Manufacturer: Macabi
                       P.O. Box 520944
                       Salt Lake City, UT 84152-0944
                       (801) 588-0424
                       (888) 550-7540 Toll Free
                       sales@macabiskirt.comsales@macabiskirt.com

Year of Manufacture: 2004 (?)
URL: http://www.macabiskirt.com/
Listed weight: not available
Weight as delivered: 9 1/8 ounces (262 g)

First Impressions:

The Macabi Skirt® arrived on the drizzly afternoon of April 18, 2004. It arrived safe and sound in one of those virtually indestructible plastic mailing envelopes. The skirt was in good condition when it arrived. Included with the skirt was a packing slip, one tag promoting the Supplex® material the skirt is made of, one tag promoting the features of the Macabi skirt®, and four little business card sized information cards that also promote the features of the Macabi skirt®.

Construction:

• Fabric (Supplex®) - I chose the color "Caribbean" - a nice, bright blue - partially because I like the color and partially because it will match well with shirts that I already own. The Macabi Skirt® is made of Supplex®, a very lightweight yet strong material. According to the Macabi website, Supplex® "...resists abrasions, punctures and tears and is odor-, wind- and water-resistant". Other features of the Supplex® fabric include quick drying, resistance to wrinkling, and breathability. The skirt also has an Ultraviolet Protection Factor (UPF) rating of 25+.
• Seams & hems - All of the seams and hems on the skirt appear to be well done. The edge of the fabric is turned under prior to stitching, so there are no ragged fabric edges showing. Also, each hem and seam are stitched in two places - one at the edge of the fabric and the other 3/8th of an inch (0.95 cm) away. This creates a secure seam that will resist ripping or coming undone.
• The waistband is constructed in a similar fashion. Many times a waistband is made by creating a tunnel of fabric and threading the 1 inch (2.54 cm) wide elastic band through it. The elastic band in this case can twist and distort with time. On the Macabi Skirt® , the elastic band is actually stitched to the "tunnel" at both the top and bottom, preventing the elastic band from twisting. Very nice feature, in my opinion.
• Features -
  Belt loops - There are seven belt loops - also stitched at both sides like all of the seams - attached securely to the waistband.
  Pockets - I admit it - I'm a pocket fanatic. I love 'em, and the Macabi Skirt® has two deep side pockets approximately 8 inches deep and 5 inches wide (20 cm by 13 cm). The pocket on the right has a zippered security pocket that also functions as a stowaway pocket for the skirt. Now, I know that there are more right-handed people in the world than left, but it would be nice if there was an option for a left-handed pocket.
  Skirt Clips - There are three - one on either side of the skirt to shorten the skirt for wading, and one at the waistband (detachable) to create pants from the skirt.

Fit:

I tried the skirt on soon after receiving it to make sure it was the right size. It fits well; the waistband is comfortable, the length is nice, and it is very lightweight.

I plan to wear the Macabi Skirt® in and around town, on trails in the San Gabriel, Santa Monica mountains and possibly the San Joaquin Hills and Santa Ana mountains; selected portions of the Southern California coast including the Los Angeles Harbor and the waters of the San Pedro shelf (outside the Los Angeles Breakwater), and in and around Tampa, Florida in July. Possibly around the Colorado River an some locations in and around Portland, Oregon and southwestern Washington. Also, we have one tentative 2-3 day backpacking trip planned for the Sierras in the spring or summer.

Trails in the Southern California mountains are fairly well maintained, and range in difficulty from moderate to very difficult. Trails on and along the coast range from concrete to sand to dirt. The Los Angeles Harbor waters that are fairly shallow (10 - 40 meters / 33 - 130 feet) and mostly calm; outside the breakwater, water depths vary considerably depending upon location and the wave conditions vary from calm to stormy. Weather in Southern California varies greatly with location and season. In general, temperatures range from 60 - 75 °F (15 - 24 °C) in the spring and can get into the upper 90's (35+ °C) in the summer. July temperatures in Tampa, Florida average 83 °F (28 °C).

As a professional geologist and educator, I spend a good deal of time going back and forth between hiking in the sun and teaching indoors. Sometimes both in the same day! While the dress code at CSU Los Angeles' Department of Geological Sciences is rather casual – jeans and a casual shirt are the norm – I find it nice to sometimes where a dress or skirt to work. The Macabi Skirt appeals to me because of its ability to be either a skirt or a pair of pants. I can use it a work as a skirt, or I can wear it out in the field as a pair of pants. And, on those days when I have to do both, I would not have to bring a separate change of clothing.

As a part of my testing I will take the Macabi Skirt® out with me on day hikes, and when I do fieldwork out in the San Joaquin Hills, Santa Ana and Santa Monica Mountains.  Additionally, I will use the skirt on my required field trips for my Geol 155 Oceanography lab, which include a trip to Cabrillo Beach and Aquarium and a four hour oceanographic cruise in the Los Angeles Harbor and surrounding areas, and my Geol 150 Lab field trip to the Cajon Pass, San Andreas Fault, and San Gabriel Mountains. Finally, I'm off to Tampa Florida for a conference in July. I'll wear the skirt while sightseeing in Tampa and, if the opportunity presents itself, on any hikes I can fit in.

Questions I will pose include:

1. Comfort
   
   • Does the skirt fit well?
     
   • How easy is it to convert from a skirt to a pair of pants and back
     again?
     
   • Los Angeles typically has low humidity in the summer, but Florida
     is the exact opposite. Will the skirt keep me cool in the hot, humid
     environs of Florida?
     
   • Is the elastic waistband comfortable? Or does it bind?
2. Durability - The Macabi skirt is made of "Supplex®, a hi-tech
   nylon that resists abrasions, punctures and tears and is odor-, wind-
   and water-resistant" (from Macabi's website).
   • Some of the hiking I do during fieldwork is off-trail so I will
     have ample opportunity to see which is more durable – yucca, rocks or
     the skirt.
     
   • How well does the skirt store in a backpack or daypack? Will it be
     a wrinkled mess or does it truly resist wrinkles as the Macabi website
     claims?
     
   • How easy is it to clean? Machine washable? Any special care?
     
   • Typically clothing that is water- and wind-resistant is often not
     very breathable, but the Macabi skirt supposedly breathes well in warm
     weather. Wearing the Macabi skirt in So California's hot dry summer
     weather and Florida's hot humid summer weather should answer that
     question nicely!
3. Other
   
   • Looks – how nice does the skirt look? Will it look silly as a pair
     of pants?