Posts tagged: gear reviews

Gear Review: WAA Ultra Equipment Long Sleeve

We tested and reviewed the innovative WAA Ultra Equipment (What An Adventure) Ultra Carrier long sleeve shirt. The reference to shirt is not entirely accurate as this is more a piece of gear than just an item of clothing.

Sure, it’s a shirt but it’s a lot more than that as it offers what a lightweight pack can but you’re wearing it, as you would  wear a shirt anyway, without the hassle of straps or a waist belt for those long runs when you need to carry some nutrition and basic essentials for any weather changes. This is also a great option in a race that doesn’t require much or any mandatory gear.

The Design

The fact that this shirt is able to carry a variety of items and eliminates using a pack in some instances, shows that this is a unique design that had some R&D go into it.

Front Pockets:

The front pockets on either side for nutrition such like gels or bars and other items likes keys or a phone are easily sealed with Velcro tabs but also easy to open again. The pockets remain flat and hug the body so that they’re compact once packed with basic items.

Rear Pockets:

Two rear pockets that wrap around the side, make it easy to reach those items and also offering secure Velcro tabs so you don’t lose anything while out there. The two rear pockets cleverly have 4 Velcro tabs that enable you to split the storage space into 4 different pockets or use the gaps between the different tabs to poke the top of a longer bottle out of. The rear/side pockets can fit a small collapsible water flask, light-weight rain jacket, gloves or hat.

There are also thumb holes at the end of the sleeves that allow you to cover half of your hands, may it be to take the chill off or just for comfort in holding down your sleeves.

Functionality:

No bounce! This was the first thing we wondered about when seeing this for the first time. Even with the pockets full there is no or very little bounce in the areas you’re carrying stuff.

The two rear/side pockets allow you to carry up to 750ml/25.3oz of water at any given time so if you’re out for a few hours and have the opportunity to fill up your bottles, once again no need for a pack with a bladder.

The location of the pockets on the front and back make for easy accessibility of your gear while on the move. They’re easy to reach and easy to open with the handy tabs attached to the Velcro that can be pulled to get it open.

If you’re ever concerned about sun burn and want to be shielding yourself from the sun, the long sleeves and the SPF 100 offering could be useful on those long sunny days.

The shirt offers a range for weather conditions of around 5 degrees Celsius to 20 degrees Celsius. Having the ability to take a wind breaker with you in one of the pockets can probably provide a little more assurance when the temps drop towards the bottom of that range.

The Fabric

Made up of 92% Polyester and 8% Spandex , its light – weighing in at just 183 grams/6.4 oz. The shirt moves moisture efficiently and holds very little when sweating so it does not pick up any extra weight or remain cool as it wicks to the outside and dries off pretty quickly. We tested it on the treadmill indoors as well which meant sweating was a key factor and it performed efficiently.

The Fit

This is a snug fit. This hugging style is what enables the garment to move and manage moisture so efficiently as its flush with your body to allow it to transport moisture to the outside of the garment. Having space between the body and garment often delays the process or reduces efficiency in moisture transport.

Even if you aren’t used to snug-fitting running garments, this is a comfortable piece of clothing and gear. Its soft on the skin and no chafe was experienced on long runs of 3-4 hours. There is no feeling of being restricted as it’s a flexible design moving with you as the various parts of the body change direction.

Make sure you check out the pretty detailed and informative size chart on their website.

Durability

The Ultra carrier gives the impression it will stand up to frequent use, weather resistance and laundry demands of a busy runner, provided it’s washed according to instructions. It is washing machine safe, which is great to toss it in with your other items ready for another long run.

It’s a lightweight garment with very technical features and as with most things nowadays it wont last forever but if it’s a tool you can use for long runs and get a good few seasons out of it that allows you to leave the pack or waist belt at home. This is value for money.