This item was provided for review.

The t-shirt market is quite busy with various merino blends, while I hadn’t heard of Nui Organics before they reached out —I’m always game to try another tee with odor resistance claims. Nui sent me their Colville Tee, and I’ve been testing it at home and for travel.

Material

This is a lightweight tee, made from 56% Tencel, 38% Merino Wool, and 6% Elastane. Nui notes that the Tencel Lyocell is made by Lenzing from sustainably grown beech trees with a closed loop solvent system, but no details about the wool.

This all makes for a stretchy fabric, with a slight sheen or smooth look on the surface, which remains even after washing. The hand feel is also supremely soft, probably due to the high Tencel content.

It should be noted that the care tag specifies lay flat dry. I had no problems with shrinkage doing that, but there could be issues if it accidentally ends up in the dryer.

Fit & Style

The tee fits me on the slim/athletic side (and a bit more snug than I typically wear my tees, I got an XL and I usually wear an XL). This could be a great option if you often find your shirts too baggy.

Style wise, this is a bit of a dressier shirt for me, due to the smooth/shiny look to the fabric, but it’s not so shiny that it looks out of place in a casual environment. It also has a nice drape, but not like cotton — it’s more of a flowy drape.

Performance

Let’s hit their claims one by one.

• Odor free: I was surprised by this one, even though it’s only 38% merino, this held off odors as long as my high merino content blend tees. The Tencel clearly also lends to the odor resistance.
• Temperature regulating: This shirt remained cool in the heat. Could be attributed to the weight, but no complaints here.
• Breathable: Again no complaints, performs well.
• Moisture wicking: Never felt moist in this shirt, it keeps the sweat away from my skin.
• Quick drying: Not sure on this, on a sweaty day, the armpits stayed moist, but the wicking kept it comfortable. It is almost dry when it comes out of the washer, though.

Overall

This is a solid tee, and if you are looking for something smooth while still having odor resistant properties, this is worth a look. It doesn’t feel scratchy at all like high merino content blends can, and it performs on par odor wise. Normally priced at $79, the Colville Tee is currently a great deal for 40% off.

NOTE: where possible all product links on this site may earn the site money when you buy using those links.

This item was provided for review.

Flint and Tinder is Huckberry’s house brand that has continued to impress us. They have a similar vibe to Taylor Stitch, but I think they’ve been doing an outstanding job of keeping to high quality basics that provide a lot of versatility. When the Huckberry team reached out to see if I wanted to try the 365 Shorts, I was excited to get them in my hands.

Material

The fabric is an 8 oz, 98% cotton/2% spandex blend that is garment dyed and preshrunk. It has a soft hand feel, while still seeming durable. Weight wise, Flint and Tinder says it’s “the ideal weight for year-round wear”, and I’d agree. I wore these for a long drive and in the heat setting up a tent, and I was comfortable in both the AC and outside. They also claim it “stretches like a performance short”, while it does stretch some (and mostly in the horizontal direction), I wouldn’t say it’s super stretchy.

Fit & Style

The fit here is great — not overly slim or too baggy. And with options of both a 7” and 9” inseam, most should be able to get a length they prefer. For me, 9” is the perfect length for shorts, and often longer than 7” (without being super long) is tough to find these days.

Between these hitting just above the knee and the chino styling, these can go from casual to looking good with a button-up or polo with ease.

Performance

The performance is surprising for a stretch cotton fabric. I find them to be just as comfortable as my OUTLIER New Way Longs, with the New Ways maybe beating them out in really hot and humid weather, or if you plan to get them wet. In fact, I feel like the stretch is slightly more noticeable in the 365 Shorts. When setting up camp in the warm sun, I didn’t ever feel the shorts getting in the way and didn’t get too hot.

They also have a hit with the pockets, as they aren’t so deep that they are uncomfortable, but they aren’t shallow where you are worried about stuff sliding out. The YKK zipper and metal rivet button also add to the feel of durability.

Overall

The 365 Shorts were a surprise hit. At $64 (or 2 for $108), these represent a great value. For those who don’t need the ability to do everything in one pair of shorts, or spend a lot of time in a hot and humid climate. There aren’t many trade-offs from the much more expensive New Ways. To note, there is also a Cotton Linen version.

