Sport Science 2.0 Wool Zip T
March 1, 2009
Being old school means wearing stinky polypro underwear for athletic endeavors. Yes, they are functional, wicking away the sweat and keeping me warm even when wet, but recently most of my friends have jumped on board with the wool revolution. The sportswear manufacturers have resurfaced wool as the best fiber for layering, swearing by the ultimate qualities of merino wool. I do not want to be old school anymore, and I jumped on the opportunity to test out SportScience merino running shirt that was to be free of nasty odors and made out of all natural fibers.
The fit of the shirt was a little different than my previous upper layers. The neckline is tight fitting, which made me wonder if it would work with my anatomy. Then I went running in -10F and actually preferred the close feel around my neck to keep me warm. Today I ran in it at 40F and left the zipper undone to create more airflow around my neck. This shirt works like mid weight polypro and functions well as an only layer or as part of layering in colder weather. I tested it mostly running, but I also used it while Nordic skiing and backcountry skiing.
I was pleasantly surprised by the thumb loops, even though I was first wondering if the sleeves are too short to use the loops. To put the loops on, I need to stretch the sleeves some, but after the application, they don’t restrict the movement of my arms yet feel snug. I am a normal built 5’7” and size S shirt is a good fit.
Before jumping into the merino shirt, I was worried about the scratchy feeling of fibers. With dry and sensitive skin, I was apprehensive that the shirt would be itchy. No problem, the shirt feels almost like a soft polypro shirt. Another worry was the ease of care. As a happy go lucky laundry person, the last thing I need is a high-maintenance running shirt. I have been washing the shirt in normal laundry in warm cycle and it has not lost its qualities or shrunk on me. Excellent. Now I am ready to upgrade to a merino T shirt and a heavier layer that is hooded with thumb loops.
Dakine Faction Pant
February 15, 2009
The Faction microfleece pant is a base layer for days that really, really require a base layer. Supersoft and thick, this is a base layer for deep, dark winter. I love how warm and soft it is. I don’t love how a crotch seam ripped within the first few wearings. Well, whatever, they’re still good, it’s only about an inch tear. But still, they didn’t last long before tearing. Perhaps I just got a bum pair. The crotch area is made of a different, and lighter-weight, fabric; so maybe that fabric is the culprit. Or maybe it’s just a good idea to buy these in a size up to prevent excess pressure on that crotch seam. And on that note, it’s probably also a good idea to just sum up by saying these are warm, but they might rip.
Isis Peony Crew
December 28, 2008
$53 at backcountry.com. Click here!
It took a while for me to actually test this as an activewear base layer, because, frankly, it’s such a cute shirt that I kept wearing it as a stand-alone piece. I don’t know what’s up with the product photo because the shirt is really cute but the picture is not, so just take my word for it here. It’s soft, silky, and flattering, but I knew that I’d have to actually make a post about its performance so I grudgingly wore it for actual exertion. Because I’m becoming familiar with the Isis base layer line, I was not surprised to find that the Peony Crew performs like the rest of the Peony line – perfectly! The Peony fabric is so smooth that it slides over both your skin and your outer layers, surrounding you in comfort and harmony. There’s nothing to bind, pull, or chafe, and the fabric will wick away moisture, keeping you comfortable and warm. And the shirt is cute enough to wear straight out on the town for aprés ski/climb/run/whatever. Another excellent offering from Isis.
Isis Long Jane
December 18, 2008
Oh, ooooohhhhh the Long Jane. It is a sad day at my house when my Long Janes are too dirty to wear. They are far and away my favorite base layer. So silky smooth, soft, and perfect, they fit under almost anything and are so comfortable you will forget you have them on. They are completely seamless (or so I think, but if they do have a seam, I have yet to notice it) and incredibly comfortable. The legs are long enough and the waist is high, which sounds strange until you actually wear it and realize how awesome it is to have the high waist there to keep your outer pants from chafing your skin. And you know that if I say a high waisted set of pants is good, it must really be good. Trust me, this one time, you WANT the high waist. The waistband itself is essentially just an extension of the pants – no drawstring, no elastic band, nothing to pinch or chafe.
The Long Janes are made out of the same material as the Peony Crew, and as I said before it must be some kind of miracle fabric. How that waistband stays in place seems to defy physics, but stay in place it does. I have worn the Long Janes on super cold days with another layer of tights on top, and I can pull on the second set of tights over the Long Janes without the Long Janes riding up or catching. The fabric is smooooooth and stays soft even after washing. The Janes move with your body like a literal second skin. And no, I’m not one of those people who gets “literal” and “figurative” mixed up. These are LITERALLY like a second skin. You will think they are a part of you. They’re awesome. You can tell I really like something when my vocabulary deteriorates into “awesome”. Sometimes it’s harder to find the words to describe something really great, and these are really great. So with “great” and “awesome” I guess I better sign off before I end up writing “Long Janes good. Buy Long Janes. Long Janes keep Geargals warm. Me like Long Janes.”
