The guys at Thriv sent me an email a few weeks back, asking me if I’d be interested in testing out a sample of one of their new athletic shirts.

Unlike most athletic wear, which is either made of synthetic fiber (or, sometimes, very old and sweatsoaked cotton), the Thriv line is mostly bamboo fiber, with a little bit of organic cotton and a tiny bit of synthetic stretch fabric called Eslastane. Bamboo fiber is a relatively new mass-market product, but hopefully it will become more popular – it has natural antibiotic and wicking properties, is surprisingly soft, and much more sustainable than cotton or synthetics, ’cause that plant grows like crazy.

I got my shirt in the mail last week, and finally had a chance to test it out on an hour-long CrossFit / Boxing session, and even though the shirt was a bit big on me (we’ll see if it shrinks after a good wash), it performed admirably.

The fabric was light and airy, and allowed for plenty of air circulation. While I found the wicking abilities to be about the same as other workout shirts, what really set the Thriv apart for me was the sheer comfort. There were no seams or tags rubbing against my skin – honestly, it didn’t even feel like I was wearing a shirt at all!

If you’re looking for a hiking t-shirt upgrade and want to try something non-synthetic, I highly recommend you give this new line of shirts a try. They’re aiming to sell them directly from their web site soon, but you can currently order from Sports Authority or buy them in a few retail locations (right now, looks like the only L.A. area store that carries them is in Torrance).

Tags: bamboo, fitness, natural, organic, product review, shirt, thriv, wicking