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Baselayer bottoms

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    • Baselayer bottoms

      I've hiked for years without using a bottom baselayer, and I've decided this year it just might be worth it. Do I just go out and buy the first pair of baselayer tights I can find? Of course not, I research... as in ask you guys.

      What kind of baselayer do you use, brand, ect. I've been looking at Icebreaker and they have a sale going on so it would be a good time to pick some up. I'm looking for something to use under my pants for really cold days. I've looked at the Oasis leggings and the Ika leggings. They look the same to me. Any input is appreciated.
    • merino wool would be my first choice because they don't stink. But they are expensive and I can't make myself buy them. I use polyester ones from wallyworld. Now I do have a nice light weight pair of silk ones that I sleep in. They are surprisingly warm for only 4 oz for the bottoms and like 3-1/2 oz for the top. And the silk ones feel really good.
      "Dazed and Confused"
      Recycle, re-use, re-purpose
      Plant a tree
      Take a kid hiking
      Make a difference
    • I have the Icebreaker Anatomica Long Underwear. These are a bit of an investment, 100% Merino Wool.

      Honestly, they are too hot when walking for the kind of 3-season hiking I do. On the trail I wear shorts and wind pants if needed on a cold day. In camp, I then put these on to stay warm. I have had them for a few years now. No problems, would buy them again.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • I have never hiked in a base layer, 15* and 25 MPH wind and I would still get hot, I do wear them in camp and sleep in them though, bottoms must have a lot of stretch in all directions or they irritate my lower back, I have a very stretchy thin pair I bought at Academy that I normally use and a heavier pair of Under Armour I use when it's colder.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • Several different styles for differing conditions and seasons. Thickest are fleece, for lots of warmth. Thinnest are silk, just for sleeping or at camp in summer. I'd druther not wear long pants to hike, so in summer I'm likely to be in base layer plus shorts.

      Can't say I'm on top of all the different technologies and fabrics. There's Capilene, polypro, silk, wool, fleece...
    • I don't like hiking in base layer bottoms. I have a set of icebreakers top and bottoms I sleep in. I like shorts. But when it's cold like last weekend just pants will do. If I were to hike with bottom base layer I'd opt for synthetic as opposed to merino because they dry out faster
      RIAP
    • Rasty wrote:

      I'm using the cheap brand from Dicks sporting goods. When I bought them they were labeled as Nordictrack brand. These work well. If I need better then this I would get the Smartwool 250 NTS mid-weight.

      $14 versus $95
      Same thing here with Academy's BCG store brand. Often think of buying something better, but have not been able to justify the cost yet.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • Plan is to do CT-MA-VT-NH on the AT this summer, putting me in NH in late July/early August. Up to now I have always just used shorts in the summer.

      For this time of year in NH do I need to bring long pants along, or can I get by with a discount base layer under my shorts when necessary (and maybe a second pair to keep clean for sleeping in)?

      I hate cold weather, but do not like carrying extra weight either.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General
    • You really need to be prepared for almost anything in the White Mountains, any time of year. Either that, or be prepared to hunker down, well down from the ridge.

      it could be 80F or 40F, neither of these are far-fetched. The cold may be accompanied by rain, fog, mist or wind just to keep matters interesting.

      Be sure to have some sort of hat and thin gloves as well.

      Here's a link to a day hike this summer (July 31) on Franconia Ridge -- it was 80 or so back in Boston, but about 50 and breezy on the ridge. Lafayette summit was socked in when I got there, I didn't tarry.

      terrapinphoto.com/wp/franconia-loop-7312015/

      The post was edited 1 time, last by rafe ().

    • Astro wrote:

      Plan is to do CT-MA-VT-NH on the AT this summer, putting me in NH in late July/early August. Up to now I have always just used shorts in the summer.

      For this time of year in NH do I need to bring long pants along, or can I get by with a discount base layer under my shorts when necessary (and maybe a second pair to keep clean for sleeping in)?

