Long sleeve outdoor shirts have long looked boring – khaki, tan, and ranger green were the only color choices. Leave it up to Mountain Khakis (a company with khaki in its name no less) to liven things up a bit with their unusually patterned plaid Equatorial long sleeve shirt. I’ve spent a good chunk of my spring recreating with the Equatorial under my pack straps while doing everything from hiking, mountain biking and even backcountry skiing to see how it compares to other technical outdoor shirts I’ve owned.
Features of the Mountain Khakis Equatorial Shirt include:
- 3.1oz 70% Cotton/30% Tencel® Woven Dobby
- Biodegradable plaid fabric made from cellulose fiber and organic process
- UVA-UVB 30+
- Button Front
- Collar Adjusts for Sun/Wind Protection on Neck
- 2 Oversized Chest Pockets with Button Closure
- 2 Hand Pockets Set Behind Chest Pockets
- Split and Drop Tail Hem
- 2-Button Cuff Adjustment
- Quick Dry, Wicking
- Casual Fit
To get a good feel for the Equatorial shirt, I first wore it for a work day over a regular cotton t-shirt. I’m 5’10” with a slim build and the size medium fit well in the arms and torso length, but overall the cut feels a little baggy. I got the Engine Red Plaid and really liked the look and color as it keeps the dark tones to a minimum which makes the shirt keep its cool under the sun.
Ready for a real workout, I went all in and wore the shirt on a backcountry ski tour to Bountiful Peak north of Salt Lake City. Temperatures were unseasonably warm in the mountains that day and I didn’t even wear a jacket. All I brought along was the shirt and put on a short-sleeved, merino wool shirt underneath. While skinning up the spring snow under direct sunlight, the tour soon became a sweat-fest. Under my pack the shirt soaked through in short order, but overall the shirt was very light and airy. I could feel the wind blow through the sleeves and my front, which cooled me off. I also realized the reason for the loose cut as it ventilates really well.
At one point in the ski tour I had to remove my skis and boot pack up a ridge. The wet, melting snow dripped off my skis as I shouldered them and the shirt got a good soaking in spots. Mountain Khakis says that the cotton/Tencel blend is quick drying, and I was really surprised at how fast the shirt dried soon after skiing down the mountain. On the whole, although I wouldn’t recommend wearing this sort of shirt backcountry skiing, it worked surprisingly well and was very comfortable on a warm spring day.
To further test the shirt beyond it’s intended use, I went mountain biking on the Pipeline Trail in Mill Creek Canyon. I’m never one to go all spandexed-out on my bike, so I didn’t feel out of place rocking a plaid, outdoors shirt on the bike, though I did draw some looks. Regardless, the light, wicking material worked as well as, if not better than, other button-down bike shirts I’ve tried.
Of course, a shirt like this does double duty while out and about in town. It’s all stylie with double breast pockets and a level cut at the bottom so it looks great untucked. Although I am perplexed about what the two hand pockets behind the chest pockets are for. They’re too high to casually rest my hands in there, and when doing so, it looks like I’m doing a double Napolean or something. It’s a puzzling design choice and I think the shirt would be even lighter and more breathable in the chest area if the added material to make those pockets was discarded.
Good Equatorial Shirt: Looks good, nice cut, light weight, breathable, comfortable, pulls double duty in the outdoors and in town.
Bad Equatorial Shirt: Double hand pockets behind the breast pockets are superfluous.
Final Word: The Mountain Khakis Equatorial Shirt is among the best looking summer outdoor tops I’ve seen. Loaded with technical features, it’s perfect for just about any activity you can think of.
For more visit www.mountainkhakis.com