Back in May I took a look at five different undershirts, with the Mack Weldon AIRKNITx being the overall winner. Since then I have been testing three more, so I thought it was worth updating on where things stand.
What to Look For
Here’s a recap of what I am looking for in a good undershirt:
- A deep enough v-neck, such that it cannot be seen on my neckline when I am wearing a button down over the shirt.
- A long enough torso that the shirt stays tucked in.
- Moisture wicking, dries fast.
- Doesn’t feel like it’s a layer which adds warmth.
- Machine wash and dry.
- Doesn’t start to stink by the end of the day.
- Any shirt that hits those criteria, is something I can use day to day.
What I Tried & Tested
For this round I tried two shirts I had been waiting on, and one that I was skeptical of. Let’s see how they did:
- Minus33’s Micro Weight Wool V-Neck ‘Woolverino’ fabric (84% Merino Wool, 12% Nylon, 4% Spandex, at 145gsm). I have this in a crew neck and it’s one of my favorite shirts to wear, so I was very excited to get it in v-neck form. While the fabric is exactly what I hoped (quick drying, breathable, comfortable) the cut of the V on the neck is far too high of a cut for it to be wearable without being seen. Effectively defeating the purpose of this shirt as a v-neck undershirt. I wanted this to be the winner, but the neck line is all wrong, and making matters worse is the $69.99 price tag. Ouch.
- Mack Weldon 18-Hour Jersey V-Neck Undershirt. Since I liked the other Mack Weldon shirts so much, I decided to try their more ‘standard’ undershirt. It’s a 47.5% Cotton / 47.5% Modal / 5% Spandex blend and fits rather close to the body. These are quite good undershirts. The V is the correct size, and the fabric feels really nice. The downside is that I found these to be a little less breathable than any of the others I have been testing, and certainly act as a layer which adds a touch of warmth. Not a bad option in the cooler months, but less than ideal in the warmer months. And because of the fabric makeup, they can feel a little damp in the armpits at times. At $68 (two pack) I’ll pass on adding more.
- All Citizens Re:Luxe AirWeight Undershirt – High V. After the last write up of undershirts, someone requested that I take a look at these. So I did, and they are quite good. It’s rather hard to cut through the marketing hype on the website, but this (to me) feels like the Mack Weldon 18-Hour, but with mesh panels under the arms and up the side of your torso (the shirt label says 79% Recycled Polyester, 11% Silver, 10% Spandex). These shirts are comfortable, have a perfectly cut neck line, and fit trim to the body. They don’t wet out as much, and the mesh seems to keep the shirt wearing cooler than the other options on this roundup. The big catch for me is that I constantly feel this shirt against my body, especially at the back corners of my armpits. It fits so trim there, that I notice the seam and material and it simply feels weird. I really want to like this shirt, but I shouldn’t need to be annoyed by my undershirt. At only $22 this shirt is a good value, but not top tier.
Where I Stand
The Mack Weldon AIRKNITx remain the top choice for me, but none of these shirts have been so bad to be relegated to the donation bin. I still wear them each regularly. I tend to travel with at least one of the All Citizens or 18-hour as they are really easy to care for, and soft to the touch should I need/want to sleep in a shirt.
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