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With the weather finally beginning to make an appearance here in the UK we thought we’d pool our skills and put together a piece on technical t-shirts for summer. When planning an adventure, whether it’s hiking through rugged trails, running a marathon, or climbing steep rock faces, the right clothing can make all the difference. One essential piece of gear for any outdoor enthusiast is a high-quality performance t-shirt. Designed to enhance your comfort and performance, these t-shirts are engineered to meet the specific demands of outdoor activities. Here’s why a performance t-shirt is a must-have for your next adventure and what features to look for when choosing the perfect one.
Why Wear a Performance T-Shirt?
1. Moisture-Wicking Properties
Performance t-shirts are made from advanced fabrics that wick moisture away from your skin. This means that when you sweat, the fabric pulls the moisture to the surface where it can evaporate quickly. This keeps you dry and comfortable, reducing the risk of chafing and irritation. For runners and climbers who exert themselves heavily, staying dry is crucial to maintaining comfort and preventing skin issues.
2. Breathability
Breathability is another critical feature of performance t-shirts. These shirts are designed to allow air to circulate through the fabric, helping to regulate your body temperature. This is particularly important during high-intensity activities like running or climbing, where overheating can be a concern. A breathable t-shirt helps you stay cool in the heat and provides a layer of insulation when it’s cooler.
3. Quick-Drying Fabric
A quick-drying t-shirt is essential for anyone who spends time outdoors. Whether you’re caught in a sudden downpour, splashed while crossing a stream, or simply sweating a lot, a t-shirt that dries quickly ensures you stay comfortable and prevents the chill that comes from wet clothing. Quick-drying fabrics also mean less weight in your pack if you need to carry a spare shirt.
4. Lightweight and Comfortable
Performance t-shirts are typically lightweight, making them ideal for activities that require a lot of movement. They are designed to fit snugly without being restrictive, allowing for a full range of motion. This is especially beneficial for climbers who need their upper body to be free for complex movements and hikers who carry heavy packs and need minimal friction from their clothing.
5. Durability
Outdoor activities can be tough on clothing. Performance t-shirts are made from durable materials that can withstand the rigours of the trail, the road, or the rock face. Look for reinforced stitching and abrasion-resistant fabrics to ensure your t-shirt lasts through many adventures.
Features to Look for in a Performance T-Shirt
1. Fabric Composition
Some performance t-shirts are made from synthetic fabrics like polyester or nylon, which are excellent at moisture-wicking and quick-drying. Some t-shirts blend these materials with natural fibres like merino wool, which adds odour resistance and a soft feel.
2. UV Protection
For those spending long hours in the sun, a t-shirt with built-in UV protection is a great feature. This helps protect your skin from harmful UV rays without needing to apply extra sunscreen. Look for a UPF rating of over 25 for good performance in this category.
3. Anti-Odour Technology
Some performance t-shirts include antimicrobial treatments that prevent the growth of odour-causing bacteria. This is particularly useful for multi-day hikes or extended climbing trips where you might not have the opportunity to wash your clothes frequently. Merino is excellent for this as it doesn’t need an extra coating and is naturally odour resistant.
4. Fit and Comfort
Look for a t-shirt with a comfortable fit that suits your body shape and activity level. Some t-shirts offer a compression fit for muscle support, while others provide a looser fit for greater airflow. Look out for features such as offset seams and flat lock stitched seams.
5. Reflective Elements
For runners, especially those who run in low-light conditions, reflective elements on the t-shirt enhance visibility and safety.
In conclusion, a performance t-shirt is an invaluable piece of gear for hikers, runners, and climbers. By choosing a t-shirt with the right features, you can ensure maximum comfort, durability, and performance, allowing you to focus on the adventure at hand. Whether you’re scaling a mountain, hitting the trails, or training for your next race, the right performance t-shirt will keep you cool, dry, and ready for whatever the outdoors throw your way.
Five of the best performance t-shirts for 2024
As always with CGR no article is complete with our top recommendations and we have a great bunch of technical performance tee’s to recommend for most budgets.
Rab Mantle Tee
The Rab Mantle T-shirt has a nice soft, cotton feel to it and is suitable for all mountain activities as well as casual wear due to its regular fit, understated design and discreet logo placement. The main fabric is 100% recycled polyester and is light, fast drying, wicks away moisture efficiently and has a floor free odour control treatment added for all day wear. The flat lock seams reduce bulk and chaffing when carrying a pack whilst the inset sleeves give it a more casual look. The reinforced collar at the name of the neck improves durability in a high wear area and the integrated hanging loop is a nice feature. To add to the discrete nature of the tee there is an embroiled Rab logo on the sleeve as well as a Rab tag at the hem. Rab have also been at the forefront of manufacturing transparency with it’s Material Facts information. The Rab Mantle Tee comes in a great range of five colours and sizes S – XXL.
The SRP is a reasonable £35 and it can be bought directly from Rab UK.
