High exertion layering- merino under synthetic or?synthetic under merino

[Erussell01]

I find synthetics to be better short term. They dry quicker. The downside is they smell to high heaven past day 2. Not a fan for myself or having anyone in the hunting party wearing them on anything past a day trip. Also not a fan of synthetics once your sweated up once you stop moving if it's cold out. That cold clammy feeling is not the greatest. I don't seem to get that with merino.

What weights of merino do you end up using?

 

[bard]

What weights of merino do you end up using?

I run a kuiu t shirt and long sleeve. Both are fairly lightweight. Usually only wear one up the hill. Pull it off to dry at the top and throw the other one on.

 

[5MilesBack]

If I wear synthetic as a base, all it does is move the sweat around on my skin regardless what I'm wearing over it. If I wear merino as a base, it absorbs the sweat and keeps it off my skin. Any layers I wear over my merino base are always synthetic. Love my fleece, whether it's microfleece or heavier fleece for lower temps. That's what is most comfortable for me.

 

[BBob]

I wear merino as a base, it absorbs the sweat and keeps it off my skin. Any layers I wear over my merino base are always synthetic.

This is me as well. I wear light merino regardless of temps as my base. My most common by a large margin second layer is the Kuiu Peloton 97. I'm almost always in that layer and add on top of those. The exception is hot weather. Hot weather I'll still wear the light merino base but with a lighter looser fitting sun protection oriented shirt over it when needed.

 

[Nvbuckshot]

I don't like merino past the base layer, yes it pulls moisture, but it holds it in my experience. Using fleece/active insualtion seems to work well with merino under to help get things dry, while keeping the funk down. I can toast a sythetic piece like the Avro in two days, have pushed it to 2.5-3. I like merino for backpack hunts and generally like how it feels next to skin more. I've had merino based mid layers and they haven't been great apart from being quiet.

The ambient really ended a lot of layering system fluctuation for me. I use it for everything past my baselayer instead of a fleece, right or wrong. I've used the SG merino stuff and had good luck, went back to that for a baselayer top this year.

Wool makes heat when wet with a layer over it, thus drys, if your using a breathable mid its almost like have nothing over the wool and it drys i like a good synthetic base but it must have a good treatment so they don't smell. I think everyone is got a great idea of the layers just my 2 cents. Hunt hard

 

[JDMBEND]

Light merino base with my Ambient hoody works best for me.
The ambient is the best piece of clothing that I own. I nearly choked on the price of it, but it is worth the money.

 

[handwerk]

I've been quite happy with my FL products both merino and synthetic.

 

[Desk Jockey]

Light merino base with my Ambient hoody works best for me.
The ambient is the best piece of clothing that I own. I nearly choked on the price of it, but it is worth the money.

I am liking my ambient as well. Wore it for two days chasing elk this year and was very impressed with how it did in comparison to the grid fleece I wore the rest of the hunt. It is warmer, lighter and it moves sweat better.

to the OPs point, I am a sweat hog. I find a synthetic base layer (usually Sitka core lightweight but I wear some Patagonia too) moves moisture better and keeps me dryer for me but merino feels better in terms of comfort and warmth. I feel like they both start to stink a few days in, but by then, I stink too so i don’t have a strong preference for either.

 

[Poser]

If I’m going to be working hard, I always go with the lightest weight merino, ~125 weight or so. I do a lot of backcountry skiing in the winter which gets extremely sweaty in the cold air while going up and find the thinner baselayer dries out much faster, usually in the time in takes me to transition to downhill mode.

For mid layers, I use both merino and synthetics, depending on the weather and my mood. I do find that heavier merino layers can be slower to dry. I have. FL sawtooth that I use, Kuiu Peloton, and/or a light BD wind jacket which is quickly become my favorite.

 

[S-3 ranch]

I’m using a poly base layer and wool mid layer then a fleece outer
a merino base doesn’t work for me here stays damp way longer than poly

 

[Stache Attack]

I go back and forth aswell with an old chama in max-1 that’s held up great and others from FL haven’t, I also run a Peleton 97. I feel that the synthetic moves moisture away from skin better than merino. Yes it does have some funk but usually not bad after I let it sit outside awhile. I’ll always keep my Chama until holes get bad after that pry stay synthetic for durability and how it pulls away from skin.

 

[parkerMV]

I've been testing 2 basic systems right now.

One featuring a merino next to skin layer and one featuring a poly next to skin.

Specifically I've been putting my sitka core lw short sleeve up against a kuiu merino 125 t.

Different people have different opinions and preferences when it comes to comparing natural fibers (cotton or merino wool) to polyester.

The thing about natural fibers is that they will initially breathe better. But that is if they do not get completely saturated with moisture and sweat from strenuous physical exertion. If you will be sweating for a long duration of time, then the polyester will absorb much less moisture and remain drier. It's not fun to wear natural fiber material that is drenched in sweat and wet.

Some people can't stand the feel of polyester against their skin. Though that can still be better than moist or wet natural fiber material.

Namely when I have them covered by a mid layer they act differently. When I wear the kuiu merino 125 under a fleece it actually seems to not dry as well as the sitka. When I cover the merino with more merino in the form of a kuiu 145 hoody it seems to stay more dry as if it pulls the moisture into the 2nd layer of merino. It also seems when I wear the 145 over a synthetic base layer it pulls moisture into that outer layer more as well.

That's no surprise at all. The fleece layer (being made of synthetic polyester) probably does not breath as well as the merino. That means, even though it will let air through it, it will still not carry away moisture from the inside to the outside as fast as a natural material like merino will. This causes you to sweat more, and will make the base layer more wet if it is natural.

So it seems like in your situation it may not be advisable to wear a natural layer under a synthetic layer. Either they will both have to be natural layers, or both synthetic.
(I mean for you personally. It may be a different situation for other people)

What you decide to wear may also depend on the temperature, and the weather.

It might be better for you to wear a very lightweight merino wool sweater, or if the temperature is not too cold, maybe a loose long sleeve cotton shirt or zip hoodie.