This is my third review for Soho Equestrian. It’s a British brand that I think hasn’t quite become super popular here in the US yet…but if everyone tried their breeches…they would be! I reviewed their regular breeches back in April and man were they a hit! I’ve got the black ones on my Christmas list. These breeches are SO good. I love them. Highly recommend! I also reviewed their tights which was a weird one for me…as I typically dislike riding tights (the pull on kind), but I liked those as well. I saved the Base Layer for last. Thank you Soho for providing me these items to try out and review.
The first thing I need to say is this is for sure a base layer type shirt rather than a sun shirt. It’s not for 100 degrees. I’m not sure it’s even for 80 degrees. It’s heavier fabric similar to the Equestrian Stockholm base layer shirts. They’re not going to make you die and sweat your butt off if it’s a little warm…but they’re certainly not for summer in most parts of the US. So I’m waiting to share my thoughts on the shirt for now…even though I’ve had them since early in the year. I’ve had plenty of time to wear it and give it good use.
The second thing I will mention is that the Stone colored base layer is a lot cooler of a gray that it appears on the website. The studio shots against the white background make it look taupe. It’s not. It’s a true gray (as you can see from my photos and some of their other website photos). It’s a pretty color…but it would have been a pretty color if it had been taupe leaning as well (and a bit more unique). They also have this top in the same gorgeous emerald green color of the tights I reviewed, navy and a cranberry red color which is gorgeous (just not suited to my chestnut horse).
Now that we’ve got those couple of disclaimers out of the way, lets get into it. First off…is it cute? Yes. I think so. I like the color (it goes with everything). The fit is snug and compressive (which I have grown to like), but it’s not forgiving unless you size up. It does have a large logo branding on the back and a logo branding on the sleeve which…I could do without one of those. That’s a pet peeve of mine is a LOT of branding on an item (looking at you Equestrian Stockholm). It’s not necessary to me to have the brand screamed out to everyone within a quick viewing distance. Makes me feel uncomfortable when I think about it (like when everyone was a walking Nike or Abercrombie billboard during a certain time of my life). Anyways…the giant branding on the back isn’t my favorite…but it’s not going to make me throw the shirt out either. I’m taking one tick off for the multiple use of branding…but that’s all I can find fault with to be honest. It’s cute. I feel cute wearing it.
For performance it works great. It doesn’t stain easily. It’s comfortable in the saddle. There’s little mesh underarm panels to help with sweating. I don’t notice it when I’m riding…which exactly how it should be. It has all the stretch in the world so I could literally do contortionist movements in it and there would be no problem. Plenty of stretch. It comes in a large size range (XS to XXL) which I appreciate. I am wearing a size large here. The fabric is super comfy and luxurious. Much nicer than most brands I’ve tried with the exception of Nikovian (which is…MUCH more expensive).
As for quality and how well it’s holding up…well the shirt has been worn (ditto the breeches) a TON…and both still look brand new when washed. Stitching has had no issues. No issues with the zipper. No issue with pilling. No issues with fading or staining. I wash them cold water…hang to dry. The shirt dries fairly fast even in winter when there’s a lot of moisture in the air. I am absolutely loving how easy care the products from Soho are.
And even better…like the other two products I’ve reviewed, for the price the quality cannot be beat. I mean…this shirt is $62…show me another base layer that is less expensive for the quality (the quality of these is better than ES imo for instance…). Even the Dapplebay shirts are more expensive. You can’t beat the price for quality here. You just can’t.
So if you’re looking for some nice base layers for fall that won’t break the bank (and will last more than one season), give Soho Equestrian a try (also…the breeches are…*chefs kiss*).
