Odlo Summer 2020 Run Collection Review: Highly Effective Technologies, Thoughtful Design and Great Style

Article by Dominique Winebaum, Adam Glueck, and Sam Winebaum

Odlo Sportswear

Introduction

Dominique: “Born in Norway and engineered in Switzerland” ODLO has been around since 1946, yet this is my first introduction to the brand as I am testing a running outfit from their summer collection. Created by Odd Roar Lofterod, ODLO is known as the innovator of performance sports underwear and three-layer principles. ODLO first made its marks on the Norwegian Nordic ski scene, and over the past seven decades, has expanded its line of products into several sport categories: Sports Underwear & Baselayer; Running & Trail; Hiking & Trekking; Cycling & MTB; Fitness & Yoga; Ski & Snowboard, and Nordic Ski where among others it outfits MTB Scott Sram, Biathlon  Switzerland/Norway/France, French Ski Federation, and trail running TSL France.

ODLO has been at the forefront of innovation in producing performance sportswear as reflected in their line of apparel, which is engineered with a blend of high end technology, functionality, attractive designs, and top quality. Pricing mirrors the long lasting-quality of the ODLO brand and the Norwegian-Swiss platform for manufacturing engineered high performance apparel. Oldo is also a leader in the Fair Wear Foundation an independent, transparent initiative which seeks to improve labor conditions in the textile industry.

The Spring-Summer 2020 Collection features apparel engineered with new technologies aimed at keeping your cool, dry, comfortable, and odor free. Some of the apparel with their respective technologies in the 2020 Collection are reviewed here -- Women: Dominique and Men: Sam and Adam.

Adam: As a competitive nordic skier, I’ve seen Oldo’s winter layers before and have raced and trained extensively in their performance Blackcomb base layers which have become some of my favorite articles of clothing.  These winter base layers are warm, breathable, and use seamless technical fabric for exceptional comfort.  This is my first time testing any of their summer collection, and I’m excited to see how Odlo’s engineering and technology holds up in warmer temperatures.

Sam: When Odlo offered to send us some of their Summer 2020 Collection I was immediately interested. Nordic ski focused brands such as Oldo are in my experience light years ahead of most running brands in winter base and outer layers for run performance in winter and often style as well. Could Oldo also conquer summer training? 

Spoiler alert. After starting our testing of the samples we were so pleased we purchased the Blackcomb T and shorts for our daughter, another pair of run shorts and a singlet for me. Dominique is awaiting cycling shorts and a sports bra. That fine!

Tester Profiles

Dominique has run for over 40 years, consistently about 25 miles per week at paces between 10 and 11 minute miles. She races rarely, but always surprises more hard core runners in her age group when she does. She has a 1985 marathon PR of 3:16 in her second marathon which at the time put her on the top 10.Swiss women’s lists. She is the mother of two grown children, both runners post college, and enjoys nordic and alpine skiing, hiking and trekking, and gardening. 

Adam is a cross country ski racer from New Hampshire. Along with skiing, he’s a big fan of endurance sports in general and does a lot of running.  He’s much faster at skiing, recently participating in the curtailed NCAA’s Skiing Championships for Dartmouth College, but can run a 4:43 mile (in trail shoes), 16:59 5k (earlier this year), and has won a few small trail races you’ve never heard of.  His mileage varies depending on how much snow is on the ground, but he trains about 700 hours a year including 1200 miles of running and 4000 miles of skiing and roller skiing.  You can follow him at his IG: @real_nordic_skier, his blog: https://adamglueck.wordpress.com, on Strava https://www.strava.com/athletes/9267222

Sam is the Editor and Founder of Road Trail Run. He is 63 with a 2018 3:40 Boston qualifier. Sam has been running for over 45 years and has a 2:28 marathon PR. These days he runs halves in the just sub 1:40 range training 30-40 miles per week mostly at moderate paces on the roads and trails of New Hampshire and Utah. He is 5'10" tall and weighs about 165 lbs.

BLACKCOMB PRO-T-Shirt Short Sleeve ($65) BLACKCOMB PRO-T-Shirt Long Sleeve ($75)

First Impressions and Fit

Dominique: The Blackcomb Pro  “is the ultimate performance running top” per Odlo’s description, and probably the best technical T-shirt I have ever worn and owned. Starting with the fit, which is true to size, the T-shirt drapes the torso with zero points of friction and is neither snug nor loose.  

