Baffin Base Layers
January 4, 2012
Baffin is branching into the apparel category and sent me some women’s base layers to try, tops and bottoms. I wore them today and have a few thoughts.
This isn't me.
Top – the top is great. It fits perfectly in my regular size and has cool superhero type styling; stars on the shoulders, racing stripes. I don’t know why there needs to be a bustier-style accent panel in the front, but whatever. I like it and it contributes to the Wonder Woman-inspired styling. It’s a wool piece and that means it’s a little itchy, so in the future I’d wear it over another base layer (lots of double base layer days in Alaska so no big deal). One thing I really love about the styling is the crew neck – I wish all base layers had this. I’m usually wearing one or all of the following: avalanche transceiver, backpack, radio harness. With all that stuff on a small torso, straps are bound to get pushed around and rub the side of my neck. Crewneck base layers solve that problem. I wish, as usual, that this piece had a 1/4 zip, but I guess not every single shirt can have one. You tall folks will like the fact that the arms are really long.
Bottoms – good fabric and good construction are foiled by terrible fit. I don’t understand the fit of these at all. They sent a M, which is a size up for me, and it seemed to fit in the legs OK but from crotch up it was a total junk show. The rise came up over my rib cage in the front, and dipped down in the back by at least three inches (which didn’t show crack, because the front rise was SO high). The long rise meant that I was busting a little sag at the crotch and feeling uncomfortable with a seam up so high on my torso. Sadly, I wouldn’t be able to wear these pants for anything really active like skiing or climbing; the fit would annoy me too much. As I point out here, high rise base layers are also really hard to manage when you have to pull them down to pee. You have to grope up under your shirt waaaaaay up there just to find the top of the pants to pull them down and then shift all your upper-body clothes all around to get the pants back up. Mostly, though, they’re just uncomfortable because they’re not shaped like I’m shaped. What a bummer; otherwise I’d really like them. The fabric is good and they are cut well in the legs to allow for knee movement, with cool “body mapping” to help ventilate when needed..
If it weren’t for the weird fit these would be my first choice for walking around in just base layers pre- or post-trip. It would be like wearing a Superfriends costume. I wish I had the bottoms in my regular size to see if that would help with the fit, but I suspect it would only help a little since the style is definitively high rise. Once Baffin irons out that issue, they’d have a winner here.
Columbia Midweight Stripe Omni-Heat Base Layer
January 2, 2012
I talked about these base layers in my last trip report, but they do deserve their own review.
At first look, this is a pretty standard design; long sleeve upper, full length lower. Lowers are really nice and long for you tall gals, and the sleeves on the upper are long enough too; no fit problems to speak of for a good range of body types. The “extra” is Columbia’s Omni-Heat fabric which has little metallic dots on the inside to reflect body heat back to you. At first I thought it couldn’t possibly make a difference, but a little voice spoke up reminding me that we use space blankets to reflect body heat back to injured people in the backcountry, so it should work to use the same idea integrated with clothing…?
I admit that I didn’t notice much of a difference when using these in the reasonable temps (above or equal to zero degrees F). They seemed pretty average at first, but since it wasn’t cold enough, my standard layer system was fine and the Omni-Heat wasn’t being put to the test. It had to dive well below zero for me to realize what a difference the Omni-Heat makes. It really, really works.
I have nothing whatsoever to say about these that isn’t an utter rave. They’re comfortable , well made, and they work to keep you warmer. Actually, I want them in more versions – like always, I would love a crewneck 1/3 zip version of the top, and a ski-length option for the bottoms. What say you, Columbia?
Helly Hansen HH Dry Revolution Base Layer
December 11, 2011
I’m a real sucker for a base layer that works. I know we’re supposed to view sweat as our enemy in rough conditions but I just can’t help myself because I like to work hard. Ergo, I sweat. So I need a base layer that excels at moisture transport away from the skin.