Core Concepts Cadence Hoodie
November 17, 2008
New in the lineup this year is the Core Concepts Cadence Hoodie, which leaped its way into my heart with cute styling, flattering fit, and superwarm performance. Once again I have to defend the shirt against the rather bleah picture I have of it. Sorry about the headless mannequin. Really, it’s much cuter than this (the shirt, not the mannequin). I love the design of this shirt, with its curved side seams that are responsible for the body-conscious styling, and the simple but distinctive screened flower pattern on the front and back. Most importantly, though, it is WARM whether it’s being used as an outer layer or a base layer. As my readers know, I get my hands on a lot of gear, and I get a little jaded sometimes, you know, “how different can it be?” So if I find myself really liking a particular piece of gear, well that gear is probably pretty darn different. Usually I spend some time trying to figure out what it is that is making the item “different,” but this time I’ve just been having too much fun wearing it. I can’t be bothered to do my research when there are fun places to go and a cute, warm hoodie to wear! So I don’t really know that is different about the Core Concepts fabric that makes it extra warm, but it really is one of the best base layers I’ve tried this season. It makes a noticeable difference in chilly weather and if I’m going to be out for extended periods and want the warmth without the bulk, this is the one I reach for. I think the fact that it’s a pullover with no zippers makes it retain more heat, and that sounds techy, so I’ll go with that explanation.
One different thing about this hoodie that wasn’t immediately apparent is the ponytail hole in the back of the hood. I will guiltily admit that I never used the hood, so I really don’t know how the ponytail hole performs, but if you have always wanted a hood with a ponytail hole, well here it is. Now that I’m thinking about it, though, this might be pretty handy. No more static-y hair sticking to the back of my neck inside my hood! Good idea from Core Concepts.
The first thing I noticed about the shirt, though, was the styling. I really liked the curving, stretchy seams on each side that form a gather of sorts. They just made the shirt stand out a little bit and gave it a little bit of that vitally important extra-flattering power. There really are just so many shirt designs that are possible to apply to the human form, so it’s kind of nice to find a new one. I fear that the trend towards off-center and askew patterns will look dated in a few years, but until that happens you can look up-to-the-minute in the Cadence hoodie.
Now for today’s tangent. Hoodies. We love them, right? I sure do. Hoodies are all over the place. Hooded jackets, hooded coats, hooded shirts, hooded base layers…ok, that is a lot of hoods. And the other Geargals will browbeat me until I mention that hoods really are great for keeping the ol’noggin warm. When it’s really chilly out, I have been known to rely on hoods to keep me cozy. But all these hoods make it important to plan out your outfit. If you have a hood on your base layer, your mid layer, your insulating layer, and your outer layer, you are going to look like Quasimodo. So it’s becoming necessary to purchase two of every item, one in hooded version, one in non-hooded version, for infinite outfit-assembling possibilities. For cuteness factor alone, though, you can’t beat a hoodie and the Cadence is cuter than most. And warmer than many! And with a ponytail hole to set it apart. How can you lose?
Isis Peony Brief
November 4, 2008
Your most important layer is your base layer, and your base layer starts with your underwear. If your intimates make you uncomfortable, not even good outer layers will make up for it. Isis to the rescue! Gone are the days in which women’s underwear had to be uncomfortable. The Peony brief is made of soft, lightweight, chafeless fabric that wicks moisture and doesn’t dig in. You can barely feel that it’s there, which is really the point of good underwear. The whisperlight fabric and wide waistband make for a great fit, and the cut seems to be wedgie-proof. The waist is a tiny bit high for my taste, but I can live with it because I just can’t get over how great the fabric is. It’s silky soft, incredibly stretchy, and stays dry even during the most strenuous exertions. It’s completely chafe- and dig-in-proof, and did I mention the wide, soft waistband? It won’t pinch or leave marks.
Isis makes gear for women and only gear for women, and it shows in their design and attention to the female form. I know that these are only underwear, but it’s nice to feature a company that makes gear for women its number one priority – you know that they don’t have anything else to do other than make women’s gear better and better.
While I wear a size small in most everything else Isis, I tried a medium in the Peony and it works for me. The fabric is sufficiently stretchy that as long as you get the size kinda right, you’ll be comfortable. Now, what else do they make out of this fabric?
Dakine Waterfall Crew
October 16, 2008
So this isn’t the most attractive picture of this shirt, but believe me, it’s cute. I’ll be honest and say that it’s probably not as cute on, say, a 34 year old Geargal as it might be on a 21 year old shred Betty, but the shred Betty is too busy shredding to write reviews, so I had to dress like a college student for a few trips to get this test session done. Consequently, the students I took on the trip had some trouble accepting my authority because they assumed I was only a few years older than they – so, straight A’s for all! Especially to the charming young man who insisted I didn’t look a day over 25. And that sums up my teaching philosophy – well-placed flattery always has its place.