Highly recommended. Check out the whole 365 lineup.

NOTE: where possible all product links on this site may earn the site money when you buy using those links.

When Outlier released the F.Cloth Yes Pants we thought “do we really need $148 lounge pants made from our favorite Outlier fabric”? The initial answer was no, but when the price dropped to $88, they were hard to resist. After wearing these around our home offices for a while now, the answer is “Yes”!

Material

These are made from Outlier’s F.Cloth, which is the fabric used for the Futureslimworks as well. It’s a 200gsm 97% Nylon, 3% Elastane canvas with 35% two-way stretch. What makes this fabric special is texture the air texturized nylon-6,6 yarns give the fabric. It’s all topped off with a fluorocarbon-free F0 DWR.

It wears light while not being breezy. It’s not warm and cozy or overly cool. The structure and finish is enough to pass as standard cotton to most people.

Fit & Style

These pants are pure comfort. We weren’t quite sure what to expect from lounge pants cut from our favorite chino fabric, but it works. If you don’t want baggy, look elsewhere, but Outlier hit these spot on as work from/lounge around home pants. The style seems to be going that way anyways, and the F.Cloth adds some interest to the look — something different from the standard polyester or nylon lounge pants.

They are baggy with and elastic waist solid comfort. If your shirt is worn untucked (and it should be in these) then they are going to look fine whether you stand up on a video call, collect your UberEats, or dash to the mailbox. I do find that I have to cuff them when I’m wearing some shoes.

Performance

While there is stretch here, you don’t need it in these pants. They just flow around whatever you’re doing. The elastic waistband with (interior) 3Bar cinch is great as well, it’s as secure as a normal pair of pants with a belt. When it comes to cold weather, the performance is the same as Futureslimworks. They are more cut out for three season wear in the colder climates.

The pockets are borrowed from the New Ways, a thin mesh with a little bounce. They hold items well, while never getting in the way. And these pants do the same: never get in the way and offer ease of care, comfort and sharper looks than joggers.

Overall

These have quickly become the only pants I want to wear when around the house. While the full price of $148 seems a bit steep at first, now that we’ve seen what these pants actually are it seems reasonable. When stacked up against some of the more expensive joggers and lounge pants made from more standard materials, these pull way ahead in function.

Grab these while you have a chance at $88. If you miss out (or prefer an external drawstring), the Futureyes Pants are also available.

Recommended.

NOTE: where possible all product links on this site may earn the site money when you buy using those links.

Note: this vest was provided by Western Rise for review.

I had been looking for a breathable, insulated vest to add to my outerwear selection, so when I noticed that Western Rise launched their AirLoft Vest, I had to give it a try. The vest uses the same Toray 3DeFX+ insulation as the AirLoft Quilted Jacket I previously reviewed, as well as the rest of their current AirLoft line.

Material

The star of the show here is the Toray 40g 3DeFX+™ Polyester hollow-core, 4-way stretch insulation. This is a continuous fiber insulation, meaning it is long fibers tangled together into the batt, rather than many small fibers bound together or stuffed into a shell. This gives the insulation warmth and breathability, while allowing it to be quite thin and durable.

The shell material is 102gsm, 100% polyester, “self-cleaning, 4-way stretch, Primeflex® exterior fabric with a C6 DWR for dirt, stain, and weather resistance optimized for cool-weather activity”. This material looks great and doesn’t have a sheen that some technical vests do.

Fit & Style

The fit is described as a “modern cut and tailored silhouette ensure freedom of movement and a flattering fit”. I’d say it’s tailored with the idea that you will likely wear a heavier shirt underneath. What does this mean? It looks a little bulky over just a t-shirt. Looking at the product photos, this was intended, and makes sense for an insulated vest.

Length-wise, this fits more like a jacket, which is nice because I sometimes find vests to be a bit too short. The collar also looks good up or down.

Style-wise, this is as good looking as you’ll find in an insulated vest. The matte finish and lack of logos on the face fabric make it blend in well. Certainly looks better than your typical shiny-faced, logo-ed insulated vest.

