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Field Report: IBEX Women's Qu T
| Personal Biographical Info: |
| Name: |
Stephanie Martin |
| Age: |
31 |
| Gender: |
Female |
| Height: |
5'5" (1.65 meters) |
| Bust: |
37" (94 cm) - measured over a sportsbra |
| Weight: |
145 lbs (65 kg) |
| Email Address: |
syoong "at" alum "dot" mit
"dot" edu |
| Location: |
Phoenix, AZ USA |
| Date: |
July 4, 2006 |
| Background: |
Having always enjoyed spending time outdoors,
I got serious about it in 1996. Since then, I've been actively day hiking
most weekends. In addition to day hikes, my husband and I generally take a
couple of week long trips to the Grand Canyon annually, in addition to short
weekend backpacking trips. Our backpacking philosophy has been rapidly
moving towards ultra-light gear. My target base pack weight is 10 lbs (4.5
kg), and my typical shelter is a single wall tarp/tent. In general, we
average 12 to 15 miles (20 to 24 km) per day. See
http://www.ToddsHikingGuide.com
for trip reports and a better sense of our hiking style. |
| Other technical tops worn: |
I've used everything from the old tee-shirts to some of the newer synthetics from
Moving Comfort's mini-mesh to GoLite's C-Thru. I have never worn a
wool shirt for hiking. |
|
|
| Product Information: |
 |
| Manufacturer: |
IBEX Outdoor Clothing, Inc. [http://www.ibexwear.com] |
| Year of Manufacture: |
2006 |
| Listed Weight: |
3.5 ounces (99.2 grams), size
reference unknown |
| Weight as Delivered: |
4.1 ounces (116.2 grams) |
| Color: |
Mulberry |
| Size: |
Women's Large |
| MSRP: |
USD$79 |
| Style of Product: |
Lightweight, crew neck tee shirt. |
Contents
-
Product Use and Performance
-
Continued Test
Strategy
- Summary
| Field and Test Information: |
| Location(s) of test: |
Various locations in the deserts and mountains
and canyons of Arizona. |
| Terrain: |
The majority of the terrain has been open desert
environments with few shade trees present. High elevations in
Arizona include pine forests and open meadows. Canyon trips
involved submersion in water. |
| Weather Conditions: |
Mostly sunny with a few overcast days. Outside
daytime temperatures during the test period have ranged from nighttime
lows near 70 F (21 C) to daytime highs in the low 100s F (low 40s
C). |
Details in this Field Report are intended to be taken in addition to findings
as listed in my
Initial Report.
Product Use and Performance
As a big wool fan (I'm a Knitter and a Spinner), I was very interested
to give the IBEX Qu T a whirl. While I have been a big fan of superfine
merino wool for its insulating, and resilient properties in addition to its
softness - it has never occurred to me to wear wool during the heat of the
summer. The
IBEX Qu T has seen plenty of use so far this test period - being worn both
around town as well as to the gym for urban use, as well as being worn for
several days at a time in the heat of the Arizona sun while hiking and exploring
the desert and canyon country. Activity levels have ranged from lounging
around camp trying to sit still while still dripping sweat to highly aerobic
activities.
So far, the Ibex Qu T has performed wonderfully well to expectations. I
haven't felt any hotter in the Qu T than I have in my other hiking shirts - the
superfine wool fabric certainly seems to wick moisture away, allowing it to
evaporate and keep me cooler. The fabric certainly seemed to dry quite
quickly in the arid desert heat - even after being fully submerged in water, the
fabric would be mostly dry within an hour or two. Even after being exposed
repeatedly to very hard water (as found on one of my canyon backpacking trips),
and left to air dry, the Qu T remained wonderfully soft. The mulberry hue
of the fabric has remained vibrant and has not bled onto my other laundry when
washed in the machine, and the fabric appears to have not taken on any stains in
spite of all my outdoor activities. I'm also happy to report that the
fabric does not take on a wet-sheep odor when damp, nor has it seemed to have
picked up any "off" scent from being worn numerous days at a time while pursuing
strenuous adventures.
In terms of durability and its ability to remain true to size and shape, the
Qu T has done fairly well. Like most knit clothing I have owned, if simply
washed and haphazardly dried, the Qu T seems to develop a slight twist of the
hem relative to the top of the shirt - this is due to a slight bias in the
fabric, and is fairly standard of most knitwear. If carefully laid flat to
dry, the shirt dries without this twist. I have accidentally thrown the
shirt into the dryer on one occasion, and after a brief moment of panic, I was
pleased to discover that the shirt did not shrink due to my lapse of attention.
As I mention above, the fabric has seemed quite resistant to staining or
developing any odors - though I have noticed some very minor pilling on the back
of the shirt where it seems my pack has rubbed while putting it on or taking it
off.
 Other
than the pilling, the only other real sign of wear on the shirt is some damaged
stitching at the neck. The stitching itself is more decorative than
anything else, as the neck band is actually serged onto the shirt - the stitches
were damaged while taking the shirt off. I don't tend to take shirts off
by grasping the hem - rather, I grab the neck to widen the opening so I can pull
the shirt upwards and off while wearing my glasses. I think the stitching
snapped because the thread used is a non-elastic variety (or has very little
elastic properties) and it was not able to accommodate the way that I tend to
doff my clothing. I do want to reiterate that this is primarily decorative
stitching only, and the neckband is still securely attached to the shirt via a
serged seam.
[back to Table of Contents]
Continued Test Strategy
I've been pleased with the design, construction and performance of the IBEX Qu T
so far during my testing and it has become a favorite in my wardrobe - for both
every day use as well as hiking and adventuring. Through the remainder of
the test period, I will continue to wear the Qu T to work, while home
lounging, to the gym and most importantly, while hiking, backpacking, canyoning
and adventuring in general. The terrain will range from lowland desert
hills and slot canyons, to grassy meadows and pine forest. Off trail
hiking may expose the shirt to brush and scrub, and canyoneering adventures will
expose it to rock walls and plenty of water. With summer well upon us,
temperatures
will continue to be hot with daytime highs up into low 110s F (low 40s C) and night
time lows, if I'm lucky, in the mid 70s F (low 20s C).
I'll continue to evaluate the Qu T on its overall fit, comfort and ease of
use and care in the field with a focus on its breathability, moisture wicking
performance and quick drying time. In addition, I'll be evaluating the
shirt for wrinkle and stain and odor resistance, durability and its ability to
remain true to size.
[back to Table of Contents]
Summary: Woo Hoo's and Boo Hoo's
I really am glad to have had the opportunity to test the Ibex Qu T. I
normally wouldn't associate wool with warm weather wear, and this
shirt has proven to be a very pleasant surprise. With that said, here
are my "Woo Hoo's" (likes) and my "Boo Hoo's" (some room
for improvement).
- Woo Hoo: Nice cut and plenty of stretch - the shirt is flattering in design
and doesn't bind or restrict movement
- Woo Hoo: Great wicking power and quick drying
- Woo Hoo: Easy to care for
- Woo Hoo: Fabric continues to be wonderfully soft, even when air dried after
being soaked in hard water
- General Comment: As with most knits, lay flat and reshape to dry or a slight
twist may develop
- Boo Hoo: none at this time
[back to Table of Contents]
My thanks to BackpackGearTest.org and IBEX for this testing opportunity.
Read more reviews of Ibex gear
Read more gear reviews by Stephanie Martin
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