Backpacking Background Intermediate. I've been a
car-camper as long as I can remember and started backpacking in
Northern California when I was 16. I've been backpacking for a
little over a year after a hiatus during college. I backpack in the
Sierras as well as National Forests and Parks in the Los
Angeles vicinity. I also spend time in the California deserts and
the mountains and coast of Northern California. I'm a tent camper
leaning towards lightweight; but I'm also a fan of gadgets and I
like being comfortable. I also frequently day hike close to home and
while car camping.
I'm sad to say that my initial impression was that the shirt was really itchy. Based on the description Ibex gives on
their website of "super soft" I expected something more like cashmere. This definitely isn't cashmere- but it might be
kind of strange hiking in cashmere anyway. But the bottom line is- it's not soft. I have several wool sweaters (but no
wool active wear other than socks) and I find this shirt to be scratchier than all of them. But that's not a deal-breaker
for me, if it performs really well I'll live with it being a little scratchy. I'd much prefer to be in something that's
slightly itchy than in something that get soaked to the bone in sweat.
This is a long-sleeved shirt intended for year-round use. Ibex claims that wool's natural wicking and moisture management
properties make it preferable to cotton in warm weather. Of course I will test that out over the test period. The seams
on this shirt are unusual (as compared to a regular t-shirt). Ibex calls these princess seams- I call these seams a
little crazy. There are seams that start near my shoulders and arch out over my boob area then down to the bottom of the shirt.
There are also seams that start on the side of my armpits and then make a big 'U' down to my forearm and then back to the
other side of my armpit. Right in the bend of the 'U' on my left arm is the Ibex logo. It's very tastefully done in the
same color as the shirt- and I happen to think their logo it really cool looking. The seams themselves are a slightly
different color than the shirt. They're still purple but the color is different enough that the seams really stand out.
So far I'm not loving their choice of seam thread color. I hope the performance of the shirt makes me forget about that.
This shirt is very thin (see image). If I'm not careful with my choice of undergarment I might expose a little more than
I'd like- neutral colored undergarments seem to be fine so far though.
The shirt's fit is snug but not tight. I can wear a camisole underneath without it being overly tight. The sleeves are cut
on the long side- I happen to like this. The sleeves hit me about right in the middle of my hand if I pull them down. So
far it's easy to keep them up at wrist-length; there's just a little bit of extra material.
The back of the shirt, notice you can see the tag - the inside collar and tags - crisscrossing seams - a side view
Thus far I'm a little disappointed with the scratchiness of the shirt. However, I really like the fit and concept of
wearing wool based on its natural properties.
I will be wearing this shirt in a couple capacities. I'll use it hiking, backpacking, biking, for gym workouts, and for
casual weekend wear. This means that I'll be wearing the shirt from sea level up to over 10,000 ft (3,050 m) - give or take
depending on where my summer hikes take me. I'll be under diverse conditions which may include beach sand, the rocky
mountains of the Sierras, forested areas, shrubby chaparral and probably more. I may encounter rain (light or thunderstorms),
wind, cool temperatures (in the 30s F/~0 C), hot temperatures (up to the 90s F/35s C), etc.
I plan to evaluate how well this shirt works during the spring and early summer months. This shirt is designed to be worn
year-round and I plan to find out if a long-sleeved shirt can really manage that. I will find out if the shirt provides
good sun protection. I will evaluate how well the shirt wicks away sweat to keep me cool and dry when it's warm and I'm
exerting myself. I will also report on how well it works as a base layer when it's cooler outside.
In addition to performance, I will also report on the durability of the shirt over the 4-month test period. I'll report
on whether it shrinks, the fabric piles, or fades over time. As well as how easy it is to keep clean and if it holds on to
odors and dirt.
I want to thank BackpackGearTest.org and Ibex Outdoor Clothing for giving me the opportunity to test this item.
Read more reviews of Ibex gear
Read more gear reviews by Jennifer Pope
