Under Armour for Kayaking

I’m sure there are some people here who have tried Under Armour shirts when kayaking. I’m thinking of buying what they used to call Loose Gear shirt. How do these work when paddling? Would one of the tighter fitting shirts work better?

UA
Although I own some UA (and absolutely love it for playing sports in), I can’t comment on kayak experience just yet. Since I am a heavier build, I prefer the loose gear. It does an excellent job whisking away sweat and drying quickly. Make sure to avoid heat gear… that fabric soaks in the sweat and allows it to evaporate on you to keep you cool.



Hopefully some others have experience… if not, I’ll report back this summer when I try it out on the water.


I use UA frequently
when paddling. And, I love it (and the other brands of wicking shirts and shorts). I THINK I have noticed a difference in my comfort when I was training for races, and when I was racing. For general paddling I’m not sure it makes any difference.

MHO
There are many brands out there that work without paying for the name. Wallyworld has Starter and Gerry. I just paid $7 for a long sleeve “performance Shirt”.



JT in Central FL

Just get Polyester clothing

– Last Updated: Jan-19-07 8:06 AM EST –

The main thing you need to look for is underclothing made from "Polyester". This is the main fiber in Under Armor. I have been told that the brand Under Armor is a good brand, so if you want to spend the money, go for it. But any clothing made with Polyester will wick the moisture away from the skin and help keep you warm. I have just picked up generic brands as I found them on sale. I basically have under wear, short sleeve T-shirts, and a Long Sleeve T-Shirt made with Polyester. They work well.

Polypropylene faibers also make decent wicking under clothing, but I have not seen as much of that as the Polyester.

Just never wear cotton under a drysuit, or a wet suit. I keeps the moisture against the skin, and you will feel cold.

Shirts
Drats! I must have got taken to the cleaners. I paid $9.00 for the short sleeve Starter shirts and $12.00 for the long sleeve ones here in NC. But they are great for paddling.



Also use 'em with my turnout gear during VFD training.



Any day on the water is a great day.



Cal

I’m a UA kind of guy
Got some for Christmas and think it’s the best. The fit is just right, the stretch is just right and it does not fall apart when you wash it.

I don’t usally fall for name brands but this stuff has it’s act together. It is mostly polyester with some spandex but it’s microfiber and woven that makes the difference.

UA issue
I have a UA shirt, not sure which one but it is skintight. Which is preferred, works great as an insulator and can wear it under wetsuit, drysuit or by itself.



The one thing I dislke about it is that the seams aren’t flat. Sounds like a minor issue but with the fit it can get to you. If I get another it will likely be another brand with flat stitched seams.



For looser stuff I like smartwool. Similar price, much less odor absorption.

AU fan
I don’t normaly go for just costly cloths but, i love AU. for me its the fact that i can stand the feel of the fabric right of the bat. normaly i need to wash things a few times. the dark colers are nice when its inbetween temps. decent heat but cool enough to count. and they do dry fast.

i even have four polo style shirts at 40 bucks apiece. plus plenty of loose gear long/short sleave. got my father almost 200$ worth for his birthday last year and he loves them. normaly he would have told me that was to much for 6 shirts or tell me to keep them for myself.(a mix of polo loose gear long/short) but no such offer this time.

Under Armor Has
an outlet store near San Antonio. On a recent road trip, I picked up a set of the cold gear tight fit base layer. I have used it under my dry top and found that it made my supposedly breathable top more comfortable. It did a good job of wicking and was not over insulating as a lot of thermal base layers get under a dry top.

For warmer weather paddling when I wear a farmer john rather than a drysuit, I prefer the Hydroskin from NRS to the UA warm gear. The UA when not covered with another layer makes me feel overly chilled even on a warm day.

I agree that UA is not generally worth the high price you pay for the lighter warm gear, but if you can pick up the cold gear for a good price on clearance someplace, go for it. I paid $20 for the cold gear pieces at their outlet (they wre originally $44).