ColumbiaMen's Bahama Ii Short Sleeve Shirt

Columbia makes some fantastic shirts, but make sure to order the appropriate size. I am 5’10”, 195 lbs, and would typically wear a Large in most similar styled (button-up) shirts, but I have to get a Medium in Columbia PFG shirts. (The Medium is still a moderately loose fit, as the Large is like a tent on me). Tip number two is that because these shirts are on different sizing scale, many get returned to the Amazon Warehouse, so keep an eye for Amazon Warehouse deals on these shirts (see tips to finds the easiest way to compare prices across sizes and colors at the conclusion of this review). I have tried the Tamiami II, Bahama II, and Bonehead (AND new Blood & Guts III – see below for updated comparison including the BG3 series) versions of the Columbia PFG shirts, and have been mostly pleased with all of them. The Tamiami II was my favorite due to the cooling effect of the weave, but the similar Blood & Guts III is now right there with it. My reasoning for giving the Bahama II 4 starts instead of 5, is that out of the four series discussed in this review, it is my least favorite. The Bahama II tends to wrinkle, is not as cool feeling in extreme heat as the open weave Tamiami or Blood&Guts, and the nylon tend to feel slimy during periods of heavy perspiration. Below I have noted the differences in four of the PFG styles, for those trying to decide which shirt they may prefer.TAMIAMI II STYLE (POLY) - SUMMERTIME CASUAL FAVORITEThe Tamiami II (T2) and the Blood & Guts III (BG3) are my favorite of the aforementioned PFG styles. The main difference between each of these styles is material. The T2 & BG3 are 100% polyester (liner and exterior), the Bahama II (Ba2) is nylon, and the Bonehead (BH) is poplin cotton. The T2 is the thinnest/lightest (most breathable) material of the three styles, also has a slightly shinier appearance, and is probably the most wrinkle resistant of the three (as the fabric is less rigid that the nylon Bahama II or cotton Bonehead). (Update 7/11/16 – The Blood & Guts series is also breathable polyester similar to the Tamiami with a slightly different styling, and stain resistant fabric. See update at end of review for full comparison.) The T2 has a snap button pocket on top with Velcro pockets underneath on both sides, which I also prefer over the pocket style on the other two (Ba2 & BH have identical pocket styles). The synthetic T2 and Ba2 both wick moisture and create a cooling effect better than the cotton BH, but the lightness and weave of the T2 makes it by far the coolest wearing of the three. For outdoor activity in the heat and humidity of summer, it would definitely be my preferred choice. The long-sleeve version is fantastic for offshore fishing when lightweight sun protection is essential. The Ta series also does not wrinkle as badly as the Ba and BH series shirts do. (The PFG apparel which has an SPF rating, such as the Tamiami & Blood/Guts series, has an open fabric weave which is “lose” enough to allow some penetration of UV through the material itself; which means the material is much more breathable ergo cool feeling, although technically you could get some UV exposure through the shirt.)BAHAMA II STYLE (NYLON) - WORK WEAR IN MILD WEATHERThe Bahama II is the middle ground between the T2 and the BH. It is synthetic - similar to the T2, but is a nylon exterior shell with a polyester liner (whereas T2 is poly liner and shell). The pockets on the Ba are the same traditional Columbia PFG look as the pockets on the Bonehead. The slightly more rigid feel of the nylon, also gives the Bahama a more traditional (cotton-look) appearance than the T2. In a certain respect, the Ba nylon manages moisture better than the BH cotton version – i.e. it evaporates sweat more quickly. On the other hand, the nylon does not absorb moisture as cotton does, so while it does dry faster, it has a “slimy” feel to when sweaty that simply is not comfortable. The Bahama also wrinkles worse than any of the other PFG series shirts, so it is my least favorite series. That said, it is still a good quality shirt, and makes for a great work shirt during temperate weather (i.e. when it isn’t going to get slimy with sweat).BONEHEAD STYLE (COTTON) - COOL WEATHER FAVORITEMost everything has already been covered. The BH and the aforementioned Ba styles look virtually identical. Essentially, I like the Bonehead over the Bahama because it does not get that slimy feeling when you sweat, and it is slightly better from a wrinkle perspective. The Bonehead is probably my favorite series when moisture management and cooling effect are not important, so I like these in long sleeve for fall and winter wear. I also like the traditional appearance of the Ba and the BH for work wear, but the T2 look I like better for casual. (The newer Blood & Guts series has the comfort of the Tamiami series, but has a look similar to the Bonehead, so it is my new favorite summertime work shirt.) The Bonehead long sleeve also makes a great layering option for hunting season, and Sage is a great natural neutral (earth tone) color for this purpose.UPDATE 7/11/16 – BLOOD & GUTS III (POLY) - HOT WEATHER FISHING FAVORITEWhen this review was originally posted, I only contrasted the Bahama, Tamiami, and Bonehead series shirts, but recently I have found a new favorite – the Blood & Guts III (BG3). While the name may not be all that appealing, these are really great shirts. They have an SPF rating, therefore breathable/open weave, similar to the Tamiami, with a styling that more closely resembles the Bahama & Bonehead series. The BG3 is also treated for stain resistance, making it a great shirt for fishing, work, and outdoor activities. Finally, the BG3 does not wrinkle nearly as severely as the Bahama nylon or Bonehead cotton shirts do. Out of the four PFG series shirts discussed, the BG3 series probably have the tightest fit. I still wear a medium in the BG3, but the series has a slimmer type cut than the previous versions discussed. All in all, this is my favorite alongside the Tamiami. I slightly prefer the Blood & Guts for fishing due to the stain resistance, whereas, I prefer the Tamiami for casual and boating wear just from an aesthetic standpoint. The Tamiami may have the slightest of edges in the cooling department, but they are very close in that regard.AMAZON PRICE COMPARISON & WAREHOUSE DEALSI used to always get aggravated at the way Amazon list apparel items with multiple colors, as it can take forever to search through multiple color (and size) options to see the cheapest offerings. On my iPad version the color prices are displayed in a list style automatically, but on my PC desktop I would have to select each color/size to see the price options. I did not realize there is a much simpler way. Select the “new and used from” (or “new” if no used offerings available) icon, which will take you to a list view. There must be multiple offerings for the exact size and color selected for this option to appear, so if you do not see the “new and used from” hyper-link, then select another size/color combination till the link appears.) In the list view screen, select your size and click the “lowest offer for each” icon beside the color selector. It will display the cheapest offering for each color shirt in that size, so you can quickly see which colors are the cheapest. Also, this view will show any Amazon Warehouse Deals available. As mentioned in the first paragraph, these shirts get returned often due to sizing issues, so many times the Warehouse deals are shirts that were tried on and immediately returned for a smaller size.

