Overview:
I hate spending money on clothes, so those items I do purchase need to play a lot of roles. The utility player. Every team needs a couple. For me, my ultimate clothing utility player is the Eddy shirt from Stio.
Water-resistant and quick-drying, this lightweight snap shirt is made with Conflux™, a nylon/poly blend with a water-resistant finish, mechanical stretch and a UPF 50+ sun protection rating. It retails for $129.
The Eddy is thin and light enough for cool summer mornings or as sun or bug protection yet weather resistant enough to be layered and used as a top shell in cooler or foul weather and stretchy enough to provide great mobility but dressy enough to go grab a beer and burger in. It does it all and does it well. This shirt gets packed virtually every time. Backpacking as a camp shirt, fly fishing, biking, hiking, sitting around the campfire, at the lake, morning coffee on the deck. You get the idea.
What I like: It would be too easy just to say "everything", although it would be accurate. Let me highlight of few of the top qualities.
Comfort:
This shirt is insanely comfortable, something you wouldn't expect from a piece that is so weather resistant. It has a softness and a stretch that make it really comfy to wear. I bought mine a size larger than I normally wear so that, when desired, I could layer under it as well but the fit is true to size and it wears easy.
Protection:
The Eddy is basically a really comfortable "shell". It repels water (well), blocks wind and protects from the sun. I was floating with a buddy one time and the sky really opened up. I never threw on my rain gear, I just kept wearing my Eddy shirt. He thought I was nuts until he realized how dry I was staying. I'm pretty sure he ordered one the very next day.
Style:
The Eddy has a cool low-key western-snap-shirt vibe to it, and comes in a whole variety of colors and plaids. It looks sharp enough to wear with khakis to work or out to grab a beer and tacos with buddies after a long hike.
Easy:
The Eddy is no fuss, just the way I like it. I bunch this shirt up and jamb it in my sling pack in case the weather turns while fishing, chuck it in the backseat for emergencies, leave it in my dry bag for days on end, use it as a pillow while backpacking. It just doesn't matter. It always seems to look fine, not stink and it always does its job. Easy.
What I don’t like:
The first thing that always comes up is the price. Like I said, I HATE spending money on clothes so $129 for a shirt is on the steep side. I get it. That being said, the price is a lot easier to get your head around if you think of this shirt more like a really comfortable and stylish shell. No, it doesn't have a hood and it's probably not as rain and wind resistant as a true hard shell, but it's damn close. And it's WAY more comfortable. And stylish.
The second thing I will say is that this shirt is not entirely bomb-proof. To be fair, I have beaten the crap out of it - and it takes a licking and keeps on ticking - but I have created a few snags in it from busting through thorns and a few "misplaced" flies while fishing.
Perfect for: In my humble opinion the Eddy shirt is something EVERY outdoors person should own at least one of. It is the ultimate all-season, all-activity clothing utility player providing protection and comfort in style. It comes in both long and short sleeve and men's and women's styles. Yeah, it's a little pricey, but buy one, I guarantee you'll wonder why you waited so long.
Stars: 5 out of 5
Learn more: https://www.stio.com/products/mens-eddy-shirt-ls