“Are you sure you’re not gonna overheat in that?” said my riding partner, looking back at me. John and I were midway up Fairfax-Bolinas Road heading towards Mt. Tam, a road ride with over 2,000 feet of elevation gain.
He was referring to the long sleeve shirt on my back, Columbia’s Freeze Degree ½ Zip ($75, available March 2013).
For the past two months I’d been wearing this shirt for high energy output activities – a one day ascent of the South Face of Mount Watkins in Yosemite, cragging in the sun, and road rides during the heat of the day.
I’ve never been a fan of getting scorched by the sun while doing strenuous activities. – who is? The Freeze Degree keeps the sun from depleting my energy while the light material made of nylon and Omni-Wick provides evaporation and Omni-Shade providing SPF 50. The series of water-drop sized rings on the shirt called Omni Freeze® Zero create a cooling sensation when moisture hits the fabric.
It’s stretchy, antimicrobial, and although it gets stinkier than wool the scent washes out. The shirt is equipped with ergonomic seams, giving it an athletic fit.
It has the nippy benefits of cotton without the negative side affects associated with it; i.e., it doesn’t weigh down with sweat and turn into a lump of discomfort. When I’m done perspiring the shirt dries.
Back to that day during our steep ride. I didn’t overheat. However, despite it protecting me from the sun’s energy sapping rays, and providing the subtle cooling effect, my partner still left me in the dust. Omni Freeze didn’t make me perform better, but perhaps just more comfortably.
MSRP $75, available in March ‘13
