Real-Life Review: Shak Full Zip
May 19, 2007 · 01:53 PM
When I first received the Ibex Shak Full Zip top at the beginning of April, I wasn’t sure I’d have an opportunity to ski in it. But nearly three feet of snow in Colorado’s high country changed that.
My impression of the Ibex top was initially formed in my living room, lounging at home. The simple, athletic cut is a stylish casual look I felt very comfortable wearing around home or out-and-about. The material feels great and never induces the urge to itch (amazing for a wool garment). I wore it over short sleeved shirts specifically to test for the typical wool scratchiness. My only aesthetic complaint is that when I sit down, the bottom front tends to roll-up like the pouch on a kangaroo.
My litmus test, however, was to take it to the Ridge at Loveland Ski Area—the closest thing I could find to winter conditions in mid-April.
I love steep bowls above tree-line and I don’t mind if I have to hike or traverse to get to them. That day of skiing revealed both how warm and how breathable the Ibex truly is. Overall I was as warm as my usual fleece with better breathability. Since it can get pretty windy at the top of the mountain, I zipped the Ibex all the way up and appreciated the protective plastic on the zipper preventing the cold-metal-on-skin effect. Stopping at lunch time, I felt no clammy dampness under my shell as sometimes happens with my fleece.
I have very few complaints: apart from the kangaroo roll-up thingy, the only functional issue is that the outside of my forearms felt a little cold on the first couple of lift rides. But once I warmed-up, I stopped noticing. The upper chest pocket is a nice idea, though I didn’t have occasion to use it. Maybe as I ski more this spring, or go hiking in the just the Ibex alone I’ll find the pocket more useful.
