12 baselayer tops came under scrutiny

Baselayers are possibly the least glamorous area of outdoor wear, but vital if you want to stay comfortable on the hill.

It’s no good having top notch waterproofs, insulation and other fabulous clothing if your underwear is wet and clammy.

Good baselayers, both tops and leggings, will provide warmth, wick your sweat away from the skin so it can be transmitted outwards through your layers and help provide a more comfortable day out.

We tested 17 different baselayers, including tops, long-johns and one pair of shorts.

The samples, provided by the brands we tested, mainly fall into two categories: synthetic and woollen. There are variations on both, including one garment that combines both almost equally.

The advantages of synthetic materials such as polyester and polypropylene are that they are lighter, providing good insulation per weight; they are also generally cheaper.

Their main disadvantage is their susceptibility to odour, though companies have included various technologies to try to improve this.

Merino wool is the main natural material used, and it is much less whiffy than its synthetic rivals and is heavier too, more expensive and not always as good at wicking away sweat.

We’ve rated the baselayers by criteria that include warmth. But you might not always want the warmest baselayer if you want to get outdoors in cool rather than cold weather. So we would advise taking note of the individual ratings and descriptions to match to your needs rather than simply using the overall score.

Bergans of Norway Fjellrapp Half Zip

Bergans of Norway Fjellrapp Half Zip

Price: £55
Colour: green/dark green stripes
Weight: 226g
Material: 100 per cent merino wool
Country of manufacture: China
Recommended wash: 30C wool wash

The Fjellrapp came in a natty green striped pattern though it is also available in less striking grey and blue versions.

It’s the Norwegian brand’s lightweight baselayer and offers reasonable warmth without being overwarm when out on a cooler day.

Although Bergans says the Fjellrapp is suitable for layering over another base, we used it next to the skin and it wicked very well.

The merino wool construction means odour is kept well under control and use on successive days was possible.

The neck come very high which keeps draughts out very well when zipped up all the way. The zip unfastens down to chest level for ventilation when working hard uphill.

Seams provided no problems when a rucksack.

One point: the top was very snug for its size, so we’d recommend checking your size when purchasing.

Quality, as with previous Bergans products we’ve tested, was very good.

An ideal baselayer for cool conditions rather than full-on winter.

Warmth 21/30
Comfort 26/30
Odour resistance 8/10
Wicking 8/10
Quality 8/10
Value for money 07/10
Total score: 78/100

Berghaus Active Thermal Base Crew

Berghaus Active Thermal Base Crew LS

Price: £46
Colour: black
Weight: 272g
Material: 92 per cent polyester; 8 per cent Elastene
Country of manufacture: Indonesia
Recommended wash: 30C wash

The Berghaus top offered is one of the warmer tops in our test and was long in the body, offering protection when reaching up for scrambly holds or when using hands to make progress uphill.

The Thermal Base is thick enough to use as a winter baselayer and its wicking properties were good. Comfort was quite good too, with the Elastene making it body-hugging without restricting movement.

Its polyester construction doesn’t offer as high an odour management performance as the woollen tops, but the Argentium treatment does help and after hard work up our test hills the level was acceptable.

There is no zip on this model, so there is no scope to regulate temperature that way, though the company does produce a zipped version at £4 extra.

The Berghaus Active Thermal Base provides good warmth at a very reasonable price. Use as a baselayer on winter days and as a single top on cool days.

Warmth 24/30
Comfort 23/30
Odour resistance 7/10
Wicking 8/10
Quality 7/10
Value for money 8/10
Total score: 77/100

Helly Hansen Warm Freeze Half-Zip

Helly Hansen Warm Freeze Half-Zip

Price: £65
Colour: green
Weight: 234g
Material: 57 per cent merino wool; 43 per cent polypropylene
Country of manufacture: Sri Lanka
Recommended wash: 40C, wash inside-out

Helly Hansen has been in the baselayer market longer than most, and its Lifa polypropylene fibre, used in the original garments, makes up a bit less than half of the material in this top.

