New Balance Men's Compression Thermal Crewneck Long Sleeve Baselayer

Product Information

These types of questions will help guide you in the direction of what holds more importance for you as a buyer. Decide which metrics are most important for your sport or activity—whether that's ice climbing or shoveling snow in your driveway—and base your decisions on those factors first.

Our base layers testing used six rating metrics with the following weightings to the overall final score:

In This Section

Our tester felt the sizing was somewhat generous, with extra room on the waist and arm length; she reports that a small felt more like a size 12 – so this is worth bearing in mind if you’re after a more fitted top. The merino brings with it natural antibacterial and anti-odor properties, while the Lifa is more hard-wearing and helps keep the top in shape. A really comfortable top, with flat seams, this is the only base layer on test that had a hoodie, which people will either love or hate. If you’re out and about in seriously cold conditions, your ears are going to love it – it fits under climbing or bike helmet no problem, and really adds to the protection level of the top, making it suitable for high level epics on serious mountains. If you’re adventuring at a more modest level, this is still a lovely top, but you might find it a little too substantial to wear as a base layer. Main fabric: Phasic AR II (100% polyester with DAO finish), Zoned panels: Nucliex 150 (87% Wool, 13% Nylon, RWS wool)

Whichever pair of women's running shorts you choose, you’ll benefit from a unique combination of technical detailing and clean-cut designs to make sure you can train to the best of your ability. New Balance: Tech First An uber comfortable, warm, and breathable 100% Merino wool base layer for the coldest of conditions As mentioned, the Cotopaxi Liso isn't the warmest option, as it's thinner and less warm than many of its rivals. It's also less warm than wool shirts of the same weight. If gone unwashed, the synthetic fabric will develop a funk if you after a few days of wear, despite the Polygiene application applied to the fabric. Be mindful when washing the Liso: all that stretch is accomplished by using a hefty amount of spandex in the fabric, and this will lose its stretchiness after enduring too many dryer cycles. If you want a great budget wool top, have a look at the Meriwool Merino 250.One of the best midweight base layers for when you need warmth and freedom of movement thanks to its fabric blend and seamless ventilation pattern

One of our favorite super stretchy, soft, and warm synthetic base layers for cool to cold conditions Slim athletic fit requires a slim athletic body type, expensive, not as durable as cheaper synthetics While there are myriad styles to choose from, the best base layers are there to do one job well: keep the wearer warm and safe. Additional features will add comfort and functionality, but the thermal properties are the most important factor. The following are some things to consider. Thermal insulationUnique features like thumb loops and a hood makes this Merino wool blend base layer super versatile Breathable and stretchy, useful features such as hood and thumb loops, highly adaptable to wide range of conditions

Natural fabrics – especially merino wool, but also bamboo – work very well in the best base layers, but you’ll often see manmade materials like polyester and Lycra employed in the mix, and these can help make the garment closefitting (as a base layer should be), maintain its shape, add to its durability and improve the all-important thermal performance, especially if it gets wet. Weak durability keeps this top a dedicated base layer, seams found converging in pinch points, pricey The Smartwool Intraknit Thermal Merino wins top honors for its weight class thanks to its innovative seamless knitting technology that blends swaths of warm fabric with panels that add durability and ventilation — all without requiring additional seams, which saves on weight and bulk. We think this is a pretty cool innovation, and it seems to work. The slim, athletic fit excels as a base layer, allowing you to top it off with additional layers for a complete system to prepare you for the harshest of conditions. Extra long sleeves, torso, and a drop tail hem ensure that the Intraknit Thermal covers you no matter how you move. The midweight Merino wool blend fabric is a great "just right" weight to use for most cool to cold days outdoors.As always, the most sustainable clothes are the ones you’ve already got, but if you do need to invest in a new base layer, look for garments woven from natural, biodegradable materials (wool, bamboo) or recycled synthetics, made with natural dyes by brands with good environmental principles and robust manufacturing ethics. Combining strict ethical production standards and technical functionality is a hard task, but the Smartwool Women’s Merino Sport Long Sleeve Top delivers on both fronts. Proudly boasting ZQ certification, not only does it feel good from a consumer perspective but the top also performance perfectly. While merino wool is one of the best base layer materials, it does only last so long and it can lose its shape, which is why many brands use a mix of wool and hardier synthetic fabrics. Environmental concerns Thin and lightweight Merino blend, 1/4 zip enhances thermal regulation, extra long sleeves and torso