I have 4 other Tamiami II short sleeve shirts that are always my go to. The material is great for hot weather. I am 6' 215lbs with an old man stomach, and the large fits like most XL shirts. I accidentally ordered this Bahama II and almost cancelled the order. Glad now that I didn't cancel. The fit seems to be a bit more snug than the Tamiami II. The material is not quite as thin but still very nice and cool. I like the pocket flaps to give a bit different style at times. I always wear the shirt tail out, and it is plenty long for that. I did get the white so only time will tell how long it keeps its clean look. I would like to have another few colors of the Bahama II. No way to go wrong with Columbia brand. Thank you Amazon for fast delivery.

Love these nylon shirts. Great for warm weather travel. Can be washed out by hand. They dry quickly if the weather isn't too humid, but will usually drive overnight even if somewhat humid. If you don't ring them out, hang them wet, and smooth out the fabric with your hands, they are quite presentable to wear without any ironing. The back yoke is vented. Front breast pockets have Velcro to secure the flaps and drain holes in case you go in the drink. Button-down collar. So many colors to choose from too and I've received many complements from friends and strangers when wearing a pleasant bright color. The shirt's color will fade slightly after repeated washing, but you could minimize this by not machine washing. The slight fading is not a big deal in my opinion for a pastel casual travel shirt. Obviously, you won't have that issue with white or some of the very dark colors. These shirts are very light to pack and can be rolled and placed in packing cubes. I'm hoping Columbia keeps making these for some time to come. Last word - these shirts run a bit large. I usually like to purchase all my shirts in size 'Large' since I prefer my shirts a bit loose fitting, but in the case of these Bahama II shirts, I've order them in size Medium and they fit perfectly.. Still loose fitting, but not overly big. I suggest ordering one size smaller than you usually wear.

I must thank all the other reviewers for warning that this shirt fits large. I bought a size down from my usual and it fit well.The Bahama shirt looks and fit very similar to the Bonehead and the Tamiami. However, the material for all 3 shirts are rather different. The Bonehead is cotton, the Bahama and the Tamiami are both synthetic type material which have different UV protection abilities. I must say that I like the Tamiami as it offers the best UV protection and has the nicest fabric of the 3. But this is subjective and many would prefer cotton. The Bahama has a different pocket deign from the Tamiami and again I personally prefer the Tamiami.It is a good shirt however and Amazon offers a pretty competitive price for it. Happy overall with it.

Great shirt overall; mustard color looks nice. I normally wear an XL, but went with a Large. Plenty of sleeve length and room in the mid-section. It's a little tight under my arms. I could use a little more length, but didn't want to pay more for the L-tall. I'm 6'3" 210lbs for reference.There are 3 obnoxious scratchy tags on the inside of the shirt at the belt line, 2 of which are heavy duty and about 2" long. Why I ask? These tags are not easy to remove. Stupid, but shirt is worth this inconvenience I guess. Great for hot days in the south..

I am 5'8" 190 lbs and ordered a large shirt from columbia. The shirt came in a little larger than the local store displays. I don't know why really? Could be that I lost weight or maybe, it's made that way. I verified at the stores again and it was conclusive...my Amazon bought shirt was a bit bigger on the waist and sleeves. Still, I will use this shirt for fishing on hot days and it surely beats paying the extra price at your local stores.