Jenna Lyons is an athlete that does it all. Runs, bikes, skis, you name it. She is currently in her last year of law school and still finds time to represent Runner’s Edge as a RErun Ambassador. She recently tested a Smartwool short for us and shared her thoughts.
I was asked to test out the Smartwool merino short sleeve shirt. Honestly, this is the most perfect time of year for this product. I wore the Smartwool shirt on a 3.5 hour run to put it through its paces and see how it compares to other performance materials I usually wear. I tested it on Fit, Performance, and Looks
As we all thaw out into Spring, and emerge from our puffy coats and cocoa dens, sometimes it can feel a little like this: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JbeRRAvaEOw
I definitely felt like a slowly-blooming lotus flower in this shirt as I trudged through the snow in the sunshine. But dang, I felt beautiful. And more importantly, I felt comfortable. The Smartwool Merino short sleeve is my favorite running apparel for this time of year…it is the perfect transition piece from cold, dark morning runs to beautiful sunlit mornings.
FIT
The Smartwool short sleeve fits beautifully and feels soft on the skin—like a baby puppy snuggling. The shirt does run a tad big. I normally wear an XS and the XS felt like a small to me. The women’s shirt fits beautifully, unlike some brands that seem to think we are built like Spongebob Squarepants.
PERFORMANCE
I wore this shirt on a fairly long 3.5 hour run—probably 50 degrees outside—with my hydration vest on. My back did get a little sweaty (see picture), but the merino is super amazing at wicking moisture away and I was dry within minutes. The seams do not chafe, and the merino is amazing at regulating temperature, keeping your core warm, but not too hot at the same time. I have tons of pictures of myself backcountry skiing with a long sleeve Smartwool with sleeves rolled up and the neck zipped all the way down. They figured it out this time…by making a simple short sleeved shirt that is well-suited for Spring temps.
LOOKS
Smartwool has really been venturing out in terms of color choices and styles…not the Smartwool I remember as a kid flailing around on nordic skis. The shirt I wore was a beautiful light purple, but I also have another smartwool cap-sleeve shirt that is a beautiful hue of coral. The cut is flattering, yet modest and comfortable. Like a very fancy t-shirt. In all honesty, I wore it underneath my blazer to work one day before I went running, and no one noticed. This is probably a stretch though in terms of appropriateness… The merino short sleeves made by Smartwool are truly worth the investment. They are pricey, but they last a LONG time, and they don’t smell bad like some other counterparts made by other brands. If you’re looking for a top that can endure hours of sweat, variable Spring temperatures (and maybe even a brief cameo appearance at the office) this is it.
