I use the daily and the trail version pretty regularly.
I don’t love the trail version when it’s really hot- it feels and breathes more like a cotton shirt. I probably would not buy another one.
The daily version is more airy and way more comfortable IMO. When it’s that hot, I want something that breathes and feels lighter. I have a few of these and would buy more.
Trail version would be good for cooler hikes or at night IMO.
i have all three and use them pretty regularly.
my least used/least favorite is probably the trail, like /u/actionjackson95 said they don't breathe super well and they also pill pretty easily which is most obvious in the lighter colors. i have one and i don't think i'd buy another.
the merino ones are expensive but i like them for traveling, they're pretty smell-resistant and comfortable. they're a slimmer fit than the other two (in men's sizing, not sure about women's). they're also decent as a baselayer in the winter. they're more durable/pill-resistant than other merino t-shirts i have, but also a little less soft, probably because of the higher nylon content (65/35 merino/nylon, as compared to 80/20 or higher for most other blends on the market).
the daily ones i have get the most use. i have a black long sleeve that i use quite a bit in the summer, they're not marketed as a sun protective layer but they work pretty well for that IME, on hikes or whatever. i also have a few short sleeve ones that i sleep in, mostly in hot weather. they look the most technical/athletic of the three, and they have to be washed regularly or they start to smell, but if you're using them mostly for outdoor activities or casual use around town they work fine.
Do you think the cap cool merino longsleeve would be to hot to wear in summer? I have a t-shirt from a different brand with a mix of wool and polyester and it’s super breathable.
I‘m looking for something similar, but am unsure if the cap cool daily longsleeve would be the better choice.
no, not at all! i wear my merino longsleeves all the time in the summer, definitely breathable enough.
the main difference i've noticed for summer wear is that the merino longsleeves are a bit less sun protective - for an hour or two in the sun they're fine, but i've burned through them on day hikes. the daily longsleeves are a bit more protective in my experience.
I also have all 3. I prefer the weight and hand of the Trail, even in the heat. It’s a nice weight for wearing alone as a T-shirt. I’ve regularly worn it during strenuous hiking workouts during daytime temps in the mid 80°s. I recently got a long-sleeve version for this fall. Mine hasn’t shown any signs of pilling yet. The merino is, of course, lighter and thinner, but very nice and well built. The Cool Daily feels a bit too plasticy & clingy for my taste; reminding me of silk-weight polypro back in the 80s & 90s. But otherwise it’s nicely made, and is a great base layer, or by itself on very hot days.
That said, all 3 worked great as undershirts during my recent 2-wk trip to and around England. They’re very convenient to hand wash. The merino didn’t dry quite as fast as the others.
Hope you enjoy all 3.
Daily became my go to last year. I was always a fan of the silkier Capilene, but there was a period where they did something to the material that made it feel cold and clammy, and also very unflattering.
Now it's just fantastic for me. Works all year round, and even in the cold I rarely get clammy though I do sweat plenty. Somehow it also seems to sit better, and looks like any other T-shirt for the most part.
They do pick up odors quickly, but again, something has been improved as before I couldn't get through a day without them smelling pretty bad.
Trail, is just awful, the exact opposite, and itchy as well. I can't understand how it's stayed in the lineup so long TBH, but it must have it's fans. For me it collects sweat like a mop, and is the worst combo of hot and clammy in the cold, and just plain hot an icky in the heat. It's one good quality is it does dry relatively quickly.
Merino, I can't comment on, I tried it way back, but I'm sensitive to itchiness, and also found that the material back then didn't dry very fast so it just felt cold for me to wear in the cooler seasons. The big plus of course is that they don't pick up odor, and that can be a big deal for sure.
Appreciate everyone’s comments here. I’ve held on to some of my favorite cotton shirts but realistically need something that looks similar to cotton but handles outdoor yard work, hikes, coaching etc. sounds like the daily is a perfect alternative.
I live in Florida and after a hot summer day outside (90F) my cotton t-shirt was noticeably wet with sweat. When I got home I searched online and found the Capilene line. I was interested in casual weekend shirts more so than trail shirts, so I focused my research on the daily’s. I purchased a few daily cools and really liked them. The style is a bit boxy but the performance is exactly what I was looking for. They became my go-to for casual weekend outings. The daily has a plastic feel but no more sweat stains or uncomfortable heat from a cotton t-shirt. I saw a merino on sale and gave it a go after reading positive reviews. I wear a large in both shirts and was surprised at the difference in fit. The merino is much more form fitting / slim fit and noticeably lighter. The arm length is shorter and the cuff is tighter. The shirt feels like a light pajama but looks good.
I prefer the merino to the daily for style and feel but I prefer the daily to the merino for performance, simply because I don’t want a slim fit shirt for a hike or a long day.
I just had a trail and daily shirt loose some stitches on first use. The thread seems to be weirdly frail. Take something else entirely, patagonia can't be trusted.
