A reader question:
Ok. Advice question for the blog: merino base layers.
My new chic white one from We Norwegians (around $100) <https://wenorwegians.us/> tore literally like a piece of paper as I put it on today.
Looking around for better options.
Friday, November 10, 2023
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I’ve worn Icebreaker merino wool base layers for years. They come in various different weights - I love 260 for colder days. I still wear my original purchases from 12-15 years ago; the only reason I ever buy new is if I want a specific colour or when I was pregnant and needed a larger size.
ReplyDeleteI use Smartwool and Icebreaker base layers. Stay with the medium or heavy weight versions, as I once bought several of their lightest weight base layers and, like yours, mine very quickly shredded themselves. Sierra Trading Post frequently has them online for a significant discount.
ReplyDeleteI'm a gear tester for an outdoors website, for what it's worth. 1. OG: Smartwool. Their base layers tend to hold up well, and there is a wide variety of fabric weights (measured in grams per square meter, GSM) and styles. Plus, their merino boxers are hands-down the best merino underwear I have ever worn. OG-light: Icebreaker, also has good variety of weights and styles. I just picked up a 175 weight short-sleeve t-shirt from them, it's excellent. Across most brands, 175 GSM and higher are warmer and tend to be a little more durable, whereas 150 GSM and lower are more prone to tearing when stressed and are more likely to be blends, because super lightweight merino generally isn't very durable.
ReplyDelete2. Blends: Outdoor Research has base layers that are 47% merino, 47% polyester, and some elastane for stretch. Much more durable than 100% wool, and they wick moisture pretty well, but they're not all wool, for better or worse. Patagonia Capilene Air goes in a different direction; it's 50/50 wool/polyester, but with a very loose weave that is super-comfortable and regrettably prone to pills and snags. it performs beautifully, but it's prone to damage.
3. Exotic: Kora base layers are part yak wool, part merino. Yak is particularly warm because, well, yaks live in really cold places. Their base layers are quite expensive, but one of their half-zip long sleeve tops is a favorite; so is their 100% yak wool beanie.
Yak wool. You may be on to something. Is the yak wool sourced in Tibet ? That would be a good option in face of difficulties the Tibetan population suffers.
ReplyDeleteKora claims to source almost all its yak wool from a herder's cooperative on the Tibetan plateau (work with agents to source from elsewhere in Tibet under unusual circumstances). https://www.koraoutdoor.com/pages/a-positive-impact
DeleteChecked out the Icebreaker site, wondering what a "base layer" is. From what I can tell it's just a cool word for warm underwear.
ReplyDeleteI wear John Smedley's knitwear all year round. It's ideal for base layers too, both sea island cotton or fine merino wool. IIRC Sir Edmund Hillary wore John Smedley layered knitwear when he conquered Mount Everest.
ReplyDeleteThe old Adirondackers also wore their “base layer” year round. The extra layer prevents perspiration from direct exposure and functions as a cooling factor.
ReplyDeleteLiving in Maine, I've been wearing LL Bean wool long underwear for several years. I find them effective, durable, even comfortable, and a lot less expensive than the other listed options.
ReplyDeleteOur vintage L. L. Bean has never failed us! Cheers!
DeleteThat We Norwegians website looks more fashion than function and the prices confirm it. I'd suggest looking at proper outdoor brands for merino base layers.
ReplyDeleteIn the winter, my grandpa wore a "base layer" that was red and had a flap in the back.
ReplyDeleteI have fallen in love with lightweight long sleeve wool t-shirts for an under layer or sleepwear. I bought a stack of merino-tencel from SmartWool (although they were on sale and appear to have been discontinued). So far they have held up, although I don’t wash after every wear due to their antibacterial properties (only after several wears or strenuous activity). Even if I have to replace them more frequently than cotton, I think they have earned a permanent place in my wardrobe.
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