Name:	Rebecca Sowards-Emmerd	Location:	Los Altos, CA
Age:	25	Gender:	Female
Height:	5'5" (165 cm)	Weight:	150 lbs (68 kg)
Email: europa1057@yahoo.com

I live in the San Francisco Bay area of California, and work as a technical consultant for a large software company. I split from the Bay Area every weekend and head to one of the many beautiful places California has to offer. Unfortunately, due to job restrictions, my trips are usually 2-3 day weekends and not longer, but it is very rare that I do not spend my weekend out running around somewhere in the mountains. I have been an outdoors addict for approximately 3 years and backpacking for about 2.5, and I classify myself as a beginner/intermediate. Recently I have discovered the joys of lightening my load. Although I have not yet become an ultralight backpacker, I am working on ways to lower my pack weight while maintaining a certain level of comfort in the backcountry. I enjoy backpacking so much more when I don't have a lot of weight on my back. I have also been a car-camper since I was a newborn, and still car-camp frequently. Some of my favorite outdoor activities include day hiking, backpacking, and snowshoeing.

Top

Product Information

Manufacturer:	REI
URL:	http://www.rei.com
Listed Weight	none available
Measured Weight	4.25 oz (120 g) [size medium]
Year of Manufacture:	2001

Top

Location/Activity Information

I wear my REI Midweight MTS Tank Top year round for every athletic activity I participate in. I wear it while backpacking in the summer heat of the Sierra Nevada Mountains and while hiking in the dry desert. I wear it under a windproof jacket when I bike to work in the morning, and I wear it when I am jogging on the treadmill in the gym. In the winter I wear it as a soft base layer when snowshoeing, skiing, and snowcamping. I have worn it in sub-freezing temperatures with other clothing, and as a single layer on scorching hot summer days.

Top

Review

The REI Midweight MTS Tank Top is comfortable, lightweight and soft polyester/Lycra blend wicking tank top. It is absolutely perfect for every athletic activity I do. For such a simple top, it has many benefits and almost no problems. Shortly after purchasing one, I went back to purchase two more. Even three of them is not enough! I eventually purchased a long sleeve version of this shirt, although the tank tops remain my favorite.

There are so many positive features to this top that it is difficult to know where to start. Perhaps the best quality about it is the cut. With wide shoulder straps, I can wear a backpack and not have seams digging into my shoulders. At about 3.5 inches wide (8.9 cm), the shoulder straps are wider than any of the straps on packs I use. The neck is cut rather high, protecting my upper chest from the sun - a place where I am extremely prone to sunburn. A size medium fits me well, and is neither too loose nor too tight.

The material is a soft and stretchy polyester/Lycra blend. Even when brand new this shirt was soft and comfortable against my skin. It keeps me cool in the summer, and in the winter it is a soft base layer. The material wicks sweat away from my body immediately, and dries quickly even when saturated. The three tops I own are all in different colors - black, purple, and grey - and I find that there is no difference among the three. I generally use the black one as a base layer in the winter, and use the lighter colored ones as a single layer in the summer sun since sometimes the sun makes it too hot to wear the black one.

The MTS Tank packs down small and weighs very little. I always stash an extra one in my pack on weekend trips so I have a clean shirt to hike in on the second day. If I am near water, I can always rinse out the dirty one and have it dry quickly, strapped to the outside of my pack as I hike. They do not pick up body odors as badly as similar clothing I own by other manufacturers, which is another reason they are a backpacking staple.

As I mentioned above, I originally purchased one of these tank tops about two years ago. After wearing it on a few hikes I went back for more. Since then, I have worn them on every single hiking/backpacking outing, and almost every single day. Honest. The wicking and the comfort make these tank tops perfect for wearing in the gym and biking, activities I do on a daily basis. I am only limited by the frequency at which I do my laundry. I have even been rather careless in washing them - they have been through all kinds of wash and dry cycles, and they have never shrunk or been damaged. Surprisingly, they show little sign of wear. The stitching is holding up fantastically, and I have never noticed a stray thread or worn seam. The material appears to be as thick as the day I bought them, and there has only been minimal pilling where the hipbelt of my pack rubs against it. With the amount of use they get, I am amazed that they have never needed replacing! I've never had athletic clothing last this long, and in seemingly new condition.

The only problem I have had was with the first of the three. It has a tag on the inside of the neck that was a little itchy. I was afraid to take it out because I didn't want to ruin the seams, or leave a smaller but even more annoying piece. After a few washes the tag softened up and I no longer notice it. When I purchased the other two, REI had switched from a tag to screen printing the information on the inside. Smart move.

The REI Midweight MTS Tank Top is not a particularly flattering or stylish top, but that doesn't matter. I'm not trying to make a fashion statement when I'm backpacking or biking to work in the morning. I don't think the bears, birds, and marmots I run into in the Sierra care if I look good. I want to thank REI for making such a terrific and affordable piece of hiking clothing, and please, never discontinue it!

Top

Report last updated: Feb 5, 2003

Read more reviews of REI gear
Read more gear reviews by Rebecca Sowards-Emmerd

REI MTS Midwt Tank Top - Owner Review - Rebecca