Are lightweight baselayer bottoms a waste?

[TSAMP]

Ah, me and slim fit dont get together well.

My wife loves to call me thunder thighs lol

Im always in the market for a durable upland pant. I was going to try the FL sawbuck but have hrsrd mixed reviews. What are the kuiu brush pants missing in your opinion?

I had sawbucks. Got them tailored to a slim fit then sold them. Kuiu brush pants are thicker, but they aren't anything special in my opinion. I do really like the lace holder on them to keep my pant leg on my boot.

 

[mtwarden]

If anyone is looking for a very lightweight Merino bottom, Montbell has a good option. Light enough you have to be a little careful with them, but at 4 oz, not much more than a pair of boxers

https://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=25053&p_id=2307110&gen_cd=1

 

[ShiddyPiddy]

I'm in the camp of not wearing a base layer unless it's near zero. I'll adjust which Kuiu pants I'm wearing to match the weather. If I'm stopped moving and getting chilly I throw on puffy pants.

 

[Hnthrdr]

Yep love them for Oct-March hunting in the mountains. Rock the 3/4 ones usually. Have a pant with side zips so zips open while moving. Zip up when I stop to glass or do a predator calling set. They are great

 

[Erussell01]

If anyone is looking for a very lightweight Merino bottom, Montbell has a good option. Light enough you have to be a little careful with them, but at 4 oz, not much more than a pair of boxers

https://www.montbell.us/products/disp.php?cat_id=25053&p_id=2307110&gen_cd=1

You always come in hot with the coolest lightweight gear. You cost me too much money hahaha!

 

[Erussell01]

I had sawbucks. Got them tailored to a slim fit then sold them. Kuiu brush pants are thicker, but they aren't anything special in my opinion. I do really like the lace holder on them to keep my pant leg on my boot.

Glad I held off then. My current wrangler double fronts are my fav but I was looking for a faster drying synthetic pair

 

[Tahoe1305]

Absolutely love my FL 150 wick setups. I wear for almost any temp. Last week it was 40 mornings and 75 afternoons and I was fine. Not too hot and just enough warmth in the morning. I’ve worn them down to about 20deg with pants and a jacket and been good.

I have up to 400 wt tops and bottoms and their utility is just not as great. Yes they are warmer, but IMO almost too warm to do any moving. I take them as a close to zero glassing backup. But IMO having a top and bottom puffy over the 150 wick and under the pants is the way to really stay warm.

 

[fngTony]

You always come in hot with the coolest lightweight gear. You cost me too much money hahaha!

He’s cost me money too. Btw my light weight base layer didn’t get used. A little later in the year when it’s 20-50° then maybe.

 

[Gg23501]

Use them, love them, but they aren’t durable. Usually get some holes in the inner leg crotch area after one hard season. Maybe it’s the wool?

 

[mtwarden]

Use them, love them, but they aren’t durable. Usually get some holes in the inner leg crotch area after one hard season. Maybe it’s the wool?

Merino is definitely not that the top of the heap of durable fabrics AND then add very light Merino and they aren't going to be overly durable. What helps on the durability front is you can find a merino-nylon blend; for I've found ~ 65% Merino to 35% Nylon to be a pretty sweet spot- the Nylon gives durability and yields quicker drying times, but still with all the benefits of Merino.

But even a 85-15% ratio is better IMHO than 100% Merino.

 

[Erussell01]

He’s cost me money too. Btw my light weight base layer didn’t get used. A little later in the year when it’s 20-50° then maybe.

I didnt need them tonight at 80 degrees either. Holy it was hot and muggy hunting. Thankfully I had a short walk.

I could have sat there in my grunders and scared a deer to death more likely than I could have shot one

 

[Erussell01]

Merino is definitely not that the top of the heap of durable fabrics AND then add very light Merino and they aren't going to be overly durable. What helps on the durability front is you can find a merino-nylon blend; for I've found ~ 65% Merino to 35% Nylon to be a pretty sweet spot- the Nylon gives durability and yields quicker drying times, but still with all the benefits of Merino.

