Mizuno Technical Black Shirt (Medium – Sample)
Features:
-100% Polyester fabric
– Mizuno Thermal Plus technology
– Reflective Mizuno Logo on front, lines beside zipper
– Reflective “THERMAL PLUS” logo on back
– Two small reflective circular slivers on back
– Zippered pocket on lower back, right side
-Stitched pieces of fabric (black) in cuffs, bottom of shirt, and around the neck
-Slots in sleeves for thumbs to provide warmth for part of hand
Pros:
– Medium weight
– Soft inner layer provides warmth and is breathable
– Visually attractive colour scheme / pattern of Black / Red / Silver
– Inner surface is soft and provides warmth – I ran with this shirt underneath a breathable jacket in -10 ˚C to 0 ˚C temperatures with wind and was warm enough
– Zipper can be pulled down to let in some air if you are feeling warm
– Slot in each sleeve is useful on days you need gloves but didn’t bring them along
– Pocket in back is large enough and accessible for house key, gels, money, etc. Ipod could be put in pocket and earphone cable can reach ears
– Worked well as first layer under a breathable jacket
– Stitched black pieces in cuff hold the shape and may prevent stretching of cuff
– Stitched black pieces improve the shirt’s aesthetic qualities and selling features – it shows that the designer’s attention to detail as these pieces could have been left out but I think if these pieces were not included, the value of the shirt in the view of the consumer would be reduced
-Great match with my Thermal Plus gloves (black)
Cons:
-If shirt is worn as only layer, visibility at night isn’t optimal since majority of shirt is black; however, small reflective areas help
-Reflective “THERMAL PLUS” on front becomes “not visible” if you tuck in the shirt which I would normally do in most running situations; especially in cool weather since this would be my “inner layer” and a jacket would be worn over top
-No reflective sections on arms- Reflective areas on moving parts of running equipment may enable drivers to see you more easily at night
-More reflective areas could be added on front and back but not too much to cause shirt to lose its aesthetic appeal