Ribbing at the neck, cuffs (long and short sleeves), and bottom edge, enhances the fit and helps keep the T-shirt in place when running.  

Extremely lightweight and breathable, the T-shirt feels soft and comfortable against the skin.  The engineered fabric has a good structure that is quite resilient to wear and tear. 

Adam

The first thing I noticed about the Blackcomb Pro and before I even put it on was the qualities of the fabric.  It’s soft, seamless, stretchy, and has a bunch of small ventilation around the dots.  At first I was slightly concerned about the width of the shoulders.  I find a lot of running shirts have narrower shoulders than I like that don’t allow range of motion, but when I actually tried running in it I found the stretch of the fabric and the geometry of the construction made this a nonissue.   

The fit is slim and the shirt stays in place while running, but never seems to get in the way.  The Blackcomb Pro T-shirt is soft against the skin, and hasn’t chafed or bothered me at all over several really long runs.  The shirt dries quickly even when running in the rain or sweating profusely, and doesn’t chafe while wet either.  

During one particularly demanding test, I wore the blackcomb pro short sleeve for a three hour mountain run, starting in sunny 70º weather, climbing to wind and snow at the summit, then descending through an icy trail indistinguishable from a stream, to a long dirt road descent back to my starting point.

The Blackcomb Pro has thin, but not paper thin fabric and is darkly colored, so I expected it to be unbearably warm in the 70º weather, but it wicked sweat easily and seemed inexplicably cool in direct sunlight.  While I haven’t been able to do a scientific test of the Ceramicool technology, it’s one of the coolest shirts I’ve worn, and unlike many other lightweight and breathable shirts, the fabric isn’t at all scratchy.  While descending from the mountain, I bumped into a lot of branches and thorn bushes and came home with a couple scrapes and scratches, but no damage to the blackcomb pro.  Although I tend to like shirts in brighter colors, the stripes of dots with varying densities of seamless mesh looks really clean and elegant. The technology and thoughtful design of the Blackcomb Pro T-shirt has made it one of my favorites.

Sam: I have never seen a performance run shirt with some many subtle, classy gradients of color, design and mesh density in a single shirt with the black tones an ever so slightly denser mesh than the color areas. 

Note how the more open color mesh bands are wider in the upper chest and back, then get thinner towards the lower parts of the shirt. Turn the With the shirts inside out as below (not designed for wearing that way but why not!)  and you get a whole other more solid patterned look showing that the black is essentially woven into the outer surface, only, somehow..

The long sleeve and short sleeve versions have an identical “slimmer fit” with plenty of length. As Adam noted, one might think too fitted but low and behold as the fabric is so light and has some stretch the fit has plenty of range of motion. 

And once past the beautiful design and the impeccable fit the feel: soft, stick free, and light on the skin and performance are top notch from the ZeroScent odor reduction through to the slight cooling effect from Ceramicool, to the rapid evaporation are all very much noticed and not gimmicks.

Features

Dominique: Extremely lightweight, the knit of the fabric has a generous amount of stretch and the feel is super comfortable. Three types of technologies are built-in into the Blackcomb Pro-T-shirt:  CERAMICOOL, LIGHT, and ZEROSCENT, each conferring properties to create a perfect micro-climate for the body to stay cool and dry when working out.  As per ODLO’s specs, 

• CERAMICOOL is an active cooling technology that can cool your skin by up to 1० C.  
• “LIGHT” technology confers the T-shirt high breathability, fast drying, maximum comfort and fast moisture transport.
• “ZEROSCENT” is an anti-odor technology that acts as a barrier against odorous substances.  

With all the technologies built-in into the Blackcomb Pro-T-shirt, I can confidently venture on my runs and hikes knowing that my performance T-shirt will keep me dry, cool, and comfortable.  

Adam

While testing the blackcomb pro, I noticed it’s breathability and quick drying is exceptional and it’s the coolest dark colored shirt I own.  As for ZeroScent, most of my stuff usually smells pretty terrible after running, but I did notice that the Blackcomb Pro stayed more dry and less gross than the rest of my running clothes.  I would still recommend washing it after running adventures.   

