The North Face Kilowatt Short Sleeve Review

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

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.

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.

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.

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.