The item in this review was provided by Outlier for review purposes.
Outlier has awhile made longsleeve t-shirts from their great 100% merino fabrics, but with the GD Cottonweight Merino Longsleeve, they took a risk with a new fabric. This shirt was designed to take the place of that heavy cotton longsleeve you love in the winter, and I think they did a great job.
Fabric
This shirt is made from Outlier’s Cottonweight Merino, a double knit jersey with an 18.5 micron merino inner face and a cotton outer face (49% merino, 46% cotton, 5% nylon). The fabric weighs in at a hefty 220 gsm, making it fit right in between a longsleeve t-shirt and a sweatshirt. The shirt is very soft to the touch on both faces, surprisingly so on the cotton face, even though it is there to add to the durability and also helps give the shirt a natural drape.
The garment dying process gives the shirt a unique look and gives the fabric some character. Of course, there always is the chance of dye transfer, fading, etc. with garment dyed items, but I haven’t seen any issues — just a fabric with great depth. In the black color that I have, that means the shirt isn’t jet black, it’s a deep dark black-grey to my eyes. It’s certainly something to see.
Fit
The fit of this shirt is what I’d call a standard “straight” fit — no tapering anywhere, but not too boxy either. The sleeves are cut long enough so that I get a little bunching at the wrists (but not too much), something nice for those who always find longsleeves to be too short.
Comfort & Performance
I find this shirt to be my most comfortable heavy longsleeve t-shirt. The softness makes it pure luxury to wear and the merino inner face imparts some of the great merino qualities we love. I’ve been able to get numerous wears out of the shirt, however, the cotton face can negate this benefit in some cases (heavy sweating, smelly environments). I think a heavy longsleeve is a great place for it to be used though because of how it’s typically worn.
Speaking of the weight, I’ve found the heft to be great for colder weather. It works well under a jacket instead of a sweater and isn’t too warm for cooler indoor temperatures. However, if you are someone who runs warm or tends to be in warm buildings, this very well might be too warm for you.
Overall
The Outlier GD Cottonweight Merino Longsleeve has become my top pick for a warmer shirt. When I think about wearing it, it is more of a light sweatshirt in my mind. Given the warmth, it isn’t necessarily the most versatile piece, so I’m not sure I’d pay the $160 retail price. However, if you’re looking for a heavy shirt that performs (merino) and looks great (heavy cotton with natural drape), this definitely deserves a look.
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