Over the past 15 years, Lance Armstrong's Livestrong organization has raised millions of dollar to help fund research on how to improve the quality of life for cancer survivors. Much of that money was brought in by sales of the extremely popular yellow armbands that are so closely associated with the Livestrong brand, but the organization also happens to have a line of active, athletic gear that they've produced in conjunction with Nike. Proceeds from the sale of that line of gear go directly to Livestrong, and over the years I've purchased a few items that remain amongst my favorite running clothes.With the 15th anniversary of the founding of Livestrong just passed, Nike is preparing an update to their line of gear in time for a spring release. I recently got my hands on an early sample of one of the new Livestrong Hypercool running shirts, which incorporate Nike's Dri-Fit fabrics to help wick moisture and keep you dry and cool over the length of your run. As you would expect, the stylish – all black – shirt features the distinctive Livestrong shade of yellow, which is a tribute to Armstrong's seven Tour de France titles, during which we all became so accustomed to seeing him in the Yellow Jersey. The back of the shirt has a large mesh panel – also in yellow – which brings an added measure of breathability to the wearer, not to mention enhanced visibility while running in low light conditions.
Living in Texas, where the weather never really gets all that cold, I've had ample opportunity to put this shirt through its paces recently. After just a few short runs, it quickly became apparent that the Hypercool was going to earn a spot in my workout rotation. I appreciated the fact that the stretchy, spandex-enhanced, fabric allowed me to move with out restrictions and didn't cling to my body, even when I started to work up a sweat. Having used Dry-Fit shirts before, I knew what to expect in terms of breathability and wicking, but even I was surprised at how well this shirt performed in conditions ranging from cool to warm and dry to humid to raining.
The Livestrong Hypercool shirt will run about $40 when it is released later this spring, and probably the best thing I can say about it is that I'll definitely be adding a few more to my closet. It is one of the best running shirts I've worn, and you can never be too comfortable while on the streets or trail.