Performance

Dominique: The Blackcomb Pro-T-shirt comes in a short and long sleeve version-- both are identical in terms of specs but for the length of the sleeves.  With spring still on the cooler side, I like to wear the Blackcomb Pro Long-Sleeve-T-shirt under a lightweight jacket as I run and often half-way through my run end up tying my jacket around my waist.   It is a real plus that this high performance top comes in both a short sleeve and a long sleeve version.  

Sometimes you need coverage over your arms including for sun, yet you want the same kind of ventilation that you would get from wearing a short sleeve T-shirt.  

As part of the built-in ventilation, the T-shirt is designed with body-mapped ventilation.  I have the Hot Coral - Space Dye T s/s:  both colors alternate in a stripe pattern with the Space Dye stripes being ventilated. The Space Dye stripes are wider and more dense in certain areas of the top, namely where the body tends to sweat the most. 

I tend to skip a wash instead of washing my technical T-shirts after each wear.  With the ZEROSCENT anti-odor technology, I am able to wear the Blackcomb Pro-T-shirt for up to  3 workouts.  I don’t sweat profusely and the smell that lingers under the armpits is that of my deodorant. 

Adam

I’m used to quite cold temperatures from skiing so I tend to layer much less than most people.  This will mean racing shirtless in 40º weather, and having lots of trouble staying cooler when it’s in the 80s.  Because the Blackcomb Pro is so good at wicking sweat and staying cool in the sun, it’s a shirt I’ll wear in a lot of conditions, from about 35ºF to 70ºF, especially for long runs with varying temperature and precipitation.  I prefer the short sleeve as I think it’s more versatile, but having both lets me cover a wider range of conditions and both shirts share the same construction and performance.  

Sam: I concur with Dominique and Adam. I have been surprised at the extremely wide range of comfort on the run from lower 30’s (long sleeve) to upper 70’s-both short sleeve and long sleeve as the sleeves can easily be rolled up, something I always look for in a long sleeve run top. 

My testing has been in low humidity conditions and in all cases I was never chilled and in warmer conditions felt a slight cooling sensation from the Ceramicool. I have worn the shirts for up to four days of workouts (about an hour of running per day) with no odor detected but they do get a bit stiffer from dried sweat! The feel on the skin is never sticky, moisture evaporates quickly, and after the shirt dries very quickly. With several high tech comparable price shirts in my “arsenal” I am reaching most frequently for the Blackcombs.

Conclusions and Recommendations

Dominique

If my first introduction to ODLO was long in coming, after all I am Swiss born, I found a brand that works for me and that I can trust, not just for running, but for a wide-range of  athletic activities.  It’s hard to beat the performance and quality of an ODLO product, such as the BLACKCOMB T-shirt!  In addition, I really like the style and classy look, especially when matching with another ODLO product, such as the ZEROWEIGHT PRO shorts.  The fit is perfect and the T-shirt stays in place when working out.  As with any technical T-shirt, the price point reflects the quality and the performance of the product. Here it is worth it.  To keep it that way, I make sure to take extra good care of my ODLO apparel by following proper washing instructions.   

Adam

What really stands out to me about the Blackcomb Pro T-Shirts is the thought that went into the design.  The fabric is soft, seamless, doesn’t chafe, wicks sweat, and despite being a mostly black shirt, doesn’t get that hot in the sun.  With good looks, wicking, temperature management, and comfort, the blackcomb pro T-shirts are hard not to recommend.  Although more expensive than your typical running T-shirt, they hold up and fit well and the fabric technology is impressive.

Sam: Dominique and Adam have said it all! So much effective tech, great looks, and functionality packed into a humble shirt. Well worth the price! So much so that after trying the samples we have bought several more Oldo pieces,

Performance Light L/S Crew Neck ($65 )and Bottom Long and Performance Light Boxer ($35 )

First Impressions and Fit:

Adam: The Performance Light line from Odlo is a collection of base layers and underwear using stretchy breathable fabric featuring organic body mapping and ventilation zones. I feel like these baselayers would be exceptional for skiing, as they’re fitted but stretchy and warmer than the Blackcomb Pro.  On several colder and rainy days I took them out to test and was very impressed with their ability to wick and stay warm and dry, but even on warmer days they’re exceptionally breathable.  

