Versatile Layer

I am usually slow to adopt new pieces into my layering system, but I was chosen to test and review this top and it quickly became a layering staple for many different activities (travel, camping, hiking, mt biking). I got a women’s medium (I have muscular arms and size D boobs so I was worried a small would be too tight), and it turned out a little big/loose for a base layer for me, so I ended up mostly using it as a mid layer. It is a little too warm to wear on warm days, even alone, but perfect for those days where it starts out below freezing but temp/weather fluctuates throughout the day. This thing had serious odor resistance. It lasted at least 3 wash cycles of my synthetic layers without being washed with heavy wear/activity, and still did not get stinky. I did not get to test the limits of the odor resistance since I got scared and washed it before leaving on a trip (it washes well, I did cold gentle cycle and hung to dry). I am not crazy about the color (is it brown? Is it pink? Who I knows?) but this is super minor. icebreaker US gave me this free product to try.

Half Zips = Amazing

Love these half zips....have the flexibility for most insulation zipped all the way or when you start heating up, unzip to best comfort level. Washes well, always use cold and hang to dry, no pilling and have worn and washed this a lot!

Great Lightweight Merino Half Zip

Icebreaker gave me this free product to try, and I’m grateful they did. At first they sent me the wrong size (which I may have told them the wrong size), so they send me an updated size pretty quickly which was appreciated. For context, the second, better fitting shirt they sent me was a women’s small. I’m 5’7 and about 125lbs. The shirt was snug, but not too tight. I found the shirt to be lighter weight than I anticipated, but comfortable nonetheless. The shirt breathes well. I wore it recently for a 6 hour running race, and while I sweat through it, I definitely thought it was breathable. That said, because you can sweat through it, I wasn’t able to wear it as a single layer or outer layer in anything other than running, because I sweat too much and would have big sweat marks if I wore it alone. I did wear it under a cardigan sweater at work though, and it looked nice. When I wore it during my 6 hour race, I found that it regulated my temperature well. I didn’t ever feel too hot or too cold. The sleeves are easy to push up or pull down, and could zip or unzip to help with temp regulation as well. I wore this shirt a few times without washing it, and it definitely smelled better than any non-merino shirt I have. I found it to be similar to other merino shirts in terms of smelliness after working out in it. The fit of the shirt is good, like I mentioned above. It goes down far enough in front and back, so no wind gets up there. The sleeves are not too long or too short. Overall, it’s a really good looking shirt. Who I would recommend this shirt for: someone who is active and in changing temperatures — this is a good shirt for a late summer or early fall workout and because it have sleeves and a zipper that you can push/zip up or down, it’s great for helping you keep a good temperature. Bonus that it’s a great color and fit, so wearing it to the office is possible too if you’re in casual environment.

Keep The Adventures Going!

I always struggle with the seasonal shift in temps from Summer to Fall, but the icebreaker is the perfect layer to keep me warm during high and low intensity adventures. I've been using this shirt for all my bike rides and larch marches this fall.

I’ve been wearing the Women’s Oasis Long Sleeve Half Zip Thermal Top for a couple weeks and I really like it. I love the colour, and it’s comfortable, not tight and easy to move in. It’s a great layer for fall, keeps me warm without overheating. I wore it running and hiking, and it kept me warm in the cool weather but also kept me cool when I started to heat up due to its breathability. The fit is good and the half zip is handy for venting when I get warm. Disclosure: icebreaker US gave me this free product to try.