The inner surface of the Warm Freeze has a hollow fibre construction in polypropylene, in a diamond pattern. This helps wick moisture away from the body and the outer merino wool layer adds warmth and helps keep down odour as well as adding to comfort. It also gives the garment a woolly look.

The famous HH diagonal stripes and the flatlock stitching are both in contrasting orange.

The combination of the two fibres in the HH Warm material seems to have solved the biggest problem of odour after a day or two on the hill.

The HH Warm Freeze Half-Zip is a good compromise for use in colder and cool weather. It will work, just, as a base as part of a winter layering system, especially if working hard; it will also serve as a baselayer for those cool days and can be used on its own on the upward part of a hill climb.

The zip enables some heat regulation, with ventilation available by opening to the chest.

Warmth 21/30
Comfort 24/30
Odour resistance 8/10
Wicking 7/10
Quality 8/10
Value for money 7/10
Total score: 75/100

Icebreaker Oasis LS Crew

Icebreaker Oasis LS Crewe

Price: £65
Colour: green
Weight: 214g
Material: 100 per cent merino wool
Country of manufacture: China
Recommended wash: 40C

The Oasis LS Crewe is a lightweight offering from Icebreaker, using merino wool.

As with all the wool baselayers, its odour control was good. The Icebreaker sizing is on the smallish side compared to some of the other brands, so it could be worth trying on before you buy.

The lightest of the woollen tops in our test, the Oasis is suitable for cool rather than cold winter days. Wicking was reasonable when working hard uphill and it worked fine as part of a layering system. Warmth was moderate which made it ideal for days when the temperature had risen a little.

The design is basic, with plain cuffs and offset shoulder seams which provided no problems when using a rucksack. There’s little stretch in the fabric, which mean there was some riding up when reaching for holds on rocky sections.

The Oasis Long Sleeve Crewe is a good lightweight baselayer for cool days, but not designed for winter layering.

Warmth 18/30
Comfort 21/30
Odour resistance 8/10
Wicking 7/10
Quality 7/10
Value for money 7/10
Total score: 68/100

Icebreaker Oasis LS Half Zip

Icebreaker Oasis LS Half Zip

Price: £75
Colour: black
Weight: 250g
Material: 100 per cent merino wool
Country of manufacture: China
Recommended wash: 40C

For a tenner more, the Oasis LS Half Zip offers a little more control over ventilation with the zip opening down to chest level.

We preferred the extra comfort this gave on our uphill sections of the test.

Otherwise, not surprisingly, the Half Zip version performed equally with the crewe model of the Oasis.

Good for cool, rather than really cold, days on the hill.

Warmth 18/30
Comfort 23/30
Odour resistance 8/10
Wicking 7/10
Quality 7/10
Value for money 7/10
Total score: 70/100

kora ShoLa Zip

kora ShoLa Zip

Price: £105
Colour: blue
Weight: 310g
Material: 100 per cent yak’s wool
Country of manufacture: China
Recommended wash: 30C wool wash; wash before first wear

One of the most interesting tops in our test, the ShoLa Zip is made from yak’s wool and gave a noticeably warmer performance than merino wool of the same weight.

The kora top does come with an eye-watering price-tag, but it performed extremely well in our tests, with good wicking and excellent odour control.

It has a very long body, which covers all the way down to the backside. Temperature control is good too, with a long zip enabling good ventilation on uphill sections.

We used it comfortably in a variety of conditions: cold and wet; cool and dry; and it did what was asked of it. The ShoLa is warm enough to be worn on its own on a cool day and makes a good layering base when up in the mountains in poor conditions.

The Hima-Layer fabric – geddit? – feels nice and soft too.

The pay-off for this performance is a small increase in weight, and the hefty price, but should provide a good all-rounder for a range of days from full-on winter to cool spring and autumn conditions.

Warmth 27/30
Comfort 24/30
Odour resistance 8/10
Wicking 8/10
Quality 8/10
Value for money 5/10
Total score: 80/100

Lowe Alpine Dryflo Zip Top 150

Lowe Alpine Dryflo Zip Top 150

Price: £40
Colour: blue
Weight: 188g
Material: 100 per cent polyester
Country of manufacture: China
Recommended wash: 30C

Lowe Alpine’s clothing went through a bit of a hiatus a few years back, but design is now firmly back on track and the Dryflo Zip Top is the latest in a long line of Dryflo baselayers.