Montane Dart Nano Zip T-Shirt
We’ve featured a couple of Dart Tees in previous kit lists and we’re real fans. Ultra light and well featured the Dart Nano Zip T-Shirt is a true performance t-shirt that is suitable for all fast paced mountain sports. Weighing in at a featherweight 70g the thin, gridded main fabric wicks away sweat easily and is supremely breathable and with it’s Polgeine odour treatment it can be worn all day without smelling too badly. All seams are flatlock sewn for next to skin comfort and to avoid chaffing when wearing a running vest or hiking pack and the inset sleeves offer a sharp look at the shoulders. The fit is definitely performance and body hugging and the offset side seams give an athletic fit so I would say size up if, like me, you are in-between sizes. Ventilation is further improved with the zip neck, which has a YKK reversed coil zip to help trap warmth when the temperature takes a dip. Other subtle features include a reinforced neck strip and reflective Montane logo, rear flashing and recycled polyester. The Montane Dart Nano Zip T-Shirt comes in three colour options and sizes XS-XXL.
The SRP is £60 and it can be bought directly from Montane UK.
Ar’cteryx Cormac Crew
As you would expect from Arc’teryx the Cormac Crew SS has a premium feel and look to it thanks to the discrete, reflective Arc’bird logo. The main fabric is 80% recycled Phasic LT polyester that is super light, weighing in at just 110g, and has a nice soft feel when worn next to skin. It is breathable and feels comfortable due to its relaxed sizing that offers a regular fit without being too tight. This means that it offers some ventilation without flapping around when the breeze gets up. Runners inspired the Cormac Crew SS but it suitable for any mountain sports such as hiking and climbing and good for a base layer when mountaineering or skiing as it will dry out super quick even when in use. It has plenty of great features such as merrow stitched seams, printed sizing info and a comfortable reinforcing tape at the nape of the neck. The Cormac also has an amazing UPF 40+ rating for wearing in the sun, an anti-odour treatment for all day wear, and a DWR to repel light rain or drizzle. On top of all that the t-shirt has Fair Trade certification so you can be sure that it’s as sustainable as can be. The Arc’teryx Cormac Crew SS comes in sizes XS-XXL and an amazing 7 colour options.
The SRP is £65 and it can be bought directly from Arc’teryx UK
Páramo Cambia T-Shirt
We like to feature Páramo because they are a great UK based company doing good things. On top of that they make great, well made outdoor clothing that is often subtly different to your standard offering. The Cambia T-shirt is no different and from the off you’ll need to know that it isn’t the lightest t-shirt out there but it is very versatile and can be used in both hot or cooler conditions. For the variable conditions in the UK (remember summer here in the UK is very up and down and this year has been very slow to start) the Cambia t-shirt is ideal. The main fabric is Parameta T+ which is a reversible fabric, wear smooth side against the skin in warmer weather to help keep you cool or wear it textured side in to wick moisture away and help keep you dry (which is my favoured way to wear it. The standard crew neck fits nicely and the flat lock seams offers all day comfort, the Parameta fabric also has a UPF 25+ rating so will block those powerful UV rays when out in the sun all day and the generously cut sleeves offer welcome ventilation. On top of that the t-shirt is made at the Mequelina Foundation and is 100% guaranteed Fair Trade manufactured.
The Páramo Cambia T-shirt comes in three colour options and sizes S-XXL. There is a female version which comes in sizes XS-XL and four colour options.
The SRP is £45 and it can be bought directly from Páramo Directional Clothing
Patagonia Capilene Long Sleeve Cool Merino
We’re adding a merino blend and long sleeve tee to the recommended list as with the fickle mountain conditions here in the UK it’s often a wise choice! The Patagonia Capilene Long Sleeve Cool Merino ticks all the boxes for a great and versatile t-shirt. The Capilene range should need no introductions for those who have been using Patagonia for a while and I’d bet many of you have owned one in the past (and still do). The 65% RWS certified merino wool blends with 35% recycled polyester to offer the best of both worlds: odour control, excellent temperature regulation and set-in sleeves for improved mobility. The slim fit ensures that the shirt fits snugly for performance activities and under a jacket, the Patagonia sizing means that it’s true to size so it will look fine for casual wear when down the pub or climbing gym. There are also split side vents and a slight drop tail so that if the tee needs to be tucked in, it will stay put and not lift out. As you would expect from Patagonia the Capilene Long Sleeve Tee adheres to the highest responsibility standards with RWS-certified wool and Fair Trade certification in the manufacture.
The Patagonia Capilene Long Sleeve Cool Merino comes in 3 colour options and sizes XS-XXL. There is a female specific version that again comes in 3 colour options and sizes XS-XL.
The SRP is £80 and it can be bought directly through Patagonia EU
Disclosure – CGR reviewers and writers are never paid to provide a review and the website does not take advertising or link to affiliate sales. We are a bunch of keen climbers and travellers who accept sample products and offer an honest and independent review of the item.
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