      I hate cold weather, but do not like carrying extra weight either.
      i'm not a white mountains expert having been there only twice, but based on my experience i personally would go equipped prepared for bad weather.

      i just checked my journal; i was at lake of the clouds 9/4 and on the summit of mt washington 9/5. (later than your dates). the weather forecast called for rain on 9/4 which didn't happen, but when i left the hut on 9/5 you could tell it was going to come down at some poinnt during the day. i spent quite a bit of time on top of mt washington going thru the museum, eating, and picking up a mail drop (don't do the mail drop). when i was ready to leave it was really blowing and starting to snow. and getting cold. rather than hike above treeline in those conditions i took a sightseeing van to below treeline. the driver said a "mini hurricane" was coming thru; i have no idea if that is a correct term or not as i've not heard it prior or since. i later saw what the weather had been when i reached pinkham notch. i didn't write down the numbers in my journal so i'm not going to trust my memory to write them here; however it did snow and the wind reached triple digits.

      a couple years later i went thru the whites in the summer and it was shorts and t-shirts the whole way.

      they say weather can change in the whites in a moments notice. i believe it. i bet if you were to hike thru the whites in the summer 99 times out of 100 you'd be fine. and 1 time you'd wish you had long pants, gloves, hat, fleece top or down vest under a raincoat, and a knit hat (my ball cap blew away).

      the odds are you won't need what i described above. but i'd have cold weather stuff mailed to me in hanover. i believe in murphys law.

      there's people on this site who have a lot more experience than i do in the whites. and they very well may say i'm crazy. but i know what i saw, and i know what'd i'd take.
      2,000 miler
    • Agree with the above. Play it safe, carry the weight.

      Again, for me the warm base layer is for camp/sleeping. As long as I am moving, shorts or shorts/wind pants combo keep my legs warm enough (I am a 3-season guy). If I get cold, I hike faster. If I am still cold, then it is too cold for me. I would drop down in elevation, get out of the wind, set up shelter, and put on my still dry Merino base layer. YMMV.

      But bring them all, you may need them. Above tree line always have a bailout plan, things can go bad fast.
      “Of all sad words of tongue or pen,
      the saddest are these, 'It might have been.”


      John Greenleaf Whittier
    • I agree with the changability of the White Mountains. Everything I've read and seen about them for the past 50 plus years have talked about how the weather changes often.

      Mini-hurricane, probably meant it didn't have the large galaxy shaped clouds, just the winds. I've heard 'hurricane force winds' away from the coast or outside the hurricane season. I've also heard 'high speed inline winds' for that to.
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.
    • I hike with bargain basement polypro or similar (costco, military surplus, sierra trading post special, you name it) . I switched to merino wool for winter (mid-weight), and while it breathes better but find it does not last very well. I switched back synthetic even for mid-layer.

      I agree with the New Hampshire advice: Always take a base layer there. I am, tentatively, planning a four day backpack in the Whites this summer before meeting the new niece scheduled to be born in June. I'll be taking the same/similar gear I carry in Colorado in July (probably no tarp, but my lightweight SMD solo tent for the bug netting/easier to set up on tent platforms if need be).
    • Thanks for all of the good advice. I have the base layer(s), fleece/dri-fit, beenie, and light weight gloves I can mail to Hanover. The thing at this point I need to decide on is should I buy some rain pants or regular pants to send. Since most of my hiking is during the summer I just use a ULA rain kilt. But for NH I am thinking I will want some (light) type of long pants.
      The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
      Richard Ewell, CSA General

      The post was edited 1 time, last by Astro ().

    • Tangent wrote:

      I've hiked for years without using a bottom baselayer, and I've decided this year it just might be worth it. Do I just go out and buy the first pair of baselayer tights I can find? Of course not, I research... as in ask you guys.

      What kind of baselayer do you use, brand, ect. I've been looking at Icebreaker and they have a sale going on so it would be a good time to pick some up. I'm looking for something to use under my pants for really cold days. I've looked at the Oasis leggings and the Ika leggings. They look the same to me. Any input is appreciated.
      Define "really cold"
      I'm fine into the 20s without anything under my pants.
      I have several different thicknesses of lower base layer for different purposes and temperatures.
    • Coldest temperatures I've known I've been in, was 5F with a 50 mile per hour wind. Scout camp in the fall.