I also am picky about the way base layers feel. I mean, it’s a base layer so it’s right against your skin, yeah? When the base layer is scratchy or doesn’t fit right or rides up or otherwise makes itself obvious, it’s a no-go as far as I’m concerned. The base layer has to be the right length so that you can tuck it in the way you want, and has to fit perfectly or it’s just annoying.
Helly Hansen told me the Dry Revolution Base Layer was their biggest story this year so I was keen to check them out. I was stoked to discover that the base layer is soft, stretchy, and otherwise perfect in every way. Should I just stop there?
When you first pull the top out you’ll think it’s going to be too small, for it does look a little tiny. It’ll be okay though, because it’s made from a super stretchy fabric that fits like a second skin without feeling tight. I usually wear a small and the small fit fine and the medium wasn’t too baggy, so you can probably size up without any issues if you are worried about sizing. Personally I like the base layer to fit nice and snug for optimum wicking and since once I put the Revolution on I can’t even feel it, I usually go with the smaller one. The bottoms are similar, and tall chicas will be stoked to find that the legs are nice and long so even their ankles can be covered with wicking fabric. The fit of the top is nice and long so that it can be tucked in, and it stays put once you do.
The only improvements I would make would be to raise the collar of the shirt to go a little towards crewneck-style so that I can wear my transceiver over it without the strap chafing my neck. On cold days I can avoid this with a mid-layer with a higher neck, but most of the time when I ski I just wear a jacket over my base layer while I skin up. A crewneck/1/4 zip version of the Revolution top would be perfection.
I would also love to see a ski-length version of the bottoms since I don’t like to fold the legs up because they’ll stretch out. I could also do without the racing stripes on the sleeves and lower legs – without them the base layer could be worn under dresses as simple tights, but the racing stripes make them look a little weird because they show even over tall boots. Those are just minor quibbles, though; in general these are my absolute favorite base layer pieces and I think they’re likely the best on the market at this time.
They’re not that easy to find in retail yet, but you can get them at Altrec by clicking here.
Mountain Hardwear Butter Zippity
December 1, 2011
I just saw a picture of someone else wearing this shirt and all I can think of to say is really? Really? My arms are that short? I’m that freaky? How does someone else look so great in this and I’m looking like I’m wearing a base layer designed for a chimpanzee! I’m normal looking, I swear. On the small side. Not short, not skinny exactly, just…compact. Efficient. Why waste energy swinging long, willowy limbs around anyway? I can get my arm around in probably half the time it takes Gisele to land a punch.
You’re probably getting my point; that tall folks or people with high ape indexes will fit this shirt fine, and they’re lucky because it’s a great piece. Super warm and toasty, it’s got an unusually soft texture (probably why it’s got “butter” in the name) and is very quick-drying. It’s simple, with a 1/3 zip (mandatory for any base layer if you ask me) and one simple pocket down by the lower rib cage area. Sadly for me, I can’t really wear it very comfortably because the sleeves are way, way, way too long. I usually endorse adding a little extra length to sleeves because clothes aren’t usually small enough in the body and long enough in the arms for me – I have to settle for too-short sleeves or too-baggy torsos – so this is the first time ever that I think an item has sleeves that are too long. Even the hem of this piece is bordering on too long for me. the good news is that it fits nicely in the torso so you long and lean chicas will be happy with this one.
I’m 5’5″ so I’m not super itty bitty, so I’d say that this piece is probably best for women 5’7″ and above, or just very long-limbed. At least make sure to try it on before you buy to make sure you’ll like the fit. Other reviews have stated that the fit is spot-on, so it’s possible that my Butter Zippity is suffering from sample-itis, which is what happens when samples get sent to media and are changed a bit before they’re mass produced. If anyone has their hands on a retail version of this shirt, please weigh in on the fit.
If you just wanna roll the dice, you can order it at Backcountry.com for $69.
