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What is the Best Fabric for T-Shirts?

What is the Best Fabric for T-Shirts?

men's surf tee, Original Watermen Tee, watermen gear, stay salty, earn your salt, watermen t-shirtThe origin of the t-shirt

The T-shirt also known as a tee was named after its shape, which resembles the letter T. A t-shirt is normally associated with short sleeves, a round neckline and no collar. T-shirts are generally made of a light, inexpensive fabric, that is easy to clean.

The T-shirt developed from undergarments used in the 19th century, and in the mid-20th century transitioned from undergarment to everydat casual clothing.

Original Watermen t-shirt

Our men’s t-shirts, and women’s t-shirts are geared towards an audience of the rough and wild, masters of their sport, and the extremist, where age and sex do not matter. Our motto has always been; “Earn Your Salt” in honor of those who have given their lives to living in the water.

Original Watermen equips incredible athletes, and we want every athlete to be as comfortable as possible, from their t-shirt style, to their fabric. That said, not all fabric is created equal

T-shirt fabric

What the men or women’s t- shirt is made of makes all the difference in the world. You might have a great logo but it’s the fabric that determines the true shape, the durability, the softness, and wearabilty of the tee. The fabric decides whether you look like a sweating pig, or a wet mop. The fabric decides, if after one wash it shrinks to fit your hamster or becomes lopsided and stretched out of shape. The fabric decides if the t-shirt neck falls so low, that it might fit the incredible hulk.

Ring Spun t-shirt fabric

The cotton t-shirt has evolved from the heavy, scratchy, shapeless fabric to the butter soft touch of Ring Spun material. Fabric that has been Ring Spun goes through an elaborate spinning process. As each thread spins it straightens and softens the fiber. This spinning process produces a fiber that can be woven tighter. The higher the thread count the softer the material, so when you compare t-shirt thread counts, traditional cotton t-shirts weigh in at 18, where a ring spun t-shirt weighs in at the 30 range.  The end process results in an excellent quality breathable knit men’s t-shirt or women’s t-shirt that has a great high-end feel. This fabric is more lightweight, more durable, smoother, it shrinks less and tends to last longer than your average 100% cotton t-shirts. Quality t-shirts like these are used in high end businesses, and that is why we sell them. The Essentials, the Yellowfin and Fish Bone t-shirts are fantastic examples of 100% super soft Ring Spun t-shirts.

Tri-blend t-shirt fabric

The other process of a quality men’s t-shirt, or women’s t-shirt blends three different materials together to produce one great one. Tri-blends include a blend of 25% rayon, 25% polyester, and 50% cotton. Blending the three fabrics creates an incredibly soft, better stretching material that hangs perfectly, and looks and feels the same wash after wash. Compare the original 100% cotton t-shirt to a cheap set of bed sheets, and the Tri-blend t-shirt to very expensive 1800 thread count Egyptian cotton sheets.

Cotton, polyester, and rayon tri-blends are the best of all worlds. In the perfect blend, the cotton allows the t-shirt to breathe and prevents heat from being trapped between the fabric and your skin. The polyester helps create a strong resilient t-shirt that is wrinkle resistant and moisture wicking. Rayon adds an amazingly soft drape causing the

t-shirt to look better on more body types than any other fabric. Tri-blends are so sought after that it’s no wonder that the Singlefin t-shirt, the Earn Your Salt t-shirt and the Patch t-shirt are in such high demand. Ring Spun and Tri-Blend processes offer up the perfect men’s t-shirt or women’s t-shirt for anyone, even if you aren’t an athlete.

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Why Going Outside is Important?

Why Going Outside is Important?

out doors, outdoor gear, stay salty, earn your salt, watermen clothing, original watermenFor those in cooler climates the summer is their chance to go outside without having to bundle up in a few layers. Even so, we meet people from time to time (from both cold and warm climates) that seclude themselves indoors for a majority of their free time. We get it.. After a long week of work dealing with tourists or deadlines, or other stresses and possibly a lack of sleep (especially in the recent heat!) the easy thing to do is to melt into the count to indefinitely watch Netflix. But if you can resist that temptation and find some rejuvenation outdoors, you’ll be better off for it!

Being outside is important to mental and physical health because natural light reduces stress and can actually boost your mood nearly immediately; and in addition to more exercise there are physical benefits from the sun including reduced inflammation, improved immune system and easier to sleep. It has even been said that going outdoors will make you more creative as well as a sharper thinker.

The benefits of being outside are vast, so we delve into some of the bigger ones below as well as some extra ideas and tips.

Mental Benefits and Physical Benefits

Beyond exercise

The physical benefits besides getting more exercise are much more prevalent than someone might think. Getting the right amount of vitamin D from the sun can be tough when working all day inside an office, so literally going on a walk during lunch and break times will physically benefit you.

Being outside can also reduce inflammation in many people. A study was conducted that those living around forests and other natural areas suffered much less inflammation than their city dwelling counterparts. The University of Wisconsin found that that living in areas with less than a 10 percent tree cover were found to have more instances of depression and anxiety than those who lived with more trees around. The interesting part of this is that race, income, or education played no part in this at all as the results were consistent throughout all factors.

How does being outside reduce stress?

