Technical Summer Wear Shirts

[Aushiker]

Hi

Okay this might be a bit left field but you never know what knowledge is out there

I have my cycling tour coming up, about two months or so of tootling along from Darwin to Perth, leaving around July. Given that this will, even at that time of the year, be pretty warm weather for a fair bit of the ride and sun protection is also important I am looking for suitable shirts to wear.

Such beasts will ideally be loose fitting, summer weight, smell resistance (can be two weeks between washes and only a couple of shirts to be worn between washes) and a reasonable degree of UV protection. Am I asking too much? I am aware of the likes of Ground Effect shirts such as the ZZ Top or the Rock Lobster but I am wondering if there are similar products in the bushwalking market place (Ground Effect's gear might be on the tight side as well ).



They don't have to be technical tees or have rear pockets either so other suggestions are appreciated.

Thanks
Andrew

[il padrone]

I have my cycling tour coming up, about two months or so of tootling along from Darwin to Perth, leaving around July. Given that this will, even at that time of the year, be pretty warm weather for a fair bit of the ride and sun protection is also important I am looking for suitable shirts to wear.

Such beasts will ideally be loose fitting, summer weight, smell resistance (can be two weeks between washes and only a couple of shirts to be worn between washes) and a reasonable degree of UV protection. Am I asking too much?

Consider merino tops like the Ground Effect Submerino, Median Strip, or similar tops from other outfitters. You are in the dry season and (at least in the southern parts of your tour) it will be coolish. I used the Submerino on the Oodnadatta Track at similar time of year and it was great - wore it for days at a stretch and no pong. A great top to wear. I've since become a real merino fan

I can also recommend their merino socks for similar reasons - Zig Zags or Anklebiters are luxurious to wear.

Another route to take is to buy a couple of travel shirts made from wicking fabrics. I have one from Kathmandu that is exceptional to wear in hot weather - never gets damp or oppresively hot, but it does need washing as it starts to pong after 2-3 days wear

[Aushiker]

Hi

As I was out and about today I dropped into Anaconda and Kathmandu for a look. Not much at Anaconda as I pretty much expected but I did pick up a Gondwana Brumby shirt which is 50% bamboo and 50% Cotton. Was on clearance for $42 so not a big issue if it does not work out. Only down side is that it is short sleeved.

From Kathmandu I got a long sleeved short which is more "technical" in its material, if you can describe 100% nylon as technical for $70. Still over priced but it feels good on and is quite light material. It is a Kangsar which has a UPF 45 rating, long sleeved and comes with insect repellent apparently. If that works against March flies I will be very impressed indeed.

I also tried a lightweight merino long-sleeve t-shirt at Kathmandu but found it warm even in the air conditioning at the store. I might take another look at the Ground Effect options as you suggest Pete.

Both of these shirts are normal button up so not cycling shirts by any means but I will give them a try next week on a four day ride. If nothing else they will be okay bushwalking and camp shirts.

Also I suspect that they will not do well on the smell meter.

Still open to ideas as well.

Regards
Andrew

[il padrone]

Both of these shirts are normal button up so not cycling shirts by any means but I will give them a try next week on a four day ride. If nothing else they will be okay bushwalking and camp shirts.

This Kathmandu shirt is virtually the same as the one I love to use for summer cycling (short sleeves are OK for me in summer, I have a mediterranean complexion). Wore it to work today as well, so it's very versatile for me

Also I suspect that they will not do well on the smell meter.

Where the merino really holds its own . The GE shirts are not body-hugging like some merino thermals are. Winter in outback SA they were quite comfortable, mostly worn as a single layer.

[Aushiker]

Where the merino really holds its own . The GE shirts are not body-hugging like some merino thermals are. Winter in outback SA they were quite comfortable, mostly worn as a single layer.

The one at Kathmandu was more of a base layer so body hugging. Just didn't feel comfortable. The looser fit would be much better I suspect. I might get a couple for later into the ride.

