Personal Information:

Leesa Joiner  
leesaj@gmail.com
Southwestern Maine
41 years old
Female
5'7" (1.7 M)
150 lb (68 kg)


Background:

        My camping, hiking and backpacking experience has included trips varying in length from one day hikes to two-week trips.  My experience hiking began with my father when I was about six years old. We hiked along the river pathways in northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. While enjoying the outdoors with friends and family, I spend time hiking, geocaching, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and camping.    Although I am not a lightweight backpacker, I am trying to 'lighten up' and primarily use an Ultra-lite Backpacker Asym hammock for sleeping.

      I received a black, Shak Jersey, size women’s medium on October 20th.  Coincidentally, that is the last time our temperature has gone above 50 degrees F. (10 C).  The jersey is a soft, merino wool, that has a contoured fit, that is neither snug, nor binding.  The sleeves are long enough and allow for free movement of my arms.  I must have long arms, as most pullover type tops I have tried have sleeves that are about 2 inches (5 cm) short.  All seams have a secure binding stitch and the zipper is well constructed.  
    
Product Information:

IBEX Outdoor Clothing, LLC
2800 Westerdale Cut-Off Rd.
Woodstock, Vermont 05091
(800) 773-9647
http://www.ibexwear.com

Shak Jersey
Size: Medium
Color: Black
Weight- Actual: 13 oz (369 g)
              Advertised: 13.4 oz  (380 g)(Average)

MSRP: $125.00

The following is the description from the web site-
Shak Jersey : #617    
-Merino Wool - Dense Knit.
-Flat Lock Construction.
-1/2 Zip
-Semi Fit.
-Easy Care. Machine Washable.
-Average Weight 13.4 oz.
-USA
The ultimate performance midlayer. Dense knit breathable Merino sheds water, snow and wind. Flatlock construction. Deep zip for ventilation. Durable stretch. Semi fit.

Test Locations:
        During the next six months, I have plans to camp at least one weekend a month in western Maine and northeastern New Hampshire in the White Mountain National Forest and surrounding areas. In November, I will be participating in a 3 day outdoor Girl Scout training in central Maine. In early December I am going to Vermont for a winter camping trip. This trip is a winter camping training experience for some younger Boy Scouts.  I am going along as the cooking merit badge counselor. During January, we are doing another 3 day backpacking trip in Maine with all the Boy Scouts - I am the 'cook' once again.  In February I will be going with some friends on a snowshoe overnighter in southern Vermont.  March will hold two trips, one to Ohio for 4-6 days and one to western Massachusetts to hike the Isaac Davis Trail for 3 days.

Test Plan:
        I plan on using the Ibex Wear Shak Jersey on all my upcoming trips and outings.   I will use it as a top layer on brisk fall hikes and as a middle layer during cold weather outings.  During the winter I snowshoe and cross-country ski quite a bit and find that the exertion keeps me warm but, the snow melting on me tends to be uncomfortable.  It causes chilling when I stop for a rest break or to eat.   The Ibex Wear Shak Jersey offers the following features that would address this and other issues:

'Insulating, temperature-regulating mid-layer w/stretch' and 'Dense
knit breathable Merino sheds water, snow and wind'  is ideal for:
- Climbing/Mountaineering
- Alpine/Nordic skiing
- Cold weather running/cycling

These features lead me to believe that the Shak Jersey would be very
comfortable for skiing and snowshoeing, due to its ability to regulate
temperature and help prevent overheating and perspiration.  The water
and snow shedding ability should make it comfortable for most weather
conditions.

-1/2 Zip, Durable stretch, Semi Fit construction should allow for easy
movement and adequate ventilation.

Testing Considerations:
First and foremost - Does the Shak Jersey provide a warm, comfortable
fit?  Is it versatile?  What types of clothing does it layer well
with?  Will the layers lay smoothly or will they bunch up?  How soft
is the fabric?  (Merino wool is typically softer than other types of
wool)

Temperature - What temperature range will the Shak Jersey work well in?
 Alone? As a mid-layer?  Over a lightweight layer.  There are so many
combinations possible, it will be interesting to find which
combinations work well together, and how the jersey performs on its
own.

Durability - How well will the jersey hold up to wear and washings?
The web site states that it is machine washable- which is unusual for
some wool products.  I am concerned that the jersey will show wear and
begin 'pilling' (those little fuzz balls that develop on some clothing)

Weatherproofness -  Will the Shak Jersey really repel water, snow and
wind?  Will it improve my comfort level while outdoors in the late
fall and winter and early spring?

Test Conditions:
     The majority of my testing will be done in northern New England, where current day temperatures are in the 50 to 60 F ( 10 - 15.5 C ) range, with night temperatures falling to the low 40s (4 C ). Over the next six months the temperatures will drop to - 20 F (-29 C) at times. We typically have snowfall by mid-November.  By December there is usually some accumulation on the ground.  It is not unusual to have 30 in (76 cm) of snow on the ground by February.     Most of my hiking is done below 3000 ft (914 m), but some fall climbs will be at over 4000 ft (1219 m). There is a wide range of types of terrain on these hikes. Everything from well maintained trails to hiking through heavily wooded areas.  Some trips will involve backpacking into campsites and at other times I will set up camp and hike out from there.