BEST Base Layer Review - Dry & Wet Test | First Lite, Under Armour, Cabelas, Ice Breaker, Patagonia

Testing hunting base layers to find THE best & warmest pieces of high-performance gear, reviewing the First Lite Furnace, Under Armour ColdGear, Cabela's E.C.W.C.S, Patagonia Capilene, and Icebreaker Merino 200. In the search to find the best late season thermal base layers I conducted a series of experiments to test the warmth of each piece when dry, and then again when wet. The most expensive garment did not win, though neither did the cheapest. I also do a cursory review of each base layer.
The New Hunters Guide podcast: www.newhuntersguide.com/
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The Best Hunting Beanie - Sub-Zero Test! • The Best Hunting Beani...
• Cabela's E.C.W.C.S Review - Extended Cold Weather Clothing System - 94% polyester 6% spandex, cabelas.xhuc.net/b3Q5Bb
• Icebreaker Merino 200 Review In Mossy Oak Camouflage - 100% merino wool
• Patagonia Capilene Review With Diamond Grid Pattern - 100% polyester,
• First Lite Furnace 350 Review Merino Wool - 95% merino wool, 5% spandex, amzn.to/3M7PX8d
• Under Armour ColdGear Review Dual Layer - 87% polyester, 13% elastane,
My goal for this test is simply to find the warmest hunting gear. I have tested most of these layers in some of the coldest, harshest winter conditions in my area, but I wanted some kind of real data to help make decisions on what was really best for me and what would be helpful for others. My experience with the base layers does line up with the results of the test. These are some of the top thermals on the market and they vary widely in price. This video is not sponsored or incentivized by anyone.
Hunting Gear
Tetra Hearing protection: tetrahearing.com/collections/...
Get 10% off with the code: NHG2410
Holosun 507K Red Dot Sight: amzn.to/3Ig9NyK
Muck Arctic Pro Boot - amzn.to/3HpqPpV
RedHead Rubber Boot - cabelas.xhuc.net/5bzKN9
Darn Tough Hunter Socks - amzn.to/3ROwrBo
First Lite Furnace Long John - firstlite.pxf.io/GmMyer
First Lite Furnace Quarter Zip - firstlite.pxf.io/k0rKen
First Lite Kiln Crew - firstlite.pxf.io/daMWQ7
First Lite Kiln Long John - firstlite.pxf.io/LXMLVo
First Lite Tundra Balaclava - firstlite.pxf.io/WqMemG
Sitka Fanatic Beanie - amzn.to/3HpnLu3
Cabela's MT050 Bibs - cabelas.xhuc.net/7mKdq5
Cabela's MT050 Parka - cabelas.xhuc.net/P0nBER
Cabela's GORE-TEX Glomitts - cabelas.xhuc.net/qnoV9N
If you purchase something through the above affiliate links, it helps support the channel. Thank you!

[@samsingline6586]

Thanks so much for your work this is awesome. I was going to invest in ice breaker but now reconsidering after this video

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Thanks Sam! It's worth mentioning that the Ice breaker was the thinnest one tested, so I think it did well relative to its thickness.

[@errorsofmodernism7331]

Very good job testing these.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Thanks you so much!

[@stevennicovich8547]

I've had the Cabela's ECWCS for a few seasons now and it really feels like a heat factory. For me it was quite loose fitting, yet still did it's job.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

I am very impressed with them for the price. A solid pick for anyone.

[@michgunnut]

I agree, we use ECWCS and it works great, but I don't see it at Bass Pro/Cabela's anymore

[@tonycaine5930]

Excellent test. Thank you!

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Thanks so much Tony!

[@kapohimura8721]

Nice work! thanks for the info!

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Hey thanks!

[@BenfromFlux]

Thank you so much for this!!!

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Thanks so much Ben!

[@davidhidalgo5662]

I have used all of these and a bunch more. Last year I got a huge deal on First Lite Furnace and I am absolutely shocked at how much better it is than anything else I own. I cannot stress this enough that Furnace is hands down the greatest ever. I am now in the process of getting more First Lite gear. It is just so expensive I never wanted to spend that much but with how good it is I am sold.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Thank you so much for the feedback! I have been equally as impressed! Hoping to review some more of their stuff in the future. Just got some actually, but I need to hunt with it first.

