Baselayers

marcaudsley

Ok guys (and girls) looking for a good warm l/s baselayer for the winter months.
Budget 30 - 40 quid.
Merino or manmade?
DHB or Endura or anyone else?
Cheers all

lef

Helly Hansen Lifa SLX, you can get them for £20 if you google. I find them a good fit and warm.

jairaj

I've been using Endura Baa Baa merino wool base layers for a while now. very impressed with them. Come in short or long sleeve and even in a proper jersey.

benpinnick

I prefer the Helly Hansen Freeze over the standard Lifa, as its a Merino / Lifa mix. The cut is awesome and its super toasty. £34 online.

bendertherobot

The freeze is the best of all.

AND, best of all, my local outlet store were doing 2 for £29.

spasypaddy

icebreaker.

MichaelW

If you want genuine NZ 100% superfine merino, then chocholate fish are very good.
chocolatefishmerino.co.uk

Iv'e got 4 of the basic T shirt style and have used them everyday for commuting for the last 4 years. Very durable and comfortable.

On a recent 6 week tour it got a bit cold and wet and I couldn't dry items easily so I wore one T shirt for over a week. No stinkyness.

Do the merino/synthetic mix fabrics get stinky like synthetics?

graeme_s-2

Merino, merino, merino!

I get mine from howies.co.uk but there are lots of people who make them.

Cubic

I have an Endura BaaBaa (Merino) and a Craft Pro Warm (synthetic) baselayer.

They're both very good - I find the Craft the warmest and the most comfy. The Endura can feel a little pricky at times, but not too bad.

Haven't noticed either getting smelly.

KnightOfTheLongTights

benpinnick wrote:

I prefer the Helly Hansen Freeze over the standard Lifa, as its a Merino / Lifa mix. The cut is awesome and its super toasty. £34 online.

this +1

the basic lifa is very thin - great for spring and autmn but doesn't offer any insulation

the 'Freeze' one has the wicking lifa stuff next to the skin and the merino layer to the outside - so you get the warmth of the wool even when it's wet but the wicking layer takes most of the wetness away from your skin

have worn mine to shreds (mainly walking and running, now cycling) since I bought it six years ago - really need to get a new one

PS: mine is actually the 'Ice crew' - the 'freeze' is the same thing but with a 1/2-zip turtle neck, so a bit more expensive but probably better for cycling

hugo15

spasypaddy wrote:

icebreaker.

+1. I have a couple of them and would highly recommend them. They work very well and they also seem to be washing pretty well too.

AndyF16

I use dhb 190 weight Merinos which are good, but just bought a ribbed fleece top from Rohan which is fantastic for under my not very snug Gore Phantom.

It's got useful thumb loops and also looks fine on it's own (off the bike) where the Merinos don't IMO - £45 but a quality bit of kit

Philby

Got a S/S Icebreaker merino and a slightly thinner L/S merino baselayer from Kathmandu.

bompington

+1 for icebreaker

It's warm, comfortable, and most importantly, I stink after less than an hour in anything else but merino seems to stay fresh more or less for ever.

Only negative is that my last one did more or less disintegrate after (at a guess) 200 machine washes or so.

Paul RS

I've used many over the years, and have found the best for cycling in have been Odlo, longer cut so good lower back coverage, and good insulators. i still use one i bought in 2001. http://www.baselayer.co.uk/All-Men-s-Thermals-cat-240

I am using a new Pearl Izumi today, it's snug and fairly thin but very good, around £45-50 though. http://www.pearlizumi.com/publish/conte ... 21007.html

For very cold and windy riding, i use a Dainese windblock baselayer from my motorcycling days, http://www.dainese.com/uk_en/multisport ... tml?cat=84

Icebreaker Merino has been the worst ive wasted money on and wouldnt bother again, not as warm as others and does not wick sweat, might as well buy a £10 t shirt.

rogerthecat

Blacks do Merino base layers for 34.99 and a compression top for 16.99 both work very well, I think it's their Technicals range, not seen on the Internet though jus the one with the zip.

maddog 2

+1 Icebreaker

The Endura transmission is a good synth budget buy though

bendertherobot

Hurrah, just bagged another 2 HH Freeze 1/2 zips for £29.99 the pair.

the_rover

bendertherobot wrote:

Hurrah, just bagged another 2 HH Freeze 1/2 zips for £29.99 the pair.

Hi, can I ask where from?

Cheers Stuart.

StanwaySteve62

so where?

StanwaySteve62

so where?

Henri Le Conte

bendertherobot wrote:

Hurrah, just bagged another 2 HH Freeze 1/2 zips for £29.99 the pair.

Me too !

Warwickshire Whizzer

+1 on icebreaker. Quality kit.

If you prefer compression, I go with Galvin Green. It is a golf centric brand, but their compression stuff is excellent.

bendertherobot

Sorry bois, Helly Hansen outlet, McArthur Glen Bridgend. Most HH outlets should have the deal on.

amaferanga

I just bought a 100% Australian Merino baselayer from TK Max for £20

It was in the ski section.