Field Report: Hot Chillys Bio-Silver Top

My e-mail: bpskids@charter.net
My name: Jodi Cornelius
My Age: 41
Height: 5’4”/1.6 m
Weight: 160 lbs/73 kg
Gender: Female
City: Derrick City
State: PA
Country: USA
Date: January 16, 2004
My area of the country: Northwest Pennsylvania near the Allegheny Mountains

Product Information:
 
Manufacturer:  Hot Chillys http://www.hotchillys.com
Product:  Hot Chillys Bio-Silver Bi-Ply Outdoor Top Crew Neck Style
Year of Manufacture:  2003
Listed weight: Not listed
Weight as delivered (Women’s Large): 9.6 oz/272 gm (weighed on a precision ink scale)
Color: White
Other available colors: Black
MSRP: None listed

Features from the Website:
FABRIC
OUTER LAYER-100% MTF Microfiber Polyester
INNER LAYER-75% MTF Polyester with 25% Bio-Silver
Bi-ply knit places Bio-Silver combined with MTF
Polyester next to the skin to conduct heat and rapidly transport moisture
Inherent anti-microbial silver yarns fight bacteria and odor
CONSTRUCTION
Tri-component bi-ply knit for warmth and comfort
Soft feel knit with performance features
Anatomical cut for relaxed fit allowing freedom of movement without bagging
Flat seam construction for seam strength and to eliminate abrasion
IDEAL FOR...
Mountaineering, Climbing
Cross Country Skiing
Back Country Expeditions
Skating, Cycling, Running, Hunting,
Fishing, Camping

Product Description:  The shirt is white with hemmed cuffs, nothing fancy.  The stretch knit is very comfortable and does not bind my movements at all.  I am able to slide the sleeves up my arms without them falling back down and also without stretching the material to the point where it doesn’t go back to its normal size.  The shirt fits snuggly, similar to what athletes wear but not as constrictive.

Test Plan: I wore the shirt non-stop without washing it for whole 2 weeks of hunting season (which included wearing it at work) and I am pleased to note that although the shirt looks like it’s older than it is, it has held up.  The stink factor stayed very low which really surprised me.  I showered daily but did not apply deodorant.  In fact, my showers were along the line of what I would do while on the trail.  A shower but no soap.  To be honest, I hadn’t expected it to stay even low odor, much less stink free.  And while the odor was there, it was not offensive by any stretch of the imagination.  One thing I have noticed, though, with the wearing of the shirt is the fact the sleeves are “pearling” on the lower part of my sleeve on the bottom side.  This is where my arms tend to rub against my work area..  Little pearls of fabric are gathering on the sleeves, similar to what a sweater will do on occasion.  Nothing major and certainly not a problem.  Another thing that I’ve noticed is the shirt being white shows stains in the pits which have not come out with normal laundering.  But for having worn it while working, it’s still better than expected.  It does stain easily from grease and oils (from working, not hiking) and so far I haven’t found anything that removes those from the shirt.  I have NOT tried anything special to remove these stains other than my normal means of washing.  I have applied laundry soap directly to the stains and tried scrubbing them, but that is all.  But since I plan on wearing this shirt more as a base layer, and the stains are only on the sleeves, for my own personal use of the shirt, this is not a problem.  However, I do plan on getting some stain remover before the long term report to see what, if anything, will remove these stains.

The temperatures while hunting ranged from 10F/-12C to 20F/-7C.  As I hunted, I climbed hills, crawled through brush, and did just about everything possible to cause me to sweat terribly.  It got a good workout through hunting season.  The shirt was worn directly against my skin as a base layer.  I did not feel clammy at any point in my workouts and stayed very warm, which pleased me!  The weather on the first day of hunting season was bitterly cold, with winds gusting up to 25 mph/40 kph and heavy snowfalls.  I was dry as a bone when I got home that night.  Plus, I stayed toasty warm.  Another time I went out, the sun shined but the temperature was about 15F/-9C.  No snow on that day.  The remainder of the days fluctuated weather-wise throughout the day.  It ran the gamut of snow, sun, and overcast while out in the woods.  Fortunately, on my first day out, I did manage to bag my doe, however I failed to bag my buck.  But, food for the freezer anyway! ;-)

Things I like:  I am very pleased with this shirt as both a base layer and as a single layer although I probably won’t wear it as a single layer.  It is a tad revealing for me to wear as a single layer as I don’t wear undergarments when hiking.  So far, I have found that the smell factor is very low in my case, and after reading some other reviews of it, I think I know why.  I drink lots and lots of water and my sweat is not a “bitter” sweat, but a clean sweat.  Although, I can really get rank, I think that the water is helping to keep me “clean”. 
 
Things I dislike:  The information on their box is not clear as to temperatures this shirt would be comfortable in.  I realize that each person is different as to what is hot or cold to them, but these indicators aren’t clear.  There is nothing on their website either to explain what their factors/indicators mean.  I would like to see that clarified.  I’m not too keen on the staining in the armpits but that is acceptable.

My Background:  I have been backpacking for 2 years now and before I camped quite a bit.  I consider myself somewhat new to backpacking and am on my way towards becoming a lightweight packer.  I wear Wild Roses Sedona P-Tights for my pants, but have yet to find what I like in a top.