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
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.

I normally buy shirts in size Large, but I decided to use Ex Officio's sizing chart on their web site. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to get a definitive answer using their chart. According to my neck size, I was a size medium. According to my chest size, I was a size large (at the bottom end of the range). According to my arm length, I was off the chart (less than size small). I decided to go with the average of the three, and order a size medium. I chose the Navy color.

I was pleasantly surprised to receive two shirts, instead of just one. I didn't realize that I was going to get two of them. Had I known this before, it would have been nice to have received one of each color, but I certainly can't complain! The two shirts arrived in a flat cardboard box, in good condition. I weighed one of the shirts upon arrival, and found that it weighed 9.8 oz (278 g).

In viewing the manufacturer's web site, and comparing it to what I received, I was happy to find the garment to be exactly what I was expecting. The photo on the web site was excellent, and looked exactly like the actual shirt that I received. I did notice one minor discrepancy between the web site and the actual product. The web site lists the fabric content as 97% Polyester/3% Spandex. The packaging (and the shirt itself) lists the content as 96% Polyester/4% Spandex. Not a major difference, but there nonetheless.

Initial Impressions:

The morning after receiving the shirts, I put one of them on. I found the fabric to be VERY comfortable against my skin. I also found it to feel pleasantly warm. The house was heated to 68F (20C), and I found this shirt to be perfect as my only layer at this temperature. The shirt fits great. I find the size to be perfect in all dimensions. I wore the shirt all day, and it was very comfortable the whole time.

Although I haven't had the opportunity to put them to the test, the thumb slots seem like a good idea. When pulling other garments over this one, it would prevent the sleeves from getting pulled back and bunched up. I am looking forward to seeing how this works, although I have no doubt that it will.

Although this is meant to be a base layer, it's not at all bad looking as an outside (or only) shirt. When my wife saw me wearing it for the first time (without either knowing that it was hiking clothing or underwear), she said that she liked it. As my only layer, though, I found it to be a bit on the "retro" side. If you can imagine a polyester shirt with zipper neck, with chest hair showing, you can probably imagine. It doesn't look bad, but I probably won't wear it that way when I go out to run errands, for example. As it is, though, it is a great shirt for lounging around the house. I can't wait to test it on a hike, as is its main purpose.

Test Environment:

I plan to test the Skivvy Zip Pullover during a series of day hikes and overnight trips. Since this test will occur in the winter and early spring, most of these trips will be in the Diablo range or the Santa Cruz Mountains in California.

In the coldest part winter, the average low in the Diablo range is about 38F (3C), and the average high gets down to about 53F (12C). In the Santa Cruz Mountains, it gets even colder, with lows getting down to almost 30F (-1C). Both ranges tend to alternate between sunny/warm and cold/damp. It rains quite a bit in the Santa Cruz Mountains, the wetter of the two ranges. Although I usually try to avoid hiking and backpacking in the rain, occasionally getting rained on is inevitable during this season.

Test Plan:

I plan to test this pullover in a range of weather conditions, and in several different ways, depending on the conditions. I will test it while hiking, as my only top, when the weather is warm enough. I will also try it as a base layer, under other clothing when it is colder. If the weather is such that I may need to remove the pullover later in the day when it warms up, I will wear it over a cooler top. While on overnight trips, I will try sleeping in it, to see how it performs at the lowest nighttime temperatures.

Specific features to test:

How comfortable is it to sleep in?
In what range of temperatures is it effective as my only layer?
How well does it wick moisture away from my body?
Does it cause any discomfort while wearing a pack?
If the pullover is my outer garment, and my hipbelt goes directly over it, does the hipbelt tend to slide down over the fabric?
How useful do I find the thumb slots when using the pullover in a layered system?
How long does it take to dry?
How well does it hold up to washing? Does it still feel good next to my skin after being washed a number of times?
How well does the zipper work? Does the fabric ever get caught in the zipper?
How bulky is it? (How much room does it take up when I have to put it in my pack?
How resistant is the fabric to picking up burrs and other stickery plant particles if it rubs against (or gets laid down on) dry vegetation?

Read more reviews of Ex Officio gear
Read more gear reviews by Joseph Martinez

Initial Report

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