      I have to bundle up when the temp gets below 55F and there is a breeze. Colder is okay if no wind at all. Down to about 45F. Then I bundle up regardeless.

      Coldest I've been out in out on the ocean it was snowing. No idea on air temperature, but the water was 38F. This was in the US Navy when we were in the North Atlantic Ocean.

      Hottest I've been in is 112F, humidity about 15%.
      --
      "What do you mean its sunrise already ?!", me.
    • JimBlue wrote:

      Coldest temperatures I've known I've been in, was 5F with a 50 mile per hour wind. Scout camp in the fall.

      I have to bundle up when the temp gets below 55F and there is a breeze. Colder is okay if no wind at all. Down to about 45F. Then I bundle up regardeless.

      Coldest I've been out in out on the ocean it was snowing. No idea on air temperature, but the water was 38F. This was in the US Navy when we were in the North Atlantic Ocean.

      Hottest I've been in is 112F, humidity about 15%.
      Coldest I've had was 35 below with some pretty good winds...would hate to know I had to spend the night in it.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.
    • When skiing, snowshoeing, or hiking in colder temps, my problem has always been becoming too warm. I often shovel snow while in short sleeves.

      I'm always opening or removing clothing to prevent overheating and subsequent sweating. Therefore most of my outer wear cold weather clothing has zippers allowing me to open and close as needed. As for a base layer, I have an unbranded Merino wool top/bottom set I picked up in Belgium which does well in subzero conditions. For warmer temps, I have a silk set which is several seasons old...Sierria West sourced as I recall.

      Last week I found a base set of poly (similar in weight to UnderArmour) at a military clothing sales. I'll give it a try.

      Lest we forget.....



      SSgt Ray Rangel - USAF
      SrA Elizabeth Loncki - USAF
      PFC Adam Harris - USA
      MSgt Eden Pearl - USMC
    • Tangent wrote:

      I think I'll go ahead and get the icebreakers. It looks like a solid product and I'll use it other times of the year.

      When hiking I'm usually good in just pants during the winter, but they would be primarily for camp and sleeping in.
      I have several icebreaker baselayer shirts that have seen heavy use. In winter, I wear them 75% of the time when I'm in street clothes (I'm wearing one in my avatar). Both of them developed holes after being worn for a few months. They're also a little itchy, more so if my skin is dry. But, they're warm and can go weeks without washing.

      I heard good things about Patagonia Capilene mid weight baselayers and recently bought a set for my daughter. She walks and bikes to work and class everyday and needed something warm. I haven't had any reports yet on whether she likes them.
      Lost in the right direction.
    • TrafficJam wrote:

      By the way, this is a good time to buy this stuff, a lot of it is on sale, especially discontinued colors.
      yeah... what I'm looking at is a mid-weight pair to sleep in. I don't even care that their camo but hey! here in East TN you can't have too much camo. Before this year I had 1 piece, a game vest for hunting rabbits, squirrels, ect. This year I was gifted another piece, a shirt. Won't be long now I'll have a truck that don't run, a gun rack in the volvo and a swanky pair of overalls!
    • Working outside in the elements over the years in construction and the pipe trades I can say I've tried just about every type of material out there. And while merino wool is very expensive, it's great stuff, but if I had to pick a all around go to for all conditions It'd be the polyester, or a blend of poly/merino which abound now and are way cheaper price wise.
    • socks wrote:

      Working outside in the elements over the years in construction and the pipe trades I can say I've tried just about every type of material out there. And while merino wool is very expensive, it's great stuff, but if I had to pick a all around go to for all conditions It'd be the polyester, or a blend of poly/merino which abound now and are way cheaper price wise.
      I have two shirts I bought at Walmart many years ago for $14 each, two layer, wool outside, polypro inside, wear them almost every day in winter, have one on now, they're a little too warm and a little heavy for backpacking but great for hunting and everyday use...may be the best clothing value of my life.
      I may grow old but I'll never grow up.