We have been fans of Pistol Lake for just over a year now, when we first discovered them via our Kickstarter of the Week feature. Joe got to check out one of their prototypes and raved even then:
The Eudae fabric feels simultaneously tough and incredibly soft and comfortable, with just the right amount of stretch. The tailoring and fit of the shirt are excellent, and the stitching and flat seams are very high-grade. And I’m a sucker for raglan sleeves! The shirt feels slightly thicker, heavier, and more substantial than the average tech tee, but in a good way. It’s the sensation of quality.
A few months later, Joe received an updated item (their Summerweight Active Tee) and, once again, had nothing but good things to say:
Pistol Lake has come out with a new running shirt that maintains the high quality and craftsmanship of its predecessor, but is much lighter and more breathable. [T]he fabric is soft and light, and the tailoring holds flapping and sagging to a minimum. In addition, although it was a reasonably warm morning and sweat was dripping from my brow, the shirt (and the torso it contained) remained dry and comfortable throughout my run. It wasn’t until I was back inside that I started to feel sweat on the shirt.
Other than the excellent construction and design, Pistol Lake eschews frills. If you’re looking for a bold logo or neon colors, you’ll be disappointed. If you’re looking for a high-quality running shirt from a company that takes pride in its products and the care with which they’re made, you definitely can’t go wrong with Pistol Lake.
Raglan
At the risk of it sounding like Run Oregon is “in the bag” for Pistol Lake, I am here to say that their new performance tops – both their Minimalist Performance Henley and Raglan – are fantastic additions to their apparel line and I absolutely love them.
Essentially, these two tops are identical outside of the shirt style. They are made from their Polyester/Tencel (500X thinner than cotton) /Spandex combo – the same fabric as Joe’s Summerweight Tee – and I can echo Joe’s positive impressions about their construction. The first sound that came out of my mouth upon pulling them out of the box were, “dang” and “these are soft”. No joke (ask my daughter – she was the one who pulled them out and read their handwritten card to me)! They look and feel like they could be utilized for running or as a casual top, and I anticipate they will play a dual role in my wardrobe. They don’t have the shiny sheen that many “tech” tees have, and their minimalistic design (no logos or fancy colors) seem to encourage this duality.
As far as the fit and function go, these hold up quite well. Even being aware that they are lightweight, I was still surprised by just how true that description is. While the construction isn’t see-through (and actually appears pretty dang durable), it was quite amazing how ultra-light the tops were. It’s super breathable and quick drying, and, while I have only had the opportunity to wear on the treadmill, I CAN’T WAIT to wear these on my warm summer runs! But even with the lightness, it fits snugly without being super constrictive, and has ample stretch. You may consider buying a size larger if you sit on the fence between sizes and/or are self-conscious about problem areas (i.e. stomach).
Pistol Lake is obviously held in high regards with us here at Run Oregon, and we recommend you check out all their stuff.
Company: Pistol Lake (Facebook)
Products:
More about Pistol Lake:
We want to bring back a level of craftsmanship and quality that just isn’t around anymore. We build for purpose, sweat the details and make things to last. Summers camping on Pistol Lake were what my brother and I looked forward to all year. We’d drive all day, filling in missing parts of the road and building bridges to be able to spend time away.
Pistol Lake represents this reverence for the simple things in life.
The quality of our garments is a reflection of the expertise and care of our sewers. We are fortunate to work with great craftspeople, which is why we can stand behind our products.
Thank you to Pistol Lake for providing us with a sample pair. Please read our transparency page for info on how we do our reviews.
