Base Layer Recommendation

designman

Looking for a long sleeve base layer for these cold mornings to wear underneath my Castelli Gabba Long Sleeve jersey and my Castelli Alpha Jersey.
Can anyone recommend me one please, thanks.

bendertherobot

Loads mun. My faves are the Craft ws and the helly hansen lifa

tazmon

Merino

Anonymous

Castelli. one black, one white. Both with big red scorpion at the top.

ctc

+1 Helly Hansen. Normal Lifa when it's not so cold, Lifa Ice when it's cold

LegendLust

designman wrote:

Looking for a long sleeve base layer for these cold mornings to wear underneath my Castelli Gabba Long Sleeve jersey and my Castelli Alpha Jersey.
Can anyone recommend me one please, thanks.

I own a Parentini Mossa, which is a very similar bit of kit to the Gabba, and I was advised to buy base layers made of polypropelene, as this has the best wicking properties and works well with the fabric of the Mossa, helping to disperse sweat and regulate the thermal properties of the jacket.

northpole

I haven't experimented much with winter base layers - I have some Rapha ones which work really well other than in the wallet department.

Peter

Anonymous

As LegendLust said. I would have thought synthetic base layers would be better than natural ones with Gabba/Alpha.

pippi_langsamer-2

The HH Lifa Warm Ice/ Freeze are amazing.

Good mix of Merino and other fibres combines benefits of both. You don't have to worry about special washing care as with some pure merino. Try get the 1/2 zip version- allows you to regulate your temp very effectively if you get a little warm mid-ride.

This coupled with my 851 jacket has me comfortable down to -5 (not that I generally head out on the road at that temp). Conversely, I can wear it under a lighter weight "fall", jacket up to +10.

They're not cheap, but I've had mine years. It doesn't smell, hasn't shrunk, and hasn't really received any particular washing details.

http://www.outdoormania.co.uk/Item-0-0- ... 2_Zip.aspx

nibby

I've been using the Rapha Merino ones and cant fault them.

I've heard Craft are pretty good and they are doing a 30 day money back promotion in some places this month so if no good send it back, probably going to give one a go based on that.

Bozman

Under Armour cold gear, I've used quite a few different brands over the years but after trying these a couple of years ago I've stuck with them.

Philly8mt

I give the Planet X ones a go .... Great for the cash

kangarouge

In winter I like to use the long sleeved Craft versions with a Windstopper front panel. Excellent in my view and good VFM.

t4tomo

Aldi merino base layer. You can alway write "rapha" on it with a biro if you're precious about that sort of thing.

cycleclinic

Altura base layer. They do one called the thermocool and it works so well as a year round base layer when a base layer is needed. This plus a roubaix top is all need most days. Add my night jacket and I nice snug for night rides.

FatTed

I Don't like merino and so use Assos base layers
http://www.assos.com/en/25/products.aspx?cat=6,19,21

ianbar

i have a dhb merino, it does the job so will be looking to buy another for this winter.

Barts

I'm a fan of the endura baa baa it's a quality bit of kit for this time of year

lostboysaint

Under Armour Cold Gear is excellent. I have to say I've been very, very impressed with the BTwin Aero 700 (windproof front) cold weather base layer from Decathlon as well.

passout

The one of used most over the last 15 years (yes 15 years) is my Nike base layer - it's the only clothing item i've had that lasts that long & still 'works'. Label has faded and so don't know the name - probably don't even make it any more.

Otherwise i got some very nice Campag base layers discounted last year - CRC.

I quite like my planeet x merino stuff too - cheap anyway, but may not last very long...?

cookeeemonster

t4tomo wrote:

Aldi merino base layer. You can alway write "rapha" on it with a biro if you're precious about that sort of thing.

"shiver down spine" Not because of snobbery, but because I tried one and it was the most itchy/scratchy thing I'd put on in years...awful (some people liked it though)

Planet x seem to do cheap merino - anyone recommend them? (ps rapha ones are great if you can get them in sales etc)

The Mechanic

I have a number of Icebreaker merino base layers. They are the dogs, and also keep them warm.

