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Reviews > Clothing > Shirts > Ibex Qu T > Heather Oakes Palmer > Initial Report
Initial Report for the Ibex Qu T Shirt
May 3, 2006
Tester Info:
Name: Heather Oakes Palmer Backpacking Background: I consider myself an intermediate hiker and backpacker for over five years with my longest backpacking trip being only three nights. Sadly due to time constraints, day hiking and weekend backpacking comprise most of my weekend warrior experience averaging one backpacking trip and two day hikes per month averaging between 10-15 miles (16.1- 24.2 km) per day. I tend to backpack in warm, humid climates, with a good amount of hiking in the southern Appalachian Mountains and I have rarely hiked in below freezing or snowy conditions yet. I am a lightweight backpacker and buy my gear accordingly, often splitting various objects and amounts of weight with my husband. Product Information:
Manufacturer: Ibex Outdoor Clothing Product Description: The Qu T is a relaxed fit, crew-neck, lightweight wool t-shirt. Featuring contrasting seams, a feminine fit, and temperature regulation, the Qu T is advertised as being for outdoor activities and everyday wear. From the website: the shirt is described as “Entirely new and exceptional, the Qu T is silky, unbelievably light 17.5 micron New Zealand Merino.” Initial Impressions: The shirt arrived in a plain brown box containing only a packing slip, shirt and attached tags. One tag is devoted to extolling the virtues of the 17.5 micron wool of which the shirt is made. According to the tag the wool is “luxuriously soft”, regulates temperature, naturally stretches, is machine washable, and “naturally anti-microbial”. The second tag is a typical informational and advertising tag containing pictures of sheep, product information, and manufacturer information. The tags are made of recycled paper.
The fabric is beautiful; it looks a little shiny and feels very silky to touch. It is also very thin, I would say it feels thinner than a cotton t-shirt. I have no idea what I am talking about relating to seams or cut of clothing, but the Qu T looks like it has some interesting design /sewing qualities. The exposed seams look very solid except for one small section in the front neckline that is missing about 1 inch (2.54 cm) of seam. The seams are the same color as the fabric and two extra ones run down the front and back like racing stripes (I am sure there is a technical term for this but I am happily ignorant). The shirt is not all one piece, as the sleeves have been added onto it hopefully providing extra freedom of movement. The inside back collar area has a little grey fabric lining, but it only is in the back. The little Ibex logo sits at the base of my neck when wearing the shirt in a discrete place that does not scream ‘activewear’. It definitely looks nice enough to wear around town, travel, or to work.
Hating shirts that are too tight when I am active the Qu T fit is perfect, loose enough to be comfy but form fitting enough to be fashionable. The sleeves are slightly shorter than most t-shirts, but longer than cap sleeves. The sleeves are also loose enough to not be in constant contact with my skin. The hemline drops below my belly, covering belts and zippers. Field Conditions: In the mountains of Georgia and North Carolina, the average elevations I will be hiking in will range from 2000 – 5500 ft (610-1676 m). The temperature could be anywhere from high 80’s F to 50’s F (27-10 C) during the day and could drop to low 40’s F (4 C) at night, the humidity will probably stick at 80% or higher. Given the time of year of this test, I’ll mostly be hiking in heavily forested areas with lots of stray brush. I will also likely be testing the shirt while I am in Florida over the course of the next few months doing some hiking and kayaking (I owe some family time). The temperature could be anywhere from high 90’s F to low 80’s F (55- 27 C) during the day and could drop to the low 60’s F (16 C) at night if I’m very lucky, and the relative humidity could go over 100% in swampy parts or during rain. Test Plan: I will be testing the shirt during day hikes, and overnight backpacking and camping trips, primarily in the Georgia and North Carolina Mountains. I would also like to test the shirt during my weekly city rambles and some everyday wear since it looks nice enough for work. My husband and I tend to back pack or car camp at least once a month, and we day hike every other weekend and I would test this shirt either alone or with layers. The humidity can be very daunting to outdoor activities from the possible testing period of May through August in the Southeast where I play. The biggest questions I will ask while testing this shirt will all be related to humidity: how well does the shirt wick moisture, how long does it take to dry once it is damp, and will it retain funky smells once it is dry? I am very concerned about whether or not wool is the last thing I want to wear in July, so will this shirt be too hot for me to wear once the summer really gets going? When you live in a place where just walking outdoors causes a sweat, a shirt that helps keep you dry is worth its weight in gold (or titanium). Being used to outdoor gear especially for women, I’ve become accustomed to harsh feeling and ill-fitting clothing. Having tested socks last year (Teko Eco-Merino Light Hikers) made of merino wool I was very pleased by the comfort and feel so I wonder if the Ibex Qu T micron merino wool is as soft? Other than fabric comfort, I also look for shirts that fit well when I an active. Are the sleeves or neckline too constricting? Will the shirt fit loose, but not leave so much extra fabric that can bunch up under pack straps? Will the shirt allow for unimpeded arm movements, especially while paddling? Will the shirt feel as cool and comfy when wearing a pack as without? Will the shirt keep me from being too chilled if used at night as a camp shirt? Will the shirt feel comfortable when walking around in the city or wearing to non-outdoorsy functions? Will the shirt be able to “pass” for normal clothes or will it be obviously a shirt that I should not be wearing in polite society? I would also like to see how durable the shirt is. Will the seams easily unravel after washings? Will the colors run or fade? How will the fabric hold when in contact with brush, packs, or other pointy objects? Will the fabric pull or run easily? Will any parts of the shirt show signs of wear from being rubbed often by my pack? Will the armpits become discolored from sweat? Will it get stretched out from use or shrink from the washing machine?
Reviews > Clothing > Shirts > Ibex Qu T > Heather Oakes Palmer > Initial Report | |||
