On Travel Gear Tuesdays I review travel or blogging related products. These are usually products I genuinely love, but if I don’t I will tell you so as well. Follow at #TGT. Today’s review is an Icebreaker shirt review:
Brands like to make bold, boastful claims – they call it marketing. Lynx would have you believe a quick spray of their deodorants makes men irresistible and Gillette would have you believe that they are the best a man can get. So when Icebreaker said that with their shirts you can head straight from a hike to a hot date because their merino wool shirts are odour resistant, I decided to put their claim to the test in the most challenging way I could think of – a workout in an authentic Cambodian gym!
Now don’t get me wrong, Cambodia has its fair share of fancy gyms but many of the newer facilities cater to ex-pats who seem to pay their monthly membership fee to get access to flattering mirrors, free wifi, and Khmer massages. But a gentle workout in one of those air-conditioned environments would be no test for my Tech T SS Lite Icebreaker T-Shirt. So I decided to head to a proper, no-frills gym where the hardy men of Cambodia hang out. A gym which costs a fantastic $0.25-a-session and has facilities to match the price.
No need for fancy resistance machines here!
Can’t beat a tin roof to really bring out the best in the scorching equatorial sun. Note the fans are off – it was only a relatively mild 35 degrees on this occasion.
So then T-Shirt, let the challenge commence…
So the result of my 30 minute workout in possibly the hottest gym in Cambodia…no sweat stains and the shirt smelled almost completely fresh actually. I still don’t understand how Icebreaker T-Shirts warm you up when it is cold (something I really appreciated during my freezing Everest Base Camp trek) and at the same time keep you cool in the heat (something I appreciated during my jungle treks in the Amazon and Cambodia). But it really seems to work. So my conclusion of the icebreaker shirt review: Icebreaker shirts are the perfect hiking or travel companions that can even survive a work-out in a roasting hot gym and still not stink. This is particularly handy of course if as a backpacker you haven’t got the opportunity to wash your clothes as often as you might like.
So how’s the smell?
Fresh as a daisy!
Oh, and the final part of the icebreaker shirt review…is it possible to go straight out on a hot-date? Well, all I can say about this is that my husband was willing to take me out for a pizza that afternoon without forcing me to get changed first. So to the extent a hot-date is possible after seven years of marriage, test passed!
Our exclusive giveaway
The lovely people at the Nature Shop kindly agreed to give away one Tech T Lite SS Icebreaker T-Shirt worth 60GBP (USD 95) to one of my lucky readers (male or female). For a chance to win one of these awesome Icebreaker T-Shirts simply leave a comment below and let me know if you want a male or female shirt and what size (subject to availability). You can double, triple, or quadruple your chances of winning if you like our Facebook page, follow me on Twitter, or share this post on Twitter. I will close the giveaway one week from today.
Disclaimer: Having previously rocked various icebreaker tops on my hikes in the Andes, Himalayas and the Amazon (I have four different Icebreaker tops at home), I was sent a Tech T Lite SS Icebreaker T-shirt by the Nature Shop and asked to review it, though rest assured, if it had failed I’d be the first to say so (see my frank view of Barclays bank)!
I tend to sweat a lot, so this shirt seems like it would be very useful. Thanks for the review 😀
Chanel @ La Viajera Morena recently posted…How I Earn Thousands of Miles in Under 10 Minutes
Pleasure Chanel! The T-Shirt is great for wicking sweat away.
This would come in handy for all sorts of adventures 😉
Laurence recently posted…Who let the dogs out–10 tips for dealing with street dogs
Absolutely Laurence. I have used Icebreaker T-Shirts for so many different adventures and they have never let me down. Good luck! 🙂
I have an icebreaker shirt already and i wear that for about 8 month now. It gets cleaned only when the rain caught me on my way to work i smell great that is not the prob. awesome shirt. BUT my co-workers think that i have only ONE shirt (what is true actually). So please help me not being a misfit anymore and send me an medium shirt not pink please coz that is the color of the shirt i am wearing already!
Well hopefully we can help you out of your misery Veit. Good luck! 🙂
Yeppers, merino wool is amazing! All of our clothes are made out of merino, polyester, or lycra (or some combination of the three).
It’s natural wicking, anti bacterial, and temperature control properties are unmatched… and it’s sustainable! This is a no brainer here, people need to switch their old school cotton t’s for a merino one in a hurry!
Thanks for writing the review!
Brock @OurFavoriteAdventure recently posted…Hyperlite Mountain Gear Echo II Review
Absolutely agree Brock. I have loads of Icebreaker tops and they always come with me during my travels and when I go hiking. I also wore them when I was still living in the UK during those damp and cold winters.
Would love to add one of these to my backpack for our upcoming RTW! Women’s size M. 🙂
Good luck Lina! 🙂
I could definitely use a shirt like this because I definitely sweat a lot when I work out!
Dana Carmel @ Time Travel Plans recently posted…Why We Chose Nicaragua & Why You Should Too
Oh this would be perfect for you then Dana!
TammyOnTheMove recently posted…Icebreaker shirt review and exclusive giveaway
I am a huge fan of Icebreaker, and would LOVE to win this. (Mens small.)
SO FUN!
Alison Chino recently posted…Letter About Traveling Abroad
Thanks Alison and good luck! 🙂
I would live to try one of these! Womens medium
They are really good Donna. Thanks for entering!
I’d love to win one of these. My husband has these and loves them, but we’ve not outfitted me with good gear for our rainy, cold BC winters yet. His job depends on good outdoor gear, so we’re usually scrambling to make sure he has everything he needs. This time I think it’s okay to think of my closet. =) Women’s small or medium.
Inkling recently posted…These Are A Few Of My Favorite Things
I always used to wear Icebreaker tops during the damp British winter as well and they never let me down.
After hiking across Spain with a merino shirt, I’m hooked! Would love to add another to the collection for future adventures – Women’s M. Thanks for the post!
I love them for hiking too. Just love the fact that you don’t smell in them.