The Modern Jersey. Time to Get Real!

[marka 519]

Howdy,

On 9/2/2016 at 4:01 PM, althoma1 said:

Cotton T-shirts are OK for wearing around casually, but they're terrible for wearing under gear for a sweaty sport like hockey. They don't wick away the sweat and they get heavy when they're soaked with sweat and take forever to dry once they do get wet. I used to use them decades ago, but definitely don't miss them. Once you use quality performance wear under your equipment you definitely won't want to go back to cotton.

 

This is probably a dumb question, but where does the sweat go then?  If it gets wicked away from my body, doesn't it just go into my pads / jersey?  Why's that any better?

I would really like them not to be any better.  The last thing I need is another set of crap to buy for hockey.  :-)

Mark

[althoma1 574]

58 minutes ago, marka said:

Howdy,

 

This is probably a dumb question, but where does the sweat go then?  If it gets wicked away from my body, doesn't it just go into my pads / jersey?  Why's that any better?

I would really like them not to be any better.  The last thing I need is another set of crap to buy for hockey.  :-)

Mark

Yes, traditional wicking material does wick moisture away from your body and into the shirt and does end up in your equipment. It does tend to be lighter and dry faster than cotton, but it's not perfect, however; there's a newer material that improves upon wicking shirts. It's called Cocona 37.5. I'll quote JR from the 2014 Product catalogue review, "Cocona 37.5 is a fabric in which instead of wicking moisture from the shirt and putting it on top of the fabric (which then goes somewhere, namely your equipment), it uses your body heat to evaporate it, leaving a dry shirt and dry equipment."

So the wicking shirts are an improvement over cotton, but the 37.5 material that Bauer uses in it's Elite product is an improvement over most other wicking garments. I'm still using older wicking products as I have a bunch of them, but the next pair of performance wear I buy will have 37.5 in it for sure.

There are some good informative comments in this thread:

This page explains what the material does in detail: https://www.thirtysevenfive.com/technology/overview

How it Works

With 37.5 technology, patented active particles permanently embedded at the fiber level capture and release moisture vapor. Not only do these active particles provide 800% more surface area to the fiber, they also provide a unique driving force to remove moisture vapor unlike any other technology. By actively responding to body heat, the active particles use this energy from the body to accelerate the vapor movement and speed up the conversion of liquid to vapor, significantly increasing drying rates. This means the hotter the user gets, the stronger the driving force removing moisture becomes—and the more comfortable the garment remains.

Benefits of 37.5 Technology

• 37.5 technology works to keep the optimum relative humidity in your microclimate so your body more efficiently maintains an ideal core temperature, enabling you to perform better, longer.
• Fabrics made with 37.5 technology dry up to five times faster than similar fabrics, diminishing wet cling.
• 37.5 technology is made with naturally derived materials so there are no harsh chemicals to irritate your skin.
• 37.5 active particles are permanently embedded into yarn and will never wash out or degrade.

 

[JSK81 400]

I guess I'm sweating the wrong way or something because my 37.5 shirt and socks are always just as wet as any other base layer after a skate.

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

Cotton is heavy. 

Performance fabrics are better and lighter. 

Gear gets wet either way. 

We all sweat just like  @JSK81 sweats. 

Edge jerseys make me look like a human sausage. 

Done. 

[althoma1 574]

3 hours ago, JSK81 said:

I guess I'm sweating the wrong way or something because my 37.5 shirt and socks are always just as wet as any other base layer after a skate.

Good to know. What I'd read from others seemed to suggest that the 37.5 stuff was a little better, but I have not used it myself. I do know that the regular polyester performance stuff is lighter than cotton as Miller mentions. I thought I was missing out with the 37.5. I'll probably still look to try it out at some point, but am waiting for some of the 2014 stuff to go on clearance (it's all still full pop at the shops around me even though there's a newer line in the 2016 catalogue...and the full price is pretty damn steep).

[Buzz_LightBeer 962]

I found the looser Bauer 37.5 shirts to be much more effective at moisture management. Easier on the wallet too

[OzziesDad 89]

If a team I'm playing on is going the Edge jersey route, I always go a size up over most jerseys made by other companies.

I'm not even a really weird size (6'2" 220 lbs).  I can't deal with the tapered fit, and like a little more room.

