Field Report

Field Report of
Ibex Shak Jersey
By Michael Jay Lissner
6 January 2004

Contents of Report:
1. Tester Biographical Information
2. Backpacking Background
3. Product Information
4. Product Description
5. Conditions of Field Testing
6. Results of Field Testing
7. Plans for Further Testing
8. Current Conclusions

1. Tester Biographical Information
Name: Michael Jay Lissner
Age: 22
Gender: Male
Height: 198 cm (6' 6")
Weight: 88 kg (195 lb)
Measurements: Chest: 104 cm (41"); Neck: 38 cm (15"); Sleeve: 86 cm (34")
Body Fat Percentage: Roughly 14.5% as measured electronically.
Build: My body is very tall and lean, making me very susceptible to cold weather and short sleeves.
Email: yourmothership at hotmail dot com
City of Current Residence: Berkeley, California (near the San Francisco Bay Area)
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2. Backpacking Background
I have been backpacking for the greater part of my life. I started with traditional backpacking with the Boy Scouts, but my current style is a highly minimalist one relying on more skill and discomfort and less on creature comforts and toys. Although my backpacking style is an evolving thing, at this point I usually clock in 27.4 km (17 mile) days with a base weight (without food or water) of about 4.6 kg (8 lb), including my tarp, frameless pack and down quilt. My usual stomping grounds are any of the terrain within three hours from the San Francisco Bay Area including Desolation Wilderness, Emigrant Wilderness, Point Reyes National Park, Yosemite and others.
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3. Product Information
Manufacturer: Ibex Outdoor Clothing, LLC
Manufacturer's URL: http://www.ibexwear.com
Product Name: Shak Jersey
Size and Color Tested: Large, Cerulean Blue
Advertised Dimensions: Chest: 107-112 cm (42-44"); Neck: 41-43 cm (16.5-17" ); Sleeve: 89-91 cm (35-36")
Measured Dimensions (unstretched): Chest: 109 cm (43"); Neck: 46 cm (18"); Sleeve: 89 cm (35")
Measured Dimensions (lightly stretched): Chest: 126 cm (50"); Neck: 56 cm (22"); Sleeve: 99 cm (39")
Advertised Weight: 11.5 oz /sq yd
Measured Weight: 508 g (17.9 oz)*
*Weight was measured on a Sunbeam digital scale that claims accuracy to 1 g or .1 oz.
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4. Product Description
This is a merino wool jersey with a 1/2 zip. For a much more complete description of this jersey, please seek out my initial review, or that of one of the other testers.
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5. Conditions of Field Testing
Since the initial report, I have used this jersey as one of the main tenets of my wardrobe. By and large, the testing I have subjected it to has happened around my neighborhood, Berkeley. I have used it in this area while backpacking, running, hiking and lounging around the house. The one trip I have managed to go on during the past two months was to Big Sur, where the elevations ranged from about 250 m (800 ft) to about 800 m (2,600 ft), and the temperature ranged from about 10 to 24 C (50 to 75 F). Big Sur is near the ocean in Northern California, and ranges from coastal redwoods to chaparral. This trip promised rain, but the weather was fairly friendly the whole trip.
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6. Results of Field Testing
My current conclusion about this jersey is that it is a great piece of gear, but I am not entirely convinced that it is the holy grail that I have been looking for. The biggest thing that I have noticed about it that I like is that unlike fleece, it doesn't get smelly. I'd like to say it never gets smelly, but that might be going a little far. Let me put it this way: In the past two months, I have worn it a lot - running, mountain biking, around the house - and I have washed it twice. The first time I washed it was because it got muddy the second time I wore it mountain biking. The second time I washed it was a week or two ago, and was because it finally after nearly two months of hard wear got a little smelly. Not to beat a dead horse, but I have sweated in it a lot, and it simply does not retain odor. It's somewhat miraculous, and I would say this is the greatest thing it has going for it.

The worst thing about it is that it practically NEVER dries. When I did finally break down and wash it, it took three days to dry completely while hanging on the back of a door in my house. I'll admit, this wasn't the best or warmest place for it to hang, but, considering the fact that we are too cheap to use the heat in the house, the indoor temperature wasn't too far off from an outside one. It undoubtedly took a long time to dry, and what's worse, it can't be put in the dryer. As a matter of fact, its hangtag asks that you use a hanger to dry it - something that is hard to come by when a jacket gets rained on during a trip. I decided as a piece of camping gear, requiring a hanger was going a little too far, and disregarded this requirement. From what I can tell, the jersey suffered no ill due to this maltreatment. When I began this test, I wanted to see if the jersey would perform well enough to take with me on my 2005 thru-hike of the PCT. The fact that it took this long to dry has definitely made it so that I can't take it along on this trip because when I do have to wash it, I won't have three days to wait for it to dry.

Another thing that I have greatly enjoyed about this jersey is the fit. It fits comfortably, and has sleeves that are long enough even for my lengthy arms. Several times during the review period, I have gotten compliments on this jersey. It's a stylish garment with a great fit - no doubt about it. I often have problems with the cuff size of garments. Often they do not stretch well enough to go above my forearms, and a lot of the time once they do, they just fall back down again. I have been very pleased with how well this jersey fits with the sleeves pushed up above my forearms. In my opinion, the cuffs have just the right amount of stretch.

Two other things need be noted in this review. First is the breathability of this garment, which I have found to be superb to such an extent that it might be too breathable. In all of the high energy activities that I have undertaken with this jersey, it has always adjusted to my heat output with aplomb. Several times I have noticed that I'm getting overheated in it, and each time that I do, I unzip the zipper and push up the cuffs and am comfortable for another bit of time. Eventually I have had to take it off, but the range of temperatures that it is comfortable to wear this jersey is impressive. On the flip side of that, is the fact that in a wind this jersey doesn't do a whole lot to keep you warm.Wind seems to go right through it.

The second thing that is noteworthy is the frayed cuffs I spoke of in my initial report. They have gotten worse. I've learned that the threads that were used to sew the seams in the cuffs catch on Velcro hooks, and that they unravel a little bit if left to their own devices. Thus far, I have trimmed them several times, each time losing a good inch or two of thread. I imagine this will eventually be a problem if it progresses like this, and will touch on this matter again in the long term review.
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7. Plans for Further Testing
In the next four months that I have with this jersey, I plan to continue wearing it as an everyday garment, and as my standard garb when exercising in just about any way. Wool is renowned for its ability to remain warm when wet, and I have not yet had the blessing to try out this jersey in that manner. It has been rather rainy around these parts, and I will soon go for a city hike to see how well it does when wet and in a controlled environment. If it does well in that test, I'll consider testing it out in the wilderness if I get caught in a wilderness rain storm. I plan to keep my eye on the fraying cuffs, and I plan to undertake many more backpacking trips in the coming months than I have in the past two.
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8. Current Conclusions
My current conclusion about this jersey is that it is great for high energy output activities like running and mountain biking, and that its ability to shed odors is admirable. I am disappointed with how slowly it dries after removed from a spin cycle, but overall, I am quite pleased with this jersey. It adjusts well to changing activities, is comfortable, warm and stylish.

My thanks go out to Ibex and BGT for the opportunity to test this garment.

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Read more gear reviews by Michael Lissner

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