Performance

The combination of warmth and breathability here makes this vest very versatile. It’s warm enough to be your outer layer on a cool-ish day, and when it gets cold, it can transition to a layer under a jacket, or something to toss on when you get a little chilly indoors. The performance here is perfect, unless you want a fleece vest for a different look, I can’t imagine a better vest.

While the hand doesn’t feel much stretch (even though the face fabric and insulation are both 4-way stretch), the vest remains comfortable and doesn’t bind around the armholes. Some vests take care of this by giving you oversized armholes, but not here. The vest stays comfortable and moves with you without being oversized.

A few other nice features include drawstrings at the bottom, an interior chest pocket (phone sized), and a side-entry outer pocket on the lower back that reaches across the whole back (not sure what to use this one for…).

Overall

The AirLoft Vest is just what I was looking for. Warm and breathable enough to see some versatile wear, while looking better than your average vest. The $189 price point is perfect when looking at what else is out there in the same league. Through Christmas, you will get a $50 gift card with your purchase ($50 for every $100 spent). Highly recommended.

NOTE: where possible all product links on this site may earn the site money when you buy using those links.

This shirt was provided for review by Western Rise for.

I’ve previously reviewed the short sleeve version of this tee, so I decided to take up the offer to check out the long sleeve version. In short, it’s the same tee, but with sleeves, but let’s look in some more detail.

Material

The StrongCore Merino Jersey is made using a core-spun nylon Merino fiber (89% Australian Merino Wool/11% Nylon). The nylon is added in the core for strength, with merino on the outside for performance. At 170 gsm, the fabric is light, but not too light. It appears that they moved from 17.5 to 18.5 merino since I tried the tee, but I actually think the fabric feels softer in this new version. The slightly thicker fiber should also contribute to the durability.

They claim a 4-way stretch knit, which sometimes doesn’t play out in practice, but the fabric here feels more stretchy than most tees.

Fit & Style

The fit is classic, without being baggy. An XL fits me well (just note the half-size shrinkage if you machine dry), and I think the proportions would work well for most. The sleeves are right, and the neck hole isn’t too tight or loose and saggy.

The only complaint I have on the sizing is with the “v-cut” at the hem, it makes the front shorter than the back. If I’m reaching way overhead, it comes up just a bit too far. Other than that, the v-cut adds something a little different to the shirt. It likely is going to be a deciding factor on whether you love or hate this shirt.

The style is what you expect, a simple, performant long sleeve tee.

Performance

As expected, this performs as well as a 100% merino tee. Core-spun fabrics often don’t hurt the odor resistance, so I was able to wear this shirt until I felt like it needed a wash, rather than when it smelled.

I’ve been wearing the shirt during some cooler weather, and found it to be comfortable and breathable up to about 75°F.

The surprising performance factor here is the 4-way stretch knit combined with the v-cut. I sometimes find long sleeve tees to be a little constricting of movement, but never feel that way here. It stretches to move well around the shoulders, and the v-cut relieves any of the binding around the bottom hem.

Overall

I like this shirt. The v-cut could be a polarizing feature, but overall it provides some performance advantages. Great to wear around the house, durable enough to wear outdoors, and looks good for wear out to a coffee shop on the weekend.

Price wise, the StrongCore Merino Long Sleeve Tee comes in at $108. That at first struck me as a little pricy, but it stacks up well compared to the competition from Ibex ($98) and Icebreaker ($110).

NOTE: where possible all product links on this site may earn the site money when you buy using those links.

Note: this shirt was provided by Unbound for review purposes.

There are quite a few merino polos out there, but many suffer from collars that are too soft. Unbound Merino reached out to see if I wanted to try their Merino Polo and remembering Ben’s review of their Classic Button-Down, I was excited to give it a try. I was quickly impressed, and this polo has become my favorite.

Material

The material is a 165 gsm, 53% superfine (17.5 micron) merino wool, 47% polyester. The weight sits right at that perfect balance of being very light, while still having enough structure. The merino is Woolmark and RWS certified, and being 17.5 micron, has no scratchiness.

The fabric looks great, with no sheen, and there is a really unique, almost 3D texture to the outer face. While different, I think the dressiness of the fabric sits in the same place as a traditional pique knit. A surprising amount of stretch is also present.

