Facebook X (Twitter) Instagram
    FeedTheHabit.com
    • Home
    • Gear Reviews
      • Road & Gravel
      • Mountain Biking
      • Bike Commuting
      • Trail Running
      • Skiing
      • Outdoors
      • Water Sports
      • Vehicles
    • News
    • Trip Reports
    • Videos
    FeedTheHabit.com
    Day 2 in the Grand Canyon
    Gear Reviews

    To the Test: Patagonia Long Haul Western Shirt

    Donald BuraglioBy Donald BuraglioApril 24, 2015No Comments6 Mins Read

    Trucker couture meets ultrarunning!  Patagonia’s Long Haul Western shirt lets you rock that 1970’s cool while providing all the outstanding comfort and performance you should expect from modern fabric technology.

    Patagonia Long Haul Shirt Features:

    • Fabric: 2.5-oz 100% all-recycled polyester woven plain weave, bluesign approved fabric
    • UPF 25 sun protection
    • Polygiene permanent odor control
    • Knit fabric neck lining for comfort and moisture management
    • Gusset construction and eyelet venting in underarms for comfort and range of motion
    • Bar tack venting across back yoke
    • Locker loop for hang drying
    • Slim fit
    • Weight: 133 g (4.7 oz)
    • Two color options
    • MSRP $89
    patagonia long haul shirt
    Mile 33 at Leona Divide; temps in the 90s

    Digging In for the Long Haul

    One thing you need to know before wearing Patagonia’s Long Haul Western shirt in an ultramarathon: you’re going to get a lot of comments.  That was my experience at April’s Leona Divide 50-miler, where over the course of nine hours I heard comments such as the following:

    “I’m surprised that someone can run in a collared shirt like that.”

    “You look way too casual out here!”

    “You can probably wear that shirt to dinner after the race.”

    “That’s brilliant – you can really keep cool in that!”

    The last comment was the most telling, because the race was held on a scorching hot day in Southern California that inflicted a lot of heat-related misery and dropouts.  And through it all, the Long Haul shirt was absolutely perfect for the occasion – for reasons that aren’t immediately obvious to the untrained eye.  You may look like a casual retro hipster, but you can perform like a hardcore athlete (provided you do the training, of course).

    patagonia long haul shirt wet
    After a hot 25-miler; the front of the shirt is saturated, but color is very similar to the dry shoulder areas.

    For starters, the fabric is super thin and lightweight; at a mere 133g, the Long Haul is comparable to most race shirts on the market.  It also feels very soft and comfortable against the skin, is highly effective at wicking moisture away from the skin, and dries quickly when soaked or immersed in water.  Running for 9 hours in 90 degree heat, I had no skin chafing or irritation, even when frequently dousing the shirt at aid stations.  Another nice element is that the fabric discoloration (darkening) when wet isn’t dramatically different than the dry color of the shirt, so you can still look cool even when sweating like a maniac.

    Day 2 in the Grand Canyon
    Day 2 in the Grand Canyon

    In addition to hot ultras, I’ve also worn the Long Haul as a baselayer under a jacket for cool 20-mile training runs, and for overnight backpacking trips into the Grand Canyon.  In all of these situations, the fabric’s comfort against the skin is equivalent or better to my best performance fabrics.

    No irritation from chest snaps, even when wet or when using sternum straps.
    No irritation from chest snaps, even when wet or when underneath sternum straps.

    Apart from its fabric construction, the design of the Long Haul is indeed rather brilliant and very functional on long hot trail days.  The front fastens with snaps that also ride comfortably against the skin; initially I was concerned about irritation from the snaps, but I haven’t experienced any, even when wearing a hydration pack with chest straps.

    The snaps are very easy to fasten or open with a single hand, and allow you to ventilate your torso to any degree you’d like.  Most of the time I run with two snaps open, which ventilates significantly better than a crewneck collar shirt.  However, when conditions heated up at Leona Divide, I dropped the third and sometimes even fourth snaps, running in full-on Bee Gees mode with my entire sweaty chest exposed.  (I’ll spare you the close-ups of that one.)

    Multiple back vents for cooling.
    Multiple back vents for cooling.

    When breeze blows into the shirt, it doesn’t billow up, thanks to back vents across the shoulder blades that let air pass through relatively unimpeded.  Even when the shirt is fully buttoned, the back openings provide good ventilation to keep you cool in hot conditions.  The slim torso cut also helps prevent billowing, as the shirt isn’t excessively baggy to start with.  On a related note, if you like your shirts a little bit loose on the trail (as I do), consider sizing up with the Long Haul.

