Arc'teryx  Ionia Merino Wool Base Layer Top - Men's

Got this free in exchange for a fair review. Right off the bat, I did yardwork and some pretty light hiking in it (washing between, of course) - and after both activities where a normal polyester shirt would smell pretty terrible, it just smelled like whatever deodorant I had on. Very nice change VS literally every other 'outdoor' style shirt I have, which takes on a pretty awful scent even just wearing on a day without much physical activity. Today, I built a shelf, did all the edging, moweing and blowing off necessary to go along with those, rearranged the garage, and no smell! I know those aren't REI activities, but they're definitely activities that would create some offensive odeuration in other makeup shirts. I have had some "pokey" style grasses lodge their seed pods into the shirt, and they pulled out without any tearout. Fit is semi loose. I'm 6'3, and just short of 200#, and ordered a Large. Sleeve length is actually perfect, torso is not loose, but not fitted. Fabric itself has better than cotton elasticity - stretches and rebounds like elastane polyester blend. Very comfortable. It is very soft, not itchy one bit due to antimicrobial merino wool. The only concern I have is that the fabric is starting to 'fuzz up' a little bit - and I haven't driven in it (seatbelts are gnarly). I have had Darn Tough socks that did that, and lasted for years and years. This is my first experience with a Merino t-shirt - unfortunately for my wallet just this one was free. It's awesome.

I received these products for free from the REI Trailblazers sampling program in exchange for my honest review. I wasn’t sure what to expect when I received the Arc’teryx Men’s Ionia shirt for review. I’m a notoriously cheap t-shirt/active shirt wearer myself as I beat them up pretty good in my travels so I had not yet come around to the idea of higher end shirts for backpacking, running, travel and other activities. With other clothing I tend to go for quality but shirts were always a different thought process for me. If nothing else, after a month of testing I believe I may need to rethink my shirt strategy in the future. This shirt is fantastic. I will start with my initial impressions of the shirt - out of the box the shirt looked great, with the “Cloud” colorway really looking sharp. I tend to like muted colors as they are more versatile for my wardrobe and this immediately pleased me to see the nice gray color that would easily pair well for non-active pursuits around town as well. As for the material, I had to double check to make sure it was merino wool. It was so soft that I was genuinely surprised it was merino and not a synthetic or cotton blend. It is VERY soft to the touch and comfortable. The shirt (size Large) fit me very well. I am 6’1” and 200 lbs and have a bit longer torso, so sometimes I find a size large can be a little short at the waist. Not so with the Ionia. It has a nice length to the torso and fits well. A little snug around the chest for me, which was fine, and not too tight at the waist. The sleeves seemed a touch longer than other shirts I have, but I actually really liked the fit. After some initial impressions, I tested the shirt for about a month in a variety of environments - several longer hikes, a few runs, some basketball, and a full day of airport travel across the country. Every time I came away impressed with the performance and wondered why I didn’t have more of these. The Ionia especially excelled on the hiking trails as it was so comfortable to wear with or without a pack on. The stitching is well placed so I didn’t have any chafing at all around the shoulders. The shirt breathes well and does a great job whisking sweat away without looking like you are soaking wet. I tested it out around some local Southern CA trails and also on a longer excursion fly fishing some waters around the Owens River and the shirt was indestructible. I also loved how the shirt performed when I wore it on a recent travel across the country. My travel plans took a turn for the worse and I was stuck on an airport delay for an extra 5 hours. By the time I walked into my hotel room, it had been a 16 hour day in the shirt. Most days like that and a fella can become quite “ripe” from their travels. I’m not kidding when I say the shirt was incredible. I was still as fresh as a daisy and would have had no trouble heading straight out to dinner without changing if I wanted to. There was ZERO stink. Hopefully some of you will know what I’m talking about when I say that is unbelievable. After several washes from testing, the shirt is in great shape with zero signs of wear or fabric issues. It might even be a little softer to be honest. Still fits great and is ready for the next adventure. I will just end with this - I have had to rethink my shirt selections as a result of the Ionia. The quality and comfort is so good, it has me wanting more of these. The shirt’s versatility is really what sets it apart - being comfortable enough and good looking to be able to be worn around town in addition to its performance on the trail or on a run is truly a testament to the shirt’s overall design. I couldn’t find a single drawback with the shirt’s design or performance and if the price is right, I will be looking to add more of these to my arsenal.

I got this shirt for a winter base layer to run in but it's just too nice a shirt for that. I wore it shopping and going out for dinner and it washes clean and like new every time. I finally did break down and put it on as a base layer for a chilly morning run and it is really surprisingly great for keeping my core warm. I know i worked up a sweat during the run but when I got home and took off the shirt it felt dry and had no smell. Now my big decision is to keep it as a nice going to town or a running shirt!

I am 6'2" and approximately 280lbs, and working toward improving my health. This shirt fits very well as either a base layer or standalone T-shirt. Long enough to tuck in and not easily come untucked. Arm length and openings are also a great fit. For casual shirts I typically wear an XXL so I would note this XL shirt may run a little large unless you choose to size down for a snug fit. Material is a bit thin so lighter colors might be more see-through. Seams and collar/neck are very thin as a result of the thin material.

Shirt is very soft and comfy to touch and wear. It does retain a bit of heat but dries rather quickly. Sizing on the shirt is very close, almost like form fitting which I don’t care much. All and all I like shirt and depending on the price might buy it as an under layer.

90%+ of my wardrobe is merino wool and my first impression is this shirt is not at all what I was expecting. The fabric has a much more technical feel and in fact if it were not listed in the product materials, I would be hard pressed to guess this was almost 90% merino wool. That said this is an amazingly comfortable shirt both in the fabric and the fit. Some Arc'teryx shirts have a very odd high/tight neckline which makes them borderline unwearable but this blessedly does not suffer from the same design. Arc'teryx has (used to?) an edge/seamless trail running t-shirt that may just be the most comfortable t-shirt in the world (it is for me) and this runs a very close second.

I am a merino shirt junkie, always on a quest to find the perfect shirt. This shirt is almost that. The generous fit works well with my "ample" physique, and the long cut ensures that my ample physique will not be based upon in its glory. The core-spun merino and nylon blend is super soft and breathable, whether wandering through town on a hot muggy day, going out for a hike, or racing through an airport terminal to catch a connection. I short, this is a super comfortable and great looking shirt. Con: it IS a bit pricey, so you might want to use a discount coupon if you have one available.

Tried it on. Ordered large which is my normal size. Fits well in torso and shoulders but the collar is high in front and cuts across my throat and is low on the back of my neck. Yes, I had it on right, logo in front, but feels backwards. Can't imagine others won't have similar issues. Uncomfortable in front, more bare uninsulated skin in back than there should be. I really respect Arc'teryx and have one of their older merino t shirts that is wonderful. But this is not, and it costs more than most similar products from competitors. I Expect better from them.

Material is light and soft, but the fit is just off. As a base layer it should be well fitted and comfortably snug but not this one, good in the shoulders, a little tight in the chest, but the sleeves come down to my elbows and the neck is way too big. I would size up for a more comfortable fit but would worry the neck would be way way too big and sleeves would be past my elbows.

What I liked best about the tee was how soft and comfortable it was. I almost always wear a M and the M was true to size for me. The shoulder caps had a bit of an odd pucker though. The reason I returned the tee was that a common stain, exactly one that I had previously also on a Smartwool Merino tee, would not wash out even with three attempts including spot treatment. The fine material was also fussy - easily losing shape and wrinkling. Not the no fuss travel and easy to live with companion I was hoping for.