I’ll primarily talk about the long sleeve crew neck baselayer as I’ve spent the most time testing it, but the same fabric technology and fit also apply to the boxer and long bottom base layer.  The fabric of this shirt is incredibly soft with the seams barely noticeable.  It’s stretchy enough that I didn’t notice any restriction around the shoulders, with the length of the arms perfect.  On my first run in the Performance Light L/S crew neck,  the weather was cold having snowed earlier that morning and it was drizzling.  I expected the fabric to get wet and heavy and start to chafe, but it stayed incredibly dry, evaporating the drizzle while keeping me comfortable.  Another day when it was 55º and sunny and I expected that I would sweat through the baselayer quickly, but it wicked sweat away and kept me feeling dry and comfortable for a two hour run.

Features:

Odlo emphasizes that the features and benefits in the performance light line are organic body-mapping, ventilation zones, and versatility.  These were readily apparent in my testing.  

The Performance Light has a next to skin fit, but with significant freedom of movement.  It feels far less restrictive than many shirts that fit looser.  As for ventilation zones and versatility, the fabric is seamless but with varying ventilation stripes around the body.  I found that it kept me dry in cold rain, and cool when I was sweating in the sun.  This ventilation that lets the baselayer be warm in the 30s and cool in the 50s means it covers a much wider range of conditions than I would’ve expected.

Performance:

I’d love to try these baselayers skiing or running in the fall, as they seem designed for cool weather.  Relative to similar weight baselayers, the Odlo Performance Light seems more breathable and wicking with softer fabric, but still is much warmer than something like the Blackcomb Pro T-shirts.  However when it is cooler and you’re looking for baselayers or underwear, the Performance Light line is comfortable and well suited to 25-50 F alone, and as an underlayer great for conditions significantly colder than that.

Conclusions and Recommendations

This is not a normal summer running T-shirt as are those in the Blackcomb Pro line, but are a cooler weather baselayer able to wick sweat and dry quickly, it is exceptional.  The fabric is soft and seamless and the fit is incredibly comfortable.   This is a shirt I’d want to wear around even if I wasn’t running.  These baselayers are similarly priced to competitors from Craft and Dæhlie, and considering their versatility are a good value.  The colors are very subtle in black and grey with stripes, I’d appreciate some brighter color schemes.  I’ll most likely reach for a Blackcomb Pro T-shirt over these for most of the summer, but when it starts to cool off again, this will be indispensable as a fall and winter base layer.  The boxers and bottom baselayer have the same comfort, range of motion, ventilation, and high quality fabrics.  I don’t usually wear bottom baselayers unless it’s very cold, so although I’d recommend them for winter, early spring, and late fall, I don’t think they’ll be useful that often in the summer.

Comparisons

Craft Active Extreme 2.0

The craft is also a well ventilated skin-fit baselayer, but with slightly less soft fabric than the Odlo Performance Light. The Craft would be good in slightly colder conditions, but isn’t something I’d wear in warmer weather as I would  the Odlo.

Odlo Blackcomb Pro T-Shirt

The Performance Light baselayer fits closer yet has more flexibility in the shoulders, relative to the Blackcomb Pro.  I prefer the fit of the Performance Light baselayer, but the fabric technology in the Blackcomb Pro makes it work better in warmer conditions as it’s even more breathable, and dissipates heat in the sun much quicker.  Both are excellent shirts, just for different conditions.

Odlo Blackcomb Performance Base layer Crew

The Blackcomb Performance is my favorite ski base layer.  It’s extremely warm, and I’ve worn it for many of my coldest races and training days.  Above 30º however it becomes much too warm.  The Performance Light has thinner fabric, and while not nearly as warm is more  versatile up to much warmer temperatures while sharing soft feeling fabric and excellent freedom of movement. 

Zeroweight Dual Dry Waterproof Jacket ($300)

Introduction

This is the lightest waterproof breathable jacket I have ever tested. 

Weighing a stunningly light 137 g in a large, with a full three layer construction, it has a chest pocket, and a roll up and stow hood with a light mesh headband rear draw cord. There is light stretch elastic across the front on either side of the zipper with none in the rear. 

There are several reflective accents including the front logo, sleeve cuffs, and  bottom rear hem.

