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Field Test Report
EXOFFICIO Micro Stretch Fleece Skivvy Zip Pullover
January 11, 2005
Tester Information
Name: Joe Martinez
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Height: 5 ft 8 in (1.73 m)
Torso: 19 in (48 cm)
Sleeve Length: 29 in (74 cm)
Neck: 16 in (41 cm)
Chest: 43 in (109 cm)
Weight: 180 lbs (82 kg)
Email address: joe AT jmmsoftware DOT COM
City,State,Country: San Jose, California, U.S.A |
Tester wearing the
EXOFFICIO Micro Stretch Fleece Skivvy Zip Pullover |
Backpacking Background and Style:
Although I have been hiking for a few years, and camping since I was a child,
I am fairly new to backpacking. My first trip was 9 months ago, but I have
gone on a total of 5 trips in that time, anywhere from 2-4 days in duration,
some solo, and some with a child. I hope to take some longer trips in the
future. My backpacking trips so far have been in Henry Coe State Park, in
the Diablo Range in California, and in the Sierra Nevada. I also hike in
the Santa Cruz Mountains (a coastal range in California). I have always been
careful about weight. I try to eliminate unnecessary items and buy the lightest
items possible, but not at a major sacrifice to comfort. I am still learning
what I need to carry to be comfortable, and what can be left at home.I always
carry a journal, and write in it daily, keeping detailed notes about what
techniques have been successful, and what pieces of gear have performed well
in the conditions that I am in.
Information About Item from Manufacturer's Web Site:
Web Site: http://www.exoffico.com/
Colors available: Navy and Black
Sizes available: S, M, L, XL, XXL
Item Weight: Not Listed
My Measured Weight (not from web site): 10.0 oz (283 g)
Fabric Weight: 7 oz/sq yd (237 g/sq m)
MSRP: $58.00 US
FEATURES
- Soft, stretchable Micro Stretch Fleece — 97% Polyester/3% Spandex
- A cozy layer of insulation for cold-weather adventure
- Mock neck zips open for more ventilation; protective zipper neck guard
- Moisture wicking with an odor-resistant finish to keep you feeling
fresh
- Flat lock stitching reduces bulk; raglan shoulder seams for comfort
- Thumb slot with extended sleeves to make layering easier
IDEAL USES
Hiking/Camping, Urban Travel, Resort Travel
Pre-Test Info
I have used a thinner, lighter weight long-sleeve base garment for almost
a year now, and have found it comfortable, but was very interested in trying
a heavier base garment for colder weather. I saw the test call for the EXOFFICIO
Micro Stretch Fleece Skivvy as a great opportunity to do so.
Test Environment
Between the holidays, and all of the rain that we've had lately in California,
I haven't been able to get out backpacking. I have, however, worn the shirt
many times, on day hikes, around the house, around town, at the gym, and playing
tennis.
Test Results
Around the House
The EXOFFICIO Micro Stretch Fleece Skivvy has become my favorite shirt for
lounging around the house. It is very soft and comfortable against my skin,
and is thus very conducive to relaxing. We keep our house's thermostat set
at 68F (20C), and at that temperature, this shirt provides a perfect level
of warmth. In a t-shirt, I am often a little chilly at this temperature,
but in the Micro Stretch Fleece Skivvy, I am never too warm or too cold.
On colder nights, I often wear the Skivvy to bed for extra warmth, and in
this regard, it performs very well. The soft fabric is also perfect for sleeping.
Around Town
At this time of year, the temperatures have been around the mid 50's F (13C).
I usually wear a fleece jacket whenever I leave the house. On the few occasions
that I have left the house in only the EXOFFICIO Micro Stretch Fleece Skivvy,
I have been a little cold walking between the car and my destination, but
usually not unbearably so. The shirt offers very little barrier to the wind,
so if there is a breeze, the chill is greatly exaggerated. With a fleece
jacket over the Skivvy, I am very comfortable, with or without a breeze.
On Day Hikes
I have worn the Skivvy on several day hikes near my house. The temperatures
were similar to the "Around Town" section above. All of the hikes were of
moderate exertion. Most of the hikes have been in fairly clear weather, but
on one of them, I did encounter some rain. On all of these hikes, I wore
only the EXOFFICIO Micro Stretch Fleece Skivvy and a waterproof/breathable
shell jacket. In all of these cases, this combination provided a perfect
level of warmth with the moderate level of activity.
The Skivvy seemed to wick very well on these hikes. My torso never felt sweaty
at any time while hiking. The garment did not cause any discomfort while
wearing a pack.