It’s surprisingly warm for a thin polyester garment, and has that familiar tight-woven stretchy fabric.

The addition of Cocona carbon material is said by Lowe Alpine to help both moisture control and reduce odour and the new Dryflo was certainly better than garments of old at odour control.

Wicking was very good and the addition of a zip, with chin guard for added comfort, allows for better ventilation.

A good all-round performer. Perhaps not quite up to the coldest of winter days, but for most other trips into the hills, a good choice.

Warmth 23/30
Comfort 24/30
Odour resistance 7/10
Wicking 8/10
Quality 7/10
Value for money 8/10
Total score: 77/100

Mammut Longsleeve Zip Top

Mammut Longsleeve Zip Top

Price: £60
Colour: blue
Weight: 204g
Material: 90 per cent polyester/10 per cent Elastene
Country of manufacture: Vietnam
Recommended wash: 40C

Mammut recommends this top for long running sessions, and it is certainly more suited to high activity sessions.

Warmth is only moderate, which makes it ideal either as a single garment for those hard sessions on the hill or as a layering base when working hard.

The Elastene provides plenty of stretch, which means there is no sense of restriction when reaching up for holds or crossing stiles.

Wicking was very good and the zip also enables ventilation to help control moisture. The zip puller also tucks away in a protector.

The Mammut top is quite long too, to protect the lower body and it also has extras ventilating patches of fabric in the top of the back and under the arms. There is a diddy key pocket on the right hip area.

Odour control was reasonable thanks to an antibacterial treatment.

The Mammut Longsleeve Zip Top is a good choice for hillrunners and walkers and other outdoor fans who push the pace on the mountains.

Warmth 17/30
Comfort 20/30
Odour resistance 7/10
Wicking 8/10
Quality 7/10
Value for money 6/10
Total score: 65/100

Marmot ThermalClime Pro LS Half-Zip

Marmot ThermalClime Pro LS Half-Zip

Price: £50
Colour: grey
Weight: 180g
Material: 100 per cent polyester
Country of manufacture: Vietnam
Recommended wash: 30C

The Marmot ThermalClime Pro came to grough courtesy of Polartec, whose PowerDry fabric it uses.

It was another surprisingly warm top for its weight and it did wick very well. The PowerDry fabric has two different components: the one in contact with the skin picks up the moisture then it transmits it to the outer layer which disperses it.

On the hill, the Marmot top worked well. Shoulder seams are away from the main areas where rucksack straps are in contact and the body is long, protecting lower back well.

The zip provides some control over temperature and the fabric is stretchy enough not to impede movement.

Odour control was reasonable, but not as good as the wool tops.

Styling was nice too, if you’re wearing it as your only top in milder conditions.

Just about usable as a winter top, the ThermalClime Pro is better suited to cool spring and autumn conditions. Very good warmth-to-weight from one of the lighter garments in our test.

Warmth 23/30
Comfort 25/30
Odour resistance 6/10
Wicking 8/10
Quality 8/10
Value for money 8/10
Total score: 78/100

Smartwool NTS Light Zip T-Shirt

Smartwool NTS Light Zip T-Shirt

Price: £75
Colour: grey
Weight: 248g
Material: 100 per cent merino wool
Country of manufacture: Vietnam
Recommended wash: 40C wool cycle

The Smartwool top is a lightweight top offering reasonable warmth. As with all the merino wool samples, the NTS Light Zip scores well on controlling odour and we kept the top on over successive days during a prolonged trip into the mountains without the whiffiness getting overpowering.

The NTS Light Zip will work well as a sole top while heading uphill on cool days and also wicked fairly well as part of a layered system.

The zip goes a long way down the chest, helping regulate temperature well.

There is a reasonable amount of stretch in the fabric, and the top didn’t ride up when reaching up on scrambles.

The shoulder panels have four seams which do intrude in part into the rucksack shoulder area but in use they didn’t prove uncomfortable.

