Can a shirt be smart? Anser, a new outdoor gear company based in St. George, thinks so. That’s why they named their performance short sleeve t-shirt “The Professor.” The shirt definitely has a lot going for it, like anti-static threads, UPF protection and antimicrobial moisture control. But after wearing the shirt for the past few months in every fall activity possible, I have my own name for this Anser shirt: “The Workhorse.”
The Anser Professor Performance Shirt looks and feels a lot like many other technical shirts in the market, only nicer. In fact, the Professor looks almost too dressy – like if you threw a collar on it you’d fit right in hitting golf balls on the links with your rich friends. Appearances aside, this shirt isn’t afraid to get down and dirty, which it did when I wore it under a dry suit while canyoneering in Zion, mountain biking around Hurricane, and running a half marathon in Moab.
During every activity, the Anser shirt delivered. It’s really light and airy, with material that’s soft to the touch. In fact, I could hardly tell I was wearing a shirt after I put it on. First, I took it mountain biking, where the shirt’s wicking ability proved to be adquate. The thin, breathable fabric expelled sweat like a champ, and the shirt felt great under pack straps with no rubbing on seams.
Then The Professor got a real good workout when I ran a half marathon in Moab. Although temperatures were very mild and I never worked up a real heavy sweat, I was really glad I had the Anser shirt on. Usually when I run long distances, I chafe under my arms. But the Anser shirt never gave me any problems. But the best part, was that after crossing the finish line, I realized the shirt didn’t stink like typical polyester tees. Winner! It must have been that antibacterial moisture control.
The shirt’s fabric also has anti static threads that are woven into the shirt to prevent static electricity. A common problem with tech shirts is a constant charge that can give you a shock when you put it over your head, and also bunches up when the material sticks to itself. Seems like those anti static threads work here, because the shirt never clung and the fabric stayed in place at all times.
I do have one gripe with the shirt though. The sample I recieved from the company is white, which is generally a bad color for outdoor activities (what with all that dirt outside.) So I went to their website to see if it came in other colors. No dice. Maybe in the future they’ll have more outdoor friendly options, but for now, white is the only choice. Of course, white is great when running in the hot sun, but after a day of canyoneering in Zion National Park, I got red stains all over the back side. No amount of washing or stain remover will remove the blemishes, which is a super bummer.
Despite the propensity to get stains all over the white material, overall I’m pretty happy with the Anser The Professor Shirt. It’s uber-comfortable, and has nice tech features like the anti-static thread, UPF 30 fabric, and anti-microbial protection. Plus, the company is based right here in Utah, so buying one supports the local economy.
To purchase this and other products from Anser, visit their website at http://ansergear.com