[@wagonhauler06]

Gotta get it during there Black Friday sale

[@justinw1765]

I looked at it--it's nothing special, just a thick merino with a bit of spandex. I do backpacking (not hunting) and the name of the game for me, is moisture management. Thick merino like this holds on to moisture a long time. As far as baselayers go, haven't found anything better so far than a fishnet combined with a decent to good, thinner baselayer. Dries fast, keeps you warm even when wetted out, etc. And if you're clever, you can put together that two part system for pretty cheap, with materials that will last longer than 95% merino. And when its really cold out, well I had put together and wear a front only (synthetic) insulated vest (the first one I made was with 2.5oz/yd2 Climashield Apex between 1.1 oz/yd2, very breathable ripstop nylon. The second one I will be making is very unique, layers of lower CFM ultra strong polyester fabric separated by loops and a perimeter border of 1/2" dry fast foam, and with an IR reflective layer [reflects 90% of body heat]). That over the the baselayer combo and with a windjacket, keeps me plenty warm in active conditions when it is 10* F and colder. Barely weights anything, dries fast, inexpensive.

[@davidhidalgo5662]

I agree with you that if I was just hiking I would wear something else. When I hunt it is usually 20-30 minutes of walking in and climbing tree then hours and hours of sitting still. The First Lite merino works way better than anything I have ever tried. I to use a vest a lot and it is full synthetic. Thanks for the info@@justinw1765

[@jamesbudnik9166]

Love my first lite furnace base layers.. I would be very curious to see a test with how they wick moisture, I can tell by experience all first lite base layers are amazing when it comes to staying dry and never feeling clammy in cold/hot weather. Also they are extremally comfortable and odor is never an issue with merino wool. Highly recommend, thanks for the vid!

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Thank you sir! I am actually planning a test for just that once the weather improves. Real hard to film that inside.

[@Jimbiros59]

Nice work 👍

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Thanks so much Jim!

[@RDTissue]

Great info - thanks.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Thanks so much!

[@chriscusty9404]

Awesome video!! Wonder how sitka would hold up? I think u should do one on winter socks, I absolutely enjoy your videos.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Thanks so much! I wondered the same thing but I didn't want to buy the Sitka one just for the test lol. I was going to do a sock video first but it's a lot more complicated than I originally thought. They crush the cups, and they don't have tags so after awhile it becomes hard to remember what they were made of, and even sometimes what brand they are. But trying to keep the ideas flowing!

[@jasonbonikowske5121]

First lite crushes Sitka on baselayers.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

@@jasonbonikowske5121 I wish I had the layers of each to test them head-to-head. All I can say for sure is that I'm super happy with the performance of the First Lite Furnace.

[@in.hindsight]

Cabelas offered good products until they were bought out by Bass Pro. Their quality and selection has declined significantly. However, I really like their Instinct upland clothing.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

You know, these Cabela's base layers performed really well and they are only a year or two old. I am quite impressed with them. They didn't do quite as well as the First Lite but they are significantly less expensive. I

[@DwFritz23]

100% agree! I was just at Cabelas in Hamburg PA two months ago and I was shocked at how bad the store has been maintained. It was an immaculate store just about 5 years ago.

[@renzogianellamerino2006]

I agree

[@thanielsommers4500]

Cabelas polartec ecws is a version of the millitary’s layering system so it makes sense that it works well

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

I was impressed with it, still am. I think it was after doing this test I actually bought the other piece, so I have a matching set. There are days where that is a great option.

[@MPjdog]

I used the the brown cabels’s polartec in the army for years when the army was still using polypro. It was my go to until I found merino wool by First lite

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

@@MPjdog Thanks!

[@MarcP5267]

@@MPjdog I wear USGI level 1 polartec silks and level 2 polartec waffles. Can’t beat the price on eBay. No frills but very practical.

[@justinw1765]

Isn't it just grid fleece? You can get grid fleece all over the place and often for much less.

[@PhotoBob]

I have used Under Armour for 15yrs and have froze my ass off for 15yrs. Which is why I’m watching this video. To evaluate what to buy now

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Merino wool destroys everything I've tested and used for weight to warmth ratio. Also check out the newer video I did on which dries faster, merino or synthetics: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKqyd4mbgcx_p9k

[@brianhenderson1754]

Awesome!

