Australian Hiker

Rating

Wilderness Wear PolyPro+190 Women's Long Sleeved Crew Neck Top Review

I am a big fan of merino hiking tops so when I had the opportunity to test the Wilderness Wear PolyPro+190 Women’s Long Sleeve Crew Neck Top I seriously doubted anything could drag me away from my deep connection with merino hiking gear.

Merino hiking tops have so much to offer and I have been wearing merino versions previously on hikes and pretty much everywhere else. So testing out the Wilderness Wear PolyPro+190 Women’s Long Sleeve Crew Neck Top was going to challenge me. I have now been wearing this top for several months and while hiking the Hume and Hovell Track, I even wore it day and night for 14 days straight! That is definitely a test for any top!

Wilderness Wear is an Australian company that has been producing the technical outdoor clothing since 1989 at its base in Preston, Victoria. The team prides itself in its ‘exceptional and dynamic range of clothing, conceptualised and brought to reality for its wearers to make the most of being in the big, wonderful and sometimes challenging outdoors’. The Wilderness Wear Q3 Lab focuses on materials, design and technology to produce the highest quality outdoor gear.

The PolyPro+190 is badged as a thermal activewear baselayer ‘designed for recreational, exercise, sporting and extreme temperature activities across a wide range of weather and climate conditions’. I think that’s short for any activity! This top is made from 100% Ultra-fine Schoeller Polypropylene and is 190 gsm double jersey. That’s right … not merino, so how did it go?

This top is a soft, comfy slim fit that looks great and wicks away moisture when you need and keeps you warm when the weather is cooler. The PolyPro+190 is so soft, I thought it was wool! It dries very quickly so there’s no need to change clothes when you stop after some sweaty activity. The PolyPro+190 is a mid-weight garment which will form part of your layering system. It will take you from dusk to dawn during warmer weather and keep you toasty warm in cooler weather. I’ve worn this top in some cold weather down to -5° Celcius (with layers of course) and up to 20° Celcius as a standalone top.

The PolyPro+190 is very stylish and comes in a range of colours that will suit your personal style preferences. The top is available in women’s sizes 8 to 16 – I wore a size 10 and could possibly go to an 8 if not wearing anything underneath. As with other Wilderness Wear tops, the body and sleeve lengths are very generous – this is often a shortcoming of many other brands which can result in them riding up or becoming untucked.

During my 14-day wear test marathon the top performed very well – it wasn’t smelly and washed up very nicely. My only negative is that in places where the top had contact with my Osprey Eja pack, it tended rub which resulted in ‘pilling’. I do need to emphasise this was during the 14 day test run. I’ve tried to tidy up the pilling with little luck!

Adding to the comfort level is the seamless construction of the torso – it has been knitted as one piece. The top itself is double layer knitted which adds to the comfort. I’m guessing that these features have also contributed to the top keeping its shape.

This top is very good value being priced at AUD $75 RRP which means it is a much more affordable option than merino tops.

So am I a PolyPro+190 convert? Yes!

I love the look, the feel, the durability and the performance of this top – you’ll be seeing me in the Wilderness Wear PolyPro+190 a LOT from here on!

Wilderness Wear PolyPro+190 Women’s Long Sleeve Crew Neck Top in ‘Wine Stripe’ colour. this colour is no longer available

Wilderness Wear PolyPro+190 Women’s Long Sleeve Crew Neck Top – Black

We Like

• 100% Ultra-fine Schoeller Polypropylene
• Double sewn flat seams prevent chaffing and keep this garment comfortable no matter how heavy the pack or how many layers you wear
• Great range of sizes
• Generous length in both the body of the garment as well as the sleeves which is great for those needing a bit of extra length
• Slim fit so you won’t feel bulky when layering
• No side seams of the torso which adds to comfort
• Australian owned, Australian made

We Don't Like

• Some pilling in places where the top rubs against your pack
• Limited colour availability

Best Uses

As a standalone layer in cold weather or as a second layer in your layering system

Buy One

You can purchase the Wilderness Wear PolyPro+190 Women’s Long Sleeve Crew Neck Top from Wilderness Wear

Disclosure:  We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

If you have worn the Wilderness Wear PolyPro+190 Women’s Long Sleeve Crew Neck Top or if you have questions, we’d like to hear from you. Post your comment or question below

Investment

AUD $75.00 RRP

Other Versions

Wilderness Wear produces a large range of tops for women and men in both short and long sleeves, as well as thin to thick materials. Depending on your tolerance for cold and your layering system there is a garment to suit your needs

Disclaimer

This review was done with product provided by Wilderness Wear

Shares