I’m a big fan of Tecovas Pearl Snap shirts. Beyond their classic Western style, they’ve held up well in the central Florida climate I live in. As I was checking out some of the newest workwear for the season, I was stoked to learn about Tecovas Performance Pearl Snap shirts. I’m sharing what I’ve learned after getting my hands on one to help you decide if it’s the next must-have addition to your closet.
Wearing the Tecovas Performance Pearl Snap Shirt
Style and Fit
Even though this is a performance shirt that uses synthetic materials, Tecovas isn’t straying from its Western roots. The classic Western yoke comes down off your shoulders, leading to chest pockets on either side. The faux horn pearl snaps provide the namesake look and are set with antique brass rings.
There are two fits available. The blue long-sleeve I’m wearing has a modern fit, which takes a standard men’s cut and trims it in a little to give it a more athletic look.
The short sleeve versions are available with the same modern cut or in a standard cut.
I’m 6 feet, 2 inches tall and weigh about 210 pounds. Since I tend to go for a more athletic look with my shirts, I went with a modern cut in a large size. The fit was dead-on across the shoulders and chest. Even the sleeves—which are often too short for me on long-sleeve shirts—had a great length.
Materials
As a performance shirt, Tecovas designed this Pearl Snap for warm weather. It’s very different from the Easy Wear Pearl Snap that’s primarily made from cotton, though. The Performance Pearl Snap is a 92% polyester and 8% spandex blend.
Polyester is a great material thanks to its lighter weight and moisture-wicking characteristics. Tecovas gets more flex out of it with the spandex in the blend, giving it more stretch as you move than 100% polyester shirts.
Comfort
To help deal with warm temperatures, the Performance Pearl Snap has a couple of bonuses in the design. One is a rear vent with mesh around your shoulders and neck to improve airflow.
Another is HEIQ’s Smart Tech treatment. This enhances the moisture-wicking to become even more effective as your body temperature heats up, reducing the fabric temperature by as much as 4.5°F. What’s really cool (I’m not apologizing for that) is that as your body and the fabric cool, it reduces the evaporative effect, avoiding the risk of cooling down too fast or too much.
Overcoming Challenges
The challenge with these synthetic blends is primarily durability and odor control. Tecovas addresses durability with a reinforced collar and pockets, which are normal high wear areas. When I put it on, I also noticed the material is a bit thicker than most other performance shirts I own.
Thickness and reinforcement will only get you so far, though. If you snag the material on a nail or catch it on metal burrs, you can still put a hole in it.
Unfortunately, polyester does a great job of trapping odor from your body and holding onto it. The material can smell fresh out of the wash, but once it starts to heat up as you wear it, it releases the smell. To deal with the odor, Tecovas uses a HEIQ Fresh treatment that prevents those odors from building up.
Don’t Forget Your Glasses
On the bottom right inside of the shirt, you’ll notice a strip of material. This is for wiping off your glasses or sunglasses.
If you’re not the type to wear chokers on your glasses, there’s also a slot in the left chest pocket to secure them.
Between wearing regular glasses, readers, and sunglasses, I can personally appreciate these bonus features in the design.
Tecovas Performance Pearl Snap Shirt at a Glance
- Style: Faux horn pearl snaps with antique brass rings and Western yoke
- Fit: True to size with a modern or standard cut
- Material: Wrinkle-resistant, 4-way stretch 92% polyester/8% spandex blend
- Comfort: HEIQ Smart Temp treatment, mesh lining, ventilated back yoke
- Odor Control: HEIQ Fresh treatment
- Sun Protection: UPF50+
- Durability: Reinforced collar and pockets
- Bonus: Glasses wipe, pocket glasses slot
Tecovas Performance Pearl Snap Shirt Price
There are four options currently available—three colors in short sleeve or Sailor Blue in long sleeve. The short-sleeve shirts are $85 and the long-sleeve is $95.
Should You Buy It?
As a fan of both Tecovas Pearl Snaps and performance shirts, I don’t know if it gets much better than the Performance Pearl Snap for warm days. It has enough style to wear to church and the hot-weather performance for working outside or a day on the water. With its odor control and wicking upgrades, it’s even better than most of the other performance shirts I wear.
It might not be for everyone, though. If you don’t like the feel of polyester but like the style, check out Tecovas’ cotton-forward Easy Wear Pearl Snap.