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Thanks so much Brian!

[@robertsanders7061]

Nice job

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Thanks you so much!

[@bent5434]

This is probably the best way to test the baselines with actual data. Great job!

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Thank you!

[@HowToGoSupernova]

Awesome test but if I can make a suggestion, it would be good to space the garments out more because huddling them close together will give garments on the inside or ones with more wind contact better or worse results. Think 🐧's huddling in the arctic lol. Thanks!

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Thanks! Yup, that suggestion is being implemented in future tests. Like the one I'm posting today!

[@josephsnisky1851]

The sheep statement was good.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Hey, thanks so much!

[@justinw1765]

Synthetic tends to give up moisture faster--that evaporation cools it down--when water evaporates, it takes a lot of heat with it. Merino holds moisture inside its fibers and releases it more slowly. I think that is one of the reasons why you're seeing a more significant difference in the wet test.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Hadn't thought of that. Though other tests have shown the merino dries faster.

[@justinw1765]

@@TheNewHuntersGuide You mean the tests you did earlier? Depending on the thickness of the garment, it may dry a bit faster initially, because you have the water that is in between the fibers/threads/yarns. But if you tested past an hour, I think you would likely find that the synthetic will *fully* dry faster than the merino (if they were completely equal in all other areas like knit density, thickness, etc), and that is because once the liquid water is gone from both garments, the merino has to give up the moisture inside its material while the synthetic doesn't. The moisture regain of polyester for example is .5% and the moisture regain of sheep's wool is 16%. There are various different layers to this whole equation.

[@justinw1765]

If you have a washer with an adjustable spin cycle speed, it would be helpful to use that on low, to try to get out an equal amount of water. It will never be completely equal, but it will be more than doing it by hand.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

That is an interesting idea. Only issue is the wet garments will transfer moisture to the drier ones in a closed environment like that so the data will trend towards a middle ground.

[@stevem6436]

Do a review on Kuiu col weather layers.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

I'd love to, just need to get some.

[@daleweller5193]

Under layers Cabelas is the best bang for your buck.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Yes, I think so. At least for stationary hunts. If you sweat a lot, merino dries faster.

[@DwFritz23]

So the First Lite is 95% Merino wool and the icebreaker is 100% Merino. The main difference is the weight, First lite is 350g while the Icebreaker is only 200g. First Lite is almost double the weight, and 200g is considered mid-weight while 350g is considered heavy-weight. I wonder how the Icebreaker in 350g would match against the First Lite of the same weight.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

The heaviest Ice Breaker makes is a 320, however it is significantly lighter than First Lite's 350. Which makes me lose confidence that it is what it says it is. Even this 200 weight one tested seems too light for 200. Its also strangely uncomfortable compared to the other layers. I haven't quite figured out that brand.

[@MarcP5267]

I wear USGI level 1 polartec silks and level 2 polartec grid

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Where do you get those?

[@RitzWood32]

Makes my 1k spent on first lite hurt a little less lol 🤙🏻

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

I don't think there is much out there that would perform better to tell you the truth. They have great stuff, and this small test shows if nothing else when you try to save money you do end up getting less performance.

[@zacharnett9574]

Was this cabelas heavy weight or polar weight e.c.w.c.s.? Thanks

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

The one I have is labeled as the ECWCS midweight it seems. Not sure if that is current or an old model. But the Heavy Weight should actually be better still. The more I use it the more I like it.

[@zacharnett9574]

Great I use the polar weight and have been very pleased.

[@MarcP5267]

@@zacharnett9574 can’t find them on their site. Can you post a link? Thanks!

[@lila6695]

Can you wear viscose as a base layer?

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

That is a great question. It would depend on the weather conditions and goal for the layer. Viscose is good for athletic wear because it does not trap heat. So you can year it in warm conditions. If you wanted a base layer to keep you warm in winter, it wouldn't be a great fit. If you wanted something to help keep you dry while hiking in early fall, it might be a fair candidate.

[@lila6695]

@@TheNewHuntersGuide Ah I see... thanks! So it won't have the issues that cotton does?

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

@@lila6695 Well, cotton absorbs moisture and loses its insulative properties and does not evaporate that moisture particularly well. Viscose does evaporate moisture better, but it does not have the insulative properties to lose. Cotton is warmer. But if you are talking about a base layer for warm and high activity scenarios, like hunting doves in August, then yes, Viscose would be better option then cotton. Cotton will be warmer if you are sitting still and stay dry, but for an active layer, Viscose would be better.

