Name:	Lynne Durham
Gender:	Female
Height:	5' 10" (1.78 m)
Weight:	153 lb (69 kg)
Age:	43
Email:	lynnedurham AT yahoo DOT com
Location:	Benton Harbor, Michigan, USA
Size:	Women's US 10 or Large

BACKPACKING EXPERIENCE
I am a backpacking novice -- my first trip was in 2002. I have hiked and car camped all of my life, mostly in the relative flatlands of the lower and upper peninsulas of Michigan, but also in areas east of the Continental Divide, such as South Dakota, New England, Kentucky, Florida, Ohio, Indiana, and more. In September, 2004 I did my first solo backpacking trip and in October, 2004 I did a single-day, rim-to-rim hike of the Grand Canyon. So far, all of my camping and backpacking has been 3-season, but I plan to expand to winter camping. I keep my pack weight to 25% of bodyweight or less but I always bring optional or comfort items. My other outdoor experience includes trail running and snowshoeing; I am a paddling, climbing and adventure racing novice.

PRODUCT INFORMATION

Item name:	Smartwool Microweight T-Shirt
Manufacturer:	Smartwool
Manufacturer's Web site:	http://www.smartwool.com/
Year of manufacture:	2005
MSRP:	USD44.95
Manufacturer claimed weight:	N/A
Actual weight as received:	3.6 oz (102 g) US Women's Size L
Available sizes (per the Web site):	Women's US XS-XL; Men's US SM-XXL
Manufactured:	Made in Fiji
Fiber content:	100% Super Fine Merino Wool
Care information (from the trilingual [English, French and German] hangtag):	Machine wash cold, gentle. Tumble dry low. Do not bleach. Iron, low. Do not dry clean.
Color:	Nickel microstripe, which up close looks like teeny, alternating black and white stripes; from a distances looks like a heathered grey

INFORMATION FROM THE WEB SITE

100% Smartwool jersey knit
Shorter feminine sleeves
Shallow scoop neckline
Flatlock seam construction - eliminates chafing
Wear as a layer or by itself

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS
The product arrived packed in a plastic bag, as it would if one had ordered through an online retailer. Attached to the unique neck tag (is almost looks like suede...maybe it is wool felt?) is one, tri-fold hangtag. The hangtag contains benefit-driven marketing copy, the Smartwool guarantee, information about the various weights of clothing that Smartwool sells, and the washing instructions. The guarantee is a typical performance guarantee: if the product does not "perform to your satisfaction," "...return to the store from which you bought it" for a full refund. Wear and tear are, of course, excluded; the tag does not say what to do if you decide that the shirt does not perform to your satisfaction after your retailer's return time-limit expires.

The suede-like, unique tag

The hangtag identifies the microweight category in general (and this T-shirt in particular) as a next-to-skin -- or base -- layer. Microweight is also called "...all season performance underwear" on this tag. The back of the tag also says it can be worn alone.

As soon as I touch the shirt, I'm impressed by the softness. The material is extremely thin and the shirt is very lightweight, and it feels lighter than other shirts I usually wear alone or as a base layer. Upon close examination of all seams and hems, I discover this shirt is very well made. All stitching is flat and no areas appear as if they will be troublesome. In addition to the suede-looking size tag, there is a normal-looking care tag stitched into the left-side hem toward the bottom. Additionally, the cute little "Smartwool guy" is stitched into the front, bottom, left side of the shirt.

Picture of the little SmartWool guy stitched into shirt

Picture of the little Smartwool guy stitched into the shirt

Because of the shirt's light weight, I was concerned that my bra would show through when I put it on. However, my fears are unfounded: I have worn it over a normal, daily-wear bra and a compression-style sports bra and neither show through at all -- the shirt remains opaque.

The shirt is of sufficient length to cover the waistband of my pants, and even when I lift my arms above my head it does not ride up. The sleeves do not bind and allow for full range of motion. Overall, the shirt is close-fitting but not binding, so it seems as if it will fit quite well under other shirts as well as alone. The scoop neck is sufficiently low on the chest so as not to irritate my neck, but is not so low as to be immodest. The shirt fits well across my back, despite my relatively broad shoulders.

I first ventured onto the trail in this shirt for a few hours of trail maintenance (and fun) on a short portion of the North Country Trail that my husband and I maintain. During the time we were out there, the temperature topped out at 80 degrees F (27 degrees C) with low (< 40%) humidity. Despite brisk walking and maintenance-type activities (picking up litter, pulling logs, etc.), I remained comfortable throughout the hike.

TEST PLAN: LOCATIONS AND CONDITIONS
During the test period, the shirt will see extensive use under a variety of spring, summer and fall conditions. I currently have several trips planned, including trips in Michigan, Kentucky, and Arizona. The shirt could be subjected to:

Hot, muggy, humid conditions, including temperatures of up to 100 degrees F (38 degrees C)
Misty-light rain through thunderstorms
The cool dampness of a cave
Cool, dry evenings
Late fall chill in northern climes, including temperatures as low as 40 degrees F (4 degrees C)

TEST PLAN: ACTIVITIES
This period will include at least 1 weekend backpacking trip along the North Country Trail, a long-weekend backpacking trip in the Mammoth Cave National Park area, a 4-5 day backpacking trip along Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore, and dozens of dayhikes. Additionally, the shirt will be used during extreme endurance activities, including an 8-hour sprint and a 77-hour expedition-length adventure race (paddle, mountain bike, hike/navigate, rappel); it may also be worn during a trail marathon and an ultramarathon.

TEST PLAN: QUESTIONS
Comfort:s

Are the sleeves cut generously enough for full range of motion during intensive activity, for instance, paddling?
Does the shirt "ride up" when under the load of pack weight?
Is the shirt cut generously enough in the back that it won't ride up my lower back when I'm on a bike?

Performance:

How well does the shirt wick perspiration from the body?
How quickly does it dry when wearing it?
How quickly does it dry when not wearing it?
Can the shirt be crumpled into the bottom of a pack then still look relatively presentable when I put it on?
How many times can I wear it without washing before it's totally, unbearably stinky?
Will the tags cause me any discomfort or cause me to chafe?
Does the shirt snag easily?
How well does it perform as a base layer under other layers? How well does it perform as a solitary layer?
How well does the thin material hold up over time?

Care:

How well does the shirt retain its shape after multiple washings?
Does the shirt shrink with proper care?
Does the shirt "hold onto" dirt, smells, and stains -- even with proper care?

BENEFITS (so far)

Very thin fabric allows for easy layering
Soft and comfortable
Fits very well

LIMITATIONS (so far)

None so far, but I'll be particularly interested to see how I am affected by the unique tag

Thank you to Smartwool and BackpackGearTest for the opportunity to evaluate this shirt.

Read more reviews of Smartwool gear
Read more gear reviews by Lynne Durham

Initial Report

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