I bought my second long sleeve Tee (with pocket) a year or two ago, having been very happy with the previous one and all the short=sleeve pocket Tees I'd bought from LL Bean (and still wear). I could not understand why this latest purchase was so uncomfortable until I read reviews talking about the introduction of "wrinkle free" chemicals to the product line. This explained the itchiness I experienced with it. To whom is the absence of an occasional wrinkle so important that they would contaminate an otherwise excellent product? What a shame. I've not ordered another t-shirt since. I'll give it an extra star in deference to those who don't mind a modicum of discomfort as a price for hyper-neatness.
Build quality seems good. However, the LL Bean Size Chart does not apply to these shirts. The fabric shrinks a lot. LL polo shirts I buy hold true to "Large" and are just right for me; so I thought I'd get the same with this long sleeve tee. Not so. With one wash it became uncomfortably tight with sleeves well up my forearms. This new shirt goes into the donation bag.
I have accumulated a whole stack of them. They are a perfect fall and winter weight for layering or wearing alone. I look forward to putting these on in the morning on a crisp fall day or after work in the evening.
Some reports say they don't breathe well and that would be an issue in summer, but for the long-sleeve shirts for cooler weather it is not an issue for me.
These shirts are excellent quality; what you expect from LLBean. But there is a downside to this "wrinkle-free" hysteria that has become the hallmark of men's clothing.
These items DO NOT ABSORB perspiration very well. Cotton is comfortable because it is absorbent. When you treat it with formaldehyde it reduces the cotton's ability to absorb moisture and that makes this 100% cotton shirt very uncomfortable to wear.
I want my tee shirts to wrinkle and be able to stain, then I know they will be confortable to wear.
