Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Ask The Gunwriters Silks vs Modern Materials for base layers

For many years I have used Silk Longjohns for hunting. Sometimes with another base layer over them. They are getting harder to find, and I wondered if any of the newer base layers have the same or better performance. All expensive and I really don't want to blow a lot of dough on an experiment.

We used a lot of other stuff, and have come right back to Silk for the base layer.

Doesn't wear like it used to. But we keep buying it.

Wife and I have found nothing better.

havent tried silk.....may have to look. I am a big fan of Smartwool when temps drop up here

Merino....

I've used silk longjohns for years. In very cold weather I add merino wool as baselayer over the silk. No complaints with silk or merino wool. I also have tried a few of the high tech materials but natural fibers are more comfortable and work for me.

I have used silk, wool, cotton, and more than one kind of synthetic.

If I am moving about silk is fine and so is lightweight synthetic. If I am sitting in a tree stand then heavy synthetics or merino wool works better for me.

Not a base layer, but a silk scarf (wild rag) wrapped around your neck is extremely useful in keeping the cold and wind out.

We run silk as the base layer. when conditions demand, we put merino wool over. Sometimes heavy fleece, but generallly merino wool.

First Lite Hooded Chama is the shizza and then some.

I layer a thin merino 1/4 zip, then the Chama, fleece, and shell. Easy to adjust layers as needed depending on what I'm doing. Then a packable Primaloft puffy just in case I wanna sit on my ass for a spell.

Wick layer, warm layer, wind/wet layer......

silk first, then what ever works. Rio7

Guess I will stick with my silk and wool.

I hiked about 12 hours today and reaffirmed that merino really is awesome. Wind chill in the single digits with snow up to ambient 25F and sunshine and I never broke a sweat or got real chilly.

Merino base layer, t-shirt and lightweight fleece outer layer on top, bottom is easy, top is way more important.

I have Smartwool top and bottom Merino wool, and it is awesome. Worth every penny. I don't even bother machine washing the stuff, I just hand wash it in the sink with woolite and hang dry, and it is ready to wear the next day.

Merino.

I do love the tight fitting Under Armor as well. Especially when i am in front of the mirror.


Dave

If you mature well, as I have done, its all tight fitting.

Funny thing about merino is the stink is all you.....

I'm still wearing today's hunting garb and actually smell pretty damn good...

I typically wear it over silk.

The synthetics stink too much for my tastes.

I typically wear synthetic as a base layer. I have a few thin merino shirts and pants.

I prefer the merino to avoid the "polystink". I haven't been able to find any silk longhandles in a while now.

Any idea where I could get some?