A good choice for cool days as part of a layering set-up, but not really warm enough for full winter days.
Warmth 18/30
Comfort 22/30
Odour resistance 8/10
Wicking 7/10
Quality 8/10
Value for money 7/10
Total score: 70/100

Snugpak 2nd Skinz Coolmax Long Sleeve

Snugpak 2nd Skinz Coolmax Long Sleeve

Price: £19.95
Colour: black
Weight: 196g
Material: 94 per cent polyester/6 per cent Elastene
Country of manufacture: China
This basic stretchy polyester top will appeal to those on a tight budget.

The least expensive baselayer in the test performs perfectly adequately.

Warmth is reasonable and length it good. The 2nd Skinz Coolmax top is a straightforward long-sleeve design that wicked moisture away well.

The Elastene in the fabric means there is a good amount of stretch and movement didn’t feel at all impeded.

Fit is of the looser type, unlike some of the body-hugging designs in the test.

Odour control was not the best, but acceptable. On multi-day excursions it might become a problem.
The Snugpak top offers great value for money for any outdoor fan wanting a good all-round baselayer.

Warmth 20/30
Comfort 20/30
Odour resistance 6/10
Wicking 8/10
Quality 6/10
Value for money 10/10
Total score: 70/100

The North Face Light Long Sleeve Crew

The North Face Light Long Sleeve Crew

Price: £40
Colour: black
Weight: 110g
Material: 95 per cent polypropylene, 5 per cent Elastene
Country of manufacture: Moldova
Recommended wash: 40C

This top from The North Face is the lightest in the test, tipping the scales at a mere 110g.

It’s aimed at use in warmer conditions, and we tested in the cool spring conditions. It provided a fair amount of warmth, but we certainly wouldn’t want to rely on it in winter temperatures.

Mainly polypropylene, it wicked moisture well and was good for fast-moving uphill activity. Being a thin fabric meant the sleeves are easy to push up too for a bit of cooling, but there is no zip to ventilate the torso.

The HyActive material is made of hollow strands and these help in the wicking action.

The North Face Light top is very stretchy, thanks to its five per cent Elastene content, and there was no impedance of movement.

The seams are quite thick compared to the rest of the thin material, but the shoulder joins are away from the route of rucksack straps.

The design is basic – just a straightforward long-sleeve t-shirt. The body is long and the cut is body hugging.

Odour control was moderately good but the top will get a bit whiffy on prolonged high-activity trips.

At its price, The North Face Light Long Sleeve Crew offers good value for fast-moving outdoor types who want an ultra-lightweight baselayer for times when the chill is not so high.

Warmth 18/30
Comfort 21/30
Odour resistance 5/10
Wicking 8/10
Quality 7/10
Value for money 8/10
Total score: 67/100

Bergans of Norway Fjellrapp Boxer

Bergans of Norway Fjellrapp Boxer

Price: £25
Colour: black
Weight: 86g
Material: 100 per cent merino wool
Country of manufacture: China
Recommended wash: 30C wool wash

The Fjellrapp Boxer was our only pair of shorts in the test and performed well.

The accompanying shorts to the above half-zip top, the Boxer gave a similar level of warmth and wicking was good when working hard.

The shorts are also available in the two-tone green stripes, but our version was a more subdued black sample.

One annoying feature is the lack of flies in the shorts, which meant they were marked down on the comfort rating.

Again, quality was what you would expect from Bergans.

Warmth 21/30
Comfort 22/30
Odour resistance 8/10
Wicking 8/10
Quality 8/10
Value for money 7/10
Total score: 74/100

Helly Hansen Warm Freeze Pant

Helly Hansen Warm Freeze Pant

Price: £55
Colour: black
Weight: 200g
Material: 57 per cent merino wool; 43 per cent polypropylene
Country of manufacture: Sri Lanka
Recommended wash: 40C, wash inside-out

The Helly Hansen Warm Freeze Pant is the companion bottom half to the Half Zip.

Made from the same two-layer HH Warm material, the leggings are not particularly stretchy but there was no hindering of movement when crossing scrambly sections.

The Warm Freeze Pant has flies which is a definite advantage when answering the call of nature on the hill. We’ve added an extra point for comfort for this.