Fit & Style

The fit of this polo is spot on for me. The cut is slim, but not overly slim. I picked an XL based on the measurements on their size guide, and I think it is a flattering fit that would work for many. The stretch of the fabric gives some flexibility to size up or down for those who might prefer a tighter or looser fit.

The style here works well for business casual, or with nice shorts. The collar performs well. While it doesn’t have much structure, it doesn’t seem to fold weird in the wash. It does fall open, however, as do most collars that are not button-down.

Performance

The performance is awesome for hot weather. It breaths well, and when sweaty (or out of the wash) it dries very quickly. It seems like the texture of the fabric helps it to stand away from your skin, making it feel less damp if moist with sweat. After washing, there also is none of that fuzzy texture, speaking to the durability of the blend/texture of the fabric.

The stretch is a great addition. I never felt the polo restricting my motion — it’s actually more comfortable than some of my merino blend tees.

Wrinkles just don’t form in this fabric — I wouldn’t hesitate to squash this into a bag for travel, and it looks perfect after air drying.

As expected, that odor resistance isn’t quite up to the claims made — “Won’t smell after weeks of wear, unlike cotton and synthetics”. That would be true if it was 100% merino, but not at an almost 50-50 blend. I am able to get 3-4 days of wear, which is still great. With the quick drying nature of the fabric, sink washes would be very feasible to keep this polo going indefinitely.

Overall

This is my new favorite polo, especially for warm weather wear. The texture is unique, while keeping the style business casual. It breathes well, doesn’t wrinkle, and gives 3-4 days of wear.

At $110 retail, the price seems a touch high for a merino blend. I still do recommend the polo though, because I haven’t seen anything like the texture of this fabric.

NOTE: where possible all product links on this site may earn the site money when you buy using those links.

FRAHM is a British company that makes some classic jackets with classic fabrics. They offer pre-orders for their items (at a 20% discount), and this Lightweight Worker’s Jacket sold out before they started making it for 2021, so they’ve already launched their 2022 pre-order (for delivery May 2022).

What got me excited about FRAHM was their attention to detail and use of fabrics like Ventile (waterproof 100% cotton) and British Millerain (machine washable waxed cotton). Of course, this makes their jackets very pricey. So I went with the Lightweight Worker’s Jacket (in French Blue), which is made from an Italian ripstop, to not blow my whole budget. As I dug in further, I also thought their ethical policy was interesting and love the fact that they sew in a small factory in Bulgaria they have a close relationship with.

Material

The material is listed as “brushed Italian fabric is a tough ripstop”, and the content label lists it as 64% cotton/39% nylon. No weight is listed, but it is fairly light while still having structure. The handfeel is smooth, with the outside having a bit of sheen.

This results in a fabric that looks normal except for the slight sheen giving it away as not just cotton and has a great structure, while being really comfortable to wear.

Fit & Style

The fit on this jacket is excellent. It’s not slim, but also not baggy. FRAHM targets their cuts to fit most men, while leaving room to move and for layers. If you take a look at their size guide, you can see photos of various builds wearing their jackets and what size they are in. I find this to work really well for me. It looks sharp, while still letting me move and fit a layer underneath if necessary. I ended up with an XL after using their fit tool and chatting with their customer service (note that the jackets ship from the UK, so returns aren’t straightforward, although their customer service is very helpful and responsive).

The pockets on this jacket are done perfectly as well, plenty of storage without getting in the way. They also didn’t forget the most important feature, side entry hand pockets behind the lower pockets. This is a detail that when missing on jackets like this drives me crazy.

For those that need it, there are also two holes for the cuff button for adjustment. The collar can be flipped up for a little extra wind protection.

The style makes this a versatile jacket. It dresses up your t-shirt while staying on par or dressing down button-up a bit. It fits in in a casual situation and works well going to the office. The slight sheen the fabric has out of the box actually makes it a bit dressier, so I’ll be interested to see if that changes with more wear.

