Product Review: Noble Outfitters CoolFlo Polo

Welcome to EN's Product Review Just for Men's Series! There has been a gap in the world of equine fashion, and that gap is great apparel products for the guys. As an equestrian myself, I love giving new gear a try especially when its just for men. Follow along as I search for and try out the featured products in a personal quest for great apparel. In this series I will make no recommendations, but I do hope you will enjoy reading about my journey and personal experiences as I try new products that can only be found in the Men's section.

I found that the CoolFlo Polo was durable enough for farm work, but nice enough to wear to a meeting. Photo by Lorraine Peachey I found that the CoolFlo Polo was durable enough for farm work, but nice enough to wear to a meeting. Photo by Lorraine Peachey

If you open up any man’s closet, you’ll find clothing staples like suits, sweaters, formal dress shirts and slacks, and maybe a favorite sports team’s jersey. Next to the tie rack and belts sits a section for more everyday wear.

This section of my closet holds my button down shirts and my awesomely extensive collection of polo shirts. When it comes to polo shirts, there are hundreds of options — designer shirts that cost a mere fortune to purchase, the ones that are designed to mimic a legitimate polo team’s shirts, the simple one color cotton ones, and the ever trendy golf style polos.

The downside about most polos is they are unable to make the crossover to equestrian wear. Lets face it — most companies that make polo shirts probably don’t know that polo is played on a horse. These polos I like to refer to as “fashion polos,” as they end up being the polos worn to go out on the town.

One polo that seems to stand out in my collection is the Noble Outfitters CoolFlo Polo. This seemingly simple polo has much more to offer than meets the eye, especially when it comes to spending time in the saddle.

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The collar has a woven inside to prevent snagging and is also vented in the back to aid in cooling. Photo by Lorraine Peachey.

Another polo faux pas is that the vast majority of polos are made from the great fabric of the earth — cotton. Don’t get me wrong, I love the touch and feel of the fabric of my life, but cotton is lacking when it comes to dealing with sweat. Cotton has an ability to act more like a sponge and holds moisture for hours.

The CoolFlo is made with Noble’s Opti-Dry Technology, which wicks moisture away quickly and dries even faster. For a nice added bonus, the fabric has a antimicrobial finish, which helps keep the man smell at bay.

One thing I really find annoying when it comes to any shirt is bending over and having the back of the shirt come untucked. It seems I spend half my time making sure my shirts are back in place after doing my normal duties around the farm. With a longer cut, the CoolFlo does not suffer from this age old problem.

Anyone who has a typical polo made from tech fabric knows they have a unique ability to snag on everything. Pick up a bale of hay … snag. Climb over a fence … snag. Walk into tall grass … snag. Farm dog jumps up to say hello … eight snags all down the front of your shirt. Thankfully, this is an affliction the CoolFlo does not suffer from. After over a month of wearing this shirt at the farm, it still has a right-off-the-rack look to it.

It seems as though Noble Outfitters has really put some real world farm time into this shirt. In an effort to keep you cooler, the collar is vented; it also has a woven inside collar to keep the uncomfortable hair snags to a minimum.

Being around horses, you need a shirt that is able to move with you as you go about your day. With a running underarm gusset, the CoolFlo is right there with you and comfortable to wear.

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The snag resistant material mixed with Opti-Dry technology makes this polo a workhorse. Photo by Lorraine Peachey.

Seeing as I spend a fair amount of time in the saddle, I like to appear professional when I ride, and this shirt has the look to be taken seriously but the functionality to be an everyday shirt. The CoolFlo has become the shirt I will wear to ride in at a clinic and, at the same time, the shirt I can wear repairing fence at the farm.

The CoolFlo Polo is available from Noble Outfitters in White, Asphalt (Grey), Black, and Deep Water Blue. All the colors retail for $44.99 each, and you can pick up yours here.

Go a Polo for all Occasions, Go Noble Outfitters, Go Eventing.