But even a 85-15% ratio is better IMHO than 100% Merino.

Thats my experience as well. I have a 100% merino set of 250s by meriwool that just dont hold up compared to something with at least a little nylon.
Have you tried the sitka 120s yet? The top is my new favorite for a light merino and has me strongly considering the bottoms

 

[mxgsfmdpx]

Merino is definitely not that the top of the heap of durable fabrics AND then add very light Merino and they aren't going to be overly durable. What helps on the durability front is you can find a merino-nylon blend; for I've found ~ 65% Merino to 35% Nylon to be a pretty sweet spot- the Nylon gives durability and yields quicker drying times, but still with all the benefits of Merino.

But even a 85-15% ratio is better IMHO than 100% Merino.

You would be in heaven going to outdoor stores in New Zealand. Merino nylon blends in all different weights are common and the quality is really good.

I went to two stores last July in Christchurch and stocked up on some lightweight merino nylon blends that are fantastic.

 

[cKnob01]

I use merino wool (mainly Kuiu) as a base layer for warmth on pack raft hunts and something to sleep in/sit around camp in. Merino wool won’t smell or get gross if you wear it for several days at a time even if you get wet with sweat or rain.

 

[Marshfly]

I use zip off 3/4s when I hunt out west for that exact reason and only recently added puffy pants to my arsenal. What weight are you using if its warm weather?

I don't wear liners if it's warm. Why would I want MORE material on my body when it's warm? I don't start the day in liners if the morning is over mid 30s. I might not wear them if the morning is 30 if I know the sun is coming out and it's getting into the 60s and I have a decent hike to start the day.

 

[chindits]

I use light bottoms so I can leave them on most of the day. As western hunters I find we are either moving or sitting and either will be for a while. So when moving, I need the sweat to wick, like you are saying. When still, like for glassing, I will just throw on my zip around puffy pants. Puffy pants with the full leg zip totally changed the game for me for warmth modulation between moving and sitting still.

100% right there

 

[*zap*]

if it is cooler/cold anything that keeps the layer next to your skin dry and passes thru the sweat to the next layer is a vgt.
if it is hot/humid you want the clothes next to your skin to be wet as water conducts body heat away from your body. Cotton in heat.

 

[Erussell01]

As far as lightweight merino bottoms-

I see the kuiu 145s and 120s are on sale how well do the 145s hold their shape? My only issue with the 145 hoodie I have from kuiu is it bags out after a couple hours. I love the fabric but should have ordered a large instead of XL if I knew it would loosen up

 

[Erussell01]

Ok here me out boys I tried the 145s. Theyre 3/4 length zip offs which might be the bees knees for western hunting, but now they have me thinking that a light full length merino base would actually be half decent for whitetail hunting since its generally lower to moderate activity and would be comfortable across a broad spectrum of temps.

I have 250 weight merino bottoms from meriwool. 250 weight kings 3/4 zip offs, sitkas heavyweight bottoms and a host of workwear type synthetic baselayers (wranglers from walmart around christmas for 10$ are the best value ever)

In a 150 or lighter weight, do you think a nylon or poly blend would improve durability enough to get multiple seasons out of them?

My 250 merinos are doing ok. This is my 2nd set and the inner thigh wears out from use which is what lead me to go synthetic in the first place

This year I'm doing a couple of 5 day deer hunts where I will be truck camping and schwetty balls might be a real stinker of a problem so I'm thinkin a lighter Merino base might actually help. My issue with 250s is they hold too much sweat from a bushwhack in and then dont seem to dry for the remainder of the day when I'm sitting in my saddle.
I'm specifically looking at the kuiu 160s, and anything similar to this. Anybody used them?

 

[BBob]

In a 150 or lighter weight, do you think a nylon or poly blend would improve durability enough to get multiple seasons out of them?

Kuiu 145 Nuyarn Merino- Body: 90% Merino Wool / 10% Nylon

I haven't had any durability issues or excessive stretching with my 145's. I've owned a pair for over 6 years or so and they are still doing fine. I wear them hunting, snowboarding or anytime it's cold enough to need them so they've had some use.