Summertime in Jackson Hole after a long winter calls for making the most of soaking up the Vitamin D in as many ways as possible. The Patagonia Women’s Gatewood Tank Top is a breathable racerback tank well-suited for yoga, hiking, and climbing in sunshine and heat.
My first stop in the Patagonia Women’s Gatewood Tank Top was the Inversion Yoga studio in Jackson, WY, where I put it to the test in an 85-degree room during a flow yoga class, a more athletic yoga style that has lots of dynamic transitions between postures. I worked up my body heat pretty quickly, but the Gatewood tank’s performance fabric breathed and wicked easily, especially in the back between my shoulder blades and down the middle where it had some strategically-placed mesh patterning. Because it fit me loosely on the sides under my arms, yet was fitted at the bottom, it also allowed for more air exchange but stayed in place during inversions and downward dogs.
I wore the Patagonia Women’s Gatewood Tank Top over my Patagonia Active Mesh Bra to our local sport climbing crag, Blacktail Butte. I hadn’t washed my outfit after the yoga class, but since the tank is Polygiene-treated with special odor-controlling silver ions, it still looked and felt fresh. The subtly-striped racerback tank layered well over the bra, and still allowed for the bra’s fun, bright colors to peek out in a few spots. On the approach up, the tank and bra breathed and wicked sweat really well together, even under a climbing pack and a long sleeve shirt. Both dried very quickly once I reached the base of the climbs.
While I loved the seamless, comfortable feel of this tank and its performance and breathability, the fit was a bit off for me. It was a little too baggy at the top to be flattering, and the scoop neck and arm holes hung down much lower than I liked, exposing a little too much of my chest and the tops and sides of my sports bra. It was also longer than seemed necessary, approaching tunic length at the bottom, so that when climbing, I had to fold it up to fit under my harness. I’m 5’4”, so I’m thinking it would be perfect for a tall, slender gal and that perhaps I would have been better off sizing down.
The Patagonia Women’s Gatewood Tank Top is sustainably made from a recycled polyester/nylon/spandex blend and is available for women in sizes XS – XL in Black, Big Sur Blue, Carve Coral, and Galah Green. (See review of Patagonia Centered Tights.)
Bottom Line: A performance racerback tank that’s comfortable and functional.
Manufacturer’s site: www.patagonia.com
$49, on sale for $32 at Backcountry.com
Editor’s Note: At 6′ tall, I’d love this longer-cut tank!