Which company has the best base layers

[Bpop208]

i really like first lites. Fit is great

 

[goathunter]

I've been a huge merino fan for a long time - Patagonia, First Lite and now Black Ovis. Prior to that I tried Patagonia capilene and it would get funky pretty quick. And the original Sitka synthetics were like silk I did not like the feel at all. But I love the new Core Lightweight Hoody and it has me wanting to give synthetic base layers another shot. I can't tell if the Core Lightweight LS is the exact same material as the hoody or not I need to get my hands on one.

 

[gaswamp]

Forloh or black ovis works for me

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Finally an affordable Merino brand! Thanks for bringing Meriwool up, I'd found all the other brands besides it.

While you're at it, what do you prefer for your outer layer?

For our pack in hunt last fall I didn’t buy any elk-specific outer layers other than a mil-tec packable poncho and a pair of Kennetrek gaiters. I have a UA polyester/fleece mid-layer I wear whitetail hunting that I took out West and wore this over the Meriwoool quarter zip. That kept me warm for 90% of situations. On top of that I had a 20 year old Whitewater Outdoors camo insulated Goretex parka as my heavy/waterproof outer layer. I picked that up from Sierra Trading post in Cheyenne way back in the day when snowed in on a work trip to WY.

For pants I brought 2 pairs of Kuhl Ryders and they were fantastic.

I sprayed all outer layers with 2 coats of DWR spray for good measure.

Socks were Darn Tough medium weight I believe and were awesome.

 

[ForlohFamily]

Men’s Deep Space Base Layer

These 4way stretch long sleeve tops are constructed using the best available baselayer technologies optimized to capture and re-radiate your body heat. Shop Now!

forloh.com

The most technically advanced cold weather base layer on the market, featuring FORLOH’s flagship warming technology Trizar™, a NASA Certified Space Technology woven in every fiber of this shirt. Trizar™ technology is optimized to capture and re-radiate your body heat, keeping your core body temperature 2.0F warmer. It diffuses moisture caused by sweat to keep the wearer dry and comfortable.

 

[jjohnsonElknewbie]

Today I went to buy my daughter a couple smartwool 250 1/4 zips like I bought last fall. After seeing they've doubled in price, I broadened my search.

I found Merino.Tech store and they sell 250 weight 100% Merino sets (top/bottom/hiking socks) for $86.99. I got her 2 sets and they'll be here next Tuesday. I'll report back on initial quality.

I know they're imported, but I'm a man on a budget like everybody else these days, and I just can't afford to spend $100 on one baselayer piece.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

depends

are you looking for merino base layers or synthetic?

merino is nice from a odor standpoint, especially on longer trips, but that's the only real advantage to merino

good synthetic base layers simply outperform good merino base layers- they breathe better, move moisture better and dry faster

Sitka Lightweight Core hoody for hunting season, Outdoor Research Echo hoody for other than hunting season and Patagonia Thermal Weight for winter

if merino is what your looking for, I suggest looking at blends (merino and syn) they hold up better and you get some of the benefits of syn (quicker drying, moisture movement) vs 100% merino

This is spot on. This year I did a pretty decent comparison for myself swapping between wool blend (SG wool hoody 89% wool) and synthetic (sitka core lt wt hoody). Note: I have previously used First Lite wool blend base layers the aerowool and seems to not stink as fast as the SG, but only by a day or so.

what I found was not all blends are created equal. I thought the SG hoody was most durable wool base layer I have worn and it really held its shape. However, I was stinky on day 3 and really stinky day 4 of 7 day hunt. With sitka core lt wt I would start to stink end of day 2 in to day 3. Therefore, the 2 or less days of stink advantage using wool just doesn't out weigh the performance of synthetic for me. Maybe I'm a stinky f**ker, but If I'm gonna end up stinking on a week long hunt anyway I my as well use the best performing layers.

I am honestly shocked how many people still use merino wool. almost every thread on here about wool vs synthetic, feels like 75% still say wool.

 

[Quigly13]

Personally I like Sitka base layers but I wish it came in solids. I want a nice base layer I can wear while doing non hunting outdoor activities and I just feel like a real goober in my core lightweight hoody while running on the treadmill at the gym. If I’m going to pay damn near $100 I want to wear the clothing for more than just hunting.
For those reasons I’m looking at SG. Price is negligible between the two but I can wear SG so many other places without looking like “that guy who hunts”.

 

[darpoh]

Personally I like Sitka base layers but I wish it came in solids. I want a nice base layer I can wear while doing non hunting outdoor activities and I just feel like a real goober in my core lightweight hoody while running on the treadmill at the gym. If I’m going to pay damn near $100 I want to wear the clothing for more than just hunting.
For those reasons I’m looking at SG. Price is negligible between the two but I can wear SG so many other places without looking like “that guy who hunts”.

The CLWH comes in solids. I have it in both solid green and light grey.

 

[Fins_N_Tines]

The CLWH comes in solids. I have it in both solid green and light grey.

I was just gonna say same thing.

 

[AttackMode]

Didn't read through the entire thread but I've been using Aclima woolnets for a few months and they've been great.

 

[ForlohFamily]

 

[Limbhanger]

depends

good synthetic base layers simply outperform good merino base layers- they breathe better, move moisture better and dry faster

I agree, after reading through this thread, was thinking I, was the only one here who does not care for Merino as a base layer. I personally have a bunch of Sitka gear, and First Lite, but refuse to buy their expensive base layers, where cheaper synthetics will do just as good, if not better?

The only somewhat expensive base layer I have is the Merino Minus33, and I always choose my cheaper synthetics over it on cold days

 

[willtim]

It's awfully hard to beat Kuiu merino wool.

 

[Drenalin]

My favorite is the Stone Glacier Chinook. It's a blend, not 100% wool (which I wouldn't want) and for me it's the perfect fabric weight. My next favorite merino base is Minus33 - very durable, also a blend, comfortable, and holds its shape well.

For synthetic, I personally don't like the fabric feel of Sitka's lightweight stuff. Prefer Kuiu Peloton 118 here, though I would also say I think the Peloton 118 runs a little hotter than the Sitka lightweight.

 

[Mugen]

I posted about this in another thread, but I like Voormi for baselayers, and they make some of their stuff in patterns such as Blowdown and Harvest.

 

[Nvbuckshot]

I prefer the First Lite base layers but actually had some success with the Badlands ones as well. The price of the Black Ovis ones makes me think Ill give them a try when my current ones wear out.

I like the black ovis wool but some run a little short in length to me, but I keep buying them. I still like a good quality synthetic base for most of the long trips.

 

[Nvbuckshot]

I think it depends is always going to be the answer.

Best lightweight merino - Sitka (higher merino %, thinner, more comfortable)
Best heavier weight merino - First Light (more options, more weights)
Best Synthetic - Kuiu (the different weights, the strong fleece line is feature-filled, and the Peloton 97 layer alone is unmatched by anyone).

I'm interested in the peloton 97, and the 118, can you or anyone tell me more about them, I own very little of kuiu and I'm thinking hard to move in that direction, I've used sitka from the very 1st year I still have a few pieces of from back then. One of there midlayer pieces used silver to fight the smell it was cutting edge back then

 

[justinspicher]

My vote is for Minus33. I switched from FL after they fell apart, and haven’t looked back.

 

[trapper.robi]

I like to run merino wool underwear, Decathlon is the best fitting in my experience and I wear them every day now. I pretty much always wear a black ovis lightweight T shirt and then the kuiu peloton 97 upper and lowers. I think the merino t shirt helps keep the synthetics from getting smelly as quick.