Real Life Review: Ibex Shak Full Zip
Oct 29, 2008 · 02:09 PM · permalink
Back in May at Webvisions, Keith from Ibex gave me one of their Shak Full Zips to try out. I've meant to post on this sooner but, with gear-buying season in full swing, now's as good a time as any, and I now have five months of experience to draw on.
From the Ibex site, the Shak is described as follows:
Let a little air in with this full-zip beauty. 100% dense-knit New Zealand merino wool in a sharp design that’s versatile, soft and all but indestructible. Reversed zipper with locking pulls. Chest zippered pocket. Machine washable. Made in the U.S.
I'll just start off by saying that in five months, the Shak has become one of my favorite all around garments. I've probably worn it five out of seven days a week since I got it, and it shows hardly any wear. Unlike other merino wool garments I've owned (and I've owned many), it has no tendency to pill, it hasn't developed any holes or snags, it hasn't start to get thin anywhere, and it has maintained its shape.
Even more impressive, though, is that I haven't done anything to take care of it. When not on my body, it spends most of its time on the back of a chair, on a hook, or in a heap wherever I happened to fling it. It doesn't get wrinkled or misshapen and it doesn't smell in the least--I swear, I'm not hard of smelling. I've spilled various things on it--hot chocolate, melted candy bar, coffee, hot oatmeal--and all have come off easily with a damp wash cloth. I push my sleaves up, which is terrible for most sweaters and t-shirts but the Shak could care less. Its cuffs bounce right back.
Beyond its durability, its comfort is really remarkable. I wore it all spring, lots during this summer (which was unseasonably cool and wet here in Boulder), and through the fall so far. The Shak is soft and breathable. It feels light and cool when the temperatures are a little warmer, but miraculously feels warm and snuggly just when the a/c on a transpacific flight really kicks in. For these reasons, it has become one of my favorite travel garments--it's a staple along with my khaki blazer from Sweden, and with it's slim fit and understated styling, it layers nicely and looks dapper.
In moist circumstances, it stays warm and keeps you feeling dry. It never feels clammy and I don't know if it wicks or what, but for a person who soaks through cotton shirts under the least bit of strenuous activity, the Shak never seems to hold moisture and never stinks. I am really looking forward to wearing it as a mid layer this ski season as a replacement to a beloved boiled-wool sweater I lost a couple seasons ago.
Taking the Shak on its own terms, I genuinely have no criticisms so far, and I expect to be wearing it for many more years at this rate. I've heard some people complain about Ibex's prices, and to be sure, they are modestly more expensive than comparable companies. But my impression is that whatever extra you pay for an Ibex garment--it's probably in the neighborhood of 10-20%--goes directly to quality (although I'd be just as happy to find it went directly to Ibex's profits). I've tried other manufacturers' merino wool garments and, well, I've had no reason to write about them. If I was going to "complain" about the Shak, it would only be to say that I'd like to see Ibex make a range of street-oriented garments with more emphasis on style.
Ibex garments do tend to run on the small side--my Shak fits snugly and is a medium when I generally wear smalls. So keep that in mind when you order.
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