Lightweight wicking t-shirt brands & recommendations

[travisap]

Any recommendations for merino wool or a comparable patagonia capilene 2 t-shirt? Short sleeve, day hiking shirt.

I know almost every outdoor company under the sun sells a wicking t-shirt but I wasn't sure if anyone here had any good reviews or specific brands that they found to work really well. Or if you know of any good deals on shirts.

Columbia, Marmot, GoLite, The North Face, Mountain Hardwear or any other brands you guys know of.

[flemdawg1]

I use mostly shirts from running shoe brands. Nike, Asics, Brooks, Mizuno, Adidas.

I even like the ones from Walmart and Target (Starter and C9).

[JAK]

I look for anything wool at thrift stores,
like Frenchies for $5 (used)
Marden's or Marshall's for $20 (new)
sometimes L.L.Bean Outlets for $40.

The best I found so far in terms of performance was a L.L.Bean merino sweater for $40. It had some stretch to it, and it wore very well without becoming felted. Held up to wet conditions very well, though not as warm as some fluffier sweaters in cold dry weather. In general, I try to find stuff that is oversized so as to be loose fitting, and light and thin enough to be useful year round. I like thicker hand-knit sweaters also, but only for winter.

I do find alot of variance in quality, but for under $40 you can't gp wrong really, even with a cheaper wool sweater. The better ones do last longer though, and feel better.

[hikingshoes]

I like the Short Sleeve ACU T-shirt (Army Tan),100% polyester,moisture wicking material. HS

[EastCoastFeastCoast]

I work for Nike, they make about 10 billion different kinds ranging from nylon to polyester to cotton. I would avoid the cotton/cotton-blends and go for the polyester. They also make them in different thicknesses and weaves- Running shirts tend to have more open airflow and a rough texture, but lighter weight. I prefer the "training" versions of NikePro, polyester/nylon blend, silky smooth, flat seams (for layering or shoulder straps) heavy-weight feel without being too heavy. They also come in a range of fits from compression to loose. Hope that helps.

[leaftye]

If you want something that wicks sweat, then you don't want wool.

[Duff]

Mountain Hardwear Wicked Lite

[Panzer1]

Watch out for the kind that save weight by simply using less material.

Panzer

[leaftye]

I'm with flemdawg on the C9. With a price closer to $10 than $20, it's perfect.

[Praha4]

best wicking tshirt I've used for hiking is the Capilene-1 tshirt. Capilene-2 may be a bit warm for most of the year on the AT, except for winter hiking.

I've also used most of the other brands that sell polyester wicking tshirts, Eastern Mountain Sports (EMS), Reebok, Nike, Addidas. Merino wool tshirts are great base layers for colder weather.

[Tenderheart]

Any recommendations for merino wool or a comparable patagonia capilene 2 t-shirt? Short sleeve, day hiking shirt.

I know almost every outdoor company under the sun sells a wicking t-shirt but I wasn't sure if anyone here had any good reviews or specific brands that they found to work really well. Or if you know of any good deals on shirts.

Columbia, Marmot, GoLite, The North Face, Mountain Hardwear or any other brands you guys know of.

I wore a 100% polyester shirt labeled Athletic Wearhouse. During my hike, it was bleached enough for it to come apart, but it didn't. I would love to know who made it for them and how to find another. I've had high-dollar name brand shirts to fail in a few weeks.

litefoot

[Many Walks]

I've tried a lot of different brands, but it turns out my favorite short sleeve hiking shirt is a polyester Starter from Wally World. I usually see them on sale for $3.50 each toward the end of summer.

[Graywolf]

Star brand from Walmar is what I use. 7$ cant be beat. I usally catch a sell at 5$ which is even better.

[Rocket Jones]

The Starter brand from Wally World comes in long sleeve too. I think I paid $9.00 on sale.

[SMSP]

I got some Under Armour on clearance after deer hunting season at the local Academy. These are the earth tone colors, green, tan. I like them.

Also, I have gotten the 100% poly shirts from the military supply place. In my area, the so called surplus stores dont exist. The so called surplus stores sell all new stuff.

Sam's club had some Reebok t-shirts for around $10, these are thicker than the UA ones.

SMSP

[daddytwosticks]

I agree w/the Wally World opinions. Best bang for the buck short of a Goodwill type store.

[q-tip]

I just brought one shirt-Ex Officio non-stink shirt---I used a capilene wool shirt for sleep--worked great...

[XCskiNYC]

Old Navy Rec-Tech, available in many styles and colors, starting at $10 for the crew neck or tank top, often on sale for half price. They are intended for athletic use and they handle sweat better than cotton t-shirts. But they do get clammy sometimes which I'm not sure if it's the fault of the shirt not wicking so well or because it's layered under other layers (also all synthetic). I am curious if $60 synthetic shirts do a better job. They certainly list more features including one that says: "Treated with Xylitol to lower body temperature for your active lifestyle." Interesting. According to Wikipedia, Xylitol is a vegetable-based sweetener, something like Stevia. No mention of it being used in garments to control body temperature.

[tat44too]

I use Patagonia, they work good for me...

[.ghost.]

Everything will be personal preference, YMMV and all that...
That said, I am a huge fan of Endura shirts for hiking.