So, the shirt. It’s a little off-putting to discuss the anti-microbial properties of my base layer, because everyone knows that no part of me could possibly need such a thing, but I can report to you that this item, like every single thing that belongs to me, never stinks, no matter how dirty I get it. Ever! OK, I could probably get it to stink if you gave me enough time in the backcountry. But I was very pleased with how soft and reasonably non-stinky the Waterfall stayed even after a few days of hard use without laundering. As a mid-weight base layer, the shirt is warm, cozy, and just cute as a button. Dakine makes no bones about the fact that their women’s line is for “Girls” so expect to order a size up, but don’t fear that the gear has any less technical value despite the clear bias towards the younger set. This is a sound, warm, breathable AND fashionable base layer for “Girls” (okay, and women too).
Mountain Hardwear Power Stretch Zip T
September 24, 2008
Yeesh. Looking at the product pic above, I realize that I have to begin this review by saying that this shirt is really much better looking than that. I know, I know, I sound like a desperate mother shopping around pics of her 45-year-old single son so that he might actually move out of her basement one day. But really, it’s true. This shirt does not have to fit like a second skin, and if it does, well, let me remind you that desperation is not attractive – neither on your date’s mother nor on you. So buy a size up. Now, I like my body-conscious clothing as well as the next person, but there is just no need to pack yourself into technical outerwear like you’re Lara Croft in that silver wet suit. Which gives me a great idea for a Halloween costume…
At first I was kind of lukewarm about this shirt. The cut seemed too long in the torso and the material is slightly rougher than I typically prefer against my flawless, alabaster skin (well, alabaster, anyway – not much sun up here this year). I wasn’t sure what I was going to say about this piece, so I procrastinated for a while – and after a few weeks, noticed that although I was having trouble articulating what I thought about the shirt, I sure was wearing it a lot. No sooner would it hit the hanger from the wash and it was back off the hanger and onto, well, me. I got used to the long-ish length, and it soon became my shirt of choice for trips and workouts of all stripes because of its warmth, top-notch breathability, and tendency to shed light rain. I also really appreciate the loooong 1/4 – almost 1/3 -length zipper. Too often 1/4-length zippers just aren’t long enough to be practical when it comes to helmet sports like biking and climbing, but the Power Stretch is easy-on/easy-off, even with a big ol’ bike helmet on. It doesn’t have to go on and off that much, though, because it seems to have an amazing temperature comfort range. When you’re working hard, it wicks sweat and the long zipper acts as a vent. When you’re resting, just zip up and you’ll stay warm and dry. It also seems to have some windstopping properties; always a plus when the wind is kicking up.
Additional genius points for the integrated nature of Mountain Hardwear’s clothing line this year. Most of the pieces really seem to work well together and seem cut to fit just right. With a t-shirt or tank base layer, the Power Stretch T, and the Stimulus jacket on top, you’ve got a lightweight, slim-fitting, waterproof ensemble fit to tackle just about any cool weather endeavor. The Power Stretch also has an upper-arm pocket for stuff like an mp3 player or keys or whatever, but I’ve never used it so I can’t say it’s something I find particularly useful. That’s one more reason to wear it a little looser than the pic , though – if it really were that tight, you’d never be able to get anything into the pocket anyway.
Mountain Hardwear Advance Brief
September 5, 2008
In the world of outdoor gear, underwear is known as “base layer”. Uh huh. Not here on Geargals – these are panties, everyone. Undies. Delicates. Unmentionables. Pants, if you’re British. But these are not just any undies – these are uber-undies. They are so great that ever since I got the sample pair waaaay back in oh, April or so, I have been waiting with bated breath for them to hit the market this fall so I could buy more. I wish Mountain Hardwear would make a bikini bottom just like these undies, they are so fab. Don’t tell my friends, but I am considering wearing these as a bikini bottom anyway, since they’re so cute and fit so perfectly.
They feature a wide, non-digging-into-flesh waistband that never leaves a mark and never rides up or down. The leg holes are cut so that panty lines (oh sorry, “base layer” lines) are minimal and there’s no creep factor or wedgie issue. They’re awesome, just awesome.
I do have to warn you about one thing, though – they aren’t as stretchy as some undies you might be used to, so they have to be cut a little bigger. When they come out of the package they look rather granny-ish. Give them a chance! Put them on! They are cute and comfortable, I promise!
The other thing to consider – and I hate even bringing this up for such a great product – but these are not cheap. I am a woman and therefore have gotten used to paying through the nose for underwear. Men can get 6 pairs of briefs for $8, but we have to pay $18 a pair, minimum. Explain that to me, someone. But even $18 won’t buy you a pair of Advance Briefs – these puppies go for a whopping $30 MSRP. $30! For underwear! I won’t say they aren’t worth it, but I will say that I guess one pair is enough for me after all. Well…maybe two pairs. But, a note to Mountain Hardwear – THIS is how bikini bottoms should fit. If you folks at MHW are ever bored with the whole “snow” and “climbing” and “backcountry” thing, and feel like whipping up some swimwear, I think you’ll already have a winner.
