Home Forums Hunting & Shooting General Big Game Need recommendations for base layer during heavy hiking

For years I used silk UW when a lot of hiking was involved. Works ok but even during cold weather, when only wearing a wool shirt over it, I work up a sweat when climbing through snow. Is there any newer synthetics that would work better at transferring moisture? I see a lot of commercial ads, but want to get responses from actual users. Thanks and Merry Christmas.

No, there isn't - at least not IMO.

Merino wool is still the undisputed leader. And it manages odor far better than synthetics.

Merino wool. And sometimes I'll pack them in my pack before a hard hike and then put them on after I've cooled off and dried off some.

I disagree. I've got a Merino wool base layer. Doesn't dry out nearly as fast as the same weight in Patagonia Capiliene.
I've used it in everything from silk weigh to medium weight and even both weights at once in sub zero temperatures. Then sat for an hour and glassed. Dries out fast enough to prevent chilling. Wool stays wet far longer and simply won't do that.
Heck, when I've worn a top for a number days and want to wash it, I simply wring it out, hang it in the breeze for 30 mins and put it on damp. Dries out the rest of the way while wearing it.
Smell ? What smell ? Air it out at night and it can be worn for days. E

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Merino is where it is at. Having said that, anything will get soaked with sweat with heavy hiking or climbing. If you're producing moisture quicker than you can release it to the air, your garment will get wet. Some sythetics may wick better than Merino, maybe not, but I haven't found any that was significantly better, at least not to the point of outweighing the benefits of Merino. IMHO and YMMV applies.

Lightweight Capilene is good. Merino is good. The key for your application is to get a lightweight open weave in the fabric.

Kiui zip off bottoms is what I used last fall and Iloved them.

Hike or climb with them in your pack then when you stop to glass pull you're pants down and zip them on.

I've used most of the common fabrics and name brands. For me, merino wool is the best compromise of performance, smell, and comfort.

Never figured out the smell problem some folks have with synthetics. I've worn all manner of them for years without a problem.

Best base layer is an ultralight synthetic.

I have never been able to figure it out. I can wear a synthetic piece of clothing for 30 minutes and never even break a sweat, but it will start to have a smell coming from the arm pit area. I can wear the same merino t-shirt for several days before it smells anything close to what a couple of hours in a synthetic would for me.

Body chemistry....

I prefer a synthetic base layer to wick that moisture away from my skin into the outer garments where it can evaporate without giving me a clammy skin.

Actually, I wear synthetics almost exclusively to the outer layer. YMMV

Guess I will try some LW capilene. I do carry my Ulfrotte to put on when standing.

Arm & Hammer unscented baking soda deodorant works wonders, keeps the pits tolerable for days.

Wicking is paramount for a base layer -- never seen a natural fiber that would equal a synthetic in this department.

I have given up on anything out there that can do it all.

When I know I am going to start out working up a sweat, I purposely start with cotton as the first layer. It will soak up a lot of sweat. When I am ready to cool down, I strip down and remove the soaked cotton to a plastic bag. I then put on my "high tech" or wool base layer and stay comfortable.
Works for me.

IMHO serious wicking and drying undergarments and serious breathable and water proof outer garments are a myth.
Tim

For me several thin layers topped w/ GTX jacket w/ pit zips gives the best result and most options. I prefer a synthetic compressor type T shirt to pull the moisture off my pelt topped w/ a synthetic light weight 1/4 zip long sleeve. Top these with a zip neck LW merino or fleece.

If I am hiking w/ a pack I am going to sweat. I control body temp w/ zips in layers and jacket and using different hats and maybe a neck gaiter that that can be doffed/donned as needed as can the hats. If I stop for a prolonged period a down or primaloft jacket is added.

I have found that synthetics against the skin will dry quickly from body heat when you stop sweating and Goretex hard shells are a miracle.


mike r

I believe the plus with wool is its ability to absorb about 80%of its weight in moisture and still not feel wet.

Can't remember the source, but years back in a hunting/trapping write up a musher mentioned the need for loose fitting layers such that there can be some air circulation when seriously working. Started adhering to that advice, and I do stay a lot dryer. Simply not enough air movement in the form fitting stuff.

Yup. There's a big variation among people. Some will get very stinky in synthetics, some won't. Some people sweat profusely when working hard, even in cold weather. I usually wear either light merino or light capilene as a baselayer for hunting.

That said, a very common mistake is not taking the time to add or peel, zip or unzip, BEFORE sweating or getting chilled.

Checked the KUIU site and found two items, one synthetic and one wool, that might fit the bill for me: Peloton 130LS and Merino 125LS. They would be worn under a LLBean Wool hunting shirt. Anyone use them?

Not that I can tell--and I've tried a lot of different base layers. I backcountry ski and at times do winter hikes with some hiking looneys that set a pretty fast pace. The conditions vary so much, plus being in a group, a guy can't stop all the time to divest himself of clothes. It's pretty common to work up a sweat.

Synthetics and silk dry a bit faster than wool. Synthetics will--marginally--stink sooner than wool.

Note: I've been using NikWax Base Wash for my base layers the last couple years. I don't wash my base layers with it everytime, but when I do it not only "fluffs up" base layers better than anything I've seen, but synthetics seem not to stink as soon.

Casey