Note: This shirt was provided by Western Rise for review purposes.
The performance t-shirt is incredibly saturated with merino and synthetic options. Recently, performance cotton blends have been showing up, and Western Rise has a worthy contender in their X Cotton Everyday Tee.
Material
Western Rise created a 220 gsm, 4-way stretch, 60% cotton, 35% polyester, 5% elastane blend treated with Polygiene anti-microbial technology for this shirt.
The 4-way stretch is surprisingly noticeable, with slightly more stretch in the vertical than horizontal direction.
Despite the 40% synthetic content, the heavy weight combined with the cotton brings a completely cotton-like drape and look to this fabric while being extremely soft.
Fit & Style
Western rise describes the cut as “slightly lean and tailored”, and I think that is a good description. The shirt is lean through the chest and body. The body is cut slightly slimmer and longer, and the sleeves more tailored than the StrongCore Merino Tee (our review).
This extra length and more tailored sleeves give the tee a more athletic cut, making it more suited to active pursuits, while still keeping it stylish for any situation.
Performance
This tee performs above and beyond expectations.
The Polygiene treatment really does help bring the odor-resistant performance of the shirt towards the realm of merino. I was able to wear the shirt for a couple of days with no odor, and when I wore it for a really sweaty workout after those few days, it only had a slight odor after airing out overnight. One caveat however, since this is a treatment, it could wash out slowly over time.
The shirt also is surprisingly wicking and quick-drying. With the high cotton content, the moisture tends to stay in the fabric longer (like merino), but it never felt uncomfortable to me. For typical everyday wear, the performance was good enough that I never felt wetness in my armpits. When it comes time to wash the shirt, it dries more quickly than a cotton tee and hangs dry with minimal wrinkles.
Finally, it is great to have 4-way stretch in a cotton tee. It moves with you no matter what the situation, lending to its ability to seamlessly go from everyday to a workout.
Overall
Overall, I was quite surprised by the X Cotton Everyday Tee. I typically don’t get great odor-resistance out of shirts treated with Polygiene, but in this case, it performed — maybe it adheres better or has better performance on cotton then synthetics. Combined with the great weight, cotton drape, and extremely soft feel, this shirt is a great option for your wardrobe.
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