Mac are also good

Hindmost

I've tried several long sleeve base layers - including the Rapha merino and the Helly Hansen Dry Stripe - and I can honestly say that my B'Twin Aerofit 700 Windstopper from Decathlon has been the best in every possible way - it has an effective windproof layer, it's warm, it breathes well and it's fitted perfectly. I know Decathlon gets frowned upon but once in a while they do produce some solid gear.

Here it is:-

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/aerofit-700-windstopper-long-sleeve-cycling-baselayer-black-id_8290487.html

The Rapha merino is also good but I had to get a small and I'm 6ft1 and 88kgs (to give you an idea my Castelli Gabba softshell is a large).

The Helly Hansen got pretty stinky after just a few rides but it's otherwise pretty decent.

Hope that helps.

tomhowells

Have to agree with CookieMonster here, that Aldi one is like wearing a burlap sack (cool, if you're into that sort of thing, who am I to judge), but on the bike it feels like your skin is being scratched off!
Two rides, 2 washes (as per instructions) to see if it would calm down a bit - it never, so it now resides in the charity shop.

rafletcher

LegendLust wrote:

designman wrote:

Looking for a long sleeve base layer for these cold mornings to wear underneath my Castelli Gabba Long Sleeve jersey and my Castelli Alpha Jersey.
Can anyone recommend me one please, thanks.

I own a Parentini Mossa, which is a very similar bit of kit to the Gabba, and I was advised to buy base layers made of polypropelene, as this has the best wicking properties and works well with the fabric of the Mossa, helping to disperse sweat and regulate the thermal properties of the jacket.

I've always had poloypropylene base layers - mine are years old "Mreaklon" ones from Mike Dyason (now inmotion). They still do them.

http://www.inmotionproducts.com/shopdis ... d+Thermals

ai_1

In really cold weather I use a Helly Hansen Warm Ice baselayer. As mentioned earlier these are a combo of synthetic (lifa?) underlayer and merino wool outer layer. They're expensive but I managed to get a couple on sale (one crew and one half zip high neck). They are warm and comfortable but most important they remain comfortable when wet and sweaty. I routinely wear these under my short sleeve summer jersey and a tight fitting raincoat on winter rides. This is not a breathable arrangement but works great regardless of changes in wind or rain down to temperatures just above zero (Disclaimer: I don't tend to feel the cold as much as some). You get sweaty under the raincoat which is often unpleasant but in this baselayer I'm equally comfortable wet or dry. You don't feel wet, even if you are.

luv2ride

Another Aldi recommendation here, not the merino version though but their compression base layer long sleeve tops. I have two and think they are brilliant (and that's after a few years using both DHB and Endura Baa Baa Marino base layers). I also rate the Planet X Performance merino, which has a Coolmax mesh back. I've got that in a short sleeve and it handles temperature fluctuations very well.

crikey

A couple of years ago, merino was being advertised as the best baselayer material to buy; natural, environmentally friendly, etc.

I bought two base layers in merino to try it out and was amazingly disappointed. It performed exactly as you would expect; like a thin wet woolly jumper. Merino makes great clothes, particularly tops, but it's no where near as good as synthetic fabrics for wicking sweat and drying quickly.

Best value at present are the Planet X short and long sleeve or the Decathlon long sleeve.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLPX365PEF ... base-layer

pippi_langsamer-2

crikey wrote:

A couple of years ago, merino was being advertised as the best baselayer material to buy; natural, environmentally friendly, etc.

I bought two base layers in merino to try it out and was amazingly disappointed. It performed exactly as you would expect; like a thin wet woolly jumper. Merino makes great clothes, particularly tops, but it's no where near as good as synthetic fabrics for wicking sweat and drying quickly.

Best value at present are the Planet X short and long sleeve or the Decathlon long sleeve.

http://www.planetx.co.uk/i/q/CLPX365PEF ... base-layer

Hence why the HH tops put the Merino on the outside, and the Lifa on the inside, making the most of differing fibres characteristics...

Dippydog3

I have two of these.

Under a jersey they do me down to 8 degrees.

http://www.wiggle.co.uk/dhb-windslam-lo ... ase-layer/

shaw8670

Mountain Warehouse do some cheap and cheerful ones that work well and usually can be found for about a tenner, so do Decathlon.