Thank you Gary Miller for the review of our team drill shirt. Hopefully this will answer some questions for those on the fence when the next order opens.
My short-sleeved drill shirt arrived in March 2014, and has been through a Spartan tour workout, a Fitathlon Challenge, the BoneFrog Challenge, the CT Spartan Sprint, and finally the Vermont Beast. So I feel like I can finally give it a decent review.
• Great job to whoever came up with the logo and design. They look great, stand out, and I’ll admit to getting a little amped when I put it on, as that means it’s Race Day. I don’t wear it for training.
• The other major benefit is its use as an icebreaker. I had a few very cool conversations over the course of the year with Spahtens I’d never met before, where the shirt was a cue that they should come up and say hi.
• At 6’0” and 180 lbs, the medium fits me just right. The torso section is perfect; the lat / armpit areas are a little tight, but don’t chafe or restrict movement at all. If I had gotten the Large, I’m sure the torso would be too baggy. Dudes larger than I may want to check out the sleeveless option. I’m not a big compression gear guy, but the little extra tightness definitely makes it more comfortable after water obstacles than the regular tech t-shirts I used to race in.
• I was confident in the sizing because I actually broke out a tape measure, got my number, and used the chart. As others have said, don’t just guess and be the person that’s unhappy the day everyone’s posting pictures of their new swag when it arrives. An even better idea is to try someone else’s on at a race.
• It has definitely proven to be very durable. While not impervious to barbed wire, the fabric has stood up to everything else without any rips or tears. The white sections (primarily the inside, which nobody sees) are a little less white, and it has started to pill just a little, though not visibly at a distance. Possibly a result of subpar laundry skills?
• There are two monster stitches that attach each sleeve to the front and back torso section, which combine and run vertically down the sides. At first, I expected they would be really itchy and uncomfortable, but it turns out I don’t really notice them while running, even with a hydration pack. I still think they would dig in and become a major issue while rucking with a heavy pack, or while wearing a weight vest, so I wouldn’t wear it with that gear.
Rating: 5 star (amazing)