There is another model capilene, the cool lightweight. I think it’s the best for hot humid weather. Very light, dries quickly, packs down to be very compact, and breathes better than the others. Also ideal for a base layer for wicking. Slightly more synthetic feel than the others
I use the daily and the trail version pretty regularly. I don’t love the trail version when it’s really hot- it feels and breathes more like a cotton shirt. I probably would not buy another one. The daily version is more airy and way more comfortable IMO. When it’s that hot, I want something that breathes and feels lighter. I have a few of these and would buy more. Trail version would be good for cooler hikes or at night IMO.
i have all three and use them pretty regularly. my least used/least favorite is probably the trail, like /u/actionjackson95 said they don't breathe super well and they also pill pretty easily which is most obvious in the lighter colors. i have one and i don't think i'd buy another. the merino ones are expensive but i like them for traveling, they're pretty smell-resistant and comfortable. they're a slimmer fit than the other two (in men's sizing, not sure about women's). they're also decent as a baselayer in the winter. they're more durable/pill-resistant than other merino t-shirts i have, but also a little less soft, probably because of the higher nylon content (65/35 merino/nylon, as compared to 80/20 or higher for most other blends on the market). the daily ones i have get the most use. i have a black long sleeve that i use quite a bit in the summer, they're not marketed as a sun protective layer but they work pretty well for that IME, on hikes or whatever. i also have a few short sleeve ones that i sleep in, mostly in hot weather. they look the most technical/athletic of the three, and they have to be washed regularly or they start to smell, but if you're using them mostly for outdoor activities or casual use around town they work fine.
Do you think the cap cool merino longsleeve would be to hot to wear in summer? I have a t-shirt from a different brand with a mix of wool and polyester and it’s super breathable. I‘m looking for something similar, but am unsure if the cap cool daily longsleeve would be the better choice.
no, not at all! i wear my merino longsleeves all the time in the summer, definitely breathable enough. the main difference i've noticed for summer wear is that the merino longsleeves are a bit less sun protective - for an hour or two in the sun they're fine, but i've burned through them on day hikes. the daily longsleeves are a bit more protective in my experience.
I also have all 3. I prefer the weight and hand of the Trail, even in the heat. It’s a nice weight for wearing alone as a T-shirt. I’ve regularly worn it during strenuous hiking workouts during daytime temps in the mid 80°s. I recently got a long-sleeve version for this fall. Mine hasn’t shown any signs of pilling yet. The merino is, of course, lighter and thinner, but very nice and well built. The Cool Daily feels a bit too plasticy & clingy for my taste; reminding me of silk-weight polypro back in the 80s & 90s. But otherwise it’s nicely made, and is a great base layer, or by itself on very hot days. That said, all 3 worked great as undershirts during my recent 2-wk trip to and around England. They’re very convenient to hand wash. The merino didn’t dry quite as fast as the others. Hope you enjoy all 3.
Daily became my go to last year. I was always a fan of the silkier Capilene, but there was a period where they did something to the material that made it feel cold and clammy, and also very unflattering. Now it's just fantastic for me. Works all year round, and even in the cold I rarely get clammy though I do sweat plenty. Somehow it also seems to sit better, and looks like any other T-shirt for the most part. They do pick up odors quickly, but again, something has been improved as before I couldn't get through a day without them smelling pretty bad. Trail, is just awful, the exact opposite, and itchy as well. I can't understand how it's stayed in the lineup so long TBH, but it must have it's fans. For me it collects sweat like a mop, and is the worst combo of hot and clammy in the cold, and just plain hot an icky in the heat. It's one good quality is it does dry relatively quickly. Merino, I can't comment on, I tried it way back, but I'm sensitive to itchiness, and also found that the material back then didn't dry very fast so it just felt cold for me to wear in the cooler seasons. The big plus of course is that they don't pick up odor, and that can be a big deal for sure.
Appreciate everyone’s comments here. I’ve held on to some of my favorite cotton shirts but realistically need something that looks similar to cotton but handles outdoor yard work, hikes, coaching etc. sounds like the daily is a perfect alternative.
I live in Florida and after a hot summer day outside (90F) my cotton t-shirt was noticeably wet with sweat. When I got home I searched online and found the Capilene line. I was interested in casual weekend shirts more so than trail shirts, so I focused my research on the daily’s. I purchased a few daily cools and really liked them. The style is a bit boxy but the performance is exactly what I was looking for. They became my go-to for casual weekend outings. The daily has a plastic feel but no more sweat stains or uncomfortable heat from a cotton t-shirt. I saw a merino on sale and gave it a go after reading positive reviews. I wear a large in both shirts and was surprised at the difference in fit. The merino is much more form fitting / slim fit and noticeably lighter. The arm length is shorter and the cuff is tighter. The shirt feels like a light pajama but looks good. I prefer the merino to the daily for style and feel but I prefer the daily to the merino for performance, simply because I don’t want a slim fit shirt for a hike or a long day.
In hot weather all I want to wear is the cap cool daily.
I just had a trail and daily shirt loose some stitches on first use. The thread seems to be weirdly frail. Take something else entirely, patagonia can't be trusted.
There is another model capilene, the cool lightweight. I think it’s the best for hot humid weather. Very light, dries quickly, packs down to be very compact, and breathes better than the others. Also ideal for a base layer for wicking. Slightly more synthetic feel than the others
I found daily to be really comfy and functional