Performance

The performance here surprised me. FRAHM describes the fabric as “crease resistant, showerproof and cool against the skin”. Let’s hit those points:

• Crease resistant: Yep, I folded the jacket and packed it away in a small backpack for my first post-vaccine road trip. I expected some creases or wrinkles to form due to the feel of the fabric, but it came out with no creases or wrinkles.
• Showerproof: While this jacket isn’t going to keep you dry in a downpour, the fabric beads water like it has a DWR coating (but I don’t think it does). Definitely my choice for a drizzly day rather than a rain jacket or windbreaker.
• Cool against the skin: FRAHM lists the temperature range as 50-75°F (with a t-shirt), and I think that’s about right. I haven’t gotten to test it in cold weather yet, but I could see it going cooler with a heavy button-up, sweater, or flannel. And the reason it’s comfortable into the 70s is that the fabric really does feel cool against your skin. I’m guessing it’s a combination of the smooth feel of the fabric, as well as the excellent breathability.

Even though this is a majority cotton jacket, I haven’t had to wash it. When I got some dirt on it, it was easily brushed off with a damp cloth.

And for durability, FRAHM talks about how they make all their jackets to last and stand up to actually wearing them, and I think the fabric will stand up to whatever I can throw at it. The quality is tops here, and even goes as far as adding to the style. The buttons are real horn, with smaller holding buttons behind the fabric and some fancy strong stitching. The stitching is heavy duty twin needle for durability and the seams are bound with a nice contrasting red.

Overall

Overall, I love this jacket. The only downside is now I want more pieces from FRAHM. The fit, finish, and performance on this jacket is better than anything else I’ve owned, so this is very easy for me to recommend. With a pre-order price of £176 ($244 USD), it’s not a quick decision to purchase, but the price is justified.

NOTE: where possible all product links on this site may earn the site money when you buy using those links.

Note: this shirt was provided at no cost for review.

Tact & Stone was launched by an industry outsider to make classic men’s pieces with the sustainability focus of Patagonia and Outerknown. They only source organic, regenerative, or upcycled fibers and work with ethical factories. When one of their garments reaches its end of life they will take it back for upcycling and give you a discount on your next purchase.

I was excited to give their Sustainable Performance Tee a try, and I am very impressed.

Material

The 4.5 oz jersey fabric is made of the Orbital Hybrid Yarn (66% organic cotton/34% recycled polyester). This is a filament yarn, so you get a lot less microfiber shedding. The care instructions are wash cold, hang dry (or air dry low), so it’s easy to care for.

To the hand, this feels like a smooth, soft cotton and the drape looks like a standard t-shirt. Having the shirt in white, even though it is lightweight, I had no issues with the fabric being see-thru (it does look a little translucent to darker colors though, see the fit pic).

Fit & Style

The shirt fit is described as “Slim fit but doesn’t hug you.” I think this is perfect, as the trends seem to be going to less form-fitting to tees with some room. The perfect balance is struck here and the shirt looks upscale and put together. It doesn’t look out of place with a pair of shorts, but also looks great under a light jacket with a pair of nice jeans or chinos. Love it.

Performance

The performance of this shirt was surprising to me. Digging into the yarn manufactures website, they present data showing it dries 97-98% in 30 minutes with Nike Dri-FIT (which is 85% polyester/15% cotton) the benchmark to beat at 99%. And this stands true in this shirt.

Let’s rundown the other performance claims made here.
– Moisture wicking: 100% true, wearing this shirt in my warm home office, I never felt damp.
– Fast dry: Already addressed, but can’t help to be amazed by this. It really does dry as fast as a Dri-FIT shirt even though its 66% cotton and looks and feels like a cotton shirt.
– Zero pilling: Haven’t had it long enough to say for sure, but I haven’t seen any fuzziness or indications that it’s going to pill. I even got a stain on the shirt, and used a stain remover and wash warm, and the shirt still looks brand new (and the stain came out with no problems). This is an area where I’ve found other performance tees that look like cotton to fall down.
– Abrasion resistance: Also can’t really speak to this, but I can see it being on-par with 100% cotton, rather than tending to get snags like some polyester fabrics.

I also love how cool this shirt wears. It must be a combination of the moisture wicking/fast dry and light weight of the fabric. This is the coolest cotton/poly shirt I own by far.

