Reviews > Clothing > Shirts > Ibex Shak Hoody > Jason Boyle > Long Term Report

Ibex Shak Hoody

Long Term Report - March 24, 2006

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. This is the third of three reports. Please see my initial and field reports for more information.

Long Term Field Conditions:
The Shak Hoody has seen snow, misting rain, blustery evenings, and the occasional dry day over the last two months. The Hoody has been used on 2 day hikes, a snowshoeing trip, a weekend backpacking trip, and while alpine skiing. My excursions took place in the Alpine Lakes region of the Mt Baker – Snoqualmie National Forest in WA, Castle Crags State Park and Wilderness in CA, and in Joshua Tree National Park in CA. Elevation ranged from sea level to 5000’ (1524 m) and temperatures ranged from 30 to 50 F (-1 to 10 C).

Summary: I love this sweatshirt. Let me repeat, I love this shirt!!! I wear it all the time. It is always in my pack, I also wear it around the house, while walking the dogs, basically any chance I get. It is super comfortable, has shown no signs of any type of wear, and still smells good. My only nitpick is the thumb loops. I like them as long as I am not holding something like hiking or ski poles. Long Term Test Results: This shirt has performed admirably in all conditions through the test period. It is light enough to hike in when the weather is cold, 30 F to 40 F (-1 C to 4 C), and it is great to wear around the camp in the evening and on short rest breaks. In addition, it functions great as a mid layer, while skiing and in really cold weather. The Hoody is super comfortable. It is slightly stretchy which I never expected with wool, and it is not itchy at all. I have washed and dried it per the manufacturer’s instructions with no problems. It does take a day or two to air dry, so I would not wash it on the trail. After hiking with daypacks and backpacking the Hoody shows no signs of wear. All the seams are still intact with no loose threads. The thumb loops are still intact even though I now rarely use them while skiing or hiking with poles. On one of my trips, I was hiking with both the Shak Hoody and a rain shell during a misty rainy day. Even though the trail was not strenuous, I began to overheat. So I tried an experiment, I would hike with only a t shirt and the Hoody. I wanted to see if it would really keep me warm if it got wet. It did. It never poured, but stayed a dripping, misty, typical Northwest day. I was comfortable and warm in the mid 30 F (2 C) temps. I was really happy about this outcome of this experiment. I had always heard that wool insulated when wet, but it was good to prove it.

Test Results:
I evaluated the Ibex Shak Hoody on the following characteristics over the test period. My answers are in blue 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 intensity aerobic activity overpowers the breathability of the Shak Hoody.)

Durable:
How durable is the Shak wool? (Great! I have had no problems throughout the test period.)
Do I need to be concerned during off trail hiking? (I have not had any problems.)
Does the fabric wear more underneath my backpack straps? (It did not show any wear throughout the test period.)
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 on flat trails.)
How durable are the thumb loops? (I have had no problems with the durability.)
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.

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Reviews > Clothing > Shirts > Ibex Shak Hoody > Jason Boyle > Long Term Report