Natural light reduces stress and boosts your mood. Restoring mental energy by doing something active simply like taking a long walk can rejuvenate a person by when they return to the office after lunch. Additionally, exercises for breathing deeply and centering your mind can help produce endorphins which have a myriad of health benefits.

 

Of course, physical activity also does this and has been proven to increase productivity and moods. Triggering the release of these endorphins can be done daily and it can certainly help your career and your daily life. It will help stimulate effective work relationships and even has been shown to help increase productive collaboration in the office.

Some Fun Ideas and Safety Tips

One of the most relaxing things that can be done outside is going to the beach. If you’re not near the ocean like us, many lakes, rivers and lagoons have beaches, too!! A beach is always full of different activities to suit your personal liking, and even something as simple as walking along the shore can be the workout you need for the day. Paddle boarding, body surfing and swimming are all great ways to have a blast outside while also exercising. Get some fins for body surfing the waves or swimming to a buoy with more leg power.

As the season winds down and shifts to fall, you should consider one of our high quality rashguards as they help keep in body heat as well as protect skin from getting irritated. Not to mention, these rash guards can also help with the few bumps and bruises along the way that come with body surfing.

Taking a short walk and just sitting in nature is a great way to unwind from a stressful day or week. Hydration also affects your mood so don’t forget to bring a water bottle. And we always advise wearing one of our snapback hats and some shades to shield your eyes and stay comfortable.

Keep Switching It Up

The spice of life truly is variety and even some of your favorite activities can start to seem mundane if done the same way for a while. The easiest way to keep yourself prepared for a random outing and adventure is to keep at least some basic athletic, water sports apparel and gear in your vehicle. This could include quick-drying hiking gear of some kind or even some stylish and comfortable retro shorts and sandals, and perhaps a volleyball, frisbee or some other kind of sports gear.

There are groups of people online who want to stay active and try new things, and encourage others to do the same. Join one of these groups to try something that you would have never before thought of attempting.

Start making going outside a part of your daily or weekly life and it will easily become a habit in just a matter of weeks. Be proactive about trying to live a more active lifestyle! That’s the start of something amazing for both your body and mind.

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Surfing: How Weightlifting Can Help You Master Waves

Surfing: How Weightlifting Can Help You Master Waves

watermen boardhsorts, orignial watermen, , workout gear, stay salty, 4-way stretchThe common surfer in the weight room at the gym did not used to be commonplace. A surfer has been more of a counterculture icon in many places throughout the country. There are more and more surfers hitting the weights as it can actually help them master control on the waves that before they could not achieve. Lifting weights has also become easier than ever as there are plenty of resources to help a beginner learn. With YouTube a beginner has the ability to see proper form and with a smartphone video one can see where they need to make modifications. Also, it’s worth mentioning some men’s boardshorts and women’s swim shorts (like what we carry) are made with more durable, comfortable and quick-drying materials so they can be worn from the gym to the beach — no change of clothes needed.

Does surfing build muscle?

Yes of course, surfing builds muscle like any other physical activity and likewise you build strength in the areas and muscle groups being used. Just like amateur and professional athletes alike all cross-train in various ways, weightlifting is a great way to build strength in the specific muscles in new ways as well as in complimentary muscle groups to make you an overall stronger athlete.

The following are ways that weightlifting can help you master the waves like you dream.

Strength and Endurance

Just the endurance it takes to paddle out and into a great wave can leave many surfers drained. Weightlifting is the perfect way to make the paddle out a breeze. Fitness programs like Crossfit can be incredible for surfers as it hits every area of the body instead of isolating one muscle group at a time. Anyone that can do regular intense Crossfit or other group fitness workouts will have no problem with fatigue on bigger swells.

Olympic Lifting Mimics Standing on a Board

Olympic lifting like cleans, jerks, and snatches are incredible for surfing. These incorporate trying to get your body and feet under the weight then standing completely up. If this sounds incredibly similar to surfing that is because many of the same fundamentals are almost identical. Exercises like the split jerk which makes one foot go forward and one back then standing up with the weight above the head can help one stand up with more ease while taking off on a steep face. One quick fluid motion is needed for both activities. Try out a few Olympic lifts to help with your explosiveness and the speed of your feet.

Core Strength Needs Constant Work

Working on the core is something that most people realize they have to do but neglect it daily. The core can be exercised at the gym using a physio ball as well as some weights. Dumbbell flies and presses on this ball will help strengthen your core as well as all the connective tissue you might not have realized existed. Try these exercises in short intervals and at low rates to start, in tandem with the well-known plank. Nothing can ruin cross training for surfing quite like an injury so keep safety in mind when trying new exercises.

Wearing The Same Shorts To Do Both

Working out in your men’s or women’s boardshorts as an alternative to gym shorts can be more comfortable, especially when doing surf specific exercises. Gents, our Waterman compression shorts will not limit your movement which is imperative in weightlifting (remember, they’re designed to keep everything together even on the most embarrassing trip over the falls)! Another bonus to these men’s compression shorts is the quick-drying characteristics protect you from uncomfortable rashes. And don’t worry about those funky workout odors with these compression shorts either as we designed them to prevent that even after a weekend lost in the trunk, wet. There are various patterns and color options, so you’ll find some sure to fit your personal style.

Weightlifting for surfers will always be beneficial as both sports have plenty in common, more than many might see. Set yourself up for success on the water by putting yourself into the best physical shape that you can then see what you can do!

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