Topless?

[Mrs H.]

How well do the new fabrics stand up to the rigours of O. do they snag and pull and go holey?

[mharky]

yep

i'd rather put a hole in an o-top then in some aqua-breathe technical top, or whatever they choose to call them

[brooner]

i've not managed any damage to my euoc dri-fit top in a year, still looks brand new, good stuff.

[FatBoy]

How well do the new fabrics stand up to the rigours of O. do they snag and pull and go holey?

What like o-tops? Only destroyed 2 at the JK.

Like I said earlier in this poll - tried running in a wicking breathing thing at 0007 - it just saturated after 40 mins. Once I'd stopped at the finish it was wicked and dry in 5 mins flat but that didn't help me much for the previous hour while I was soaking wet. My opinion is they're great for biking walking skiing etc but for running the less the better - a short sleeve air-tex o-top is second only to topless.

[Mrs H.]

I think the mesh tops are good too - and surprisingly robust, I think it took a full blown white rose before my family managed to do any damage - whoops - we'll have to be careful or we'll be back in Discussion, better say something rude quick

[Peter B]

The purpose of a breathable o- top should be not just for air to get in (feels nice when you're running fast) but also to for all the hot sweaty jobby to get out
Thats why its ***breathable***

[FatBoy]

So PeterB have you got a particular brand in mind. I need some more for biking etc so I'll give your fave brand a go. What's the for forfeit if it still turns into a wet t-shirt when I run in it??

[chrisecurtis]

the sweaty gunk can only evaporate if the air is dry enough to take it. Worse thing about the British summer is that it is often too humid, so the sweat will not evaporate, so your breathable stuff gets wet, but you get the choice about whether it is wet on the outside or the inside. I have a breathable running top (can't remember make) in which I can be completely dry next to the skin but the outside is literally dripping. It's just as heavy but marginally less unpleasant that way!

[FatBoy]

OK physics of wicking tops are based on two parameters:

a) the ability to wick the moisture from the skin to the outside

b) the ability to evaporate the moisture off the outside

Wicking stuff is about (depeding on brand) 20% better than cotton at both of these but when b) cannot happen fast enough then a) cannot happen at all as there's nowhere for it to go. Hence the top reaching saturation. This is the problem I have with them.

For biking it's fine because b) is better because you're moving faster and for walking it's fine because I'm just sweating less.

[Peter B]

Ok ok for biking its good cos ure going fast
I havent actually tried them for myself but im just putting my theory behind it up
Easiest way to cool your body down after uve been oing?
Be like me, bottle of water over head straight away.

Be a pro.

Of course if only orange squash is being served up, then youre fucked.

[FatBoy]

Easiest way to cool your body down after uve been oing?
Be like me, bottle of water over head straight away.

Sit in a car with air-con works for me

[Peter B]

Sorry but the feeling of having water over you when youve just beeen oing must beat anything.
Except of course swimming

[Iain]

Fatboy, Try out a nike drifit top, same stuff that EUOC use for their O-tops, Ive got 2 teeshits made from it, and they are fantastic try one out and see what you think mine took 3 hours in they gym last week and then an hour of squash, and i was still reasonably dry.

[bendover]

i've been running in a fake adidas vietnames national team kit of late, and its been superb. lightweight, no nipple burn (thats important when your manbreasts jiggle up and down like mine do) and not overly drenched in sweat either. all in all a bargain at £2.