The thing that sets The North Face Kilowatt apart from its competitors is its abrasion-resistant fabric and taped seams on the shoulders. Unfortunately, its added durability comes at a high price, both on the price tag, and in breathability and drying performance. We didn't find that its pros outweighed the cons, especially compared to some great competition.
Performance Comparison
Hard at work on the trails outside of Ouray in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado. We preferred the Kilowatt (pictured here) for trail running over road running.
Photo: Elizabeth Riley
Comfort
While we really liked the idea of the taped seams over the shoulders, most of the seams on the shirt were still sewn, and the ones on the back mesh panel rubbed a bit. The fit is loose, comfortable, and non-restrictive.
The fit is large and loose on this shirt and the material is heavier, adding more durability, than the other running shirts.
Photo: Elizabeth Riley
Breathability
While the Kilowatt incorporates mesh breathing panels under the arms and along the top of the back like many other running shirts, the weave and type of fabric used were less breathable than models like the New Balance Ice 2.0.
Drying Speed
While The North Face claims that the FlashDry-XD knit body material dries quickly while providing superior abrasion resistance, we found in our drying test that it was the slowest shirt to dry.
Versatility
This is versatile shirt, as it is the most durable one we tested. It would make for a great base layer and works well under a pack.
The heavier FlashDry-XD (orange in this photo) fabric makes this a great shirt for cooler days or as an underlayer. It didn't breathe as well or dry as fast as the other shirts.
Photo: Elizabeth Riley
Features
Except for its use of a heavier fabric that is more durable than some of the other very lightweight polyesters that we reviewed, the Kilowatt is pretty short on features. We liked the taped seams, but the single logo provides the only reflection point, and it isn't too bright.
Black seam taping on the Kilowatt's shoulder seams means no rubbing or abrasion on the inside. We only wish they used this technique more liberally! Also visible here is the FlashDry mesh panel designed to allow for better breathability. We found it to be less breathable than other shirts' mesh panels.
Photo: Elizabeth Riley
Style
Our panel of so-called fashion experts put this right about in the middle in terms of looks.
Best Applications
While the Kilowatt is designed for running, we think it will work better for trails and long ultra-type outings than on the roads. It also works quite well as a base layer for other activities.
Value
The North Face Kilowatt Short Sleeve retails for $60.00. This is quite a bit more expensive than other shirts, like the Patagonia Capilene Lightweight T-Shirt and ASICS PR Lyte Short Sleeve that we thought easily out-performed it, so we can't say it comes at a great value.
Conclusion
Don't get us wrong, we don't hate this shirt, we even like it. We wore it many times and had only minor complaints. Most of our critique above is very nit-picky. That said, we had four other shirts to compare it to, and the Kilowatt certainly wasn't the best.
