Rhone Sequoia 1/4 Zip Review
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Rhone Sequoia 1/4 Zip
The Rhone team is a group of busy professionals as well as passionate athletes. Their findings in activewear clothing availability seemed that something was missing. They wanted something that could be versatile to stand up to the test of everyday “transition” times. Something casual, and travel worthy with performance qualities to be able to handle a rigorous gym workout.
First Thoughts on the Rhone Sequoia 1/4 Zip Shirt
This is very nice apparel! The quality is evident and the fabric feels very smooth and silky to the touch. I have to be honest, I am almost hesitant to take this piece out for a workout, it just feels like something I would wear more casually, or post workout. That said, it does sport the technical qualities that are prevalent on nicer pieces of apparel that you see these days.
Out of the box – a classy presentation and a personal note.
I work out 6-7 days a week by running, cycling, swimming, and a few sessions in the gym. I wear old running race shirts for the most part because they do have the technical qualities that allow me to wick away the sweat that I produce. I am a prolific sweater especially when I am at the gym. On the treadmill or in the weight room, a good sweat is always a good thing. The Rhone Sequoia 1/4 Zip is going to be put to the test as I am training for a marathon, triathlons, and go exploring the mountains with the family.
Fully zipped, I have a bit of extra room around the neck, but I have trimmed down recently. Probably a good all around fit for most.
Features, and Technical Specifications
- Flat Lock Seams
- Moisture wicking
- UPF 50
- Invisible Zipper Pocket
- Quick Dry
- Ergonomic Sleeves
Slightly longer sleeves with thumbholes allows for keeping your knuckles warm in cooler temps
Flip version. My hands are of average size, but I think the actual thumbhole opening could be slightly bigger. Food for thought.
Hidden stash pocket is designed away nicely. Fits a small snack or key if need be.
- Inside hem quote: The Power of Imagination Makes Us Infinite” – A little inspiration to get you started. To be honest, initially I had not even noticed that it was there. I like it!
The fabric is a Polartec Power Dry Technology that wicks away sweat and dumps that moisture for you. I found it to work rather well. I’ll talk more about it below as I took the Sequoia running.
The below picture on a hike shows some really dark skies looming, and we got hit with hail and snow. This one layer kept me warm throughout my hike
The thumbhole pockets are always a nice feature for a couple reasons. It allows you to cover up your hands when the temperatures do drop or inclement weather moves in. I like it because it adds a few inches of fabric to the sleeves. My arms are slightly on the longer side, and I like for my sleeves to come down past my wrists. I’ve also been know to take a nosedive when trail running, so protecting my palms will be nice.
Comfort and slim fit on a hike. Notice the slight bunching on my fore arms which allows for extending the sleeves and put your thumbs in the thumb holes.
Fit of the Rhone Sequoia 1/4 Zip Shirt
Having pretty much shed most of my access baggage over the last 10 years by tackling a multitude of endurance events, I have shrunk from a Large to a Medium for most of my apparel pieces. In some cases, a small may actually work depending on the brand, fabric, use, cut, etc. I went with a Medium, and it fits comfortably. If I wanted to show off my limited muscle mass, I could even have gone with a Small. I would say this Rhone Sequoia 1/4 Zip does fit true to size, but just take note that in the case of this Medium, it can fit a wide range of body types. Personal style and fit will also play a part, of course.
Hiking and hauling lunch up the mountain
Performance
As mentioned, I am really impressed with the soft silkiness of the shirt, and have preferred it as a casual comfy before and after gym wear. That said, it was time to put this piece to the test. I went with my Rhone Sequoia 1/4 Zip Shirt, and a thinly insulated running jacket (this jacket does have venting flaps and zippers to aid in staying cool should that be required). I had a long run of 16 miles on the agenda, and we actually just got hit with a snowstorm on Mother’s Day would you believe it. Temperatures in the 30’s and 40’s can be tricky to figure out the correct layering for optimal performance. Staying dry and protected from the wind, but also being able to shed some sweat as you start to push the pace is key. I was in a good place for most of the run as I stayed warm but did not overheat. The wind also did not play a factor to chill me, so it was a pretty good success as I battled slush, snow, and ice. I decided to push the final 4-5 miles of my run to simulate a race scenario, and really worked up a good sweat. I was sweating buckets, and this time, my jacket did not provide the proper venting to really dump the heat. I was pretty warm, but as I was heading towards a hot shower, I did not mind. A good sweat always makes you feel pretty good anyway.
Pretty good sweat effort after a long hard and fast run. Sweat wicking at its finest
Nice range of movement
The gym provided an opportunity for the Rhone Sequoia 1/4 Zip Shirt to strut its stuff. I am not hardcore with the weights, but I do mix in a lot of stretching, core, and lighter weight/higher repetition routines to aid in toning and overall strength. The fit of this shirt allowed for optimal movement as I jumped, twisted, bent, rolled, flexed, and moved through my usual 3x per week sessions.
Fast as a flash – ok, my camera wasn’t able to capture a fast moving figure. Plenty of free flowing movement
Final Thoughts on The Rhone Sequoia 1/4 zip
The Rhone Sequoia ¼ Zip is a fantastic addition to any active athletic person wanting a smooth high quality piece of apparel. They market strongly to the gym and crossfit crowd, but I’d say it is great for the active outdoorsman as I used it for running, commuter biking, and even as a base layer out on weekend camping trip.
MSRP: $98
For more information and their full line of active apparel please check out www.rhone.com or www.amazon.com/rhone.
