I'm looking at upgrading my base layers for hunting season without breaking the bank. Until now I've been buying whatever walmart carries and now I want to upgrade to better performance and warmth.

What kind of hunting, stand hunting or always on the move? What temps?

I have mostly made the switch to merino baselayers and love them, however, there are conditions that I will use synthetic but that is a rarity these days.

I'm primarily going be still hunting morning, and stand hunting in the evenings. I like to still hunt to a nice ridge or other decent looking spot and wait until dark, up here in the Adirondacks it's usually between 0-40 degrees during hunting season. So I know I'm better off putting the heavier layers in my packs until I get to wear I want to go.

The best base layers I've ever used (and all I use now) are from a Canadian company named Lulu Lemons which makes yoga clothing. My fiance bought me a shirt from them as a joke, and now I have her bring me a few every time she comes and visits. Blows everything else away I have used.

They make the best boxer briefs I've used, but the rest of their line is over priced and over rated. It's good stuff, but there's better out there. If you're on a budget, check out Sierra Trading Post. I really like Smartwool bottoms and I have a couple of Ibex shirts that are really nice.

I plan to buy some UA to compare to my Sitka Gear. I recently tried some UA on in order to get a size take on it.

I buy Sitka when I can get it on sale. I buy my boxer briefs from Sierra Trading Post or Campmor as they are way cheaper than UA or Sitka. As long as it is polyester it works for me.


I used Sitka last year for the first time & liked it. I live on the Gulf Coast where the humidity mixes with the cold. I like the layering idea as it is comfy & non-binding.

I used a lot of UA base layers before I jumped to merino. The "base 2.0" tops are still among my favorite and would do well in the temp range you cite.

For anything beyond an overnight, merino wins simply because I can't stand to be around myself after 3 days in poly.

It seems to me like you are paying more for the name then the product which is why I wanted to see what you guys use.

I have actually used UA next to my skin and merino wool over that as a layer. Not a bad combo.

We are fortunate to have an UA outlet store near us. Can get a lot of stuff at half price.

donsm70

Calvin,

I thought you were joking at first. That stuff is supposed to be the latest and greatest in the womens fitness fashion arena-this year. I had thought they only made womens cloths. I see that is no longer the case:

http://shop.lululemon.com/products/category/men-tops?pagesize=All

All the same I'll stick with my Patagonia capilene with merino wool on top if needed.

I want to try merino wool base layers next. For cheap warm base layers is the military brown poly pros. They are thick and warm. They actually keep me warm when staying still and wick sweat and dry quickly. They are about a polar weight base layer.

My Under Armor cold gear works ok. It's good if I'm moving but as soon as you stop you will start to get cold. It will wick quickly though.

I want to try some of the First Lite base layers next. I'll be looking for Smartwool and Ibex on Sierra Trading Post too.

Does the label say its VISA fabric? I scored some t-shirts at Sierra Trading years ago made of VISA that blows UA away for durability. The UA stuff is fragile.

It's really good, and I have been giving it one hell of a workout the last few weeks. I really like the Luon long sleeve shirt.

No it doesn't say visa fabric.

Merino isn't stinking up after a few days in the high country. Under armour stinks so bad, I can't stand being around myself with it. If a one day hunt, I will still wear some under armour but merino soundly beats it and I won't buy more.

Yep, merino wool performs really well. After a 5-day elk hunt in CO last week, my Smart Wool 250 g/m� tops and bottoms kept me warm (and didn't fry me when it was warmer) and to me, didn't smell any different from the day I first put them on. I've got a lighter version that I will be using for deer hunting here in OK.

No experience with UA. I'm another that's making the switch from synthetic (Patagonia mostly) to merino (Smartwool, Minus 33).

Has anyone tried the merino wool base layers that Costco is carrying?

Someone gave the thumbs on the socks a few days ago.

