The item in this review was provided by Outlier for review purposes.
Merino t-shirts are among Outlier’s staple items, and it’s no secret that we love them. Ben wears the Ultrafine and Dreamweight T-Shirts, but I haven’t checked one out until Outlier sent me the Gostwyck Single Origin Merino T-Shirt to review.
Fabric
Let’s get the obvious out of the way — this fabric is so soft and stunning you’ll never want to take the shirt off. It is 100% 15.5 micron single origin merino from Gostwyck, Australia. This Gostwyck merino is limited in supply, but has been produced for over two centuries. The single origin nature also allows Outlier trace the fabric back to its source and ensure everything from the land the sheep graze on to the conditions the fabric was made follow all the best standards.
The premium nature of this merino, along with the extremely fine 15.5 micron yarn size and 205 gsm weight, gives the fabric a dense and soft handfeel. If you didn’t know it was merino, you might not suspect so at first. It’s almost hard to describe, but the closest I can come is that it’s like that well-loved heavy cotton t-shirt you’ve had since you were in high school and can’t bear to get rid of. But you really just need to check it out for yourself.
Fit
Like most Outlier shirts, this is a rather boxy cut. I don’t find this to be a negative though, because when paired with the excellent drape, I think it makes it more classic and dressy. I find it pairs well with anything from casual (paired with New Way Shorts or Slim Dungarees) to a more dressy look with Futureworks.
When choosing a size, make sure to note that Black is pre-washed, but Phantom (what I have) and Maritime Blue are not. The latter are cut a bit longer to account for the half size shrinkage when first washed. After washing mine, it definitely shrunk not only on the length, but also the width direction. So make sure you keep this in mind when choosing a size and color.
Comfort & Performance
This shirt instantly became my favorite T-shirt due to it’s smooth, luxurious handfeel and excellent drape. The smoothness makes it glide easily over your body as you move, so you never find it clinging. The weight of the fabric makes it feel sturdy and also gives it an almost cozy feel (while not adding too much to the warmth). It seems like it will hold up better than the average 100% merino t-shirt.
The performance is on par with what you’d expect from a 100% merino shirt, it dries fast for its weight and resists odor extremely well.
Drawbacks
As much as I love this shirt, there are two drawbacks.
The first is ‘bacon neck’, as Ben found with the Dreamweight, the front of the collar exhibits some ripples. I’ve found that even laying flat to dry (per the care instructions) doesn’t seem to make much of a difference. While not a dealbreaker, it certainly gives you pause in a shirt at this price point.
The second is the weight, while also a positive, the heavy weight of the fabric makes it dry slower than other merino shirts and has me wondering how it will perform in the dead of the summer (especially in the humidity). Time will tell, but I don’t see it staying my favorite t-shirt in the summer.
Overall
I love this shirt. The fabric takes it to a whole other level from any other merino shirt I own. The smooth handfeel makes it downright luxurious and easy to dress up.
If it weren’t for the ’bacon neck’, I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this shirt at $125. Hopefully it is an anomaly in the shirt I received, and with Outlier’s great return policy, it’s at least worth giving this shirt and amazing fabric a hands-on test.
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