It has a water resistance rating of 20,000 mm and a breathability of: 50,000 MVP which means it should easily meet the UTMB (Ultra Tour du Mont Blanc) required gear standards. The breathability rating is as high as I have seen for a jacket with 20K or better water resistance in the mix, the 20K meaning it is decently water resistant but not totally waterproof. All seams are taped, there is no stitching visible but it could be below the taping.

A Gold medal winner at the big ISPO sporting goods show I was eager to test and compare to other waterproof breathable jackets. 

First Impressions and Fit

Oldo sent me a size large. I am usually a medium. The fit is very generous and I suspect in my usual medium would be as well. 

I like a more generous fit for layers and don’t like overly snug jackets.  I also like to be able to easily remove the jacket on the run without unzipping all the way and am able to easily do so here due to the generous fit and open slightly stretchy cuffs .

Part of the easy fit comes from the incredible thin, slightly stretchy, soft, translucent and silky material. The sensation is of.. literally.. of no jacket on at all ! Yet it is a full three layer construction of outer shell membrane, and inner layer.

The jacket just seems to float over the body and it was hard to photograph its translucency in any kind of a breeze. Oldo does not recommend wearing it with a heavy backpack due to its abrasion resistance, something has to give for the lightweight and sliky feel, but under a race vest you should be fine.

Performance, Conclusions and Recommendations

This super light jacket combines very decent on the run wind and water protection and a luxurious soft and silky feel into a package that will fit in any pocket. While not a mountain “shell” it can accompany you packed or wearing without you noticing it on just about any run excursion. 

Paired with the Blackcomb shirts it makes for an outstanding combination for a wide range of conditions, for me down to freezing as I run hot. While the breathability is outstanding, I did notice it retained a bit more heat than I expected in dry conditions in the mid to upper 40’’s which surprised me. I particularly liked the roomy fit for layers and quick changes of layers, cuffs that move enough to see a watch, super light silky feel, the hood, and the reflective accents front and back. At the very upper end of run jacket pricing, its three layer immaculate construction and features could make it the last jacket you will ever need for running.

Comparisons

Daehlie Winter Run Jacket ($150) (RTR Review)

Snug fitting and lightly insulated with space program derived Aerogel panels the Winter Run, from nordic brand competitor Daehile is also beautifully crafted and designed. It will get you through many but not all winter conditions as there is not much room underneath for layers and it has lower water resistance than the Odlo if being at least as equally if not more breathable. The Daehlie has notably snug sleeve cuffs making it difficult to remove or see a watch unlike the Odlo. The Odlo is a more versatile if pricier year round option.

Ultimate Direction Ultra Jacket ($190) (RTR Review)

The Ultra weighs 180 g, so 43 grams more than the ZeroWeight and is considerably less expensive. It has comparatively more burly and durable outer face fabric so it is not as silky soft and light feeling and weighing. It has a similar hood, integrated mittens but no pockets of any kind. . With a  30K/30K rating it is both slightly more water resistant by spec and slightly less breathable. It has a roomy fit in my size medium close to the Odlo’s so room for layers. For pure running use I prefer the Odlo, for a versatile stripped down mountain running and hiking shell the Ultra. 

Gore R7 Partial Gore-Tex Infinium Hooded Jacket ($200) (RTR Review)

The Gore has a burlier outer fabric that nonetheless is softer than the usual Gore-Tex Windstopper but is way less silky thin and soft than the Odlo. Focused on high breathability and total wind resistance Gore does not disclose their ratings but my sense is not as water resistant as the Odlo and maybe a touch more breathable. It clearly has a snugger, almost cycling type fit. My medium barely accommodated heavier layers and the sleeves are notably snug her towards the shoulders. 

Zeroweight Pro Shorts Sam & Dominique ($55)

First Impressions and Fit

Dominique: The Zeroweight Pro Shorts are appropriately named as they are so lightweight.  The shorts are not lined and after pondering which type of underwear I should be wearing underneath, I decided to purchase a pair of Performance Light Sports Underwear Panty (in beetroot purple) from ODLO, which have cooling properties and are seemless ($35).  

What I realized is that I don’t have to wash my shorts are often because I can wash my underwear separately.  I really like the fit of the short from top to bottom -- just the right amount of fabric and coverage.  The waistband is well designed with a tie that can be adjusted, if need be, to keep the shorts stay in place.  Well ventilated with 28 small holes on each side of the hips, the shorts are extremely comfortable and weightless.  Attractive looking, they come in 3 different solid colors, with Odyssey Gray my favorite color.  In terms of sizing, I received a size small and the shorts fit perfectly, however, I am often a size medium. For that reason, I might recommend sizing down -- one reviewer on the ODLO website commented that they were “too-loose fitting.”  

