We recently have tried out Polarmax’s AYG (All Year Gear) technical line of shirts and underwear.
Scott’s Review:
Close up of the technical shirtThe AYG XTRDRY Cotton shirt ($29.95 msrp) is now my favorite all around t-shirt! Not only is it a cotton shirt that you can use on your runs but for a “night on the town” – I don’t dress up much 🙂 The cotton shirt is 96% cotton and 4% spandex which gives it a light and stretchy feel. I wore this on a trail run and then let it sit for a couple days without washing it. Remarkibly the shirt didn’t stink. I guess the “Acclimate Fresh Anti-Microbial, Anti-Odor” feature is legit! Both Scott and Tim noted that the cotton shirts fit a little snug, you might consider going up a size unless you’re trying to show of that six-pack.
The technical silk shirt ($24.95 msrp) is also very light and airy. I happened to wear it on run where it started with rain. I was impressed that the shirt dried out VERY quickly after the rain stopped. I noticed, as did Tim, that the shirts still seemed very light even when wet.
I really liked the 4-way stretch boxer brief ($24.95 msrp). I always run with a boxer brief under my running shorts to prevent “chafage”. To date I have used Under armor. I felt the Polarmax briefs had the same good attributes. In addition, these seemed lighter and airier – they seemed to breath better than the Under armor.
Womens technical shirtFaith liked the fit of the technical shirt
Tim in the XTRDRY Cotton shirt
Tim’s Review (shown in the XTRDRY Cotton Shirt):
Initial thoughts: Light material, flexible, looks cool! The large technical silk shirt was VERY large. I am 5’9″ and could not wear it without looking like a baby. Most larges fit me decently well. Check Polarmax’s sizing charts. Cotton tee fit well and feels amazingly comfy.
Testing:
I made my 6’5″ friend wear the tech tee on our 20 miler and it fit him perfect. I wore the medium size cotton tee, which fit pretty well, but slightly snug on the chest (tape those nips!). Both our items were soaked within a couple hours. We are profuse sweaters though and it was in the 80s. What we both noticed, though, is that the material does not feel heavy when soaked, like many other brands do; despite being drenched, the shirts still felt light and flexible. My cotton shirt dried fairly quickly when we finished running.
Afterthoughts:
While I still have never found a true “moisture-wicking” running shirt, these shirts were very comfortable, flexible, and felt light even when soaked. The tech tees look cool and the UV protection is nice for us Texas runners and our lack of cover. The cotton shirts look and feel great, even when wet. This would be a top-notch shirt for active or labor intensive jobs like construction workers and landscapers, or just to wear out on a relaxing day.
The technical silk shirt ($24.95 msrp) is also very light and airy. I happened to wear it on run where it started with rain. I was impressed that the shirt dried out VERY quickly after the rain stopped. I noticed, as did Tim, that the shirts still seemed very light even when wet.
