Jeremy Van Ek, adventure racer and Coolibar Athlete, recently completed the Chicago Area Adventure Racing Association 2012 All-Nighter, an all-night workout on bike and foot. So what would you wear for 11 hours of mid-June bushwhacking in the dark (or daylight)? His answer: the Coolibar Sport Shirt. Read Jeremy’s review of the Coolibar Sport Shirt.
What are you overall thoughts on the shirt?
Great shirt! It looks good and is lightweight yet tough.
What activities did you partake in when wearing the shirt?
I competed in the Chicago Area Adventure Racing Association 2012 All-Nighter, and since it is adventure racing, there is no marked course. Participants navigate to checkpoints using map and compass, and it’s mostly off-trail, often through heavy brush, swamps, streams, etc. I also did the course scouting and setting wearing the shirt.
What are your favorite features?
The mesh panels for breathability is my favorite feature.
What are your overall thoughts on the fabric?
Excellent – lightweight, breathable, wicks sweat well and holds up to all manner of abuse: thorns, branches, mud, sweat, heavy pack straps, etc.
Did the fabric meet your expectations?
Yes.
Did the fabric and shirt keep you cool?
Yes – no small feat considering the temps, humidity and my propensity to overheat. 😉
Did the fabric stick to your skin?
Not really.
What do you want others to know about this shirt?
Don’t underestimate the toughness of this shirt based on its looks. I thought it looked like “too nice” of a shirt to take out into the woods and swamps, but it held up in spades.
Anything else you want to share about the shirt?
Considering the potential for thorns, stinging nettles, poison ivy, and other manner of brutal foliage on the course, I wanted to go with full coverage. But, it wasn’t supposed to go below mid-70s. The Coolibar Sport Shirt was the perfect choice. It is very lightweight and breathable, so I did not feel like I was suffocating all night in long sleeves. Even better, while it is lightweight it is still a rugged shirt. It stood up to the worst I could throw at it all night (branches, thorns, sweat, dust, mud, spilled sports drinks, heavy pack shoulder straps, you name it), and it still looks good enough to wear to a summer cocktail party (after a thorough washing, of course).
I highly recommend the Sport Shirt as a versatile piece of clothing. It looks good and is tough enough to hold its own against weekend warriors.
Any tips to stay comfortable/safe out in the sun?
Full coverage is my strategy. It seems counterintuitive when it is hot out, but full coverage protects you better and thereby is better in the long run.
Get the Coolibar Sport Shirt.
Read other Coolibar Athlete product reviews.
