Icebreaker Stank Test Conclusion

created at: 2010/02/08

Well, sorry everybody. I was hoping to have a nice gross-out story for you, but after 20 miles of running, 90 total minutes on the bike trainer, and countless hours just wearing them around, I couldn't get the Icebreaker gear to smell bad. The Velocity Crewe and Quantum Zip came inside soaking wet, but after a hang dry, they were fresh as daisies again.

Here are a few revelations from my testing, though:

1. Water didn't do a thing to dampen my love for the Quantum Zip. I got caught in a downpour on mile 4 of an 8-mile run, and though it got soaked, the QZ didn't feel siginificantly heavier, nor did it cease to keep me warm. Then, after a mile so, I noticed little beads of moisture on the outer fibers-it was still evaporating sweat! Very cool.

2. On a warmer run, the Velocity Crewe (150 grams) felt just about weightless, and when I started to heat up, the huge amount of venting really kept me cool.

3. The gear wasn't limited to the trail. You know how some outdoor gear only looks good when you're working out? You know, like the super-neon colors, or the oddly "shiny" look that polypro can get? Thanks to its muted colors, slim fit and attention to detail, the Quantum Zip in particular looks really sharp, whether you're on a trail or going to the movies with some friends. Again, versatility is high on my list of 'awesome'.

4. The Baacode! In a truly inspired open-door policy, Icebreaker gear comes with a "Baacode" that allows you to see exactly which farms in New Zealand your gear came from. Using the Baacode on your garment's tag, Icebreaker's website looks up your gear's origin and provides links to videos which introduce you to the farmers involved in producing the wool for your it. Here's the video from Lindis Peaks Station, one of the four (out of 120) that my Quantum Zip was traced to.

All in all, I'm hugely impressed with Icebreaker-the gear performs great, it looks great, and you can wear it with a clean conscience. This is a company that pays strict attention to the details as well as the big picture, and I can't recommend it highly enough.