Featured Brand: MHW Integral Base Layers
September 25, 2011
I’ve tried every iteration of this base layer now, and I’m a total believer. I know, after 350 reviews I just kind of cut to the chase these days. Because I didn’t go to OR last summer, and MHW has changed up their PR crew, I got a pile of these to try but without guidance ended up kind of left in the dark about what they are made of and how to use them. Some people are snotty about whether manufacturer feedback should be important to a tester, but I think it’s super valuable. Did I mention I have 350 reviews under my belt now? I’ve found that learning what the product is made to do is really vital. How else can I pass that information on to you fine people? In this case, though, I had little to go on. I figured it might be kind of cool to just give them a try, see what I thought, and THEN do the research. Totally intentional.
After a few months of blind-ish testing, this is what I wear when I want to make sure I can be warm when I need to throw on a layer. What, I’m the only one who doesn’t use base layers as base layers? Can’t be true. The Integral series is so thin that it was hard to trust it at first, but I soon learned that I’d be sweating if I misjudged the temperature so I started bringing the Integral tops along as midlayers since it’s not cold enough to need them as base yet. My favorite is the Zip T (I think any shirt without at least a 3/4 zip should be illegal) though I expect to use the L/S version when the weather really gets cold and I don’t have to climb or anything (good excuse for an actual resort day, someday).
So I liked this base layer. It wasn’t until I sat down and started writing this review that I looked up the composition. I was surprised to find it is 65% merino (wool) and 35% polyester. I must say that I’m not a huge wool fan; I usually find it clammy, itchy, weirdly slippery, and not all that warm. I sometimes shy away from reviewing it because so many people love it; I figure it must be just a preference and as wool is clearly not my preference, it’s unfair to say I don’t like a product just because it’s wool. This is the first wool product that has made me think “oh…THAT’S what they mean when they say they like it.”
I shouldn’t really surprised about the wool composition, because the Integrals have that weird warm-but-not-warm way about them, but since it really did trend to the warm I liked them. It must be the high polyester content that keeps them from being itchy and clammy. They aren’t at all wind resistant but that is probably what keeps them breathable. If you are actually using them as a base layer rather than an outer- or mid-layer, like I do, this won’t matter to you (the lack of wind-resistance, I mean). The product info says that the underarm panels are 100% polyester to allow for breathability, which, given my experience with the garment, makes total sense. I tend to get warm at the areas covered by the merino blend, while not in the underarms, which was a weird sensation and took some getting used to, but was kind of awesome once I did.
Typical to most upper body Mountain Hardwear, the fit is really nice. Sleeves long enough, cut trim with ample room in upper arms, and long enough in the torso to either tuck in securely or stay put easily. I say “most” Mountain Hardwear, because lately they can’t seem to match up their jacket designs with their base and mid layer designs – all the sleeves on the jackets are much too short and the jacket torsos could use a few millimeters as well.
Unfortunately the tights are not engineered quite as well. The fabric is great but the fit has some problems; again, common to wool because it doesn’t hold its shape. Because of that (I assume), MHW put in a big elastic waistband, but made it too loose so the drawers will droop in short order. I hardly ever wear the tights for that reason. It’s a real shame because the fabric is technically quite good. The fit of the tights seems to be a lazy mistake that is not typical of MHW. I’m usually not a drawstring fan but a drawstring would have helped out, here. Still, there are body types that might do OK with this design so they are worth trying on; just count on the fact that if the waistband is even a little bit loose, it’s just going to get looser.
An excellent base layer that is much warmer than you will think when you pick it up. Buy it at Backcountry.com by clicking here.
The Handful Sports Bra
March 9, 2010
I’ve been wearing the same style of sports bra for years. OK, I admit, I’ve been wearing the same few sports bras for years. Somehow they just don’t wear out; perhaps because I put very little stress up on them, if you catch my meaning. Still, I was getting a tad bored with the same old look and the same old choices, so I was stoked to try the new kid on the block – the Handful.
