Ex Officio ExO Dri Pointelle Shirt

I’m a big fan of Ex Officio in general but these shirts deserve a so-so rating. Let’s start with the positives. Great color selection and a few neck designs (v-neck, scoop neck and crew neck) make this shirt relatively cute as travel apparel goes. It looks more like regular clothing rather than some strange technical, trekking gear which is certainly appreciated on the road. [ad#reviews-image-only] The negative: the fabric doesn’t seem to hold up well under hand washing conditions. Granted I put these shirts through the ringer, literally, by regularly washing them on washboards, but the fabric has begun to pill and after 4 months is beginning to look old (color is still great though). The most negative thing I can say about these shirts is that they stain easily. The sweat and dirt are wicked away but I find myself soaking and scrubbing for what seems like hours to get them out. In addition the lighter colors, especially the coral really shows dirt and even after a thorough hand wash still looks dirty and often still smell. I recognize this is a problem with all wicking fabrics, but there are better wicking fabrics on the market.

Bottom line: These are good travel shirts, but don’t expect them to easily wash out or remain looking great after repeated hand washings.

Ex Officio ExO Dri Pointelle Shirt

With the increase of performance apparel on the market its easy to get lost in all of the wicking, anti-macrobial, anti-chaffing and anti-whatever else is on those sales tags. After four months on the road here’s my break down of performance women’s intimate apparel:

REI: Function and soft, the REI panties were in the running for number one from the beginning. Available in several seasonal colors and cuts, they also were the cheapest of the ones I tried at about $16 a pair. Unfortunately the craftsmanship is poor. The material has stood up well to constant hand washings and wringing, but the seam quality is just not there. In both pairs the material has separated from the seam in the same places. [ad#reviews] In addition their design was clearly by a man as they don’t address all the features women want- mainly they have bulky seams which lead to VPL. If I didn’t want it at home I don’ t want it on the road. They also have a tendency to ride up and tend to run small. (Why on earth would someone make a women’s intimate apparel line run small- NO ONE wants to buy a bigger size, come on REI!) Bottom Line: Due to quality and design flaws these are below average. Best thing about these: REI has a good refund and return policy for members.

ExOfficio: I have used Ex Officio’s panties for several years. They function really well, great for exercise or high intensity activities. The quality is excellent, no sign of any rips or seam flaws (I’ve had one pair for almost 3 years!) and they wash and dry easily. The only con I can see is that they don’t have cute designs. Available in a few colors there are no designs, just solids, which is fine, but not exciting. All the designs I’ve had tend to run slightly large so if you are in between sizes I suggest sizing down. (yay!) Regular MSRP is $25, but I was able to pick up a few pairs on sale at REI for about $15. Bottom Line: Excellent quality, very practical, but could make the designs cuter. Highly Recommended. 🙂

Patagonia: Tested both the boy cut briefs and the camisole. I LOVE the patagonia line. Very functional and well designed I find myself wishing I could wear these every day. Remarkably comfortable and cute, the Patagonia boy cut briefs have an excellent fit and are high quality. They have stood up to four months of hand washing without a single tear or snag. Their seams are flat so none of the VPL problems, and did I mention they fit really well? The camisole is adorable and even though its cream the fabric is thick enough not to be see through. Its comfortable enough to sleep in on a 14 hour bus ride and I appreciate the small design details like wrapping the seams in soft fabric. I’ve found both the camisole and the bottoms to run very true to size. MSRP is higher than the other two brands tested, but they occasionally go on sale. Bottom Line: Excellent design, quality and style. Highly Recommended.