Nau Merino Zip T : All Right Nau!

It was love at first sight for me. The minute I saw Nau's Urbane Jacket in Outside Magazine, I knew I'd found the company I'd been longing for my entire life.

The Urbane was unlike any other jacket I'd loved before, sleek, smooth, and black, definitely urban, with just a hint of curve and flare and stylish enclosures that were so much more attractive and subtle than the average snaps and zips--and better yet, no logos anywhere to be seen. It was the jacket I could wear around town and look amazing in, hike all day (all weekend) in, and chase down bad spies in if I ever got into the good spy business.

Naturally, I contacted Nau, proclaimed my love, and then waited for a Nau store to open in my city. Who wouldn't love a company dedicated to sustainability and fair trade practices that makes gorgeous apparel out of recycled plastic bottles, organic cotton, and merino wool.

A few months later, I attended the store opening, and tried on almost every garment in the store. So, here's where the story about the Urbane Jacket ends and the Merino Zip T starts. It's not that I fell out of love with the jacket, I just needed a new shirt more than a new jacket.

My whole life, I've been wearing ill-fitting shirts because I'm 5'11," and nothing ever fits me. The minute I put on Nau's Merino Zip T, my life changed. No more skimpy, inadequate tops. No more cold wind across my belly during spring hikes. Now I finally had a shirt that made it past the waistband on my low-rise jeans. A shirt I could hike in, exercise in, and wear every day (as I have since I got it). Actually, I bought two because I couldn't decide between the cool charcoal or the warm chocolate. And because I just wanted two.

The Merino Zip T is hands down the most comfortable, most attractive, best designed shirt I've ever worn. Ever. The real beauty of Nau's design is in the fit. Unlike most shirts, which have a front, a back, and two sleeves, the Merino Zip T is constructed out of several triangles of material, so the shirt hugs, drapes, and hangs in all the right places. They even managed to slip in a tiny zippered pocket on a front seam. Sweet.

Naturally, the wool is super soft and ultra fine, and it does what merino wool does best: wicks away moisture and resists odor. I've worn the shirt for power walks five days in a row, and it still didn't smell.

I should say that when I was in the dressing room at the Nau store, three other women and I began passing around clothes. Miraculously, the top looked good on everyone, and we all had pretty different body types. To me, that says a lot about the design and quality of a garment. Another bonus; this top runs big. I'm usually a M or L in tops, and needed a small in this one. A beautiful top (well, two), and I get to be a small!

Also available in men's sizes.

Bottom LIne: Stellar performance, beautiful designs, excellent fit--and it's all logo-free. At first it seemed too good to be true, but thank the clothing gods it isn't. --E.D. (June '07)

Price: $74 (see ads at right for a link to Nau)

Buy Online: Shop for Nau items and find list of Nau stores on their website.

Manufacturer's Site: www.nau.com