good athletic fit comes from a combination of extra room in key areas (elbows and shoulders) and stretch. The fabric has very sproingy four-way stretch, although the stretch is better in one direction than the other (as with most fabrics). The collar, when zipped up, leaves a lot of room around my neck which is unfortunate, but it also folds down nice and flat when unzipped.

The fit is also rather basic. Neither the elbows or underarms are articulated, and so the fabric pulls a little when bending at the elbow, and the hem raises considerably (or the sleeves pull down if my thumbs are not in the slots) when I raise my arms above my head. But all in all, the design is a good fit on me.

Field Testing Plan

Field Location and Use:

My proposed testing of the MSF Skivvy will occur over many wet, snowy, and cold days throughout the High Sierra and Southern California. I often wear similar base-layers for days on end, and will do so with the MSF Skivvy while skiing, ski touring, and other winter activities. I will use the MSF Skivvy by wearing it in a variety of conditions, most of them being sweaty, stinky, weather-intense, and ranging from cool to well below freezing. The Sierras in particular will offer many higher-altitude, mountainous, and cold field situations.

Test Plan Details:

My test plan is to answer the following questions about the MSF Skivvy by using it as I described above.

• How well does it ventilate, and in what conditions?
• Does it absorb moisture or wick effectively?
• How quickly does it dry when wet or sweaty?
• How well does it shed wind, moisture, and snow?
• How well does it resist freezing when wet?
• In what conditions does it keep me adequately warm?

• Are the thumb slots comfortable? Under gloves?
• Is the neck zip comfortable and easy to manipulate?
• Does the zipper guard adequately protect my neck?
• Do seams stay out of the way from packs and skin?

• How durable and resistant to pilling is the fabric?
• Does the odor-resistant finish help multi-day use?
• Is the fit athletic enough for reachy activities?
• Is it slim and easy to layer over, and tuck in?

Initial Observations

Here, I include three pictures of various aspects of interest about the MSF Skivvy. So far, I have been wearing the MSF Skivvy directly on my skin for a few hours and it is quite cozy and soft.

Here is a picture of the neck area. The shininess of the velvet-like fabric came out somewhat in this picture, as well as how dark the navy color is in comparison with the website. The gray stripe at the back of the neck is the tape which covers the neck seam, and the tag is silk-screened onto the fabric rather than having an actual pokey tag. The back of the neck collar (not shown in this picture) also has a small tag which has the Ex-Officio brand symbol. The inner face of the fabric, though soft, is very flat and not fuzzy like the outside. The seams run right down the tops of the shoulders (although they are flat seams) down to where the sleeves connect with the torso.

The MSF Skivvy has the care instructions on a tag on the side of a torso seam. I tend to be annoyed by these tags on my bare skin even more so than a neck tag, so this will probably come off rather quickly. The care is very simple and similar to other outdoor garments I have.

And finally, well-thought-out additions to the MSF Skivvy are the thumb slots. The sleeves above the slots still are snug on my hand, and the slots are larger than I need. The slots are on the seams, so some twisting of the arm fabric occurs when I put my thumbs through them.

Overall, I look forward to getting the MSF Skivvy into the field. From the protective tape on the neck seam, to thumb slots, to very stretchy and soft fabric, the MSF Skivvy seems quite well-thought-out. Long underwear gets day-in-day-out use in my winters, and this seems like a really nice piece to be excited about using that way!

Read more reviews of Ex Officio gear
Read more gear reviews by Cora Hussey

Reviews > Clothing > Shirts > Ex Officio Micro Stretch Tops > Cora Shea > Initial Report