At the Gym
I wore the EXOFFICIO Micro Stretch Fleece Skivvy exactly once to the gym to
work out. The gym was warm, and after a very short period of exercise, it
was apparent that this shirt is too warm for comfort during strenuous activity
in warm temperatures. I was running on the treadmill, and after about 10
minutes of use, I was starting to feel uncomfortably warm. I stupidly had
not brought another shirt to the gym, and since it wasn't entirely unbearable,
I finished my workout without changing.
I was very impressed with the Skivvy's wicking ability, however. Even though
I was pretty warm by the end of the workout, and my forehead was dripping
sweat, my torso was very dry. Since perspiration is a cooling mechanism for
the body, I think that the excellent wicking ability may have worked against
me, and prevented my perspiration from cooling me off.
Playing Tennis
I wore the EXOFFICIO Skivvy once when I played tennis in the evening, when
the temperature was in the high 30's F (3C). I wore nothing over the Skivvy.
I was a little cold in the beginning, but as tennis is a strenuous activity,
I warmed up very quickly. A few times, I felt a little warm, but I was actually
pretty comfortable most of the time. After the game, I walked home (about
two blocks) in the Skivvy, and it was a very pleasant way to cool down, as
the shirt was still pretty dry.
Summary of Comfort
From the above expriences, I have made the following table of temperatures
and activity levels. Zero represents perfect comfort. Negative numbers mean
that I was too cold, and positive numbers mean that I was too warm. The
scale goes from -5 to +5, corresponding to me feeling freezing cold to sweltering.
Ambient
Temperature
|
No Activity
|
Moderate
|
Strenuous
|
Cold
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
Cool
|
-2
|
0*
|
+1
|
Warm
|
0
|
?
|
+3
|
Hot
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
* In all cases, the Skivvy shirt was my only layer, with the exception of
the Cool/Moderate spot, when I was wearing a waterproof/breathable shell jacket
over it.
The question marks represent untested situations. I don't really expect to
test the Skivvy in hot weather, since this test occurs only in the winter
and spring. I will be spending some time in the snow very soon, so I hope
to fill in the "cold" spaces for my long-term report.
Odor Prevention / Washing
I have been very impressed with the EXOFFICIO Micro Stretch Fleece Skivvy's
ability to prevent the absorption of odor. I admit that I haven't been trying
to push the shirt's limits to the extreme. I normally wash my shirts after
only one wearing, as that is when they generally stop smelling fresh. However,
with the Skivvy, this "not so fresh" smell does take a lot longer to reach.
Consequently, I have been washing it after maybe 4-5 wearings, some of them
involving strenuous exercise.
This evening, I did laundry, and the Skivvy had been in the hamper for several
days. Most "fairly clean" garments will quickly absorb odors from "less clean"
laundry in the hamper fairly quickly. When I pulled the Skivvy out of the
hamper, I smelled it, and was astonished to find that it had absorbed almost
no odor from the rest of the laundry.
The care label says, "Machine Wash Cold. No Bleach. Tumble Dry Low. No
Not Iron. Wash with like colors.". I have been washing it exactly as the
label states, except that one time I let it hang in a doorway to dry. It
only took a couple hours to get pretty dry. This speaks well of the ease
of washing in the backcountry, but with the excellent odor-resistant properties
of the shirt, even this may be unnecessary for all but the longest of trips.
The shirt washes very well so far. I have not noticed any lint sticking
to the fleece or pilling, nor have I noticed any deterioration.
Thumb Holes
So far, I have not had much opportunity to use the thumb holes. The jackets
that I have worn over the Skivvy have been loose enough that there really
wasn't any problem with the shirt sleeves riding up. I will comment more
on the thumb holes in my long term report, after I have had more experience
with layering over the Skivvy.
Conclusion
The EXOFFICIO Micro Stretch Fleece Skivvy has been a very enjoyable garment
to wear and test. By itself, it isn't a particularly warm garment in cooler
temperatures without activity. It also is not particularly comfortable for
heavy activity in warmer temperatures. I don't think either of these were
the shirt's target uses, however. As a base layer while hiking in cool weather,
and by itself in warmer temperatures without exertion, it is one of the most
comfortable shirts that I have ever worn.
The wicking ability and odor resistance of this shirt are top notch, and I
look forward to testing this garment on some overnight trips.
Read more reviews of Ex Officio gear
Read more gear reviews by Joseph Martinez
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