Olivers Apparel Review: Upscale Performance Clothing

Since I’m constantly on the move, and live in a warmer environment, finding good upscale performance wear to fit my needs is generally high up on my list. However, it has been difficult to find products that fit me well, move with me, wick moisture away, keep me cool, and make me feel good wearing them. So, when I heard about Olivers Apparel, I just had to give them a try to see what all the hype was about.

Convoy Tee

The first product I decided to try was the Convoy Tee, size medium in Petrol colorway. This tee is made of 100% Merino wool, which seems a bit warm for the summer months to me.

I love Merino because it’s a fantastic fabric that I exclusively use for my hiking clothing. Having this as a tee is interesting though, because it is quite warm. The brand says that it will help keep you cool on hot days or warm on cold days. But I didn’t find that to be the case for me with regards to keeping me cool. However, I’m LOVING this now that the temperatures are lowering in the Fall.

The cut of the tee didn’t quite work with around my shoulders. While it has an interesting pattern with the seams, it made the shirt sit funny on my frame. So, I can’t say that this will end up being a regular go-to performance shirt for me.

All Over Short (Lined)

The All Over Short (Lined) in a size medium was the next piece of apparel I tried. To initially test these out, I wore them to work and to run errands around town. The shorts don’t bunch up and the liner is perfect for being more active. Which I put to the test by doing some light yoga.

I really liked the color accent pieces at the end of the drawstrings on these shorts. It gives them a pop of color without being overly ostentatious.

This pair is among my favorite go-to shorts in my closet now. I can see myself wearing the shirt and shorts to do low effort activities like walking the dog or playing table tennis. But probably not for more intense activities like running or boxing because of how hot the shirt was for me. And while it’s priced at $85, I may consider adding another of their 6 color options for added diversity in my closet.

Passage Pant

The last piece of apparel I tried from Olivers Apparel was the Passage Pant in a size 33. The fabric on these pants, just like the shorts, seems to be heavy and durable.

The pockets on both the pants and shorts are more than large enough for any of the items that I wanted to put into them.

Overall, I really liked the fit and feel of these pants when I was doing regular everyday activities. They also felt nice to just stay in when I went out to dinner with my wife. Both the shorts and the pants are great additions to my regular rotation these days. With warm Phoenix weather, I struggle with the desire to wear pants versus the overheating that it will cause. These honestly performed better than any other pants I own in the heat.

The $138 price tag is a bit steeper than I normally go in for, but for something you can wear in any situation and temperature, it’s worth it.

The premium fabrics the brand touts they have created lend to the proposed high quality of their products. On the Olivers Apparel fabrics page the consumer is informed that all of their fabrics have been made by extensively searching the globe for the best performing fabrics to use.

Their current line of custom fabrics include:

- All Over Stretch Weave – high performance Nylon replacement consisting of 88% Nylon and 12% Spandex.
- Merino Active Jersey – 100% Merino wool consisting of 18.5 Micron Merino, which is one of the softer wool options.
- Passage Stretch Weave – a proprietary blend of Cordura Nylon and Lycra for added stretch, moisture wicking and comfort.
- Classic French Terry – 100% Supima Cotton from Japan consist of extra long staple fibers for less pilling, tearing, wrinkling, fading, or fraying.
- Alpine Series – made of 60% Polyester and 40% Cotton makes for a breathable, yet warming layer at the same time.
- Charter Stretch Twill – combines the 100% Supima Cotton with other unknown fabric for stretch and comfort.
- City Stretch Oxford – lightweight and breathable fabric made of some Cotton and unknown other fabrics.
- Surge Series – made of 60% recycled Cotton and 40% recycled Poly, this is their most sustainable and eco-friendly blend.
- Compass Ripstop Nylon – made of Ripstop Nylon developed in WWII to prevent the normal ripping and tearing of nylon and is also water resistant.
- Pivot Tech – made from eco-friendly recycled fibers to be odor resistant, quick drying, and lightweight.

While all of these custom fabrics sound fantastic for performance, very few of them are actually eco-friendly and sustainable. And none of them tell us anything about where the raw materials are sourced.

The brand lists no certifications denoting quality, fair trade, sustainability, or ethical practices either. And, while there are some rumors floating around that their products are made here in the USA, my products came in saying “Made in China.”

All of these things are big flags to me about what the brand claims. While I love the “house rules” the company has to make the world a better place, there’s nothing concrete to back up their statements. So, until they become more transparent with the consumer on all of the aforementioned points, their brand claims are just that; brand claims. Which makes it difficult to fully determine the actual quality of their products at this point, unfortunately.

When it comes to upscale high performance menswear, Olivers Apparel has created a great line of options. Their fabrics do seem to feel and act high quality and are really comfortable to wear. However, their price points are pretty darn steep for the average consumer.

Since they don’t have any certifications or supply chain information to give us reasons for their inflated price tags, it’s a bit difficult to say they are worth it right now. While I really enjoyed the apparel items I tried from them, I can’t say that I’m going to dive in and buy more items.

In order for me to justify a higher premium on products like this, I need to have more information telling me why I should. Even if they had one or two of these types of certifications it would help ease my mind that my purchase is helping the world and not hurting it:

Certified B-Corp
Fair Trade
FSC Certified
GOTS
Oeko-Tex
Green Business Bureau (GBB)

Until then, I say give them a shot if you’ve been in the market for upscale performance apparel, but the environmental factors aren’t as important to you.

Olivers Apparel is currently offering a discount of $25 off your first order of $150 or more on their website. If you choose to join their email list, it’s highly probable that you will receive discount codes in the future as well.

Anytime a consumer is considering a new piece of athleisure wear, some questions are bound to arise. Here are some of the most common questions consumers have about Olivers Apparel specifically.