PEP Shevlin Running Shirt

About a month ago, I bought the Shevlin merino wool running shirt (long sleeve) from Pettet Endurance Project (PEP). They are a new company out of Oregon. The shirt has a crew collar and is 100% merino wool. I normally don't buy wool shirts--they are too expensive, and often use wool that is not from a sustainable and humane source. I checked with PEP customer service, and feel the wool they source is from sheep raised and grazed in a sustainable manner and sheared/harvested with attention to ethical standards. Plus, the price, while not cheap, is very competitive ($60 versus about $90 for competing products).

After several runs, ranging from a short 4 miler on roads to a long 30 mile trail ultra, I can confidently state that this shirt really performs well! It never caused me to overheat, didn't chafe, and it always felt silky smooth. The large fit perfectly for me (6' 3", 175 pounds). I love that the torso and arms are long (unlike many other running shirts I own). And the sleeves have a thumb hole to allow the shirt to be a pseudo glove covering your palm and hand. This is a great feature for central Illinois where the weather can change quickly. If I need extra warmth, I pull the shirt down and poke my thumb through the hole for more coverage. If I warm up, I simply slide the shirt up my arm.

Wool is known as a natural fabric that doesn't hold odors. I haven't tested this to the extreme, but I have worn the shirt on 3 runs in a row without washing. It smelled fine. When I do wash it, I don't give it any special attention--it goes in the cold wash with my other running clothes with sports detergent (Penguin or WIN). All  my running clothes are hung dry and this is especially important for wool. The shirt dries fairly quickly when laid flat.

As far as I can tell, you can only order their products online directly from PEP. This likely keeps the costs down. My order was pocessed and shipped very quickly. And it arrived with a cool, personalized, hand-written note. Nice. The company reminds me of Tailwind Nutrition sports drink. They are both newer companies targeting endurance athletes with great customer service and a small range of excellent products. I hope PEP succeeds (same for Tailwind!). As far as the Shevlin shirt, I highly recommend it for running (or other endurance activities). I haven't had it long enough to test it's durability, but it seems well constructed. If it lasts as long as my other technical shirts, it'll be my new favorite shirt! And one of my favorite running-related companies.