REVIEW - North Ridge Resistance Short-Sleeved Shirt
Scoring high on the egg-o-meter with a ‘Sunny Side Up’, the North Ridge Resistance shirt is a fantastic starter base layer for anyone new to backpacking or hiking!
After a couple of trials wearing these shirts in various weather conditions, we were chuffed enough with the new gear that we decided to go back and buy one more for the longer backpacking adventures we’ve got planned.
Weighing in at 111g, this lightweight shirt can roll up nice and tightly to fit neatly in any small gaps within your pack if you’re bringing clothing or fancy using it as nightwear.
Read (or watch) below to find out what we did and didn’t like about these shirts!
SPECS
- Made from Polyester and Elastane
- Quick-drying and lightweight
- Active odour control in the fabric using an inbuilt anti-bacterial treatment
FIRST THOUGHTS
As we started to search for clothing suitable for backpacking and long-distance hiking, we came across anti-odour shirts which are breathable and lightweight. However, many of these types of shirts are expensive, and without really understanding this technology we wanted to try them out first before fully committing.
After hunting around at various stores, we came across the North Ridge Resistance Shirts at a nice little cost of £20 ($25 USD) from GoOutdoors.
The Polyester material is great for these base layers, but over-time it may start to sag and bubble with excessive use, especially in areas where backpack straps make contact. Only time will tell, and we might update this review to speak about the longevity of these items of clothing.
ON THE FIELD
So far, we have tested these shirts on 30 miles of hiking, 15 of which were in full sunshine and at 25°C carrying heavy packs. This left us extremely gross and sweaty by the end of the day….a perfect test for these shirts!
We also love how much movement they allowed. There is no restriction or friction with this material, so in hot weather, it allows for more airflow even with heavy packs on all day. As you can see from the photo the breathable mesh reaches up to the arm pits, so plenty of area is exposed for cooling.
When we returned home, we decided not to wash them straight away just to see how much odour had been captured in the material (we honestly dreaded giving them a sniff the next morning) – however, after inhaling a deep breath from this tainted material, we were pleasantly surprised at how little it smelt! There was a very faint whiff of B.O., but all things considered, it was an excellent result.
We were both very pleased at how quickly these shirts dried after being washed. So, if you do wash them on the trail, tying them to your pack to let them dry will probably be a short affair!
Let us know if you agree or disagree with our experiences, or if you found this useful! Additionally, if you would like to see reviews of anything in particular that you’ve noticed us using in one of our blogs or vlogs then leave a comment and we shall add it to our list!
May all your future adventures be filled with awesomeness! Happy Wandering!
