Base Layer

Baselayer is a general term for thermal underwear which, as the name implies, is underclothing designed for cold conditions. Typically such clothing is made of artificial fabrics which are quick to dry and quick to wick away moisture (ie sweat) from your skin. Traditionally such clothing soon acquires a distinct whiff of its own (!), but modern wool underwear has just about conquered this problem, albeit at a slight penalty in terms of thermal efficiency, weight and durability. Nearly all major outdoor manufacturers have a range of baselayer clothing comprising at the very least, Long Sleeved Zip Top, Long Sleeved Crew Top and Tights/Long Johns, and many nowadays do both artificial fabric and wool ranges.

Baselayer clothing is not just thermal underwear, it is also important as an outer (in fact only) layer in alpine glacier travel where it is too hot to wear anything more. Here it is essential to have long sleeved garments than will ward off the intense sun of high mountain areas.

Artificial Fibre

Moisture-wicking polyester fabric that keeps you warm even when wet and dries quickly.

Wool

Thermal underwear made of wool, which performs virtually as well as any other thermal underwear we have ever tried and has the added benefit of not going smelly.