Product Review: Noble Outfitters Karleigh Short Sleeve V-Neck

Welcome to EN’s Product Review series! Who doesn’t love shopping, especially when the object of your search is new gear for yourself or your horse? As an enthusiast of all products equine, I LOVE trying out new gear. Please join me as I narrate my personal journey of trying out all of the products featured. While I will make no recommendations, I hope you have fun reading about my many adventures of trying new products, and that hearing about my personal experiences helps you on your own quest for new gear. Go Shopping.

The back of the Karleigh tee is made out of a stretchy mesh material that gave the impression of being nice and breathable - Photo by Lorraine Peachey

The back of the Karleigh tee is made out of a stretchy mesh material that gave the impression of being nice and breathable. Photo by Lorraine Peachey.

One of my warm weather staples is a comfortable tee. As simple as a tee sounds, finding just the right one can be pretty tricky. There are so many factors to consider, starting with fit. Do I choose a relaxed fit or a slim fit?

What about the neckline? Crew neck, scoop neck or v-neck? Color is pretty important, too, and there are always waaaaay too many choices. There is also my current obsession with tees that have whimsical prints or sayings on them to contend with.

And let’s not forget fabric because this is probably one of THE most important choices to make. I have a whole dresser drawer (OK, maybe two) dedicated to my tee collection. I can pretty much wear them everywhere.

Except for riding, that is, because some of my favorite tees are made out of a super soft cotton, which makes for a not-so-great choice for performance wear. And there’s a reason for that sweat.

I know, I know, some of us like to pretend that sweat doesn’t happen. Personally, I like to say that I glisten. Whatever you want to call it, sweat does happen when spending time in the saddle or around the barn.

The fabric of the Karleigh also feels nice and smooth against my skin; and even after numerous trips through the washer, the fabric doesn’t show signs of wear or wash to me- Photo by Lorraine Peachey

The fabric of the Karleigh tee also feels nice and smooth against my skin; and even after numerous trips through the washer, the fabric doesn’t show signs of wear or wash. Photo by Lorraine Peachey.

One tee that I’ve found to be great for warm weather riding has been the Karleigh Short Sleeve V-Neck from Noble Outfitters. Since I’ve had great experiences with the Opti-Dry Technology when wearing other apparel from Noble, I was looking forward to wearing the Karleigh.

My first impression of the Karleigh when I pulled is out of the packaging was that it looked like a nice, simple v-neck tee with a relaxed fit. And then I turned it around, only to be pleasantly surprised at what I saw when I looked at the back of the shirt.

The back of the shirt offers a really neat look, with its contrasting black=colored fabric. And about the fabric — the back of the tee is made out of a stretchy mesh material that gives the impression of being nice and breathable.

So I was pretty happy with the prospect of the back of the Karleigh offering a stylish look that is also made to be functional too! Some of the other features that I was happy to see carry over from other Noble tops are the flat seams, along with the dropped back hem.

Since I wear the Karleigh for schooling and hacking out, many times I might not tuck it in, so I appreciate the dropped hem. The top also features some cool reflective logos, one at the top of the back and the other near the bottom hem on the front.

The Opti-Dry Technology has yet to disappoint me…it helps the Karleigh to pull moisture away from my skin, and the fabric also does dry pretty quickly - Photo by Lorraine Peachey

The Opti-Dry Technology has yet to disappoint me. It helps the Karleigh to pull moisture away from my skin, and the fabric also does dry pretty quickly. Photo by Lorraine Peachey.

Let’s not forget about the Opti-Dry Technology, but more about that in a bit. I’ve worn the Karleigh tee. And worn it. And worn it some more. It’s really become one of my go to riding tops this summer. One thing that I really like is the fit.

Wearing my normal size, I find the Karleigh to have a nice and relaxed fit, which I prefer. The fabric also feels nice and smooth against my skin; and even after numerous trips through the washer, the fabric doesn’t show signs of wear or wash.

Wearing the Karleigh for a hard-working schooling session or a long hack really helps me to experience and appreciate how well suited it is for warm-weather riding. The combination of the mesh stretch panel, along with the Opti-Dry Technology of the fabric, helps to keep me comfortable during rides.

I can definitely feel a difference with the mesh back; if feels like it helps to promote airflow, which is really nice on warm days. And the Opti-Dry Technology has yet to disappoint meit helps the Karleigh to pull moisture away from my skin, and the fabric also does dry pretty quickly.

The Karleigh Short Sleeve V-Neck is available from Noble Outfitters in Vivacious Heather (Pink), Wine Heather (Purple), Aqua Sky Heather (Aqua, with contrasting White back), and Gray (pictured is the Gray, with contrasting Black back). All colors retail for $28.99 each, and you can find them here.

Go Outfitting Yourself for Warm Weather Riding. Go Noble Outfitters. Go Eventing.