Andrew

[}SkOrPn--7]

Andrew I wear Lycra Compression Tights/Long Sleeve Tops under my outer shirts and shorts for the following reasons that way I can wear anything of my choosing for clothing not limited in anyway so that is my touring get-up plus you don't get hot wearing it.

#Garments made from lycra fabrics are light in weight.
#Comfortable and breathable.
#Lycra fabric dries very quickly.
#Lycra spandex fabric is resistant to bacteria and UV rays.
#Resistant to abrasion.
#Resistant to dry heat.
#Improves Circulation

Ricky

[il padrone]

Sounds like you need the Jungle Jims, combined with the Submerino for your top. Both have merino inner with an abrasion resistant outer face. All the other advantages also apply to merino, in many of them only better.

Jungle Jims tights are the perfect excuse to be outside when its cold. Stretch merino keeps you toasty while their graduated compression-fit reduces muscle fatigue and aids recovery

Note: not summer wear of course.


Aushiker, you could also have a look at clothing made from bamboo . Apparently very soft, comfortable and cool in summer. Can't beat the price at $14.95 either

[Aushiker]

Hi

Looks like I found the right Icebreaker products to go for. Thanks to GJ Coop for his feedback via CGOAB. He is suggesting Icebreaker GT. GT150 I assume as that is for a lightweight material for warm weather. Bivouac Outdoor a NZ company has good prices and free shipping to Australia. They also stock the Outdoor Research Sun Runner Cap which was I after for wearing under my helmet.



Andrew

[Aushiker]

Aushiker, you could also have a look at clothing made from bamboo . Apparently very soft, comfortable and cool in summer. Can't beat the price at $14.95 either

I did pick up a shirt (SS) from Anaconda which was 50% bamboo and 50% cotton. Can voucher for the very soft claim and light weight to boot. Might see if I can get a long sleeved one.

Andrew

[Aushiker]

Andrew I wear Lycra Compression Tights/Long Sleeve Tops under my outer shirts and shorts for the following reasons that way I can wear anything of my choosing for clothing not limited in anyway so that is my touring get-up plus you don't get hot wearing it

I sort of tried your approach Ricky, in that I wore a Lycra cycling jersey under my Kathmandu shirt on my brief four day ride last week. The first day was fairly humid but the others dryer with the temps on the bike between 25 to 35 c approximately. For me the Lycra just didn't breathe that well so while I didn't get really hot, I never felt that comfortable either. May be the jersey of course. I think I will give the Icrebreaker jerseys a go.

Andrew

[RonK]

I am aware of the likes of Ground Effect shirts such as the ZZ Top or the Rock Lobster but I am wondering if there are similar products in the bushwalking market place (Ground Effect's gear might be on the tight side as well ).

I have the Ground Effect Road Rage, Median Strip and Manta Ray - all short-sleeved but do have their long-sleeved equivalents. These garments are aimed at the touring/mtb market so they are not tight-fitting. I ordered the largest size (XL) when I would normally order XXL bike jerseys, and find them quite long-tailed and roomy.

Since you are heading north, I think the Road Rage (Rock Lobster) would be the best choice - I found the Manta Ray tends to get wet and clammy like cotton, and the Median Strip is merino and probably better suited to slightly milder climes, although I have worn it during quite warm weather in reasonable comfort. The Road Rage is light, soft fabric and wicks extremely well.

I also have both the Juggernauts and Ranchsliders, and find them great for touring with a few pairs of Underdogs for comfort.

And since these products are made in earthquake-damaged Christchurch and offer great value at the price, I'm only too happy to support the our NZ cousins.

[Aushiker]

Whilst I have sorted the shirts situation ... ended up picking up a couple of Icebreaker GT Short Sleeve Ace Crew 2011 for $101 so will wear those with light shirts over the top my next decision to make is with regards shorts.

