Initial Report

Initial Review of

Ibex Shak Jersey
By Michael Jay Lissner
30 October 2004

Contents of Review:
1. Tester Biographical Information
2. Backpacking Background
3. Product Information
4. Product Description
5. Initial Impressions
6. Plans for Further Testing
7. 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 here 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 Collar Detail

Ibex's website describes the jersey with the following blurb: "The ultimate performance midlayer. Dense knit breathable Merino sheds water, snow and wind. Flatlock construction. Deep zip for ventilation. Durable stretch. Semi fit." It goes on to say that the jersey has the "...ideal blend of warmth, breathability, durability and stretch." From what I have seen thus far, these statements hold water. There is not a whole lot to say about the jersey that pictures can't tell, but I suppose a few words ought to be said about the design, materials and construction. As far as the design goes, it seems to be well made. From what I can tell, it appears to be made from seven separate panels. As can be seen in the picture at right, four of them form the front (#6), the back (#3), and each of the sleeves (#1 and 7), and three of them are in the neck (#2,4 and 5). These are all sewn together with flatlock seams as mentioned in the description from Ibex, and are put together in a logical manner that avoids locating seams anywhere they might be problems (such as on the tops of shoulders). The design of the jersey is about how I expected it, but the neck is larger than advertised, and doesn't exactly flatter my small neck.

Overall the materials are rather interesting. The label on the inside left side seams reads, "100% Superwash Merino Wool / Exclusive of Trim / Wash Gentle / Cold (40 degrees) / Separate / With a Mild Detergent / (Ivory Snow) / Do Not Bleach / Lay Flat to Dry / Ibex Outdoor Clothing / www.ibexwear.com" In other words, the jersey, as all things made by Ibex at this time, is made from wool and needs to be kept cold when washing. I would have never guessed that it was made of wool if I were just to look at it. As can be seen in the picture of the sheep at the top of this report, the weave is very fine, and resembles something more like cotton than it does wool. Having never used anything that was made of fine wool before, I am impressed with this garment. I did not realize at all that wool could look so good.

Messy Hem

As for construction, this jersey seems to be pretty good quality. I don't know the exact name of the stitch that was used to make it, but I have noticed a couple of imperfections that I did not expect to see based on what I had read about Ibex in the past. I've found three of these imperfections, each of them located where a hem meets a seam. As an avid sewer, I know that these are just where the stitch ended, but I didn't expect to see so many loose ends. The one pictured at left is the cuff of the right hand sleeve, and looks about like the others that I had found.
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5. Initial Impressions
Initially, I am pleased with this jersey, though it is significantly heavier than I expected it to be. On the site it says that the material is 11.5 oz/sq yd, but I could have sworn I thought it said that the jersey itself was 11.5 oz (326 g). Still, the jersey is not too much heavier than the fleece that I am used to. As an ultralight hiker though, I will need to be convinced that the extra weight yields some kind of benefit over other options. From the few previous experiences I have had with wool, it is a very useful insulator when it gets wet, but that has also been my experience with garments made of fleece. For me, this review is about one thing: Whether or not I would rather have this piece of gear or a fleece. Many factors come into this decision, and I will be thinking a lot about them during the testing period. Weight is high among the various factors that I consider when deciding which piece of gear I would rather have, but others such as environmental concerns, efficacy when wet, warmth, fit and comfort all come into play as well.

From what I can tell in my early tests, the jersey fits very well. On my body, I find that it is a slim fit, coming in close to my chest under my arms, and fitting close around them as well. This will work well for layering, and I also appreciate it because it minimizes material use, and hence weight. The sleeves seem to be long enough (a major bonus), and the cuffs are big enough to slide comfortably over my forearms, which is very nice because years of rock climbing and woodworking have made them larger than the average bear's, and some garments are rather tight. The torso length of the jersey seems to be adequately long at this point, and hopefully my lower back won't be exposed to nature's ravages when I bend over to grab something, as is often the case due to my extreme height. As far as fit goes, I am not pleased with the fact that the neck opening is larger than advertised, because I have a small neck as it is, and this makes for an easy vent for hot air as it raises under the jersey. I do have a down vest with a high collar though, so perhaps the large neck opening will allow me to put the vest underneath more comfortably.

At this point, I have taken the jersey out on one mountain biking trip and one run just to see how it would perform, and it has worked very well. It vented well when I was going uphill and hot, and kept me plenty warm when I was going downhill. Early tests indicate that it is very efficient at thermoregulation. I have splashed a glass of water on it as well, and to my astonishment, it didn't seem to absorb a drop of it. Clearly a glass of water is not rain, but early water tests look promising. The third test I have been running on it - indeed at the time of writing, I am running this test on it - is how well it works for just lounging around. It is rather comfy. It's not as soft as a fleece, but rather is more like a heavy cotton, but nonetheless, it is comfy for lounging around in, and has been keeping me rather warm around the house.
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6. Plans for Further Testing
In less than six month's time, I will be embarking on a thru-hike of the Pacific Crest Trail. During my training for this hike, I will be using this jersey in combination with a number of other winter garments including a long sleeved polyester thermal, the down vest I mentioned a second ago, my fleece if the weather is cold enough, and maybe even a down sweater if funds allow me to get the one I have been eying. My headgear is almost always a fleece balaclava, and I usually wear fleece glove liners as my sole gloves.

More specifically, I plan on taking this jersey with me while on snow camping trips in the sierras, morning runs around town, afternoon mountain bike rides, backpacking trips to Point Reyes National Park, and all the other trips in between. This next six months promises to be an interesting testing period, and I look forward to seeing how this baby performs.
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7. Current Conclusions
At the present time, I look forward to seeing how well this jersey holds up in the varying conditions that are going to be coming my way. I am surprised at a few loose ends here and there on the seams, but if Ibex's reputation hadn't been so immaculate, I probably wouldn't have been surprised to see them on any other brand of clothing (they are very minor and almost imperceivable). For me, wool comes with a lot of preconceived notions, and I really want to see exactly how true these notions are. It will be a fun test series.

My thanks go out to BGT and Ibex.

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Read more gear reviews by Michael Lissner

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