The odor resistance here is about on par with your standard cotton tee. No claims are made, so not a surprise. But it’s nice to be able to get a second wear if you don’t get sweaty or at least not have to worry about that polyester stink.

Overall

This shirt exceeded my expectations. I love how cool it wears, the cut works great for me, and it feels just like cotton. Also a bonus, it wasn’t hard to get a small stain out.

At $45 I think it represents a great value, and is a nice middle ground between your standard cotton t-shirt and an expensive merino tee. They currently offer it in black and white, but if they come out with a color that fills a hole in my t-shirt drawer, I’ll be first in line to buy another.

NOTE: where possible all product links on this site may earn the site money when you buy using those links.

Houdini Sportswear has been on my radar for a while because of their sustainability initiatives. They are best known for their Mono Air Houdi, a fleece hooded jacket made from a special Polartec fabric designed to reduce microplastic shedding, is at least 50% recycled, and the whole jacket is designed to be fully recyclable. The whole jacket is also open source. But that’s not what I’m reviewing today (I already have plenty of fleece…).

Houdini recently released a few pieces geared more towards lifestyle than outdoors, and when I saw the Omni Pants, I figure they were the perfect piece for me to give the brand a try.

Material

The pants are made from a fabric Houdini calls Thrill Twill, a blend of 41% EcoCircle® recycled polyester, 38% polyester, 21% PTT stretch polyester at 180 gsm. It is one of their tried and true fabrics they describe as “dense enough to shelter you a little bit from wind, but also light and open enough to provide high breathability. It is fully recyclable.” This seems like a lightweight but durable fabric.

When pulling up the fabric info to write this review, I was surprised at the high “stretch polyester” content, as the fabric doesn’t feel noticeably stretchy in the hand until you look for it (it is two-way stretch in the horizontal direction). The fabric is matte peached on the outside, but softer on the inside. You will also notice a lack of a DWR finish here.

My main point of comparison when thinking about these pants is the Outlier Futureworks. The F. Cloth is made from a 200 gsm 97% nylon, 3% elastane canvas, with a 35% two-way stretch. Comparing the two fabrics, they don’t feel noticeably different in weight, but the F. Cloth feels a bit more rough and tightly woven, with more texture and a bit more stretch.

There is, however, some technical swoosh here. This does seem to be getting a little better as I wear/wash them though.

Fit & Style

Houdini describes the fit as a “regular tapered fit”. I’d say compared to the typical tapered chino or the Futureworks, these are more of a straight or relaxed fit. Some of this may come from the fact that the sizing is XS, S, M, L, XL, XXL (I was able to get a good fit with the XL), vs. waist sizes, but it is also the general design of the pants. I don’t think they look sloppy, just more on-trend for the more full pants that seem to be coming back into style.

This style to me is more “technical pant that you can dress up” vs. “chino you can hike in” for the Futureworks. Not a bad thing, and considering the dress codes we will likely see post-pandemic, these likely could be worn in a lot of offices.

Performance

Wearing these pants in the spring, I was able to test their wind/chilly weather resistance. I think they are about on par with the Futureworks, which is somewhat surprising due to their weight and what looks like a more open weave. I’m really looking forward to seeing how these compare in hot weather.

The movement feels great here — the slight give the two-way stretch imparts combined with the cut make these pants stay out of your way. Additionally, the pre-bent knees help with binding around the knees when crouching or squatting.

While there is a lack of DWR, these pants dry so quickly, I don’t think that detracts from the appeal too much.

A few other hidden performance features are the zippered compartment in the right front pocket — a feature I often don’t love, but this one seems to stay out of the way (and the zipper pull docks at the top). There are also pulls at the leg cuffs, to all you to cinch them out of the way of a bike chain, as well as a hanging loop under the back belt loop.

Overall

I really like these Houdini Sportswear Omni Pants. The cut combined with the fabric make them comfortable and durable, and they fend off the chillier weather while seeming like they will do great in the heat. For those looking for sustainability, they contain 41% recycled polyester and can be recycled at the end of their life.

While they won’t replace my Outlier Futureworks for office wear (for now at least), they will remain at the front of my closet. At $140, they are competitively priced. Recommended.

NOTE: where possible all product links on this site may earn the site money when you buy using those links.