    As far as the collar goes, it’s not nearly as much of a concern as you might think.  Because the material is so thin and lightweight, it doesn’t feel excessively warm or bulky against your neck.  It also feels very comfortable inside a jacket.  One novel feature of a full collar is that it provides you the option of standing it up to help prevent sunburn on your neck if necessary; however, the flip side of that is on breezy days, the collar can flap up from time to time when you don’t want it to.

    patagonia long haul back
    Still cool in the homestretch

    Finally, one more outstanding benefit of the Long Haul is its utilization of Polygiene permanent odor control.  Polygiene is a treatment technology that uses silver salt as an anti-bacterial agent woven into the fabric; this prevents odor-causing bacteria to settle into the material, so your clothes won’t stink.  You really can wear the Long Haul out to dinner after your race without offending the other restaurant patrons, or you can wear it for repeated workouts without needing a wash.  The technology is eco-friendly, safe on your skin, and is guaranteed for the life of the garment.

    The Good

    • Lightweight, breathable, highly comfortable fabric
    • Unbeatable ventilation
    • Outstanding odor control
    • Trucker style – need we say more?

    The Bad:

    • Collar is unpredictable on windy days
    • It’s hard to go unnoticed in a race!

    Bottom Line:  Patagonia Long Haul Western Shirt

    You can’t beat the combination of stylishness and performance of Patagonia’s Long Haul Western shirt, which has become the new favorite top for our warm-weather ultrarunning exploits.

    Buy Now: At Backcountry.com

    40
    SHARES
    ShareTweet
    patagonia Shirts
    Previous Article2016 Salsa Warbird First Ride Review
    Next Article Spy Screw Sunglasses with Happy Lens Review
    Donald Buraglio
    • Website

    Donald is a physical therapist, ultrarunner, barefoot aficionado, and father of three with more than 20 years of experience in endurance sports. When he's not training for ultramarathons, he enjoys hiking or slacklining with his family in Monterey County, CA.

    You Might Also Like

    Ornot Micro Grid Jersey Review

    September 29, 2023

    Patagonia Nano-Air Light Hybrid Hoody Review

    September 27, 2023

    Salomon Pulsar Trail Pro 2 Review

    September 25, 2023

    Leave A Reply Cancel Reply

    Most Popular
    8.9

    Zipp 303 S Carbon Wheelset Review

    November 4, 2021

    Suunto 9 Peak Pro Watch Review

    August 21, 2023
    9.2

    SRAM Rival XPLR eTap AXS Groupset Review

    August 12, 2022

    SRAM Rival/GX AXS Mullet Gravel Kit Review

    September 17, 2021
    9.1

    Bontrager Aeolus Pro 51 TLR Wheelset Review

    September 9, 2021
    9.1

    Bontrager Aeolus Pro 37 TLR Wheelset Review

    June 18, 2020
    9.6

    Trek Domane SLR 9 AXS Gen 4 Review

    May 10, 2023

    Montec Fawk Ski Jacket and Bib Review

    February 28, 2022

    Salomon Pulsar Trail Pro 2 Review

    September 25, 2023

    Moosejaw Ice Fort 25 Quart Hard Cooler Review

    May 17, 2023
    Follow Us
    • Facebook
    • Twitter
    • Instagram
    Advertisement
    Our Latest Posts
    • Ornot Micro Grid Jersey Review
    • Patagonia Nano-Air Light Hybrid Hoody Review
    • Salomon Pulsar Trail Pro 2 Review
    • Italian Endurance: Pinarello Launches Dogma X
    • Gore Wear TrailKPR Gloves Review
    • Velocio Ombre Ultralight Mesh Jersey Review
    • Review: Osmo Power Fuel Mix
    • Fresh Wheels: Fulcrum Wind 42 and Wind 57 Wheelsets
    • Elitewheels Drive G45 Gravel Wheelset Review
    • The North Face Wander Sun Hoodie Review
    About Us
    About Us

    Since 1999, we have delivered in-depth gear reviews, articles and content. We feature a small staff of savvy, experienced writers who love to review outdoor gear.

    External links to Amazon, REI, Backcountry and other retailers include affiliate codes that give us a small commission on each sale.

    To contact us or learn more, go to our About Us page.

    © FeedTheHabit.com 1999 - 2023. All rights reserved.

    Type above and press Enter to search. Press Esc to cancel.