Clothes Review: Pearl iZUMi Long Sleeved

In addition to testing the Pearl iZUMi (PI) shoes, I will be testing a PI long sleeved technical T-shirt. I say "will be", because I'm waiting for warmer weather later this spring.

PI has three grades of shirts, Select, Elite, and P.R.O. The shirt I'll test is an Elite. Here is marketing information about this shirt.

1. Elite Transfer fabric with in-R-Cool technology that provides superior skin cooling and moisture management when you perspire.

2. Direct-Vent-panels that provide superior ventilation

3. 8" zipper for venting (the shirt is a turtle-neck).

There are four attributes that PI gives for the shirt.

1. Active moisture transfer away from your skin.

2. Keeping heat from the sun away from your body.

3. Keeping wind, snow, and rain away from your body.

4. A soft shell that makes the shirt comfortable to wear.

The shirt is red with black trim, and it looks pretty nice! I'm looking forward to wearing it as soon as the temperature increases a bit.

02/26/2011 I wore the shirt during my 5.5 mile run today. The temperature when I left home was 32 (F) and 30 when I returned. I wore three layers: a regular T-shirt, the PI shirt, and my nylon wind breaker. There was a light snow falling during the run. I felt comfortable during the run, and I liked having the PI shirt, because it is lighter than my cotton long-sleeved shirt. I didn't feel the cold nylon of my wind breaker on my arms, indicating the PI shirt insulated my arms from the cold nylon.

03/10/2021 The temperature today was in the mid 60s (F). I wore my running shorts and the PI shirt, but it was too warm for that shirt. I felt OK when I was going south into a 10 mph headwind, but on the way back, the wind being a tailwind, I was too warm. My experience with the shirt, so far, indicates the shirt would be great for temperatures in the 50s (F) with the low humidity found in Utah.

10/05/2021 When I left home, the sky was completely overcast, and clouds covered the tops of the mountains east of the Salt Lake valley. The temperature when I left was 61 (F). I knew it would be colder than it has been, and I wore the PI shirt. I only had that one layer, but I was glad it had long sleeves. While I ran south I was facing the wind. I could feel the rain drops on my chest (they felt like cool spots), but my back felt warm and nice, even though it was wet. When I turned around and was running with the wind, my chest felt warm and nice, and I felt the cool spots on my back. I was glad I wasn't wearing a cotton shirt; it would have been soaked, heavy, and clinging to my body. The technical shirt felt light, even though it was wet, and it was blowing in the wind. Temperatures in the 50s and 60s with a wet T-shirt and a brisk wind blowing are ideal conditions for hypothermia, but I felt warm and nice during the run.

This is the last report I'll give in this review. The Pearl iZUMi shirt is a good running shirt. It would be too warm for hot summer runs due to the long sleeves and turtle-neck, but it is just right for Spring and Fall runs when the temperature is in the 50s (F) and 60s.