Adidas Climachill Shirt: Australian Review

The worst part of running isn’t actually the running: it’s sweating like a pig and overheating to the point of throwing up. Adidas has developed a shirt it thinks can help you out, and we’ve been outside for a change to give it a test.

What Is It?

A shirt from Adidas designed to keep you cool while you workout.

Basically, the shirt has a polyester-mesh weave to aid breathability, as well as metallic dots in the shoulders and collar area to “conduct heat away from your body”.

Purportedly, the two together will keep you cooler while you do all manner of physical activities.

What Does It Do Well?

At first I was skeptical about a shirt that claimed to be able to keep me cool, but after a few workout sessions with the Climachill shirt versus the Threadless tees I normally use, I can say that I was more comfortable in the Adidas outfit than anything else.

While it doesn’t act like A/C for your shoulders, those little flat metal discs actually make difference by virtue of the fact that they’ll pretty much always be cooler than you are. Applying anything like that to your skin after a 30-minute run will always make you feel better.

Whether it “conducts heat away from the body” remains to be seen. I’d argue that it just gives you a burst of cooling in your collar and shoulders to make you feel good so you don’t overheat on a run rather than scientifically project heat away from you.

Like all Adidas gear, it’s a slim fit, but not so slim as to make you feel like you’re Zac Efron wearing shirts two sizes too small. It’s comfortable and fits well, without making all your wobbly bits poke out unnecessarily.

The crew-neck is also exceptionally comfortable, but that’s a personal choice really.

What Doesn’t It Do Well?

The Climachill shirt may work more effectively than a vest or tee at keeping you cool, but you have to think about the economics of the situation. You might get a bit warm in a simple vest or tee, but for the cost of one Climachill shirt at $55, you can get a whole bunch of crappy cotton tees that will (depending on who you ask) breathe better when you work out just by virtue of not being polyester.

A cooling shirt could also probably do with some venting in the arms or in the sides so the rest of your body can breathe like it does in the Climacool range from Adidas.

Should You Buy It?

If you’re a naturally warm person (like myself), working out can send your body temperature into an unbearable zone. The Climachill Shirt is a nice dose of cooling and breathable kit that will help you over the line and get that precious extra few minutes out of you when working out.

So long as you can justify the price to yourself, I think it’s a winner.


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