If you are looking to extend the life of your base layers, consider using specialized detergents every time or once in a while to get your base layers clean. We like Wool Wash for wool or BaseWash and BaseFresh for synthetics. For example, people often wear several layers that they can shed one at a time as it gets warmer during a hike. Thumb holes keep the sleeves in place while you remove other layers. Breathable and stretchy, useful features such as hood and thumb loops, highly adaptable to wide range of conditions

Base Layer | Under Armour, Nike, adidas, Odlo Running Base Layer | Under Armour, Nike, adidas, Odlo

BASE LAYER BOTTOMS - This guide focuses on base layer tops, but don't forget about your lower half! A pair of base layer bottoms is also an essential part of any outdoor clothing system. To identify what qualities to look for, we interviewed Tucson-based professional trail runner Ashleigh Thompson (she/hers). A member of the Red Lake Ojibwe Nation and a Ph.D. Candidate in Anthropology at the University of Arizona, Ashleigh believes being outside is paramount to healing and happiness. She promotes recreating respectfully on Native lands and creating outdoor spaces that are welcoming to everyone. WARMTH Not only is the Patagonia Capilene Midweight relatively affordable compared to other technical base layers, but they come in a broad range of colors and a more comprehensive size selection than most companies offer, ranging from XXS to 2XL (or 3XL in men's). They even have kids’ sizes if you want the whole family to match! As more outdoor brands are offering plus-size options, we hope that Patagonia will add at the very least a 3X to women's and more sizes, too.

BOTTOM LINE: The Outdoor Research Echo Hoodie ( men’s / women’s) is one of the most comfortable base layer tops for summer conditions thanks to the light and airy fabric.

Base Layers - Treeline Review The Best Base Layers - Treeline Review

Caring for wool base layers can get a little, well, wooly. Some, like Smartwool and Icebreaker merino, are formulated to handle regular detergent. Others may require special detergents, like a specific wool wash, for optimal performance. Wool especially is prone to shrinkage in the dryer. If you live in a humid climate, you might want to lean more towards synthetics or wool blends for your base layers. DO YOU WANT A HOOD OR THUMB LOOP ON YOUR BASE LAYER? I must admit that I use thumb holes a lot and can find a few persuasive benefits to them (Image credit: Emily Woodhouse) Our good old British weather can be wildly unpredictable, making layering up with the right kit a must for enjoying outdoor exercise. What we liked: Warmth, versatility, durability, most inclusive sizing, looks good on most people, color and pattern availability, reasonably priced WHAT IS YOUR PREFERRED OUTDOOR ACTIVITY? ARE YOU LOOKING TO WEAR YOUR BASE LAYER UNDER OTHER CLOTHING?

Conclusion

Counter these cons by only wearing it for warm-ups, before you get your real sweat on. Or save it for leisure wear; its North Face branding makes it one of the more stylish pieces on our list. Only wash when you really need to - A lot of technical fabrics are designed to be antimicrobial and shouldn’t hold odors. Hiking clothing doesn’t necessarily need to be washed after every use. The benefits generally increase as the price does, within reason. Everything from the fabric used to the construction is detail-oriented. A quality base layer is designed to move with the body and to look flattering as well. It has a built-in ventilation system, featuring mesh-like fabric in areas of the body that tend to get warm, like armpits and sides of the torso. As synthetic fabric tends to get stinky, more expensive base layers are woven through with silver to kill bacteria and cut down on some of that stink over time. That’s why if you can spend more on a high quality base layer, it reduces the amount of money you spend in the long run.

The 5 Best Base Layers of 2023 | Tested by GearLab

Some base layer brands understand that people of all sizes love getting outside. Some brands still have yet to get the memo. Smartwool and Patagonia have the broadest range of sizes available, including plus sizes and kids’ sizes. Do you want base layers tight or loose?Zip base layers help you manually vent off some heat when you're working hard. Zip lengths go from ¼ zip to ½ zip. Zip base layers tend to be more technical and are often more expensive.