Base/mid-layers - what's your preference?

[Speratus]

Oooookay! Got my outer layer's set! Now starting to look at Base - Mid Layers. Wondering what works best. UnderArmour, Helly/Hansen, Kuiu, Merino wool (pants, shirts, parkas), fleece vests right down to longjohns and sweatpants and hoodies.

There's quite a range (materials and price) & I know that I'll need to find what works best for me but I'm curious what other's have been doing and what they've found works best for them.
Cheers!

[G.A.]

for me just plain walmart long johns, maybe sweat pants then camo pants, tops just thinner sweat shirt or cottony jacket then my wally world or cambodian tire camo jacket on top. to me a brand name on them dont make the same material work better.

[Ron.C]

whatever you select, recommend you stay away from anything cotton and stick with synthetics and or wools. There will come a cold day when you find yourself wet and if you have cotton garments on, you'll regret it. Pleanty of inexpensive options these days for garments that wick moisture, dry fast and don't suck the warmth out of you, yet are still quiet and can be used for hunting. And they don't need to be camoflage. Costco is a great place to pick up no name under armour type shits, merino wool blend socks/long jonhs.... Keep an eye on the clearance racks at sport check/sport mart type of stores. Stansfields are also awesome. Keep you warm even if and when the get wet.

[DGuest]

Merino wool for next to skin, doesn't dry as fast as synthetic but it keeps the B.O. at bay and I find my skin doesn't get as clammy. I have a couple different weights for different temperatures.

I don't favor any particular brand, I have:
Icebreaker (really like these socks)
Ibex
MEC
Kuiu (Not as smooth on the skin as the MEC stuff but it stands up better to sticks etc.)
JB Fields (really like these socks as well)

[hare_assassin]

Base layer: UnderArmour knock-offs from "Joe Fresh" (SuperStore) both the long johns and the long-sleeved shirts go for about $6 each and they are perfect wicks. You can spend 10 or 15 times as much on Merino and have basically no benefit other than the fact you can say "Merino wool" to your hunting buddies. (Believe me, they couldn't care less).

Mid layer: Stanfields grey henley on top, no mid-layer on the bottom for me, as my hunting pants are plenty warm enough with just the base layer.

My top layer is a really good "Hyper-Dri" shell from Mark's. Hardly ever need it.

[Fella]

I have cheap kombi base layers from sport chek. They keep water off my skin. If its really cold I also wear a pair of underarmor sweats under my wool pants. On top I have the kombi shirt, then a Stanfield-like long sleeve and if its really cold I have an ocean pacific synthetic fleece type hoodie I found at a second hand store. It's practically waterproof and super toasty. Then if its raining I throw on my helly Hansen shell.

[bigslim]

For me the most important aspect of my clothing is all top layers have to be of some open neck design, zipper or buttons ect.
My reasoning is when you are working hard enough to sweat nothing better than being able to open up top layer right to skin to release body heat.
For me anything closed neck holds in heat also if you remove any head warmer, toque , hat , hoodie ect. also works good to stop sweating

Just my 2 cents it's what works for me.

[Tenacious Billy]

for me just plain walmart long johns, maybe sweat pants then camo pants, tops just thinner sweat shirt or cottony jacket then my wally world or cambodian tire camo jacket on top. to me a brand name on them dont make the same material work better.
This would be true if name brand stuff and all other brands were the same.......regardless, I'd stay away from anything cotton, unless you only hunt from the cab of your truck and don't like leaving its comforts on rainy days. If you plan on doing any serious mountain hunts, good quality gear is well worth the investment.

[G.A.]

most have been just fine for me no matter the name, yes i get their is diff quality of some material but to me not much ive seen stands out enough to pay 200 more for something
and ya my cotton jacket comment was wrong..not cotton.,for me most the time sitting in the snow i have to undo my cheep jacket cause im sweating to much just sitting

[Speratus]

Base layer: UnderArmour knock-offs from "Joe Fresh" (SuperStore) both the long johns and the long-sleeved shirts go for about $6 each and they are perfect wicks. You can spend 10 or 15 times as much on Merino and have basically no benefit other than the fact you can say "Merino wool" to your hunting buddies. (Believe me, they couldn't care less).

Mid layer: Stanfields grey henley on top, no mid-layer on the bottom for me, as my hunting pants are plenty warm enough with just the base layer.