Have narrowed down my choice to Ground Effect and more Ground Effect ... Keeping in mind riding from Darwin south starting out in July and using a Brooks England Flyer I am tossing up on the following:

Juggernaut or Supertankers ... probably will go the Juggernaut given only $10 more but thoughts form users/others? Looking for durability and not being too hot on the road ... These will be worn for up to 14 days between machine washes.

Knicks ...

The choices are:

Underdogs at $49.000
Sputniks at $79.00
Supersonics at $109.00

My preference is for at least eight panels so that knocks out the Underdogs unless there is strong support for them. Maybe the Sputniks are a good comprise? Looking at averaging around 75 km a day in the saddle. Anyone have experience with the Supersonics? Worth the extra mullah?

Thoughts?

I am staying away from bib shorts on this ride.

Andrew

[il padrone]

Juggernauts (and Supertankers) now both come with no liner included. Pffft, crazy. The Underdogs are designed specifically as undernicks (made of mesh), the other two choices are regular knicks so probably will be a good bit hotter to wear under shorts, so I'd get the Underdogs for use in hot conditions. The other knicks would be better for flexibility of clothing I guess, but I usually tour with 1-2 pairs of kncks and a pair of Juggernauts in summer.

[Uncle Just]

Andrew I have used the juggernauts and an older variation of the supertankers for touring. In warm to hot weather I prefer the juggernauts with separate liner (underdogs). They dry quickly and look ok as stand alone shorts which suits my touring ethos of multi use non-lycra clothing. They are comfortable but they tend to slip down a little so I'm hitching them up every now and then. A pair of braces may correct this tendency. The supertankers don't do this as much. They have a good feature in that the underliner is clipped to the short so they stay up.

I have tried many shorts but probably because of my build (tallish and slim) I find few really fit me well. The juggernauts had to taken in by my wife as I "swam" in them a bit but are now ok. I like the extra length on the thigh and they don't ride up in the breeze like so many others I've tried. The zips are handy for flow through ventilation. They are well made like all their gear and are holding up well. You will be riding in a hot northern climate that others can comment on more so than me, but I would suggest taking a couple of spare underdogs to avoid wearing things for too long which may cause problems.

[Aushiker]

mmm some good points. Really there is no reason why I cannot just ride in my knicks for a fair bit of the ride (say the Sputniks) and just wear shorts on the days when coming into town or on sections with higher traffic. That gives me the benefits of both worlds and once I get further south where it cools down the warmer laying approach may come in handy.

So a pair of Juggernauts, a pair of Sputniks and a pair of Underdogs should do the trick.

Sound reasonable?

Andrew

[Aushiker]

Decision made. Went with Ground Effect Juggernauts but with Endura 8 Panel Clickfast Liners which I will order in from Bike24.net.

Thanks for your contributions.

Andrew

[Meditator]

"Icebreaker GT Short Sleeve Ace Crew 2011 for $101 so will wear those with light shirts over the top"

I think you will find this too warm in northern Australia. I wore a polyester pjyama shirt which i'd bought for $1 in Darwin - which i don't recommend however since i got a tan through it.

I met a cyclist who had bought a fishing shirt from bcf which he recommended to me, having just ridden up from perth himself and he was happy with it. I've now bought one. Its great cause it has lots of vents in it. You won't find anything as good in a hiking shop. The price was $45. I wear mine in my tropical garden and although there's a limit to stopping the sweat from flowing it is certainly better than any cotton shirt i've used.

Its not true to say you will have to go two weeks between washes. There are creeks everywhere and you should be able to rinse them out every day. If you have a kitchen sink with you, you can even wash your gear with soap. But scrub, don't just soak cause that doesn't work at all.


You only need one pair of riding shorts/knicks for this period. You won't want to wear shorts over your knicks. Too hot. Sounds like you are buying too many clothes. Don't forget your swimmers.

