Note: this item was provided for review.
I was encouraged to try Outlier’s ‘new’ Ultrafine t-shirts (for both Cut One and Cut Two), as I was told that they are even softer and so much better. Which is a bold claim, as I already hold the last Ultrafine t-shirts to be the softest and essentially, best, merino t-shirt on the market.
That is, until I opened the package with the new ‘exquisite merino edition’ fabric, and holy cow is this unbelievably soft. The best got better. This was also my first go trying the Cut-Two model, and though I initially thought it would be too wide, I think it’s my preferred cut now.
Materials
These are now ‘16.5 Exquisite Merino’ which is from the Mackenzie range in New Zealand. A 16.5 micron top capped (instead of the 17.5 which was used in Ultrafine shirts before) to make things just absurdly soft. It doesn’t sound like a big change, but keep in mind that most merino being sold is 17.5 micron to 19 micron — so 16.5 is absurdly soft by comparison to everything. I’d liken it to fine cashmere in hand feel.
Both shirts are 190gsm and knit in Thailand. As always the construction and materials here are some of the best you can buy.
Wear
When I first started getting into merino wool t-shirts, Outlier was the game to beat. Their Ultrafine T was well known for its good cut, and very soft nature. I still have some of those first Ultrafine Ts I bought, and wear them often. Over the years some other companies have produced t-shirts which come close to the softness of Outlier, but never really acheived it. Outlier decided to one-up themselves here and the only reason I can sort out, is because it makes these so much better.
From what I can tell while wearing these a ton and washing them a ton — these hold up just as well as the originals (no issues with pilling so far). These have the same great two cut options. They also have a fantastic collar. And yet, unimaginably, are vastly softer than the original Ultrafine. (I should note, all images you see are straight out of the washing machine, after being hung dried, hence the wrinkles and such.)
It is not possible for me to explain how soft these are in words. They feel amazing to wear, touch, fold. My wife is rather sensitive to all merino wool, and previously could only stand to wear my Dreamweight t-shirts for a short period of time. However she needed a clean t-shirt to sleep in on our trip, and wore one of these for two nights, and the wool never bothered her. That’s soft.
There’s a couple of subtle changes to these Ts since I last purchased them:
- There’s a small nylon tag on the hem as part of current Outlier branding. I mostly find this inoffensive and it adds a touch of interest to the shirt without really taking away anything.
- The screening on the inside of the shirt for the tag is a new design, which I actually quite like even if I never see it.
- I feel like Outlier have reduced the bulk around the collar seams, which is a small but welcomed touch. Though this could just be age/fabric difference and not anything real.
The biggest non-fabric difference, though is the two cuts of the shirt. When I last bought Outlier sold one cut, which is now called ‘Cut One’ — it is a rather slim and longer cut. Outlier also offers the ‘Cut Two’ which is a little boxier in nature.
I received both to compare, and I thought I would hate the Cut Two. However, I found that I actually really like the Cut Two. It’s a little less versatile in that it won’t be something I could wear as an undershirt with a button down if needed in a pinch, or even under a flannel. But as a layer on its own, this is my preferred cut. It offers just enough extra room that the shirt flows well, without looking completely oversized.
This also gives people between sizes something to play with. A Cut One large is just the right size, if I moved up to XL then it might be a touch long or overall too big. However a Cut Two large fits me perfectly — this gives you a lot more flexibility in the sizing options based on your body shape — something to keep in mind when buying. As you can see in the side by side images, there’s not a HUGE difference in the width, but there is some.
If you are wanting a T to layer, Cut One — or if you run very trim in your body shape. For anything else, Cut Two is the better option, and something I really have come to like.
Overall
Outlier has outdone themselves with these, creating a material which I didn’t even know I wanted, but now I only want this material when it comes to merino. It’s really an ideal t-shirt and I don’t know what more I could say on it.
The best t-shirt, but now better.