My top layer is a really good "Hyper-Dri" shell from Mark's. Hardly ever need it.

Had no idea JoeFresh made base layers. will have to stop by SuperStore and Check em out...

[BuckNaked]

Had no idea JoeFresh made base layers. will have to stop by SuperStore and Check em out...

me niether, gonna have to look a little bit more closely next time we're out grocery shopping!

[pnbrock]

for merino wool it all about % of actual merino wool in the garment that determines the warmth and comfort.

[stuffrider147]

For 100% Merino Wool, would you say that Kuius base layer pricing is decent?

Im having a hard time to find better pricing for what your getting, would you guys agree?

[DGuest]

Yes, for what you get Kuiu is priced very well.

[russm]

I like a pair of under armour type boxers to keep the nuts fresh, then under armour long johns then depending in the weather a suitable pair of pants insulated if cold not insulated if its not cold, as for socks, I'm not a fan of wool on bare skin so I go with a pair of sport socks of some type then some woolies over top, for shirts I usually go with a long sleeve thermal and a miscellaneous t-shirt over top.

[donny.brooke]

Im using icebreaker marino wool and its pretty nice stuff. Pricey though

[boxhitch]

Am learning to adjust to all merino base , I find it a lot warmer for the weight than the poly . Good in that it has less bulk to pack for the warmth available , bad in that sweat control is to get used too.
Around home local hunts the poly works but gets washed after one day use.
Mids are all fleece and/or some wool
Have used Cabelas Microtex pants for years , wouldn't go without.

[Speratus]

UPDATE -


So here's what I've got so far.


Helly/Hansen Warm BaseLayer (Fall Hunting)
UnderArmour Cold Gear Compression Turtle neck (Winter Hunting)
- Still looking for a FleeceVest (will be hitting the thrift stores & value villages) - I plan on wearing this with my baselayer while hiking to my hunting location
Yukon Gear Jacket (Waterproof/Breathable Mossy Oak) - I plan on packing this and wearing it when I arrive at my hunting location, thoughts?
- Need Stanfields or some other BaseLayer Bottoms
- Found some Heavy Duty German Green Wool Pants im picking up Saturday (Hopefully they fit) Will these be sufficient for hunting in? or should i get some carhartts?
FroggToggs UnInsulaedRainGear Bib (Mossy Oak) - to go over Wool Pants if/when it starts pouring, otherwise packed
WaterProof Hiking Boots - broken in as I do a fair bit of hiking already


Other than bow and backpack... am I missing anything?
Cheers!
D

[G.A.]

sox n boots, this is the only place i spend money on myself. of all my cheeper gear the boots are what fails right away. i have the herman survivors, use to be great apperently, till wally world bought them out and are made in korea or similar now and are total crap,.now their full of shoe goo to hold them together after half a season...lol. my sandlkes keep my feet dryer...lol

and backpack to carry all the gear in?? planning mainly day trips or overnighter stuff..got your camp gear?

[Andrewh]

Personally I can not wear or be with people (in a tent) that have worn/hunted with synthetic base layers such as dri-fit stuff/under armour for more than two days. The stuff just stinks after a day of hiking and all the 'silver threading/carbon impregnated' marketing is BS.

The only way to avoid stink on multiday hunts is by having a 100% merino base against the skin. MEC, Smartwool, Icebreaker and Kuiu all make great base layers that are designed to wick sweat comparable to if not better than dri-fit.

Check out the Kuiu logo merino shirts, they are a great deal right now at $35 for short sleeve and $40 for a long sleeve. All the 'wool is itchy' people need to give these super thin shirts a try, they are extremely comfortable.

[hare_assassin]

At the price of the Joe Fresh stuff, I can bring enough base layers to put fresh ones on every day. That combined with some basic personal hygiene easily takes care of any smell issues. I spent 5 days with 4 other guys on the moose hunt last year. Nobody in my trailer complained (and they would have, believe me). Even my wife was surprised how little I stunk when I got home.

On the other hand, I have no qualms about bathing in ice-cold water.

[tuner]

i spent allot of dough last fall on columbia heavy weight base layer with reflective technology,wick away technology, scent control technology,i have to say that it's all BS,the stuff is not any better than the generic stuff i normally use.