Warm Baselayers

Hi everyone,

Am looking for some advice on warm baselayers. I'm quite a cold person (I can thank my Mum's circulation problems for that) and so when I go skiing or boarding I find that although I'm fine (if a little hot) on the slopes, I'm freezing on the ski lifts. So I thought I'd actually look into something more hi-tec than my regular cotton tshirt!

The best thing I've found so far I think is the Helly Hansen "HH Warm" range "for activities that involve a lot of stop and go, normally involving you freezing due to excessive moisture being built up and then cooled down". That sounds about right to me.

There are 4 tops in the range (http://www.hellyhansen.com/W06/index.php?menu=5):

Freeze 1/2 Zip Turtle
Frost V-Neck
Hybrid Zip Turtle
Ice Crew

and for the life of me, I can't work out what the differences are between them!

So, two questions for you all:

1) Anyone know the differences between the 4 HH Warm tops?
2) Can anyone recommend any other similar base layers to the HH Warm range?

Thanks

James

Can't help on the specifics of the HH range but I can tell you that you'll notice a huge difference between a cotton t-shirt and any modern base layer. Been there, done that and lost the numerous t-shirts I used to wear for skiing.

All the main clothing makers have good base layer ranges now; your best bet is to have a good look over them in your nearest ski shop. So long as the materials are clearly marked as "moisture wicking" then you've immediately got a huge gain over the cotton t.

Personally I find it most flexible to have thinner base layers - and to wear one or two depending on the temperatures. If you tend to feel the cold, you may just want to go for a dual-layer base straight off. The zip neck styles are good as you can un-zip when on the piste (or in the cafe) and then zip-up tight while riding the lift.

I think you'll be pleasantly surprised at how warm even the very thin base layers keep you.

HTH,

Powderhound

As powder hound said, there's a lot of great base layering tops and pants out there now. Above that base layer you can wear any of the polyester fleece sweaters, even the cheap ones work well.

If your problem is moisture build up, there only so much that wicking materials can do if your outer shell is trapping the moisture. These modern materials do retain heat when wet, but not as well and it's uncomfortable. Under arm and other vent zips can help, but if it's a real problem you may have to look at a Goretex or similar shell. I would look at the end of the season for in the sales.


Trencher

Thanks guys. Yeah I completely agree about how pointless wearing cotton tshirts is. Hence the decision to move away from them!

I'm a cold person and wear up to 4 layers under my 'fleece' under my coat. What I'm never sure of is which type to have next to my skin, is it the 'sportsy' technical layer or a thermal layer? It's not often I sweat (only when in Austria and I have to walk up a steep hill and climb steps to get to the first lift of the day :wink:.)

For the "next to skin" layer, I go for the most comfortable (soft). The old polypro thermals were very uncomfortable (and smelly). I have some wool mixes that are great and some that are itchy. Best to open the packet and do a feel test befor you buy.

My favorite at the moment are Orage micro fleece pants. A very fine stretchy micro fleece. In fact micro fleece is great next to the skin and is worth two layers of traditional thermal underwear. It's very unrestricting, which is good as you want to avoid that bundled up feeling.

Silk is also good next to skin and often turns up in sales at reasonable prices.
I actually wear silk underpants under my thermals if it's going to be damp.
Wet cotton against your butt on the lift is torture.


Trencher

I know this is a bit late but I thought I'd put my two penneth in anyway.

There are essentially three types of baselayer; Synthetic, Woollen and a combination of the two.

Synthetic: These are the most common base layer you will find. they are made from a variety of material (nylon, polypropylene, some even have fine strands of silver in them!). As it is all man made you can do more with them so you can make a really warm baselayer or a really cool, wicking layer. What they don't do so well is cover both extremes.
They tend to wick quite well (absorb moisture) and in dry environments will dry really quickly too.
The disadvantage is that they can get quite wiffy, especially if they don't dry out completely.
Example: Mammut Cotopaxi, Haglofs Extender Top

Woollen: The better of these are made from pure merino wool (the ones that look like they've got too much skin) which, unlike old fashioned wool, is not itchy at all as the fibres are actualy thinner than synthetic fibres.
The advantage of merino comes from the way it works.
Unlike synthetics where the moisture is passed between the fibres, in woollen tops, the water vapour goes THROUGH the fibres. This means that the sweat and oils are locked up away until it evaporates on the other side. This means that bacteria cannot get to the sweat and as it is the bacteria that makes the smell, merino tops don't tend to smell very much!

The other advantage of wool is that it is more versatile - it copes weill in both hot and cold climates. Although you will find a synthetic top that keeps you warmer, and a synthetic top that keeps you cooler, they cannot do both like wool can.
Examples: Smartwool tops, Ice breaker

Combo: Your final option is a combinationm of the two. The idea behind this is obviously that you get the advantages of both. This is true and you can get some great tops, but you also get the disadvantages of both.
Examples: Helly Hansen Freeze Turtle or Prowool crew

Remember: to work best a baselayer has to actually be in contact with your body. Plenty of people buy them loose fitting for comfort but by doing this you are just stopping it working. The gaps between your layers will cool the water vapour down and then it will condense on the next layer - you now have a sweaty top!

You can get all the tops mentioned and plenty more at www.climbers-shop.com. Enjoy your skiing and stay warm!