One of the few sports bras made for smaller-breasted women, the Handful is designed to eliminate the uni-boob look while lending excellent support, which it most definitely does. I am really excited to be spending the next year in a warmer climate that might result in the possibility of recreating with more exposed skin than is typically permitted by Alaskan weather and Alaskan mosquitoes. I’m extra excited to have the Handful to sport when the time comes, because it is super cute as well as functional. I love the criss-cross spaghetti straps; they are bound to result in better tan lines than the racerback style I’ve been wearing for years. I understand that well-endowed women might find such thin straps too damaging to tender shoulders tasked with holding the girls up, but the Handful is really for smaller women anyway, so there ya go. I took it running today and it tamed any perceivable bounce while remaining comfortable, sweat-wickingly dry, and presumably attractive (though it might have been hard to discern under my late-winter-temperature layers. I love the full-coverage look which ensures no weird bulging or slipping, while still allowing the cute factor to come through via the spaghetti straps. The ruching gives a bit of separation for those concerned about that, but additionally it seems to help keep everything contained and in place, without that annoying gap left by compression bras. Personally I don’t mind showing off my bod, but I do mind the massive cleavage show when I do my deadlifts. This won’t happen with the Handful, which conforms to your chest to keep the peeping to a minimum.
I almost hate to post the picture above because the bra is really much more attractive than one would think from looking at the picture. So hop on over to the Handful web site and see pics of it on real bodies – you’ll see what I mean. It comes in a variety of basic colors though, sadly, not red, which for some reason is my favorite sports bra color. It does come in pink though, which I like, so I suppose there is something for everyone.
Now the one complaint, which, let me point out, is really negligible when it comes to how the bra performs, because this feature is optional. Inexplicably (to me) the Handful comes with fully, and I do mean fully, padded cups that are thankfully removable. Call me crazy but I’m not interested in sweat-soaked sponges lining my sports bra, nor do I feel any compunction to artificially enhance my already quite lovely natural shape. It is my theory [Theory 5.2(b)] that if women stopped faking big tits, other people, even perhaps the Neanderthal/troglodyte types, would stop finding small tits abnormal or strange looking on athletic bodies. Nothing is more illustrative of this point than the fitness industry, for which athletes are continually stuffing their chest skin with chemical balloons to achieve that “balanced look” after dieting away their body fat. I personally do not find anything “balanced” looking about slitting one’s skin open and installing bubbles of gel. If these athletes – and the judges – would accept that a fit woman with A or B cup breasts is NORMAL, perhaps fewer people would feel the need to surgically enhance their natural assets. And perhaps this wonderful sports bra company would not feel the need to include goofy pads with their lovely and perfect sports bras. Wow, soapbox.
In short, this bra is perfect without the pads. And so are your breasts. Embrace them both.
Sport Science 2.0 Wool Zip T
March 1, 2009
Being old school means wearing stinky polypro underwear for athletic endeavors. Yes, they are functional, wicking away the sweat and keeping me warm even when wet, but recently most of my friends have jumped on board with the wool revolution. The sportswear manufacturers have resurfaced wool as the best fiber for layering, swearing by the ultimate qualities of merino wool. I do not want to be old school anymore, and I jumped on the opportunity to test out SportScience merino running shirt that was to be free of nasty odors and made out of all natural fibers.
The fit of the shirt was a little different than my previous upper layers. The neckline is tight fitting, which made me wonder if it would work with my anatomy. Then I went running in -10F and actually preferred the close feel around my neck to keep me warm. Today I ran in it at 40F and left the zipper undone to create more airflow around my neck. This shirt works like mid weight polypro and functions well as an only layer or as part of layering in colder weather. I tested it mostly running, but I also used it while Nordic skiing and backcountry skiing.
