OWNER REVIEW - MEC Rapidi-T Short Sleeve Shirt

 

1. Reviewer Information

 

Name: Jason Dolman
Age: 26
Gender: Male
Height: 6 ft (1.83 m)
Weight: 145 lb (66 kg)
Email address: nolonger@canada.com
City, State, Country: Montreal, Quebec, Canada
Date: May 18, 2004

Backpacking Background: I have camped since I was 13 and have backpacked as a traveler since I was 21.  I have enjoyed numerous bike, canoe and camping trips throughout the United States and Canada, and backpacked in Europe, South East Asia and South America.  I travel as light as possible.  My travel backpack holds 30 L (1831 cu in), so each piece of clothing/gear is selected to be as multipurpose and durable as possible.  My next trip will take me to Australia and involve rafting, diving and hiking in a variety of climates and temperatures.

 

2. Product information

Manufacturer: Mountain Equipment Co-op
Year of manufacture: unknown, but the shirt was purchased in 2001

Product Number: 4019-043

Sleeve length: Short
URL: http://www.mec.ca

Listed weight: 135 g (4.76 oz)
Weight as delivered: 130 g (4.59 oz)

MSRP: CAD $17

The Rapidi-T short sleeve shirt is a t-shirt made in Canada from 3.7oz (105 g) 100% Canadian polyester micro-fiber, micro-waffle mini-mesh.  It is available in four colors: white, dusty grey (grey), sapphire (blue) and black.  The fabric, while not reflective, does shimmer in a somewhat subdued way and is smooth and soft to the touch.  The neck of the shirt is round (as opposed to V), and the fabric stretches and recovers well.  The stitching is of good quality.

 

The Rapidi-T is marketed as a lightweight, hot-weather shirt that wicks moisture away from the skin during high-energy activities.

 

3. Field information

 

a) Backpacking:

I brought three shirts with me to South America.  One of them was stolen in Ecuador and the other on the Inca trail to Machu Picchu in Peru.  I wore my single remaining Rapidi-T shirt through Peru, Bolivia, Chile, Argentina and Brazil. 

 

In the Pantanal (hot, low-altitude Brazilian wetlands), the shirt floated on me as if it didn’t exist, allowing air to circulate and still protecting me from the blistering sun.  At freezing cold high altitudes of 5200 m/17, 000 ft (geysers near the Salar de Uyuni of Bolivia), the shirt was used under insulating layers.  It does not provide any protection from the cold, but is comfortable under other layers and keeps skin dry. 

 

Because it was the only shirt I wore during 7 weeks of my travels, it was subjected to daily use/abuse, and was washed by hand and machine.  It dries in minutes (faster in hot weather) and does not retain odor of any kind.  I wore this shirt in city and forest, desert and mountain, humid and dry, temperatures above 30 C (86 F) and below 0 C (32 F).  It was comfortable in all of the above and maintained its quality and shape.

 

b) Snowboarding:

I have also worn the Rapidi-T as my innermost layer on 20 separate occasions while snowboarding at Mt. Tremblant, Quebec, where winter temperatures regularly drop below 0 F (-18 C).  Although I lose buckets of water through exertion and perspiration, this shirt keeps me comfortable.  It does not, however, provide insulation against the cold.

 

4. Summary

 

The MEC Rapidi-T is a spectacular shirt for hot weather climates and active lifestyles.  It looks nice and keeps the wearer cool and dry.  In colder situations however, a shirt specialized for warmth (ex: polypropylene long underwear) would make a better inner layer.

 

Pros of the Rapidi-T:

a)      Lightweight

b)      Packs down small

c)      Doesn’t hold odors

d)      Costs less than CAD $20

 

Cons of the Rapidi-T:

a)      Not an asset in cold-weather

b)      Not available in many colors