I have gone to 100% merino wool from the undies, next to skin and midweight layer. I've sold all of my UA. 9 days in the back country with no running water chasing cats keeps me fairly tolerable with the wool.

Wool keeps you warm while wet, also.

I've only used a couple of pieces from UA and I didn't care for it. After a few hours of sweating I couldn't get rid of the stink until I washed it. Same with my Sitka syn core top and mtn shirt.

Now I use Core4Elements merino wool boxers and hooded shirt. I can wear them for a week straight without any stink at all. Merino wool is all I use now for base layers.

It sucks compared to merino.



Somebody bought your used long handles?

I got one of the shirts, and was not impressed. It didn't seem to wick or dry, so I was wet and clammy all day. I have the full synthetic versions from Costco by the same company (Paradox) and they work better than any other synthetic I've tried.

Hated wool for about 30 years, tried merino wool socks, found performance to be outstanding as well as comfortable. Now using merino stuff for underwear, gloves & hat. Fleece is still ok for short trips & more mild weather. UA underwhelmed me, and I think it is kinda overpriced.

I have only one piece of UA, I don't know if it's "HeatGear" or "ColdGear". It's a t-shirt that I've worn running a few times and it is just plain foul, rank, rancid, nasty, obscene, putrid. Doesn't matter how much it's washed. You wash it, it smells OK, then one drop of sweat makes contact with that shirt and it's like crawling into the drain of a high school gym shower.

I don't get the attraction to UA. From what I can understand, the founder was in football circles so used his connections with athletes to start selling athletic attire that is form-fitting and wicked away sweat. Wow, Lycra and polypro, 20 years after their introduction. And it even stinks like first-generation polypro.

I guess the football players really liked it though, cause he's made a [bleep] of money selling the stuff.

YMMV, of course.

I have a set of UA that I haven't touched since I discovered merino.

Forgot to say, any of their "compression", form fitting, superman tights looking stuff is absolute crap, IMO.

Probably would be great for playing football, but I hate it for hunting.

Those shirts are crap for hunting but they work good for playing sports. I used one when I played hockey and it always kept me cool even when I was sweating profusely, which was pretty much anytime I was on the ice.

well if it smells that bad to us I can only immaagine how it smells to a deer. I guess i'll go with Merino wool or smart wool

You will be very wise to choose the merino!

We run silk first, as a light layer, if need more then all the top layers are merino wool. Followed by wool pants is our next choice, and a berber fleece top tossed in for upper insulation, and final top layer is good wool jacket. By good I say thats next on the list, the wool we have needs a wind break, but if not windy its the cats azz, but I hear top dollar wool needs nothing to keep the wind at bay.

BTW I've run all the synthetics and as noted, for a day they are fine, for more than a day the stink is horrible, and to be honest merino wool and silk have been much more tolerable in differing temp ranges... IE 15 at sunrise to 70 in the afternoon...

Merino for me. I sold everything with an Under Armour logo on it.

Merino is the way to go.

I wear First Lite stuff. Love it and enjoy the camo pattern for hunting.

Living out of UA is no fun from a comfort sense. If I'm going to be wearing something for days it better be comfy. Only piece of UA gear I use regular is a pair of bottoms and that is for winter running and snowshoeing.

merino for me

My dad has used the Costco wool shirts for a few years and likes them. They are quite loose fitting though.

I'm the odd man out here. I have UA Cold Weather and will occasionally use it but not for highly aerobic activities. I found that the Duofold vari-therm stuff moves sweat a lot quicker. I use it for winter trail running and stand hunting in deer season where the hike in is crazy. The UA feels, in honesty, a bit warmer when I am just sitting around but it gets much heavier when I sweat and doesn't dry out as quickly as the Duofold does.

I have and love my merino wool top and bottom (400 weight) but only use it as an insulating layer. These two work very well in combination and I use them for practically all my stand hunting. The wool only goes on when I am through with the tough hike in though.

Will

You don't buy your underwear secondhand??