I bought a tropicwear shirt in summer 2012. While it was back ordered a bit late for summer use, I loved it and wear it all seasons. This year I ordered another one but will be returning it due to the fabric is less sturdy, more sleazy, and has not the feel or look of the earlier model.
The fit, color and style are all perfect. But for some odd reason the buttons are rubbery. That makes it difficult to button and unbutton. It's such a little thing but very annoying. I even tried to stretch the button holes open wider but no luck. Snaps would have been just right for this shirt.
LLBean wasn't content to leave good enough alone. They monkeyed with a good shirt and turned it into a fair one. I've been a loyal buyer of this shirt for years for my outdoor job. The shirt was cool and soft. The new version is a tighter (hotter) fit and seems to be made of stiffer material. (Maybe I just washed the old ones so often that they softened up.) It also has longer sleeves. However, what I really dislike are the new, thick, hard-to-manipulate plastic lumps that pass for buttons. I notice that the men's shirt still has the old buttons. if your customers like an item, just leave it alone, will you?
This is my first wicking shirt and I love the feeling. Also a very nice color (the blue). The only downside I notice about it is that the sleeves are a little narrow when you roll up and fasten the sleeves, they bind a bit. Also, the arms are a bit long for me, but I think that is due to my being overweight and having to order an extra large size.
