Ibex Shak Hoody
Field Report - January 21, 2006
Tester Information:
Name: Jason Boyle
Age: 28
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 6"/ 1.68 m
Weight: 170 lb/ 77 kg
Chest: 42”/ 107 cm
Neck: 16”/ 41 cm
Sleeve: 28”/ 71 cm (from the middle of my chest to my wrist)
Email address: c4jc "at" hotmail "dot" com
City, State, Country: Snoqualmie, WA, U. S.
Backpacking Background:
I have been camping and backpacking for about 17 years. My introduction to the outdoors started with the BSA and has continued as an adult. I have hiked mostly in the Southeastern and Northeastern United States. I am generally a lightweight hiker, but will carry extras to keep me comfortable. Most of my hiking and backpacking takes place in the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, but I can be found exploring the other wild areas of Washington!
Product Information:
Manufacturer: Ibex
Model: Shak Hoody
Size: Large
Color: New Olive (received), Cerulean Blue, Black
Year of Manufacture: 2005
URL:www.ibex.com
Listed weight: 20 oz (567 g)
Measured weight: 18 oz (510 g)
**Disclaimer: the closest my scale will measure is in whole ounces**
Listed Dimensions: Chest 42-44” (107-112 cm), Neck 16.5-17” (42-43 cm), Sleeves 35-36” (89-91 cm)
Measured Dimensions: Chest 43” (109 cm), Sleeves 35” (89 cm)
Fabric Content: 100% Shak Wool (Merino)
MSRP: $140 US
Country of Manufacture: USA of imported fabrics
Product Description:
This item is much more than just a hooded shirt as the title would lead one to believe. I think of it as a comfy wool sweatshirt with a hood. For a more detailed description please see my initial report.
Field Conditions:
The Ibex Shak Hoody has been used in all forms of precipitation over the past two months. Rain, Snow, and the occasional sunny day have all been seen by the Hoody. I have used the Hoody on two day hikes: The first was a 12 mile hike on Rattlesnake Mountain, and the second was on a trip up to West Tiger Mountain #3. In addition to the day hikes, I have used the shirt on a 2 night weekend trip into the Buckhorn Wilderness in the Olympic National Forest and a car camping trip in the Mt Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. I have also worn the shirt as a middle layer on 4 ski trips to the Summit at Snoqualmie. Elevation has ranged from sea level to 4950’ (1509 m). Temperature has ranged from 45 F to 16 F (25 C – 9C).
Summary:
So far the Ibex Shak Hoody has performed well. It is super comfortable and has done a good job of insulating me in cold temperatures, but also has not caused me to overheat while day hiking in milder temperatures. I like the thumb loops but they can be annoying when using hiking or ski poles.
Field Test Results:
Do you have a comfortable old sweater or sweatshirt that you like to curl up in? The Shak hood is that for me, an extremely comfortable “shirt” that is always comfortable whenever I put it on. I have used it as a mid and outer layer. It works well in all of these conditions based on what the outside conditions are. I would not wear it as an outer layer in a pouring rain, but I did wear it on a misty rainy and snowy day while hiking and it kept me warm and toasty the whole time. I like to wear the Hoody with only a short sleeve synthetic t-shirt underneath and have not experienced any itchiness that I normally associate with wool clothing.
The chest pocket is a nice feature. I use it to store small stuff while hiking or skiing. The thing that I store in there the most is a small MP3 player to give me some tunes! I have also stored a chapstick tube, keys and small snacks in it with no discomfort.
The hood is also a nice feature especially while skiing or hiking in cold weather. I normally wear a ball cap and the hood makes a nice combo to keep my ears and head warm. It is tight but comfortable fit and moves with my head nicely. It does make me look like some type of outdoor Jedi though.
The jacket is comfortable while day hiking, but can be hot when backpacking or in situations of high exertion. The chest zip does not provide adequate ventilation in these situations. It is comfortable to wear in the 30’s (teens Celsius) when hiking trails with little elevation change or while hanging out in camp.
The Shak Wool has held up well. I have hiked off trail while wearing the Shak and have had no problems with the jacket getting snags or tears. The fabric does not show any signs of wear from my backpack’s straps or my hip belt.
I am torn about the thumb loops. I like to wear them, like the way that they make the sleeves fit. However, they can be annoying while grasping poles. After a full day of skiing, they cause the fleshy part of my hand between my thumb and forefinger to be a little sore.
Improvements:
None at the moment.
Test Plan:
I will examine the Ibex Hooded Shak for the following characteristics:
(My answers based on the first two months of use are in parenthesis and italics)
Fit:
How well does the shirt fit? (Great! I compare it to my favorite old sweatshirt.)
Ibex recommends using the Shak as a mid layer; so how easy is it to wear something underneath it or over it? (No problem.)
Will I feel like the Michelin Man if I am wearing an outer layer over the Shak? (No, it is easy to wear a long sleeve or short sleeve t shirt underneath.)
How easy is the chest pocket to open? (Easy as long as I am not wearing gloves.)
Is there extra padding in the pocket to keep stuff from bouncing on my chest? (This has not seemed to be the problem that I thought that it would be.)
How does the shirt feel as a baselayer? (Fine.)
Is it itchy like other wool products? (No.)
How comfortable is the hood to wear? (Very comfortable and makes a good combination with my ball cap to keep me warm.)
Is it head conforming or will I look like the emperor from the Star Wars series? (Head conforming, but I still look like a Jedi!)
How do the thumb loops fit? (Well, but can be annoying if using poles for extended periods of time.)
Are the sleeves proportional to the rest of the shirt? (Yes.)
Can I adequately vent the shirt with the half length zip? (No, high exertion overpowers the breathability of the Shak Hoody.)
Durable:
How durable is the Shak wool? (Great thus far.)
Do I need to be concerned during off trail hiking? (I have not had any snags yet.)
Does the fabric wear more underneath my backpack straps? (Not so far.)
What temperature range is it best used in? (I am a warm hiker, so for me the Hoody is best used in temperatures near freezing.)
How durable are the thumb loops? (So far I have had no problems.)
Are they reinforced? (Yes, there is an extra layer of fabric wrapped around the entrance. I am not sure though if the extra layer is for looks or actually increases the durability of the thumb loop.)
Style:
Living here in the trendy Pacific Northwest is this shirt stylish enough to wear on a rainy day diaper run to Target or while out at dinner in downtown Seattle? (Most Definitely.)
Thanks to BackpackGearTest and IBEX for allowing me to participate in this test.
Read more reviews of Ibex gear
Read more gear reviews by Jason Boyle
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