[JR Boucicaut 3759]

2 hours ago, Buzz_LightBeer said:

I found the looser Bauer 37.5 shirts to be much more effective at moisture management. Easier on the wallet too

Agreed.

[Davideo 99]

Cotton is hotter resulting in more sweat. It is also more likely to chafe. 

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

I also prefer the Bauer 37.5 looser but they don't have a loose fit short sleeve shirt i like.  The one they have is a thicker material.

[Kgbeast 195]

There is a little of physics goes in design of athletic ware. Cotton is highly absorbent material and makes for comfy linens and daily clothes. Durring physical activities however, your body core warms up a lot and in effort to cool itself it covers the body with "water". Evaporation of the water produces cooling effect (basic thermodynamics when liquid changes to gas, drop in temp is one of the side effects). So in principle, you do not want your clothes to just absorb the sweat, you want them to assist in evaporation of it. This is basically why you see the high end athletic ware being non-absorbent and airflow non-blockibg. For example fuzzy, moisture repelling  surface which creates a porous layer between skin and substrate for the air to flow (found in skates liner). You also often see athletic clothes with perforation to increase the airflow. Even though ice rink climate is cold, many clothing items in a way encapsulate the body which under this condition, creates a 100F plus microclimate, which in turns forces the body to sweat even more and makes it for a more measurable experience. Obviously today's materials are not yet very effective at doing the above, hence they still result in discomfort under certain conditions and in certain applications, but overall, on average, they should work much better than cotton.

[Kgbeast 195]

14 hours ago, marka said:

Howdy,

 

This is probably a dumb question, but where does the sweat go then?  If it gets wicked away from my body, doesn't it just go into my pads / jersey?  Why's that any better?

I would really like them not to be any better.  The last thing I need is another set of crap to buy for hockey.  :-)

Mark

Intent is not to wick it into your gear, it is to dry it out into environment. However, this concept works only partially since once the moisture is removed from your skin, it is also removed from the only source of heat which is needed for faster evaporation. The Bauer 37.5 stuff however is designed to use your body temp (at least I hope that it is), hence "37.5" which is active body temperature in Celsius. I would suspect that these shirts are intended to be tighter fitting to remain in contact with the body.

[IPv6Freely 2083]

I found the 37.5 to be significantly cooler than any other wicking material. I wear both top and bottom tight as it makes me feel much cooler. The more skin covered the better. 

100% worth the extra cost.

[marka 519]

Howdy,

 

So something like this?

 

http://www.totalhockey.com/product/Training_Tee_Shirt/itm/14831-43/?mtx_id=0

 

I really don't think I want long sleeves under my elbows...

 

Mark

[Stewie 721]

9 hours ago, Buzz_LightBeer said:

I found the looser Bauer 37.5 shirts to be much more effective at moisture management. Easier on the wallet too

i also agree. I have 3 of the short sleeves now and they are very good for my usage in roller.

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

22 minutes ago, marka said:

Howdy,

 

So something like this?

 

http://www.totalhockey.com/product/Training_Tee_Shirt/itm/14831-43/?mtx_id=0

 

I really don't think I want long sleeves under my elbows...

 

Mark

I find them to be too thick and have a coarse fabric.  I prefer the UnderArmour.

 

[IPv6Freely 2083]

37 minutes ago, marka said:

Howdy,

 

So something like this?

 

http://www.totalhockey.com/product/Training_Tee_Shirt/itm/14831-43/?mtx_id=0

 

I really don't think I want long sleeves under my elbows...

 

Mark

More like this: http://www.icewarehouse.com/Bauer_NG_375_Premium_Perf_L_S_Grip_Hockey_Shirt_Sr/descpage-BNPLS.html

Long sleeves will keep you cooler because of the wicking, as long as they're snug and not loose fitting. The more skin covered, the better. 

[marka 519]

Howdy,

 

13 hours ago, Buzz_LightBeer said:

I found the looser Bauer 37.5 shirts to be much more effective at moisture management. Easier on the wallet too

10 hours ago, JR Boucicaut said:

Agreed.

Are you guys talking about Bauer's "Training T" like here:
http://www.totalhockey.com/product/Training_Tee_Shirt/itm/14831-43/?mtx_id=0

?

