Wild Rye’s New Water Collection Review

Earlier this year, Wild Rye sent over a few pieces from their new Water Collection for review. The pieces included the Parker Action Dress, Sawyer Sunshirt, and a Camp Towel. While I’m writing this review, it was my wife that tested out the gear. The impressions section will be her thoughts.

About Wild Rye’s Water Collection

Wild Rye makes technical apparel designed for women who participate in outdoor sports, and the Water Collection is designed to preform well when participating in watersports or when just hanging out on the water.

The Sawyer Sunshirt ($89) is a sun protection shirt (UPF 50) with a hood and thumbholes in the cuffs. The fabric is light and dries quickly. There’s also a ponytail hole in the hood. It weighs 4.9 ounces. It comes in two colors for this year’s collection, berry blush and iced matcha. The former is a pinkish color and the later a light green. Sizes run from 0 to 18. It isn’t limited to only paddlesports but could be considered an all-around sunshirt.

The Parker Action Dress ($95) is a short, sleeveless dress made from a light and breathable fabric that’s designed to be quick drying. It features a built in bra, adjustable straps, but no built in short. It weighs 6.4 ounces and a spruce morcella (green), the same iced matcha as the sunshirt, and black. The spurce morcella has a floral pattern. It comes in sizes that run from 0 to 18.

The Camp Towel ($40) is a microfiber towel with a seasonal print.

Here are a few photos of the pieces in action provided by Wild Rye. From my perspective, I really like the style of these clothes and think that they look great on my wife.

In Use and Impressions

This section are Ilena’s, my wife, thoughts.

Sawyer Sunshirt

For heading outdoors for a camping trip, hike, paddling trip, or a bike ride, I’ve found that this shirt is a good, go-to shirt. The material is comfortable and soft. Beyond comfortable material, the fit is good. The fit is true to size. I usually wear a size medium and ordered a medium. I have a shorter torso but long arms. The shirt fit long enough not to ride up when bending over for camp chores, such as putting in tent stakes. The sleeves are long enough to be active in without being a length that felt too short or too long.

I tried this shirt out on a two-night camping trip. The weather was sunny and in the 60°F’s (15.5°C) during the day. It worked well over a plain t-shirt as my cover up layer from the wind and sun. I found it protected from the sun and was breathable. I wore it hiking and while fishing.

In the evenings, I slept in the shirt. It did not hold a stench from camping like other technical shirts I have tried. As a base layer, the shirt worked well. It was worn under a pfd during paddling and in the mornings under a down jacket. The shirt was versatile during a variety of uses while camping. It did not rip on trees or snag easily while bushwhacking through the woods.

I also used the shirt for mountain biking. It was a sunny day and 60°F (15.5°C) with a slight breeze. The shirt worked great. It offered protection from the sun and the bugs. The shirt was breathable and comfortable. The fit is not snug but fits well enough so there was not a lot of extra drag with it. It also looks good with my helmet and shorts, a bonus.

As a 50-year-old woman, always enjoying the outdoors, but not in my 20-year-old body, I wasn’t too sure about this shirt at first. Technical shirts can show everything and make a woman with some life experience head in a different direction. It is not the case with the Saywer Sunshirt. It feels good to wear, breathable, light weight, and is a new go to technical shirt for my outdoor activities.

Parker Action Dress

The Parker Action Dress fit true to size. I ordered a size 10, which is the usual size I order for a dress. The material is stretchy and breathable. I enjoy the dark colors and print on the dress. As a woman with an average figure, I found that a cute pair of pants or shorts would be preferred if you plan on being active in this dress. It is shorter than most dresses and skirts I wear but pairs great with active pants or shorts, especially if you are going to be active. It can also be paired with a swimsuit bottom.

Although I haven’t been able to use it as much as I would have liked due to the weather, the dress is a versatile, outdoor dress to go hiking in or for going to the beach. The built in support does the job and provides enough support to be active in the dress without worry. The fit allows for movement with the stretchy material. A fun dress to wear.

Camp Towel

The Wild Rye Camp Towel has soft material to relax on. It dries quickly which is a nice change from a traditional terry cloth beach towel. It is easy to clean off with a quick shake. The size is nice as it fits an adult when laid out. It is also great for just wrapping up in after swimming. 

Conclusion

Wild Rye’s new Water Collection offers nice options for active women. If you’re in the market for outdoor clothing give the collection a look.

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