Best Baselayer Reviews - part 2

[@freestylebotanist]

Great video! Thanks for the attention to detail, and for explaining your results so well! Subscribed...

[@miguelferreira6223]

Hi! Big fan of your videos! Makes for great informed decisions! I was just wondering: one of the claimed advantages of merino wool over synthetics is that you don't feel cold when the shirt gets wet from sweat! is the cold factor of the wet synthetic shirts (from sweating) not a problem anymore due to their fast drying time? Best regards,

[@tywilson3689]

I was planning on buying a Rab Meco 120 baselayer outfit, but this convinced me... I need to get a capilene 1 baselayer as well! Thanks for this great video.

[@dcentral]

Are there any fabric developments since 20014 or are we still dealing with the same fabrics covered in this video? I desire the superior moisture wicking and drying speeds of synthetics but god damn do I smell bad after few hours in them. I didn't know I could smell this bad until I started wearing synthetics. My wool or cotton t shirts never smell bad in summer muggy heat. Have fabric treatments improved to deal with the odors? How long do the treatments last between washes? How come we are not seeing more silver fiber infused synthetics as silver is superior to odor control?

[@robertwood4783]

Great stuff - enjoy your balanced reviews

[@casesensitivephotos]

Interesting. I ware Cap 3 all winter and haven't noticed being wet, though I'm not usually hiking a mountain in it either. I'll have to drip some water on it and see what it does LOL. They have changed the weave on it several times over the years and now all their Capilene has gone to a grid I think in Winter 2015 season clothing and they only have 3 variants on it now! (unless you count Daily) I haven't tried any of the new stuff yet. I'd also be interested in Patagonia Merino as it's blended with Capilene and how that did in these tests.

[@justinip9832]

+caseSensitive Photos Sprinkle some water droplets to the inner side of my Cap 3, unlike in the video it absorbed immediately. How can that be?

[@casesensitivephotos]

+Justin Ip I think it could be from using brand new shirts? Maybe they open up some with some ware and washing.

[@paulbrock4414]

The one thing with wool be it merino or not It’s warm when wet and that needs to be factored into when you are using it or not.

[@stephanebaltazar3961]

Hi. Nice video. I think your missing 2 products. Helly Hansen Baselayer. You could try the HH Dry, and the new LIFA FLOW.

[@DrJapan]

Awesome!!! Would love to see more companies, columbia, northface, salomon, montbell etc. I mentioned it in several places but not all of the items you review are available everywhere.. you do have some fans outside of the us.. so PLEASE :)

[@96goozer]

All "reactive" approaches to temp management. Have you tested any "proactive" approaches such as Outlast? Testing would be more difficult because it's not about wicking perspiration as much as it is wicking "heat", storing it and recycling it back to you to create a comfortable comfort zone next-to-skin. I've been wearing it since 2000 for cold weather applications mostly. Can't say enough about it.

[@seahog32]

Guess I lucked up never buying into the merino base layer craze (mostly because I am cheap and not because of being smart or having good instincts). I personally love the Craft base layer. Not sure what are they doing there (ok, I am lazy too not feeling like researching it) but they do it extremely well.

[@Mark15726]

So what you're saying is merino wool is useless? I just bought an expensive merino wool thermals and seeing this video makes wanna return it!

[@tullochgorum6323]

Interesting, but I don't know how these tests relate to real-world usage. When OutdoorGearLab tested base layers in the field with a wide range of reviewers, merino came out top by some margin. The odour issue is also pretty important when you're on the trail for weeks and it's too cold for washing... I've been experimenting with using the Brynje Super Thermo, which is essentially a technical string vest. You cap it with a thin base layer. Used extensively in Scandinavia. In my experience performs better than the alternatives. Synthetic, but doesn't seem to stink.

[@tullochgorum6323]

@@magico070pano6 You're right - the Brynje approach is hardly new - Hillary was wearing it on Everest. Cyclists are on to it too - Armstrong used Brynje and many of the top pros these days are using some kind of mesh. I've now had 4 years of experience in all conditions and would never go back to conventional layering. In summer mesh makes it easier to dump heat if you cap it with a deep-zipped lightweight tee. In cold wet it keeps your damp mid-layer away from your skin, and in winter it traps warm air and prevents flash freezing when you stop, or if you get soaked. And yet it's never really mentioned in the hiking and hillwalking world. Perhaps the wider availability of cooler looking cycling mesh tops will open minds more - it certainly looks less kinky than the Brynje!