If so, I might give that a go.  Even a cheapass like me is willing to spend $20 occasionally... :-)

Mark

[marka 519]

Howdy,

3 hours ago, Stewie said:

i also agree. I have 3 of the short sleeves now and they are very good for my usage in roller.

 

Ditto the above question...

Mark

[Stewie 721]

23 hours ago, marka said:

Howdy,

 

Are you guys talking about Bauer's "Training T" like here:
http://www.totalhockey.com/product/Training_Tee_Shirt/itm/14831-43/?mtx_id=0

?

If so, I might give that a go.  Even a cheapass like me is willing to spend $20 occasionally... :-)

Mark

yes. I have three of those, and one of the long sleeve premium model. value for price, the short sleeve shirts win hands down for me. I almost feel like the thinner material of the compression top works slightly against the performance as i feel i sweat through the thinner top more onto the layer above it, be it my jersey or shoulder pads depending on the sport. i feel the slightly thicker material on the training tops do a good job of letting the product work as designed. It also helps in my case that they are made in lighter colors as i will sometimes use them to play on outdoor surfaces. I also have somewhat of an issue keeping my fit05 elbow pads in place using the premium long sleeve, which is somewhat odd because of the grip rubber on them, but its something ive noticed. both pretty good products, i just prefer the price and performance of the short sleeves personally. in either case, i definitely notice better performance over similar types of tops ive tried from companies such as UA, WSI, reebok, and CCM.

[Cavs019 702]

How's sizing on those performance Ts relative to your normal T-shirt size? Thinking about ordering a few. 

[beerleaguecaptain 999]

24 minutes ago, Cavs019 said:

How's sizing on those performance Ts relative to your normal T-shirt size? Thinking about ordering a few. 

Normal. 

[Hills 710]

3 minutes ago, JunkyardAthletic said:

1.  That's a promo pic of Crosby.  He and many PUT players have their jerseys squared off by the equipment staff.

2.  The problem with EDGE 1.0 AT PRO was two fold; sizing and the materials.  The material were a major fail!  The cut and fit (i.e. pattern) of today's EDGE jersey at pro is nowhere near what the 1.0 was.  The 1.0 basically still exists in the retail jersey.

3.  The Nike Swift jersey (aka trash bag) is hated by nearly every NCAA school that wears it with exception to Ohio State.  Other schools have told Nike it's a no go with them.

You are right, Murray is a good example of how the bottoms look terrible in their default cut:

vs.

As for the trashbags. I totally understand the hate for the material and especially the durability of Nike's Swift system, they feel great to me for just wearing around. I think the cut itself lends itself to be used for really awesome designs but I think a more standard jersey material would make it a better jersey overall.

This Kopitar jersery is destroyed and how many games were played?

 

[aviery 11]

My main concern is freedom and a lack of unrestricted movement. I'm by no means a big guy either, 5'10 and 78kgs, I wear an XL across the board.

Now, not all jerseys are cut this way. All my blank training and practice jerseys are a dream to wear! They're super lightweight, they're stretchy, the arms are nice and loose and they're all so comfortable that I barely notice I'm wearing a jersey during practice. I have a few of each, Easton Bio Dri, Bauer 200, Warrior KHQ100. Every single one is super comfortable and allows for complete control and mobility.

Come game day, I cannot express how much I hate my jersey with a passion. My league has followed suit and our jerseys have been designed and cut very similar to the Reebok Edge series. Following the trend of a slimmer, more tapered fit which narrows in the arms, elbow and wrist.

On a side note, I just received my Adidas team North America World Cup XL sized jersey in the post and switched jerseys less than 5 minutes into practice. It was so tapered and slim that I won't ever wear it on the ice again. Unless it's a general skate and I'm wearing it over a t shirt.
 
In my honest opinion, for a game that requires such a large amount of protective equipment, why shrink a uniform which can hinder movement?

I've been playing hockey since I was 8 and used to love the look of NHL uniforms, at 29 I can't help but laugh at some of the slimmer fit jerseys I see. Players that are super thin and slender can get away with the look, but some of the medium to larger built guys look ridiculous. Don't even get me started on the duck tails.

Just as an example, look how comfortable Steve looks here.

[Hills 710]

Well the problem with that Adidas jersey is that it was never designed to be worn over equipment. The one the players are wearing is no where near the retail ones. Even the authentic retail ones were tiny for sizing compared to what players actually wear.