The North Face Summit Series High Trail Short Sleeve and Tank Top
Review by Erin Trail
The North Face Summit Series High Trail shirts (short sleeve and tank top) are super lightweight shirts designed to keep you cool and comfortable as you log miles on the road or trail.
Features
- Slim fit
- FLASHDRY-PRO™ materials in back and underarms actively pull moisture away from the body to help keep you feeling dry and comfortable during activity (75 g/m² 100% recycled polyester jersey knit)
- Front body and sleeves made from 97 g/m² 100% recycled polyester knit piqué
- Bonded side and underarm seams for added comfort and chafing reduction
- Underarm gussets for increased mobility
- Split hem at side seams for increased mobility
- Reflective logos
- Reflective bar on lower back plus additional reflective hits throughout
Review
This review details both the The North Face Summit Series Short Sleeve and Tank Top.
The North Face Summit Series shirts are slim fitting. I am a women’s size medium on The North Face size guide and I found that both the short sleeve and tank top fit true to size. While described as slim fitting, I found the shirt to have plenty of room for movement and that it was not form fitting or skin tight. Rather, the fit is efficient, with no extra fabric to flap or bunch.
My testing of The North Face Summit Series shirts was during road and trail runs, as well as hikes. During these activities, I wore hydration packs that secured across the chest. The longest activity was a 2 hour trail run. Temperatures for these activities ranged from the 60s to the mid-90s.
The fit and function of The North Face Summit Series shirts are great. The shirts are incredibly light. The knit of the fabric is lightly perforated, which also helps to increase wicking and breathability. I also appreciated the bonded seams at high friction points, like the sides and underarms, helping to keep me chafe free.
The neckline of both the short sleeve and tank top is high, helping to block the sun. I intentionally picked the The North Face Summit Series Tank Top because of the high neckline, because I often forget to apply sunscreen to my chest during my lunch runs. The neckline, while high, is also very comfortable.
Sometimes technical shirt sleeves can be a bit on the tight side. This was not the case for me with The North Face Summit Series Short Sleeve. The are form fitting but still offer a bit of room to allow for movement on my thicker arms.
I like the additional details on both of The North Face Summit Series Short Sleeve and Tank Top shirts. The split hem adds a subtle style while giving the shirts added mobility to the lower hem. The reflective logo on the upper left chest and small reflective markers on the sleeve and lower hem are also nice touches. There is also a slight rear drop hem, providing a little extra coverage as you bend over or climb steep trails.
During my testing, both the The North Face Summit Series Short Sleeve and Tank Top shirts moved and breathed well. I didn’t have any chafing issues – even while wearing a pack. My temperature was also easily controlled and I never felt overly sweaty.
The one bummer about the The North Face Summit Series is that the fabric is fairly delicate. The recycled polyester knit snags fairly easily. I, disappointingly also managed to wear two linear holes in the short sleeve in the chest area, likely from where the shirt folded onto itself and rubbed under my hydration pack. Considering the price of this garment, I was disappointed that contact with my pack rubbed holes into the shirt in only a 2 hour run. I will definitely be more careful in the future to eliminate any folds or bunches beneath my pack to avoid this problem.
Closing Thoughts
The North Face Summit Series Short Sleeve and Tank Top shirts offer a lot of functionality but the trade-off is that the super lightweight fabric has shown to be a little delicate.
The The North Face Summit Series has both Short Sleeves and Tank Tops for men and women. The shirts are in 2 colorways per gender. Sizing ranges from XS to XXL (both men and women.)
Erin Trail
Trail Boss of Stoke
Erin is a former Montana park ranger with a degree in environmental engineering. She loves getting into technical details while putting her gear (and herself) through the paces. She shares her home in Colorado with her husband, Will, and her 3 cats (Zipper, Brewtus, and Simcoe).
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