Meet the non-believers.

All companies tell you how great their stuff is. They all say it’s the best or the most this or that. Or they get someone they’re paying to say nice things about it. Which is why genuine customer reviews are so important. They’re honest. They’re raw. They’re real. You can believe them and rely on them. Well, we went one step further. We enlisted some ‘sceptics’ who didn’t already buy or like our products, people who actively suspected they were no good or overpriced, and we challenged them to try it. Admittedly we didn’t charge them for the gear they tested, otherwise, we paid them nothing, and asked them to be totally honest about what they thought. So if you’ve ever thought we were full of it or wondered if our gear is really worth it, you may find this useful.

Here’s what Stevi-Lee had to say after wearing the Ultra top at a trail running event.

BEFORE:

"My brutally honest opinion of any top I’d consider paying in the $100 range for is it had better run the event for me at that price. If I’m buying a top for that amount of money I want to make sure I’m getting the most ‘bang for buck’. It would need to be comfortable, something I don’t have to fiddle with - adjust, pull down, tick or or adjust on the run. Something that keeps me perfectly warm the whole time without getting hot. Something I don’t have to think about so I can focus on the run itself. 

Stevi-Lee unpacking her Ultra Long Sleeve Top

AFTER: 

“Thinner than I expected.”

"I actually thought it would be thicker than it was and that I’d get too warm. When I first tried it on I realised it was quite thin and started getting worried I’d get too cold. I was wrong on both counts. Did I get hot? Yes, but I was running and you get hot no matter what you’re wearing, but was I uncomfortable? Absolutely not! At the risk of sounding like Goldilocks, it was not too hot, not too cold… just right!"

“The fabric feels luxurious.”

I know that sounds crazy, but I can really feel the softness, even when I’m folding it up with the rest of the washing. I can really notice the quality.

“I didn’t feel disgusting afterwards.”

"I wore it for a few hours after arriving home and even my hubby noticed I didn’t smell bad. When I run in a synthetic shirt, I can smell myself after 5km and I run for the shower." 

“I simply felt ‘comfortable’."

"It’s one simple word, but it really is the most important. I associate comfort with being curled up on the couch in my PJs, reading a good book, so to use the word ‘comfortable’ to describe something related to something innately UNcomfortable - running in nature - is a big compliment."

“You get what you pay for.”

"They’re not ‘cheap’, but you certainly get what you pay for. I’m really not sure I’ve fully experienced all its benefits and comforts yet. I’m running tomorrow in rain and hail and can’t wait to try it. Hubby will be getting one for his birthday next week too!"

“I’m no longer a sceptic.”

"I’m no longer a sceptic! Seriously. The biggest compliment I can pay to the ioMerino shirt I was wearing is I didn’t think about it at all. I didn’t think 'I’m too hot' or 'gee it’s cold' or 'I hate how I have to keep pulling the shirt down' etc, I just wore it and it let me run."