Gear Review: Craghoppers NosiLife Adventure Shirt

Here in the UK our seasons are varied, we have semi-cold winters and hot summers…and it’ll rain at a moments notice. During the summer months we have a decent amount of biting insects flying about, as well as the dreaded ticks carrying Lymes and other diseases.

What I look for in a warm weather top then is something light and breathable to keep me cool, fast drying so a summer downpour is quickly forgotten, tough and durable to handle the adventurous nature of this lifestyle, and something that’ll help protect against those biting insects and the sun.

July 2019 - Lanzarote

Enter the NosiLife Adventure Shirt by Craghoppers.

I’ve been using the original version of the Adventure Shirt for around the last 6-7 years I think, I actually can’t remember when I bought it but it pre-dates just about every other shirt I own now and has seen more use than any of them. The mark II version is now available with even more features, but I’ll come back to that later.

Fabric

The shirt is made of a polyamide fabric which is light and strong, from hiking in the volcanic deserts of Lanzarote to crag climbing and woodland living in the UK its handled every scuff and abrasion well. This is also due to its low profile pockets which don’t flap about to get snagged on stuff. I like a light coloured shirt during hot weather to reflect the heat, so their parchment colour is my preference although Craghoppers do now make a few more options which might sway my opinion here.

The fabric hangs well, even when fully drenched during river crossing it doesn’t hold much weigh and because it dries quickly. I’ll often just let a summer shower pass right over me without worrying about putting on a rain jacket on warmer days. The shirt works incredibly well with a merino baselayer underneath it too, so on those cooler days out from Spring and into Autumn you can make use of the shirt as a wind-resistant layer.

The shirt is comfortable and well fitting, which may sound obvious but I’ve worn enough outdoor clothing to know a good fitting garment makes all the difference after 4 days of hard work in the woods. I have a few pieces of clothing that I can’t wait to get out of at the end of the day, changing into comfy ‘evening wear’ around the campfire…not so with this shirt. Spending days in the woods while teaching courses requires an outfit which is easy to look after and easy to live.

Pretty much all the Craghoppers shirts come with drying loops sewn into the inside of them, so if you’ve been out for days or crossing rivers it’s a simple job to hang up your shirt in the wind and dry it out.

Solar protection is highly valuable during full sunny days, when you can ration your sun cream to exposed areas of skin.

Insect and Solar Protection

The fabric protects your from insects in two ways, firstly the material is woven tightly enough that most insects simply can’t bite through it. In this way a midge or mozzy landing on you must then crawl to a piece of exposed skin, one reason I always opt for the long sleeve version is that I can roll my sleeves down when the bugs are out and protect my forearms. The extendable collar work for this too. Secondly, the shirt is impregnated with Permethrin.

How does it work on clothing?

As soon as they touch the fabric, insects will be negatively impacted. It is equally effective on most insects from the Mosquito & Sand Fly to the Midge.

What is the active ingredient?

The insect defence is Permethrin - a synthetic pyrethroid, used extensively by humans as an effective method of controlling insects. The system was originally developed for use against dust mites and is used world-wide in hospitals and bedding products. It is also widely used in clothing products for the general public as well as for industrial and military uses.

-Craghoppers

I was dubious when I first heard of Nosilife type fabrics and permethrin but I can’t honestly say in the years I’ve been wearing them that I can think of a time when I’ve had an issue with bites, which is even more notable when I only use natural insect repellents and even then sparingly, only on the ‘midge-heavy’ days.

For me the Nosilife fabrics add piece of mind that I’m covered insect-wise without even having to consider it, simply throw on my shirt and I’m out into the hills.

This goes for the Solar-shield element as well, the shirt protects you with an inherent UPF 40+ from the sun. You can save your sun cream for just the exposed areas and know you’re covered by the fabric, being able to turn up the collar into your hairline adding to the protection.

Pockets

One of my favourite things about the Adventure shirt is the pockets, we bushcraft practicing people do love our pockets or so it seems. My issue is always one of practicality and, somewhat, style! This comes from the issues I have with huge, bulky, poorly placed pockets on outdoor shirts which interfere with rucksack straps and movement in general…as well as looking like saggy bags hanging off my torso. I want simple, streamlined pockets which hold a sensible amount of stuff. The Adventure Shirt sets the bar for me.

Its two chest pockets are big enough for a notebook or wallet, and cut to billow out in the middle in case you need to stuff some tinder you’ve gathered in there. These pockets are placed highly enough on the chest to not hang around your middle when loaded, and the cut to sit flat when empty. Inside the left-hand pocket is a second, secret zipped pocket; this pocket is ideal when travelling around with cash or for holding an essential item like a pocket stone or pocket compass without fear of loosing it.

Behind the left hand chest pocket is a huge, discrete mesh panel pocket which can take a map if you need it too. I’d beware of this on very hot days as you’ll dampen your map with sweat but it’s not usually a problem. When travelling I love this hidden pocket to keep my passport and boarding passes etc on my person without having them sticking out of a rear trouser pocket. You can also unzip this pocket for added ventilation when you’re working hard up a mountain side in hot weather.

On the left shoulder these also a small pocket with pen loops, which as an instructor I actually use for pens! During a course it’s handy to have a pen for marking maps etc. though I’ll be honest, I’ve yet to find a use for the pocket…maybe a nifty button compass that glows in the dark!

New Version

So, having worn this shirt for years and with a need to outfit my team and I at Howl with a uniform of sorts it was a no brainer to choose the adventure shirt. And imagine my surprise when I went to buy some that Craghoppers now sell a Mark II version! The updated design has some cool tweaks to the original which I think will prove useful in the coming years. There’s a clip now attached to the secret zip pocket which we’ve already found holds onto a compass lanyard well. There’s then some oder control panels sewn into the arm pits of the shirt which is also going to be a welcome addition; and the little touches like a lens wipe panel in the hem for sunglasses or camera cleaning, the tough webbing used to attach the buttons, and the retaining loops for holding your rolled up sleeves in place all add the overall utility of the shirt.

I’m delighted with our new Howl uniform, so much so I’ve had them embroidered with our logo, and I hope to get many years use out of them as we progress with our expeditions and courses.

All the best

JD