[@lila6695]

@@TheNewHuntersGuide got it thanks for the detailed response!

[@MPjdog]

First lite base layers by far has performed for time and time again.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Absolutely. Best on the market as far as I'm aware.

[@MarcP5267]

What part of PA you from?

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Outside of Pittsburgh

[@MarcP5267]

@@TheNewHuntersGuide ok I’m in Philly

[@AlexanderMason1]

9:48 we literally see that when dealing with exactly the same materials, thickness is a significant aspect. Out of all the wool products, the best was the thickest and the least “warm” was the thinnest.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

But the thinnest wool layer still did better than thicker synthetic layers. That's maybe the biggest take away.

[@AA-zo6xr]

9:55 we learned that this guy doesn’t understand that the purpose of the base layer is to keep you dry not warm

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

That is plains hunting and winter hiking doctrine. I've been dry and cold plenty of times, in part because my base layers were poor.

[@scottsolar2841]

what about Sitka Gear

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

I didn't own any back when this video was shot. But I did obtain some once I did this video: kzbin.info/www/bejne/eKqyd4mbgcx_p9k

[@AlexanderMason1]

It performed exactly as one would expect considering the different thicknesses of base layers tested.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

I think that is an over simplification. Some of the synthetic layers were quite thick. And the ice breaker merino is so thin you can see through it. I know it's rated at 200 but it's clearly not.

[@jkyoft78]

Your graphs suck. They are not zero based. To a casual viewer, you make it look like the 'three in dead last' are less than half effective than First Lite. But the y-axis shows they are about 9% less effective. Your y-axis is not zero based.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

Hi Dave, this is how graphs are often done for markets, stocks, temp differences, and anything else where you need to show deviations and trends with limited visual space and user brain investment. The scale is labeled and shown honestly, but if I left it the full scale from 0 then the lines would be huge and impossible to quickly make sense of on mobile screens. Plus 0 is not 0 with temperature. You have to start the scale somewhere. You could start at 50 or 0 or -50, there is no bottom. I am just working to make the data easy to understand.

[@christopherwilson6527]

Your understanding of graph data it what sucks. Graphs were clear for the data we need

[@paulleonard7038]

Test base layers but dont include a mesh base layer? 🤦‍♂️ amateur

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

I can only test what I have and buy. Send me one and I'll include it in the next test.

[@justinw1765]

A mesh base layer won't be nearly as warm as any of these, but that is not the point of mesh. The mesh is to help keep you dryer and more comfortable, especially when you are hiking/working hard and sweating a lot. It keeps you warmer when your other layers wet out, and allows you to dump more heat and moisture faster. I use a combo of mesh and a thinner, regular baselayer over same, as my "baselayer". Then depending on how cold, wet, etc I may add a midlayer of some kind (usually just a front only insulated vest--which varies from grid fleece to lofty synthetic like 2.5 oz/yd2 Climashield Apex--one of the better and more durable synthetic insulations). And I almost always use a windjacket with the combo baselayer, unless it is towards the warmer end of temps.

[@AlexanderMason1]

This test is not really fair as you are comparing different thicknesses of base layers.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

If you want to fund more layers to more closely match the weights, I'd be happy to do it again! None of this stuff is cheap. I am not in a position to drop $700 to make a video that KZbin pays me $10 for.

[@vajona2495]

should have done this in a climate control environment with more people. but I agree with bent5434 good job sir

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

I couldn't agree more. Should have done it in a lab and repeated it 10 times and averaged the results. But it took me almost an entire day to stage, prep, shoot, test, wet test, record, chart, record the conclusion, and edit. I was totally wiped out by the end. Considering this isn't my job, it's just a fun side hobby, it was a robust as it was going to be lol.

[@vajona2495]

@@TheNewHuntersGuide Working in a lab, I totally understand.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

@@vajona2495 What kind of lab do you work in?

[@vajona2495]

@@TheNewHuntersGuide I work with bsl 2,3,4 labs across the country. I deal with virus.

[@TheNewHuntersGuide]

@@vajona2495 Wow. There is a lot more at stake on your numbers. Thank you for the diligence!