Are lightweight baselayer bottoms a waste?

[Erussell01]

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 just wish for this specific application they werent 3/4 length....

The material is about perfect but the length being 3/4 doesn't make as much sense for whitetails as it does for western application.

 

[BBob]

Wear some over calf length socks. That's what I do in snowboard boots. Works just fine.

 

[Erussell01]

Wear some over calf length socks. That's what I do in snowboard boots. Works just fine.

Seems pretty reasonable, but my calves are fat and sassy so I have a tough time finding tall socks to fit. Do you change your socks at all when you get to where you hunt? Often times I will throw on a dry pair at the base of the tree for long cold sits

 

[Erussell01]

Dangit I see OR has the alpine onset which looks promising at 47/47 merino poly

 

[5MilesBack]

For elk hunting I have my lightweight merino base top and bottoms on 24/7 while I'm up there. They get the sweat off my skin and they are very comfortable to wear even when I'm not sweating. Also very comfortable for sleeping in the bag or under the quilt. My legs can handle extreme temps hot or cold so I wear them only for comfort and sweat control. I also wear over the calf liner socks, normal height lightweight merino socks, and my gaiters over my pants and boots. My legs just aren't bothered with the heat. I can do that in 100+ degrees. But I have to have sweat control.

 

[Erussell01]

For elk hunting I have my lightweight merino base top and bottoms on 24/7 while I'm up there. They get the sweat off my skin and they are very comfortable to wear even when I'm not sweating. Also very comfortable for sleeping in the bag or under the quilt. My legs can handle extreme temps hot or cold so I wear them only for comfort and sweat control. I also wear over the calf liner socks, normal height lightweight merino socks, and my gaiters over my pants and boots. My legs just aren't bothered with the heat. I can do that in 100+ degrees. But I have to have sweat control.

For me I get gold easy, but also overheat really easy while moving. Thats ultimately why I have to rely on layers so much more than I ever have before. I can't recall- do you use3/4 length merino or full length?

 

[5MilesBack]

For me I get gold easy, but also overheat really easy while moving. Thats ultimately why I have to rely on layers so much more than I ever have before. I can't recall- do you use3/4 length merino or full length?

At 6'6" with a 38" inseam they might as well be 3/4 length. Most of them come to mid calf, tall's just below that.

Ya, when I'm not moving I need a heat source even in the 50's and 60's, but once I'm moving my furnace is on full blast no matter the temps. That's why I'm always on the move. I hate being cold. And I've never found any weight merino to be all that warm when stationary, even 400gm weight. That's why I like fleece.

 

[doc holiday13]

This is my first year wearing a lightweight merino baselayer. Usually i just wear boxers but I bought some 3/4 legnth FL wick pants/leggings. I was a little warm hiking on a 70 degree day but it wasn't hateful enough to not do it again. It worked well for sweat management so the pants weren't sticking to my leg. I'll keep doing it for sure

 

[Erussell01]

At 6'6" with a 38" inseam they might as well be 3/4 length. Most of them come to mid calf, tall's just below that.

Ya, when I'm not moving I need a heat source even in the 50's and 60's, but once I'm moving my furnace is on full blast no matter the temps. That's why I'm always on the move. I hate being cold. And I've never found any weight merino to be all that warm when stationary, even 400gm weight. That's why I like fleece.

Yeah I really only like light merino these days. I have furnace weight merino, but just dont use it that much compared to fleece for a whole host of reasons. I have to laugh because my arms are 6'5 almost 6'6 and at 6'2 sleeves are never long enough

 

[WyoKid]

I have a set of Badlands with Bamboo and Lyrca I got a few years ago off Camofire on close out - they don't make them anymore. I have a set of Firstlite Merino bottoms I put over them if it is real cold.

Any light weight bottoms will work as the base layer but I love the Badlands as they are smooth and don't grab or bind on to my heavy base layer or pants. Before that, I wore sports or running tights, which function the same way. That is how I got the idea of wearing them as base layer as other base layers tend to bind on my pants when stepping over logs and climbing, but tights let the fabric glide smoothly.

 

[Erussell01]

Ok so hear me out.

I've been testing whether or not I find value in a light weight baselayer for the type of hunting and here is what I have found

For stationary hunting, thats a short distance from the truck- no a light baselayer isn't worth a darn to me. I will still be cold as if I didnt have them.

For high activity hunting like upland hunting in cold weather, I think they have validity for me and allow flexibility. My current favorite combo for this application is kuhl renegades and kuiu 145 zips offs for 40 degree grouse mornings that turn into 65 degree grouse mid days while giving the dogs a break. The inky issue with this setup is dropping trow in the tick infested woods.

I also bought a set of smartwool all season 150 weight merino full length bottoms. Dangit they're really really good so I find myself using them for sweat management.

I'm still treating the notion of a light base as plausible but I can see more use for them in certain situations for sure.


I think 150wt is the best all around. I find less value in a 250 weight merino for most of what I've experienced this season

 

[doc holiday13]

................................................... The inky issue with this setup is dropping trow in the tick infested woods.

I also bought a set of smartwool all season 150 weight merino full length bottoms. Dangit they're really really good so I find myself using them for sweat management.

I'm still treating the notion of a light base as plausible but I can see more use for them in certain situations for sure.


I think 150wt is the best all around. I find less value in a 250 weight merino for most of what I've experienced this season

Your missing something critical. a tight fit baselayer will be a good tick stopper too. I wear UA leggings early season and heavyweight wool leggings late season. If a tick gets under my pants, it buries itself in the waistband. Makes it easy to find ticks

 

[Alpine4x4]

I bought the Sitka Lightweight synthetic baselayers on a whim for under some light fishing pants for a trip to Montana fly fishing. They were just enough to take the edge off in the morning, but not too overbearing when it was 70* out and sunny. I started wearing them hiking around here in WA as the mornings are getting colder and they are great. They wick well and take the bite off when its cold, but I am not overheating. Definitely a great piece of kit for me in the early season. I think they will work great under some waders in the summer too.