I was pleasantly surprised by the thumb loops, even though I was first wondering if the sleeves are too short to use the loops. To put the loops on, I need to stretch the sleeves some, but after the application, they don’t restrict the movement of my arms yet feel snug. I am a normal built 5’7” and size S shirt is a good fit.
Before jumping into the merino shirt, I was worried about the scratchy feeling of fibers. With dry and sensitive skin, I was apprehensive that the shirt would be itchy. No problem, the shirt feels almost like a soft polypro shirt. Another worry was the ease of care. As a happy go lucky laundry person, the last thing I need is a high-maintenance running shirt. I have been washing the shirt in normal laundry in warm cycle and it has not lost its qualities or shrunk on me. Excellent. Now I am ready to upgrade to a merino T shirt and a heavier layer that is hooded with thumb loops.
Dakine Faction Pant
February 15, 2009
The Faction microfleece pant is a base layer for days that really, really require a base layer. Supersoft and thick, this is a base layer for deep, dark winter. I love how warm and soft it is. I don’t love how a crotch seam ripped within the first few wearings. Well, whatever, they’re still good, it’s only about an inch tear. But still, they didn’t last long before tearing. Perhaps I just got a bum pair. The crotch area is made of a different, and lighter-weight, fabric; so maybe that fabric is the culprit. Or maybe it’s just a good idea to buy these in a size up to prevent excess pressure on that crotch seam. And on that note, it’s probably also a good idea to just sum up by saying these are warm, but they might rip.
Isis Peony Crew
December 28, 2008
$53 at backcountry.com. Click here!
It took a while for me to actually test this as an activewear base layer, because, frankly, it’s such a cute shirt that I kept wearing it as a stand-alone piece. I don’t know what’s up with the product photo because the shirt is really cute but the picture is not, so just take my word for it here. It’s soft, silky, and flattering, but I knew that I’d have to actually make a post about its performance so I grudgingly wore it for actual exertion. Because I’m becoming familiar with the Isis base layer line, I was not surprised to find that the Peony Crew performs like the rest of the Peony line – perfectly! The Peony fabric is so smooth that it slides over both your skin and your outer layers, surrounding you in comfort and harmony. There’s nothing to bind, pull, or chafe, and the fabric will wick away moisture, keeping you comfortable and warm. And the shirt is cute enough to wear straight out on the town for aprés ski/climb/run/whatever. Another excellent offering from Isis.
Isis Long Jane
December 18, 2008
Oh, ooooohhhhh the Long Jane. It is a sad day at my house when my Long Janes are too dirty to wear. They are far and away my favorite base layer. So silky smooth, soft, and perfect, they fit under almost anything and are so comfortable you will forget you have them on. They are completely seamless (or so I think, but if they do have a seam, I have yet to notice it) and incredibly comfortable. The legs are long enough and the waist is high, which sounds strange until you actually wear it and realize how awesome it is to have the high waist there to keep your outer pants from chafing your skin. And you know that if I say a high waisted set of pants is good, it must really be good. Trust me, this one time, you WANT the high waist. The waistband itself is essentially just an extension of the pants – no drawstring, no elastic band, nothing to pinch or chafe.
The Long Janes are made out of the same material as the Peony Crew, and as I said before it must be some kind of miracle fabric. How that waistband stays in place seems to defy physics, but stay in place it does. I have worn the Long Janes on super cold days with another layer of tights on top, and I can pull on the second set of tights over the Long Janes without the Long Janes riding up or catching. The fabric is smooooooth and stays soft even after washing. The Janes move with your body like a literal second skin. And no, I’m not one of those people who gets “literal” and “figurative” mixed up. These are LITERALLY like a second skin. You will think they are a part of you. They’re awesome. You can tell I really like something when my vocabulary deteriorates into “awesome”. Sometimes it’s harder to find the words to describe something really great, and these are really great. So with “great” and “awesome” I guess I better sign off before I end up writing “Long Janes good. Buy Long Janes. Long Janes keep Geargals warm. Me like Long Janes.”
