Layers (the Long Underwear Edition)

Back in December we did a post about the benefits of Merino long underwear especially for kids.  We highlighted one of our favorite companies, Icebreaker, and talked about how crucial we feel that base layers are for kids.

Kids certainly are not the only ones who need to keep warm.  I recently heard an excellent viewpoint that if parents are warm and happy, their attitude will help keep their kids positive too.  The truth is that kids don't miss a thing, and if you are cold and frustrated, your kid will certainly follow that example (even if they are perfectly warm!)

A couple of our favorites when it comes to adult base layers:

Icebreaker New Zealand Merino Wool
...makes long underwear for adults too (and yes, it is just as amazing as the smaller "kid-version".  Mountain Papa and I both have a set that we wear constantly.  I already spoke a bunch about Icebreaker the company in this post, but I wanted to highlight the pros and cons we see of Merino Wool (and particularly Icebreaker.)

What we tested:

The Women's Bodyfit 200 Leggings are very similar to the Men's Bodyfit 200 Leggings (except that the  men's version has a fly.)  Mountain Papa also tried the Men's Oasis Crew (which is essentially the top to the Bodyfit 200 "set".)  We sat down and talked and realized that the pros and cons of the men's and women's (in our opinion) are the same:

What we love:
- Soft, no-itch material
- The no-stink factor (a MUCH bigger deal for an adult than a kid!)
- The weight relation to warmth (lightweight and we stay plenty warm!)
- The entire Icebreaker mission of being able to track their wool.
- The flame-resistant factor (see video here)

What we aren't so crazy about:
- The fact that they shouldn't go in the dryer (we I almost ALWAYS mess up and put them in the dryer.)  So far, no ill effects, but I was told it would break down the fibers over time and there is a small amount of shrinkage.  That said, they really don't have to be washed very often because they don't stink.
- They tend to stretch less than polypro.  They do hold their shape, but not as well as polypro does.

Columbia Omni-Heat Base Layers

What we tested:

Mountain Mama: Women's Baselayer Midweight Stripe Tops and Bottoms
Mountain Papa:   Men's Baselayer Midweight Long Sleeve 1/2 Zip
                            Men's Baselayer Midweight Tight
What we love:
- Those little dots really do keep us warmer (as long as you are moving.)
- They fit well (the stretch is forgiving and comfortable.)
- They are light weight and outer layers slip over them easily.
- We can throw them in with our other "dark" clothing and not worry about them.
- I like the bold colors for the women's :)

What we aren't so crazy about:
- The stink.  Polyester REALLY stinks if you start to sweat at all.  We find we wash them WAY more than our Icebreaker sets.
- If you are not active, they don't seem to be nearly as effective as merino wool ("cool" on your skin).
  In fact, I feel cold in them if I am sedentary.

What base layers do you prefer? We would love to hear about your favorites!

Icebreaker and Columbia both provided us these base layers for review.  However, as always, the opinions here are completely and honestly our own.  Additionally, some of these links are affiliates (see our disclosure here.)