Columbia Skien Valley Shirt review: a light and breezy, insect-repelling, sun-deflecting hiking shirt

First impressions

Not only is the Skien Valley long-sleeved top a nice-looking hiking shirt (available for men and women), with some great vents and features, it’s also part of Columbia’s new Insect Shield Collection, which – so the US-based brand – can protect you from bity beasts while you’re trying to enjoy alfresco adventures.

Not all insects are annoying, most do a very valuable job, but I think we can all agree that some, like mosquitoes and midges, are the bastard spawn of the devil and, when they’re not actually killing people, they seem to exist only to drive hikers and campers mad and ruin the outdoor experience. There are myriad ways to try and keep them at bay, including using spray-on repellents and creams, from deet to more natural deterrents like citronella and eucalyptus – but this can prove costly, the bottles take up room in your backpack and some have a very strong smell and feel greasy on your skin.

Another option is to cover up as much of your body as possible, with standard base layers and long socks and so on, but that can get very hot and sweaty when you’re hiking and spending time in camp in the summer, which is exactly when such annoying insects come out.

Alternatively, you can try using treated clothing, like garments from Columbia’s new Insect Shield collection. The Skien Valley shirt is part of this range of gnat-smashing wearable gear, all of which are impregnated with an insecticide called permethrin, which the American brand say works against mosquitoes, ticks, ants, flies, chiggers, and no-see-ums. If this stuff works, I’m all over it.

Design and Materials

The pieces of clothing in the Insect Shield Collection, including the Skien Valley shirt, aren’t just treated with permethrin, they are also designed to deter biting insects from landing on you in the first place. This starts with the light colorways used (less attractive to the creatures, apparently) and extends to extra coverage (long sleeves, collar etc) and mesh-backed vents on the back and the elbows, which allow cool air in and hot air to escape, without opening a door of opportunity for the biting insects to get in and have a munch on you.

The nylon material is light, but not so thin that a mosquito can stab its proboscis through it, and the thickness also protects you from the sun (as does the collar). The material contains Omni-Wick technology, which shifts moisture (sweat) away from your body to the outside of the garment, where it quickly evaporates.

Aside from these features, both the men’s and the women’s version of this shirt boast two chest pockets. On the women’s shirt these are both secured with Velcro, but on the men’s shirt the one on the left has a vertical opening and a zip. All versions of the shirt have a secret interior pocket made from mesh, for stashing something like a credit card very discreetly if you’re traveling in places where security is an issue.

The snap closures on the cuff and front of the shirt make it very quick and easy to put on and take off, and to open up when you want extra air flow. The collar can be flipped up to supply extra protection for your neck from the sun.

It’s just a shame that no recycled fabric appears to have been used in the construction of the Skien Valley shirt, and that it doesn't contain any treatment to prevent the build up of bacteria and bad odors over time.

On the trails

I have been wearing the Skien Valley shirt and other elements of Columbia’s Insect Shield Collection during this long hot summer, while hiking and camping in England and Ireland. In one campsite in particular, in the Wicklow Mountains just outside Dublin, during a still day amid a stifling heatwave, the midges were at plague proportions, emerging in aggressive clouds as soon as the sun set, and I was able to give the gear a really good test.

In my experience, after I changed out of standard kit and into the Insect Shield clothing, there was a noticeable difference in the amount of attention I was getting from the biting insects, who presumably went and annoyed someone else (sorry, not sorry, camping comrades).

I can’t say I was completely shielded from bites by this shirt, because it doesn’t offer full coverage (unlike the Skien Valley Hooded Light Jacket, which has a face net and everything), and in the campsite I ended up donning an ensemble that comprised the Skien Valley Hoodie, Cargo Hiking trousers and Booney hat.

But where this shirt comes into its own is during hiking escapades and walking adventures. The vents on the elbows and shoulders are excellent, allowing delicious bursts of breeze to get through and cool your skin, while the mesh backing behind these flaps keeps insects out.

Obviously it’s best to wear the sleeves down when you’re in camp, to fend off squadrons of mosquitoes, but when you’re striding along the trail and breaking a sweat, it’s easy and pleasant to roll the cuffs up and use the snap closures to keep them in place. The same style closures on the front allow you to open the shirt up as much as you like, to let even more air in, while the material supplies excellent protection from the sun.

Although I’m not in the habit of carrying too much in my shirts, the pockets on the Skien Valley top are impressive, especially the zippered on the left, where you can stash cash, cards and other things you really don’t want to lose. I wasn’t too worried about encountering bandits in the Wicklow Mountains, but the secret inner pocket is a nice touch for people traveling in places where pickpocketing might be more of a concern.

Overall, this is a very well-designed, highly functional, impressive featured hiking shirt, that looks decent with hiking pants or shorts when you’re on the trail, and works well with jeans in more social circumstances. It supplies more protection from aggressive and annoying flora and fauna than the vast majority of other tops on the market, and it’s available for a sensible price.

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