I travel full-time in an RV, dress simply and comfortably, and have very little closet space. A dozen Tropicwear shirts, half long-sleeve, half sleeveless, are the foundation of my wardrobe. PROs: --The fabrics bounce back well from the dryer, recover nicely from light crumpling, and come in soft, complementing colors. They've become even more comfortable over 8 months of constant use, but without losing their body. The fabric breathes pretty well on hot days, although the combined layers of front pockets and back yoke can feel too heavy at 95 degrees and up. --The long sleeves roll up easily to 3/4 and can go to shorter sleeve with a tab, so are very versatile. Combined with the sleeveless versions, I have the equivalent of 4 to 5 looks for every 2 Tropicwear shirts. --Two settings at the cuffs let me snug them up to keep in warmth at the wrist, or have a looser sleeve for easy on/off over the hand. Very nice. --The eyeglass loops on the pockets are fabulous--I use them all the time to keep track of glasses and sunglasses that go on/off my face as I go in/out of buildings and reading situations. And the pocket flaps are designed in a way to stay nice and flat...eliminating a real annoyance of other easy-wear shirts I've owned. --The slight tailoring at the sides slims the look and keeps the shirts from being boxy while also leaving plenty of room to move. I've got almost no bust and wear an XS, though, so I can't speak to how well these might fit for larger chests. --An unsung feature is the snap-tab collar points. They let me alternate between keeping the collars crisp-looking when down, going more casual by unsnapping them, and turning up the collar to warm my neck on chilly days.
CONs: --The buttons are a grippy, rubbery material that turns stiffer and grippier in the cold. I often have considerable trouble getting them through the buttonholes on colder mornings. The button colors match the fabrics perfectly, but perhaps slightly larger buttonholes would be better for this kind of button. Or switching to a smoother plastic. --The hemline is squared off instead of sweetly curved along front and back, making the shirt look a little more masculine and "practical traveler" than I'd like. If LLBean ever made that one change to the design, I'd actually consider replacing all 12 of my Tropicwear shirts with the new version, I like them that much.
Giving it 4 stars only because purchased in Feb. and will need to wear in tropic temps to see how it performs. The style is great, and the fit does RUN SMALL usually take a Large but ordered XL given the reviews and glad I did. Fits well in shoulders and doesn't pull open across chest at buttonholes, think a L could have. I plan to order another of these as I'm trying to protect my skin from so much sun exposure while maintaining a reasonable body temperature, hopefully this shirt will make that possible with its wicking and drying features.
I just love these shirts. They protect me from sun, sand , bugs, etc. They are so light and airy and very versatile. They launder beautifully. I just roll them into my suitcase, and shake them out at my destination and they're ready to wear..