Sam: As with the Zero Weight jacket, Odlo only had a large available to test instead of my usual medium. As Dominique said they are an incredibly lightweight airy short. 

While a bit long and baggy for my taste they do provide some extra sun protection due to their length. I was surprised that the minimal waistband allowed me to tuck in my phone with its Pop Socket to grip without making the shorts sag, unlike with the soft wide waistband of the Zero Weight 2-1 reviewed below.

Features

Super lightweight, well ventilated with 28 holes on each side of the hips, the shorts are super comfortable and breezy.  

Back zippered pocket that can hold a key or a gel but is not big enough for a phone 

Made with stretchable fabric with excellent fast-drying properties. 

Performance

Dominique: I have been enjoying the versatility of the Zeroweight Pro-Short as they are perfect both for the road and the trails with just the right amount of coverage.   

Extremely lightweight and well ventilated, I love to run in them as they keep me so comfortable and dry.  The waistband can be adjusted and is quite secure, however, the drawstring could be improved by adding a plastic tip to each end and making it longer. 

Sam: Light, comfortable, and never noticed yet always staying put, the ZeroWeight is about as lux a feeling short as I have ever worn. 

Conclusions and Recommendations

Dominique: It is important to factor in the fact that the shorts are not lined when considering the Zeroweight Pro-shorts as it may require an additional purchase, i.e. the perfect pair of performance underwear.   However, I find that it allows me to extend washes in between wears and it gives the option of wearing a liner of my own choosing.  The shorts are sleek looking, versatile, well designed and well made, as well as durable.  Following proper care instructions will extend the look and life of your ODLO product. 

Sam: Dominique describes the versatility just right. Mix and match what you put underneath as you wish. I will be matching them with my Salomon S-Lab Short Compression Tight for racing and long runs.

Comparisons

Dominique: The ODLO shorts remind me of a pair of ON running shorts, also a Swiss company that I received two years ago.  The ON running shorts have been redesigned with extended inner shorts - the model I have has a seamless brief integrated into the shorts.  Both shorts are “swiss engineered” and are comparable in terms of performance, design, quality, innovation, and pricepoint.   After wearing the Zeroweight Pro-Short, I find the coverage to be just perfect whereas my ON shorts are feeling a bit short.  Interestingly, the new ON shorts, which are made with extended inner shorts,  provide more coverage than the prior model (2018).

Sam: 

ZEROWEIGHT 2- in-1 Shorts ($70)

First Impressions and Fit

Sam: The  ZEROWEIGHT 2- in-1 shorts was a personal purchase, They have a very soft, non compressive liner made with Ceramicool. The fit is relaxed and very soft in my usual size medium. So much so that a phone in the pocket tends to pull them down more than I would like but otherwise they are super comfy. 

Features

Inseam Length: 6”

The shorts have two drop in front pockets with one also including a zipper pocket that can hold both a small wallet and keys but not quite a phone. They also have a zippered back pocket.

Performance and Conclusions.

Weight in the pockets issue aside these, the 2-1 is a supremely comfortable more relaxed run shorts that can double for other uses. The soft liner is particularly comfortable and I can clearly feel the effect of the Cermicool in the mix. The wide waistband is not particularly structured and as Dominique noted, and we found in all the Odlo short,s the drawstring is too short and not really functional as far as tightening or holding shorts up.

Read reviewers' full run bios here. 

The product reviewed was a personal purchase The opinions herein are the authors'.

Comments and Questions Welcome Below!

Please let us know mileage, paces, race distances, and current preferred shoes

RoadTrailRun receives a commission on purchases at the stores below.

Your purchases help support RoadTrailRun. Thanks!

SHOP FOR ODLO

REI Men's & Women's  SHOP HERE

WATCH OUR YOUTUBE REVIEWS ON THE ROADTRAILRUN CHANNEL

Please Like and Follow RoadTrailRun

Facebook: RoadTrailRun.com  Instagram: @roadtrailrun

Twitter: @RoadTrailRun You Tube: @RoadTrailRun