GoLite Wildwood Trail Shortsleeve Run Top–Final Review

About two and a half months ago, the folks at GoLite sent over a few interesting, and very lightweight, items for our testers.  We’ve reviewed the Mesa Trail Shorts, the HydroSprint Lumbar Pack, the Tilly Jane Skirt, and the Manitou Sleeveless Shirt.  Our first GoLite initial review was the WildWood Trail Top and today we’re revisiting the shirt to bring your our final thoughts on this lightweight shirt.  The GoLite Wildwood retails for $45 and is available directly from GoLite.  First, a bit of background and refresh from our initial review.

About GoLite:

According to their website, GoLite was founded with the “simple idea…That experiencing nature would be better with less.  Less weight, less fuss, less waste…more fun”.  GoLite strives to not only provide products that are not just light in weight, but also light in their impact on the environment.  GoLite uses the GoLite Index to determine the impact of each product and calculates this index using three main measures: Environmentally Preferred Materials, Responsible Production, and Education+End-of-Life Programs.  GoLite has also adopted a Fair Labor audit process and follows The Timberland Company’s Code of Conduct.

About the Wildwood Trail Top:

The Wildwood Top weighs in at an amazing 3oz., or 80 grams.  The top features a paneled design that uses Minerale, a fabric with microporous particles derived from minerals.  This material is designed to provide a quick drying fabric that is comfortable and performs well.  These particles are embedded in the fibers, so they won’t wash off or wear out.  The top also features DriMove Lite, a polyester based fabric that is strong and featherweight and assists with moisture management.  These fabrics provide a UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) of 50+, good for the trails and even better for open running.

The top also features a neat and hidden pocket on the back that comfortably holds one key, perfect if you’re going out for a quick run or jog.  The pocket isn’t large enough to hold your ID, but you could slip a small card or scrap of paper with your vital information into the pocket without a problem.

On first glance, the tee appears to be tagless, that is, there are no tags on the back of the neck.  However, the care tags are located on the side of the top.

The Wildwood Top also features a reflective logo for increased visibility at dusk or dawn.

Testing the Wildwood Top:

For our initial review, we tested the Wildwood Top during our spin class, P90X training, and a few runs.  Since the initial review, we’ve used the shirt mostly during our runs, particularly as the weather warmed up here in Beaufort, SC.  Much of our summer running is done in 90+ degree weather with high humidity.  Try as we might, our tester just can’t get up at 4am to run before the heat gets oppressive.

The good news about the Wildwood Top is that it’s perfectly happy in this kind of weather.  Our initial review noted the weight and wicking ability of the Wildwood.   We’ve used the Wildwood with a base-layer and without.  We have used the top during runs up to 15 miles.  We have tested the Wildwood indoors and out.

Final Thoughts on The Wildwood Shortsleeve Top from GoLite:

In all of our testing, we were highly impressed with the weight of the Wildwood Top.  During our runs and our P90X workouts, we almost forgot we were wearing a top after a few minutes.

The Wildwood also wicks moisture well and is highly breathable.  During our longest and hottest runs the shirt did get a bit clingy and weighted down with sweat.  However, as soon as the breeze kicked up a bit or the sun bore down on us, the sweat evaporated and the shirt was noticeably more comfortable.

We didn’t experience any chafing issues at all with the Wildwood shirt.  The lightweight fabric didn’t cause any nipple irritation, even without a base layer.   We were irritated by the care tags, which we removed soon after trying on the shirt.  Our tester worried that removing the tags might cause a seam to split, but we haven’t seen any evidence of this, even after quite a few washings.

Overall, this is a well made and lightweight shirt.  It wicks moisture and is highly breathable.  There are no chafing issues and the shirt holds up well after numerous washings.