Spartan Race

Wednesday, November 11, 2009

Product Review: Sugoi BC Ready T

The Gist: The best tech shirt I have ever used.
The Good: Excellent wicking ability, very light, great fit
The Bad: nothing really - non stretch fabric odd to put on at first

The Review
I decided to put my Sugoi BC Ready T to its first extended long run use at the Outer banks Marathon last weekend. I normally like to try out new clothing on a training run prior to using it in a race just in case something doesn't work out, but I had a good experience with this particular shirt in a 5k last weekend, so I decided to chance it.
To the best of my understanding, the BC Ready T is the same shirt as the Ready S/S with Sugoi's proprietary brand champion graphics applied. It's made of Sugoi's finotech fabric, and comes in 9 different colors. The finotech is impressive, but is notably different than most tech fabrics out there. It feels pleasant, but lighter and perhaps a bit thinner than similar fabrics.
The strange part is actually comes when putting the shirt on - their isn't much, if any, give to the fabric. It isn't a negative, but I think most of us are used to deforming our shirts a bit when we pull them on, and its a bit strange to meet resistance. This lack of stretch doesn't inhibit movement at all, in fact you hardly notice the shirt is there. You don't notice it at all once the shirt is on, its just different.
What I did notice with the shirt on was the fact that it wicked better than any other shirt I have ever worn. Keep in mind that I'm a slower runner who spends a fair amount of time out on the course, and that I'm also a good size guy (6'2" and 190lbs). I sweat a lot during a race and it kept me dry and chafe free throughout. I wore it in a rather humid environment, and it still never felt heavy or water logged. The flat sewn seams blend in with the rest of the shirt and aren't noticeable. Hands down, this has become my favorite race shirt overnight.
The BC graphics, are also, it my opinion, very cool and make it easy for family and friends to pick you out during a race. Its red, black, and white thunderbird logo is a nod towards the location of Sugoi's headquarters in Vancouver and was designed by David Franklin, a respected aboriginal artist from Washington State. While graphics of this ilk have been common to cycling for a long time, they are relatively new in running clothing, and really make you stand out in a crowd in a good way.
All in all, this is a great shirt and I highly recommend it. I fully intend to get a few more.

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