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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. 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.
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. | |
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Patagonia : | | |
Patagonia now make four Capilene fabrics for different levels of exertion and temperatures; it is still a moisture-wicking polyester fabric that keeps you warm even when wet and dries quickly, but now Capilene polyester is also at least 50% recycled (made with more than 50% recycled polyester, derived in roughly equal measures from plastic bottles and fabric scraps), and features Gladiodor* (how do they think of them!) natural odour control. All these garments are machine washable.C1 is the silkiest and can be worn alone or as a baselayer. C2 is a great weight for aerobic use in mild to cool conditions. C3 is a versatile, do it all baselayer for active use in cool to cold conditions. C4 is the warmest Capilene fabric. It features an inside-facing grid pattern that disperses moisture, aids in compressibility and retains warmth in cold conditions. * Most companies use heavy-metal (silver) ions to kill the bacteria that causes unpleasant pongs in their clothing, but heavy metals are a major groundwater pollutant which are not safe for human ingestion. Also bacteria can build resistance to silver. These risks were unacceptable to Patagonia, so they have developed a safe, non-polluting alternative which they call Gladiodor. This is a natural odour control which comprises naturally derived amino acid chains which kills odour-causing bacteria. It is non-polluting and safe for humans. It is also durable. | |
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Icebreaker : | | |
Take a step backwards in time! Icebreaker's thermal underwear is made of 100% pure Merino wool. However it performs very well, as well as any other themal underwear we have ever tried and better than many, and has the added benefit of not going smelly - even after a week's hard use alpine ski-touring my bodyfit longsleeve it hardly needed washing. Moreover it is a natural product with no "treatments" and breathes and wicks extremely well. Click on any of the Icebreaker links for more information. Many other colours are available, and it may be possible to order them though don't hold your breath as deliveries can be rather slow.
Why wool as opposed to synthetic fabrics? And why Merino as opposed to ordinary wool? Well here is what Icebreaker say:
Icebreaker Merino vs Synthetics?
Synthetic fibres such as polypropylene or polyester have a much simpler structure. They are made from melting, extruding and setting a petrochemical-based product, similar to plastic. The fibre can't breathe, absorb or release moisture. When knitted into fabric, they are limited to one-way moisture movement, with limited breathability, which can create a chill zone when moisture sits on the outside of the fabric. Icebreaker merino has the ability to absorb and release moisture, to cool or warm the body, thus regulating temperature.
You‘ll warm up quickly but not overheat due to the exceptional breathability of the fabric.
Icebreaker Merino vs Traditional?
Compared to traditional wool, the merino fibre is a fraction of the diameter, which is one of the reasons why your icebreaker doesn't itch. The large scales on traditional wool act like barbs against sensitive skin. Merino feels like silk.
Sizing: Measurements refer to body size, not garment dimensions, and are in centimetres. In cases when your body measurements are midway between two sizes, go to the smaller size for a tighter fit or the larger size for a looser fit. In instances when your body measurements for Chest and Height are in two different suggested sizes, we recommend going with the size from your Chest measurement.
Chest: Place the tape measure across the back, underneath the arms and then across the fullest part of the chest.
Bust: Place tape measure across the back, underneath the arms and then across the widest point on the bust. Don't "squish" yourself.
Height:This is your true height, without the assistance of shoes.
Three different fits for men:
Slim fit: A close fit throughout the chest, shoulder and waist with a slightly shorter body.
Regular fit: Not a slim regular fit, but not too loose. A regular fit through the chest and shoulder with adequate shaping through the waist to define your silhouette.
Relaxed fit: Relaxed throughout the chest, shoulder and waist with extra length through the sleeve and body.
| MEN'S (cm) | S | M | L | XL | XXL | | Chest | 96.5 | 101.5 | 106.5 | 111.5 | 116.5 | | Height | 171.5 | 175.5 | 179.5 | 183.5 | 187.5 |
Three different fits for women:
Slim fit: A close fit throughout the chest, shoulder and waist, with a slightly shorter sleeve and body length.
Regular fit: Not a slim regular fit, but not too loose. A regular fit through the chest and shoulder with adequate shaping through the waist to define your silhouette.
Relaxed fit: Relaxed throughout the chest, shoulder and waist with extra length through the sleeve and body.
| WOMEN'S (cm) | XS | S | M | L | XL | | Bust | 83.5 | 88.5 | 93.5 | 98.5 | 103.5 | | Height | 159 | 163 | 167 | 171 | 175 |
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Cartoon © Tami Knight - Click to see more of her hilarious books such as Climbing Tales of Terror.
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| | Prices: Please note that all our prices are in UK Pounds Sterling (£) including VAT (see below). An approximate price in US$ is shown in brackets. To work out a more accurate price please click for a Currency Convertor.BMC Members: We regret that we cannot offer a free UK postage service to all and do BMC discount as well. BMC discount is available only to personal callers at the shop. VAT: Included in the price shown is European sales tax (VAT) of 17.5% on most items, which non-European Economic Community (EEC) buyers should not have to pay. Click for our notes for Overseas Buyers. Stock Levels: Stock Levels are now indicated for many items - please click to see why these will not always be 100% accurate and why a zero stock level does not mean you can't order - Stock Levels more.... *Postage: is FREE for most UK Orders (some particularly heavy low profit items are excepted - this is clearly indicated for those items - they are mainly books). Overseas buyers please follow the ordering process through the first two stages for an estimate of postage costs - you can then cancel the order if you wish. NB Parcels will almost certainly have to be signed for, and are likely to be sent by a Carrier who may not have a depot near where you live. It is worth including a trusted neighbour's details, or having your goods sent to your work address. Please click for more details on UK Deliveries and Overseas Deliveries. Sizing: All our boot sizes are in UK (7, 7.5, 8 etc) or European Sizes (41, 42, 43 etc). Click for a Boot Size Conversion Chart. For assistance with UK women's clothing sizes, click for a Clothing Size Conversion Chart. Web order not worked? Please email info@needlesports.com or ring 017687 72227. Please rest assured - we will not use your email address for any reason other than to contact you regarding the order you have placed, and we will never pass on your email address to a third party.
This means that if you wish to receive notification of special offers and other news, then you need to opt in and Register. Also, your credit card details are only obtained on a secure server - this is notified by the golden padlock symbol that appears when you reach this stage of your order. |
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