As with the top, the pant provides reasonable warmth and good odour control.

Warmth 21/30
Comfort 25/30
Odour resistance 8/10
Wicking 7/10
Quality 8/10
Value for money 7/10
Total score: 76/100

Icebreaker Oasis Legging

Icebreaker Oasis Legging

Price: £60
Colour: black
Weight: 170g
Material: 100 per cent merino wool
Country of manufacture: China
Recommended wash: 40C

The Icebreaker Oasis Legging completes the brand’s lightweight baselayer set, with the same fabric as the two tops.

Good for use when a thicker pair would prove too warm, the leggings wicked reasonably well and their merino wool fabric meant we could wear them over successive days on the hills without the whiffiness becoming anti-social.

There are no flies and the material is a little restrictive when stepping up on scrambling ground.

Warmth 18/30
Comfort 19/30
Odour resistance 8/10
Wicking 7/10
Quality 7/10
Value for money 7/10
Total score: 66/100

Smartwool NTS Light 195 Bottom

Smartwool NTS Light 195 Bottom

Price: £65
Colour: black
Weight: 180g
Material: 100 per cent merino wool
Country of manufacture: Vietnam
Recommended wash: 40C wool cycle

The Smartwool Light NTS 195 Bottom are leggings to complement the zip t-shirt and come in the same fabric.

They work well on cool days and are also suitable for high activity trips in colder conditions where, for instance you expect plenty of uphill work and don’t want legs overheating.

The leggings are made up of several panels and there is just enough stretch for them not to impede movement on rock steps.

The Smartwool Bottom also features flies.

Good all-rounder with good odour control.

Warmth 18/30
Comfort 23/30
Odour resistance 8/10
Wicking 7/10
Quality 8/10
Value for money 7/10
Total score: 71/100

Snugpak 2nd Skinz Coolmax Long John

Snugpak 2nd Skinz Coolmax Long John

Price: £19.95
Colour: black
Weight: 172g
Material: 94 per cent polyester/6 per cent Elastene
Country of manufacture: China

As with the companion top, the Snugpak Long John offers no-frills basic baselayer warmth. So if you want frills on your leggings, you’ll have to look elsewhere.

For a bargain price, you get a reasonably warm pair of long johns that wick well and keep legs cosy on all but the coldest days.

No flies, and the waistband is not the most comfortable, but for the money, the performance was remarkably good.

Warmth 20/30
Comfort 19/30
Odour resistance 6/10
Wicking 8/10
Quality 6/10
Value for money 10/10
Total score: 69/100

Unsurprisingly, given its high cost, the innovative kora ShoLa Zip topped the test, scoring high on warmth, comfort and quality. It will be interesting to see if any other brands take up yak’s wool as a material for outdoor gear.

Equal second were the Bergans of Norway Fjellrapp Half Zip, from a brand that has consistently impressed us with its quality and design, and the Marmot ThermalClime Pro LS Half-Zip, using Polartec’s PowerDry fibre. The Berghaus Active Thermal Base Crew LS wasn’t far behind.

We only had one pair of boxer shorts to test, but the Bergans of Norway Fjellrapp Boxer performed well, though the addition of flies would be a welcome improvement.

In leggings, the Helly Hansen Warm Freeze Pant came top, with the Smartwool NTS Light 195 Bottom in second place.

For value, the Snugpak 2nd Skinz Coolmax Long Sleeve and Long John are unbeatable, and a great choice for anyone wanting good all-round performance at a low price.

It’s important to bear in mind with the overall tests that our criteria might not exactly match yours, so check the descriptions before deciding. And remember, all of these baselayers will make your outdoor trips more pleasurable than if you choose cheap cotton underwear.

Tops

Best in test: kora ShoLa Zip
Recommended: Bergans of Norway Fjellrapp Half Zip
Recommended: Marmot ThermalClime Pro LS Half-Zip

Shorts

Best (and only one) in test: Bergans of Norway Fjellrapp Boxer

Leggings

Best in test: Helly Hansen Warm Freeze Pant
Recommended: Smartwool NTS Light 195 Bottom