ExOfficio Insect Shield Baja Shirt, Ambush Pant, Vented Hiker Sock Review

Clear summer days in Alaska are beautiful, but often times disrupted by swarms of bugs. Look closely at the picture below and you can see what I mean. Notice the swarm around my head? Without a head net, the bugs (mainly no-see-ums and mosquitoes) will crawl into your nose, ears and mouth. They quickly become very annoying. It's a great setting to try out the bug repellent, ExOfficio Insect Shield fabrics. For the test, I wore the ExOfficio Baja Shirt, ExOfficio Ambush Pant, and the ExOfficio Vented Hiker Socks. All Insect Shield garments are made to last 70 washes and are EPA approved and proven to repel mosquitoes, ticks, ants, flies, chiggers and midges (no-see-ums). DO NOT DRYCLEAN clothing treated with Insect Shield.

Insect Shield ExOfficio Baja Shirt with the Bugs

When you look at this picture, you may think the shirt is not repelling the bugs, but that's not the case. The bugs were busy landing on my hands and head but they stayed off the shirt! A few bugs would occasionally land on it, but they would fly off quickly. Given the size of this swarm it's pretty shocking. The bugs definitely don't like the shirt. They would land on my hands but they wouldn't crawl up my un-buttoned sleeves. INSECT SHIELD DOES WORK.

As far as the ExOfficio Baja shirt goes, I was blown away by the quality and attention to a sportsman's needs. There are two very generously sized velco-fastened pockets on the front of the shirt. They each can hold a large objects like a camera or an eyeglass case. Behind one of the pockets is a small zippered pocket for valuables. The shirt has adjustable ventilation on the sides and a cross the back. The back of the shirt has an elastic gusset to provide a snug fit, but also allows for mobility. My favorite feature is the button straps on the sleeves that allow you to roll up the sleeves and hold them in place. That worked great for cleaning fish. The weight (12oz), quick-dry fabric (65% polyester, 35% cotton) and handsome style make the Baja a great traveling shirt. Click Here more views of the ExOfficio Baja shirt.

Insect Shield ExOfficio Baja Shirt Stream Washing

As you can image, your clothing gets dirty pretty quick on the Alaskan Tundra. I washed the Baja shirt a few times in the stream. When left outside it air dried in about 2 hours with temperatures in the 70's and 70% humidity. The Baja features a winkle free fabric, so the shirt is ready to wear on the plane ride home.

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Alaskan Sockeye Salmon

It's easy to brave the bugs when you can catch fish like this. 20 to 30 times a day!

Insect Shield ExOfficio Ambush Pant

The Ambush Pant features a peach-skin like finish so it's very comfortable and doesn't chaff the skin while hiking. A diamond gusset in the crotch of the pant adds mobility. These pants also keep the bugs off of you. I wore these pants under my waders, so I'd have bug protection as soon as I took my waders off. They weight 15oz, are extremely durable and look good, so they are great to travel in.

ExOfficio Ambush Pant Drying

The ExOfficio Ambush pant is made from 100% nylon, so it dries much faster than the Baja shirt. Within 15 minutes of washing the pant, I was wearing it again. It too, has a wrinkle resistant fabric. If you look closely at the picture, you can see the Velcro thigh pockets and the waist side pockets. There are also two pockets on the rear.

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Ambush Pant Ankle Cinch

The ankle cinch enables you to tighten up the bottom of the pant to keep out the bugs and/or to keep from getting snagged in brush. There are zippers on the inside of the pant leg that allows you to roll-up the bottom of the pant. The ankle cinch helps hold the pant in place once the pant leg is rolled up.

ExOfficio Vented Hiker Sock

The ExOfficio Vented Hiker keeps the bugs off your feet, and mainly your ankles where skin is exposed between your pants and shoes. They are high enough so that when you're sitting and the pant leg shortens, they cover you shin and ankle. The padded footpad provides ample cushion for hiking, and the elastic cuff keeps the sock in place. The top of the sock is a mesh material that provided ventilation for my foot. The socks do take some time to dry if you get them wet. I wore them under my waders, in the frigid water, and they keep my feet warm.