[@842qwery]

So for hiking in southern Nevada in the spring/summer months I should stay with Merino for uv protection and slow dry rate for cooling, you agree?

[@thelivingtribunal5117]

What is the jacket you're wearing? It's got an excellent cut.

[@HikeLighter]

Craig, what is the full name of that mammut hybrid? Never heard of, nor seen, that shirt before. (and any further thoughts on it? gimmick ??)

[@bikerob1231]

Did this company go out of business? The links to their website in the description do not work.

[@einzigkeit7216]

Do you have any substantial review with the polypropylene fabric? Usually made for Helly Hansen garment Thanks :-)

[@roytapia5231]

Wow very helpful video. What about socks? For mountaineering what kind of socks and fabrics are good? Thanks.

[@ov3rcl0cked]

+Roy Tapia I find wool works best for socks. I use synthetic socks for running, which works well. I rarely see synthetic socks for outdoor use. But I've used synthetic socks before, but I still find that I like wool the most. I've never gotten cold feet using wool(unless I'm inactive). I really like smartwool's mountaineering socks, they are thicker than normal, and very warm. I feel like trying to keep dry feet in a boot is often impossible, so I find that wool is best for this because wool doesn't really feel wet when it's wet unless it's saturated. So with that said, wool + foot powder is the best comfort I've experienced while outdoors. I also enjoy wool running socks, but they don't wick as well. However, in a boot that's covered in snow or exposed to a lot of moisture that moisture can't escape much making synthetics not really work that well. I could be wrong, but that's my experience with socks.

[@roytapia5231]

+Travis sturzl thanks for your tips bro. I'll go with wool for my next hiking. Blessed

[@Retread268]

Just a thank you for your earnest review. Truly a great help in making informed decisions.

[@weeksy68]

Such a good channel ..

[@SeahawkCustomsPc-qk2zn]

+Prolitegear blew my mind new sub. I have a question for you. I'm moving to Alaskarand it gets to 50 below zero what base layer would you choose. Thank you for any help...

[@TomsBackwoods]

excellent! Thanks for your work here!

[@mareklesniak8768]

My experience is, that synthetics do not work for me as good as merino wool. Yes, synthetics do dry out quicker and transfer moisture from my body more effectively, but I feel more comfortable anyway with merino wool. If you think about it - if you getting hot, you will sweat to cool down your skin. When your sweat is beeing constantly removed from your skin, your body will produce it more and more... a simple example - when you are sweating a bit on your forehead in a hot day, don't wipe that sweat. You will notice, you don't sweat that much then, as when you would wipe sweat all the time. The same is with other parts of our bodies. That's where I think, merino wool wins - it maintains some level of dampness next to your skin for comfort in hot environment, while it vapors excess of it, and all of that, without giving that cold feeling like you get with a wet cotton t-shirt. On the other hand, in winter conditions, you might actually want to get dry as soon as posible, and here synthetics might work better than merino wool (although merino wool can still maintain heat while beeing wet). And yeah, I can use merino wool 3-4 full days in mountains in a row, until it starts to smell a bit (but still at an acceptable level). Synthetics? Half a day to one day is maximum :-)

[@wallstreetoneil]

completely agree - however i continue to search for a synthetics that won't smell and go back and forth with merino and synthetics for ski base layers - i have found that the main key for skiing is to keep vents in jackets open as much as possible to regulate the body with airflow

[@MarcP5267]

The trick is in the winter is to stay dry. The ECWCS system used by the military is designed to keep you as dry as possible because you want garments that wick as best as possible.

[@amargnwalkr]

Part 3: comfort and temperature regulation/warmth? Also, how about synthetic mid/outer-layers. I.e. Nano-air, Xenon, Atom LT. Where you at Craig?

[@theMarshebrum]

Can you test some Coolmax baselayer?

[@HikeLighter]

LOOOOOVE CoolMax fabric!!

[@jf5581]

what about other brands. I seen in you videos only RAB or Patagonia products mainly. What about TNF or Marmot Columbia. Or it is that does brands never get to the final reviews because de don't perform well. Are their just like city brands for cold weather and this others brands that you test are really performance clothing

[@tj6111]

Which is typically lighter? Merino wool or synthetic??!

[@aitornavarro6597]

Trenton Harmon Synthetics. Wool is heavier because it's a natural fiber.

[@realdeal577]

Synthetic is lighter.