While we got a late start to warmer weather here in Oregon for the first time in a while, you know that’s not always going to be the case. LifeLabs, not exactly a running apparel company, does utilize science to create a few items that are wonderful for summer running.
Womens CoolLife Tank
Much like the CoolLife Tee – these are supposed to be more of a casual wear. But true to form of this blog – I took them for a spin at higher foot speeds. The most interesting thing about this tank was that when I got them, they were pretty wrinkled. Wrinkles are pretty standard for shipped items, so I hung them to remove the wrinkles (which still left some), then I tried washing a drying, which also still left some (see below). I was perplexed because usually athletic or athleisurewear doesn’t typically wrinkle. Here was the magic – I put them on, and the wrinkles disappeared!
These tanks held up extremely well during a 4-mile run. They have a really nice A-shape to them that helps with air flow and were just a really comfortable and light material. The green color (Olive) showed some sweat, but you couldn’t even tell I had just lost a Nalgene bottle worth of sweat when I did the same run with the light blue (Ice) one.
One other thing to note about sweat and this tank top. On the website they mention to “wash less often for less impact” – I laughed at this originally – how can something you actively sweat in not need to be washed? Especially I’ll admit I get SWEATY – like for a very petite human I sweat A LOT. So, I decided to hang these up after my run, let them dry and see if washing less was even possible. They truly held up! There was basically no sign of the previous day’s wear. There is some magic in this material.
The same tech as the CoolLife Tee applies to these tanks, I think they truly do keep you that 3 degrees cooler. The difference in this of course being the silhouette and the design for the female body. The higher neckline for sun protection and the shape of the straps really felt like they are designed to be used anywhere and for any activity. My olive tank got a spin at a happy hour as well and I really enjoyed the way it framed my shoulders.
These do run a little bit big. I got a small when I’m typically an XS. The small fits probably more like a typical medium so if you like your tanks a little tighter, I might go a size down. These tanks come in size XXS-XXL. I would probably reorder mine in an XS or even an XXS. The tank also comes in white in addition to the olive and ice colors and costs a very economical $39.
Womens CoolLife Sun Shield Windbreaker
This windbreaker material is unlike any other that I have for either running or just casual wear. It’s hard to explain but it feels a bit like sturdy tissue paper – with the emphasis on sturdy. With the cooler summer we’ve been experiencing that seems to swing to very warm rapidly during the day – this jacket was put to the test.
This jacket, similar to the tank, claims that the CoolLife fabric keeps you cool while also providing wind resistance, and 50+ UPF protection. I first took it out on a couple mile walk during that time of day that warms rapidly and I never took it off! It did truly feel breathable which is very unlike every other windbreaker I own. And I own a LOT of them.
A few days later I took it with me on a run in the rain. We had a random rain day in the middle of 80-degree days because it’s Oregon. The jacket description doesn’t say anything about water resistant or waterproof, but I was kind of curious. It wasn’t a cold rain, but it solidly rained, and I kept that jacket on the whole time. It was actually very water resistant! We went about 4 miles again and I never got wet and never got hot (beyond the usual heat up from running).
Unlike the tank – this jacket runs a little truer to size. I again got a small which I thought fit quite well. I might have gotten an XS, but you could choose to go very true to size here as opposed to sizing down like with the tank. Also, I don’t typically order thing in lighter colors, and almost never light blue, but the light blue (Ice) with the black piping on this jacket is AWESOME.
I’ve gotten a few compliments on it and I really like it. It also comes in an orange/red color called heat that looks great. This jacket runs true to size, comes in sizes XXS-XXL and is a little more costly at $129. I’ve spent more on a windbreaker though with greater cooling claims and I would hands down recommend this one.
The simple design of both the tank and the jacket, the color section, and the way these items fit were all a great surprise to me. This is the type of clothing I would see advertised and not believe the cooling hype or probably scroll past. I fully recommend giving these a try. These were a fun addition to my running and athleisurewear closet and I’m glad I got to try them. I plan to order the CoolLife Long Sleeve to try out this summer for some added sun protection.
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Products & Price:
- CoolLife Tank | $39
- 58% Polyethylene, 42% Recycled Nylon
- CoolLife Sun Shield Windbreaker | $129
- 53% Recycled Nylon, 47% Polyethylene
Thank you to LifeLabs for providing us with test items. Please read our transparency page for info on how we do our reviews.
