The Great Outdoors – July 2019

The Great Outdoors July 2019 73

Features

Alpkit

Woodsmoke Mountain

£59 380g (L)

warmth, stud fastenings, cost

not that light

Fabric: 95% Thermo-Tech polyester/5% spandex

Front closure: studs

Pockets: 2 stud-fastened chest

Cuffs: studs

Vent s: none

Sizes: men S-X XL, women 8-16

alpkit.com

The Woodsmoke is different to the other

shirts reviewed in that it’s designed as a mid

layer and is quite warm. Rather than one

for coolness on sunny days it’s an excellent

lightweight alternative to a microfleece.

In the heat it’s still reasonably cool (though

not as much as thinner shirts), partly because

the fabric isn’t very wind resistant.

The shirt is made from Thermo-Tech,

which is a polyester with hollow fibres that

trap air for warmth. The fabric is thicker

than other shirt fabrics and also quite

stretchy, so it doesn’t restrict movement.

The fabric is brushed and very soft, feeling

very comfortable against the skin. It

wicks moisture away too and dries fast. A

Polygiene treatment stops it from stinking.

The design is good. All the fastenings

are studs rather than buttons, which makes

opening and closing them very easy. The

pockets are quite roomy though they won’t

close over a large smartphone.

The cost is quite low, and the weight

is on the high side. I think it should be

compared to microfleece tops rather

than thin shirts, however. For year-round

wear it’s a good choice.

Mammut

Lenni

£69 150g (L)

low weight, bluesign-approved

fabric

minimal pockets

Fabric: 68% polyester/32% polyamide

Front closure: buttons

Pockets: 1 open chest

Cuffs: buttons

Vent s: none

Sizes: men S-X XL

mammut.com

The Lenni is the lightest shirt in the test

and rolls up into a small bundle, making it a

good choice for carrying in the pack when

you want a shirt for travel or town wear.

The fabric is soft and feels pleasant next

to the skin. It’s so thin you can just about

see through it. It has a PFC-free Polygiene

antimicrobial treatment and is bluesign-

approved. Unsurprisingly drying time is

very fast. Wind resistance is quite low.

This isn’t a shirt to choose if you like

pockets. There’s only one and it’s quite

small. It’s open-topped too so items can

easily fall out.

For really hot weather this shirt

is excellent as it’s so thin. I’d like to

see another pocket and pockets that

are bigger and can be closed, but if

weight matters it is much lighter than

alternatives. The price is slightly high

given how basic the design is.

comparative review Gear

1. Materials
   Synthetics are
   lightweight,
   breathable, wind-
   resistant, non-
   absorbent, fast-drying
   and have high sun
   protection factors.
   Many are made from
   wicking fabrics and
   have anti-insect
   treatments too.
   Polyester/cotton is a
   little more absorbent
   and slower-drying
   but very comfortable
   and still a good fabric.
   Cotton alone is okay on
   warm days but it dries
   slowly and feels cold
   when damp.


2. Sleeves
   Long sleeves are
   more versatile than
   short sleeves as they
   provide sun and insect
   protection when rolled
   down. Most long-
   sleeved shirts have tabs
   inside the upper arms
   to hold the sleeves in
   place when rolled up.


3. Pockets
   Chest pockets are
   useful for carrying
   items such as compass,
   phone, GPS, notebook,
   sunglasses, snacks and
   more. Zipped security
   pockets are useful for
   passport, tickets and
   money when travelling
   to and from the wilds.


4. Collar
   A collar can be turned
   up for sun protection.
   Some shirts have extra
   flaps for this.


5. Ventilation
   Many shirts have mesh
   vents covered by flaps
   in the upper back.
   These are ineffective
   when wearing a
   rucksack.


6. Length
   Shirts should be long
   enough not to pull
   out when tucked into
   trousers.

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