[Meditator]

The hat thing looks good and take a cotton bandana or large hanky to cover your face to protect from dust on the gibb river road. This has the added bonus of being a good sunblocker. I love the hanky sunblocker so much now that i always try to ride with it on even in more highly populated areas. Of course you get the terrorist jokes but its so effective.

[Aushiker]

"Its not true to say you will have to go two weeks between washes. There are creeks everywhere and you should be able to rinse them out every day. If you have a kitchen sink with you, you can even wash your gear with soap. But scrub, don't just soak cause that doesn't work at all.

Whilst I can at times do rinses in creeks or a bag I will have lengthily periods before I can do a proper wash in a washing machine with washing powder. For one section that could be 17 days when riding through the Pilbara. I will NOT use soaps etc in creeks plus in the Pilbara there is very little water and what I have is not getting wasted on washing I can assure you of that. I also don't carry a kitchen sink, in fact I don't carry soap at all.

You only need one pair of riding shorts/knicks for this period. You won't want to wear shorts over your knicks. Too hot. Sounds like you are buying too many clothes.

I will be using two pair of knicks. I have had plenty of experience of up to fourteen days between washes and have no intention of wearing one pair. As to the shorts; I prefer to wear them. I will probably have two Ground Effect riding tops, one or two Icebreaker tops (will double as sleep gear/town shirt/camp shirt if I go with the Ground Effect shirts), two pair of knicks and two shorts, maybe a third pair for in town (so I can do a machine wash of all the ride clothing and not be scaring the locals too much). To much clothing? Maybe but based on years of bushwalking and more recently cycle touring I think that will work fine for me and if not I can easily post stuff home. I have yet to still make a final decision on the button up shirts but will probably not go with them.

The Icebreaker shirts are actually very good at keeping me cool and wicking away moisture. That is based my limited testing in temps around 30 C+ so will stick with them for now and see how they pan out

Hot? Well I have riden in temps up to 50 C on the bike so I guess I have some clue as to what works for me plus I live in Perth ... and believe or not it gets hot here too.

I will not be carrying swimming shorts. My riding shorts will double for swimming shorts.

Thanks
Andrew

[Aushiker]

In respect to headwear, in case anyone is looking for something along the lines of the OR cap mentioned early on, Halo Headwear have a sun "hat" for cyclists called the Solar Skull Cap and Tail. I have ordered one so will soon find out how it works out. I think it will be a better option than the Outdoor Research one.



Andrew

[J Quinton]

Like your style Andrew, very thorough. Have you had a look at the Torm jersey's? http://www.torm.cc/jerseys.html
Dont forget you can find and leg arms covers that do not warm up.

[Aushiker]

After all the research etc etc I received in the mail last night a Ground Effect Rock Lobster XL which weighs in at 254 grams and a Ground Effect Manta Ray which weighs in at 226 grams. Interesting both shirts are made of "Intercool" material and hence are meant to be a loose fit. The Manta Ray is a loose fit for sure whereas the Rock Lobster is a much tighter fit. Based on the at home try on the Manta Ray is preferred.

They also have a rougher feel to them compared to my "lycra" style roadie jerseys.

Will be interesting to see how they go on the Dreaming Tour.

Oh as an aside I also got a pair of Croc Santa Cruz Mens size 10 which weigh in at 458 grams. These will be my camp/town shoes. I have been impressed with the comfort of my Croc sandals so hopefully these will be the same. They also pack down much better than the original Crocs.

Andrew

[Aushiker]

A further update. My Ground Effect Underdogs arrived in the mail today. Interesting cycling shorts. All mesh bar the chamois. Will be interesting to see how they go.





Andrew

[KenGS]

A further update. My Ground Effect Underdogs arrived in the mail today. Interesting cycling shorts. All mesh bar the chamois. Will be interesting to see how they go.





Andrew

They'll be fine so long as I'm not riding behind you

[Aushiker]

They'll be fine so long as I'm not riding behind you

Andrew