Reviews > Clothing > Shirts > RailRiders Adventure Top > Owner Review by Marcy Beard

Owner Review: RailRiders Adventure Top - Short Sleeve Shirt

Date of review: October 2005

Backpacker Bio:

Name: Marcy Beard
Age: 36
Gender: Female
Height: 5’3” (160 cm)
Weight: 135 lb (61 kg)
Email address: marcy dot beard at gmail dot com
City, State, Country: Grenoble, France

Backpacking Background:  I have hiked in Vermont, Central Texas, Arizona, and the French Alps.  Most of my hikes have been day trips, with the longest camping trip to date lasting 6 days.  Typically I trek on trails ranging from easy to rocky and steep, occasionally venturing off trail on moderate terrain.  In the past two winters my husband John and I have experimented with snowshoeing and hiking on snow.  Our gear focus is usually on lightweight items that are quick and easy to use and ideally have multiple purposes.

Product information from the RailRiders web site:

“Constructed from lightweight, breathable and super quick-drying Supplex Nylon, the Adventure Top will keep you dry, comfortable, and stylish. Our shirt feels cottony to the touch but doesn't retain moisture. RailRiders apparel is made with Dupont's featherweight Supplex Nylon. By nature of the tight weave of Supplex Nylon, independent testing laboratories have shown through extensive testing that the Supplex fabric blocks 95-98% of all UVA and UVB rays which are the harmful rays from the sun”

Manufacturer's website:  http://www.railriders.com
Year purchased:  2000
Item #:  AVS
Size:  Medium (available in Small, Medium, Large, and X-Large)
Color:  Birch (available in Birch, Sky Blue, Glacier, and White)
Stated Weight:  4 oz (113 g)
Actual Weight:  4.5 oz (127 g)
Fabric:  2 ply 3 oz (85 g) Supplex Nylon
Features:  Side mesh panels for ventilation, back vent with Coolmax mesh, 3 button front
MSRP:  $32 US

Description:

The Adventure Top is a short-sleeve, lightweight shirt.  It is made from tough nylon with mesh ventilation panels.  The white mesh material is light and stretchy, but thick enough to be considered opaque.

The largest area of mesh is a panel measuring 7 inches (18 cm) high by 18 inches (46 cm) wide and covering the shoulder blades from the top seam partway down my back.  The mesh is covered by a layer of Supplex Nylon which is attached at the top and sides via a seam.  The bottom edge of the nylon piece is mostly unattached to anything except for a small set of stitching at the middle.  This allows air to come in under the nylon panel and through the ventilation, while preventing excessive flapping of the nylon.

There is also a strip of mesh running down each side of the shirt.  It measures 2.4 inches (6 cm) wide and runs 4 in (10 cm) from the sleeve hem to the armpit.  The section from the armpit to the bottom of the shirt is 11 in (28 cm) long.  The side mesh is open to let air directly through the shirt.

The sleeve openings measure 8.3 inches (21 cm) when laid flat.  The front is V-neck shaped, with three buttons along the 4.7 inch (12 cm) slit.  The front pocket has a 5.5 inch (14 cm) vertical opening and is 5.9 inches (15 cm) deep.  The pocket material is the same type of mesh as the back and side panels, and the pocket is closed with a Velcro tab.

Field information:

I purchased my first RailRiders Adventure Top Short Sleeve shirt in 2000, and I have since worn it while hiking, running, cycling, paddling, traveling, and adventure racing.  It has served me well in hot climates such as Texas and in the jungles of Borneo.  I have since purchased two additional shirts of the same color, and these three have held up to various types of abuse including orienteering through prickly vines and around thorny trees.  I have worn one of these shirts on every hike I have done in over 50 deg F (10 deg C) weather since I purchased the first shirt.

The shirt is light and comfortable.  The sleeve openings are large, and the shirt has an overall loose fit.  I wear the V-neck open, but it could be buttoned for a smaller neck opening.  In cooler weather, I have worn a polypropylene base layer under the shirt and a fleece top over it without problems.  In warm weather, I wear a jog bra plus the RailRiders shirt.  The nylon shirt material is sturdy enough such that I feel no chafing from a backpack.

I occasionally carry small, flat items such as a tissue or a piece of paper in the chest pocket.  However, the pocket is placed sideways, and the Velcro tab is not sufficient to guarantee that things will not fall out.  I once lost an LED mini light from this pocket, for example, so I no longer put things in it that I care about.  A full strip of light Velcro or an upward angle on the pocket might make it more functional.

The loose fit, side mesh, and back vent combine to allow maximum ventilation under the shirt, although the back vent is not as effective when wearing a pack.  The material itself dries quickly, with an overall effect of keeping me cool.  This is especially helpful when the sun is beating down.  In extreme heat, I have soaked the shirt in a creek and put it back on wet.  The relief was immediate, but the shirt dried very fast and the procedure had to be repeated rather often.

Most of each shirt still looks like new.  Dirt stains wash out without special care.  The material doesn’t easily wrinkle, and fold creases disappear quickly upon wearing the shirt.  The Supplex Nylon shows no signs of abrasions or wear.  The only part that has suffered from long-term use is the bottom of the side mesh.  After repeated off-trail forays, the oldest shirt has small holes in the mesh (see photo below).  This is a cosmetic issue that has not affected how the shirt ventilates.  The mesh in the other 2 shirts is completely intact.

I have worn this shirt in warm rain when it is too hot to cover up.  After the rain stopped, the shirt quickly dried out.  However, this material is not designed to function in cold rain or chilly dampness.  When the material is wet and cold, it is frigid against my skin.  In situations such as that, it is important to wear a waterproof layer on top and probably a polypropylene base layer as well.  Then the RailRiders shirt is basically a moot point.

I performed a rather arbitrary test to determine how fast the shirt dries.  I soaked the shirt completely, and then wrung it out until I could no longer remove droplets of water.  The shirt weighed 5.5 oz (156 g) more than the starting weight of 4.5 oz (128 g).  Then I hung the shirt outside in direct sunlight.  The temperature was 65 F (18 C) and there was no wind.  At 15 minute intervals I weighed the shirt and then hung it with alternating sides facing the sun.  The results are described below:

Summary:

A RailRiders shirt is a staple in my wardrobe for all types of athletic occasions.  For warm weather hiking, and especially hot weather hiking, I rely on it to keep me cool and happy.

Reviews > Clothing > Shirts > RailRiders Adventure Top > Owner Review by Marcy Beard