Last Three Months | Warm layers | Live for the Outdoors

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Base layers (16)

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Results 1 - 25 of 28

Mountain Hardwear Kelvinator (2012)

£220.00

MOUNTAIN HARDWEAR KELVINATOR £220 Our rating: ***** Review: A classic-looking mountain-style down jacket, complete with hood for battening down the hatches when it’s really cold outside. As it uses natural down filling inside, it is susceptible to wet conditions, but a thicker grade of face fabric means that the filling is a bit more protected than in a really lightweight ...

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The North Face Diez (2012)

£230.00

This is a classic down mid-layer-style of jacket. There’s no hood so it won’t keep your head warm, but it does mean the down is less likely to get wet in a wintry shower. It has a shortish cut, built to fit under a shell layer. The lightweight Pertex shell fabric offers some water resistance, although it can’t be relied ...

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Helly Hansen Cross Insulator (2012)

£120.00

A classic mid-layer insulator jacket, in a bit of a 1970s ski jacket style. The synthetic fill allows it to work even in the wet and it’s not too thick so it fits under a shell easily enough. The relatively short cut of the body also helps with mid-layer performance. When used as a mid-layer, it can be a bit ...

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Marmot Baffin Half-Zip (2012)

£110.00

This is a kind of hybrid style of jacket that offers more warmth than a fleece with a bit of extra waterproofing thrown in. As a pullover style it won’t be to everyone’s taste, and it isn’t the easiest to take off in a hurry. But the thinking is that you shouldn’t need to take it off so often because ...

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Finisterre Sastruga III (2012)

£185.00

As with everything made by Finisterre, environmental concerns are high in the designers’ minds. The synthetic fill is PrimaLoft Eco, made from recycled plastic bottles and the face fabric is also made from recycled polyester. The jacket has a tight, long fit. Even in a large it’s quite a snug fit and won’t suit those who prefer a more relaxed ...

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Columbia Prarion (2012)

£150.00

Although it uses 700-fill down, the jacket has added insulation in the form of Columbia’s Omni-Heat reflective technology. Silver dots are added to the lining to help bounce radiated heat back inside. In use it does seem to add extra warmth to the top, without making things too stuffy. However, the jacket still remains quite heavy for a down-filled mid-layer ...

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Sprayway W.N.W (2012)

£110.00

This jacket is new for 2011, although it’s actually an update of a classic model from the Sprayway line. It’s a straightforward, midweight fleece with an added Windstopper membrane. This wind protection boosts the warmth rating of the top without adding to the bulk, in a similar way to many soft shells. That extra layer of material also makes it ...

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Mountain Equipment Shroud (2012)

£80.00

A technical style of fleece designed to perform well on the hill as part of a technical layering system. It’s a little too lightweight for wearing on a blustery day without a few other layers, and is really for those moving a little faster. Microfleece fabric provides most of the warmth, and allows moisture to wick away to outer layers. ...

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Craghoppers Risor Half-Zip (2012)

£60.00

A fleece for walkers who don’t want to be seen in a fleece. Has the feel of a comfy pullover, but is still highly practical. The outer fabric feels a bit more like thick wool than fleece, which makes it a little more resilient to abrasion and resists the dreading pilling of the fabric over time. The inner fabric retains ...

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Rab Double Pile (2012)

£60.00

A heavy fleece and therefore very warm. Double-pile fabric really traps the heat in. That also makes it bulky, however, and this certainly isn’t the kind of garment to tuck away in your pack for emergency use. Although it may not look like it, the face fabric has a water-repellent treatment which means that you can wear the top in ...

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Regatta Baxter (2012)

£30.00

This is a lighter-weight fleece than many out there, using a thinner grade of material that also makes it one of the least expensive too. The downside is a lack of insulation. This really only provides warmth as part of a layering system. It is designed to zip into a corresponding shell jacket. A drawcord around the hem helps to ...

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Outdoor Research Exit Hoodie (2012)

£90.00

Thick, warm and rugged. A stylish jacket, that really looks more casual than it should. Performance-wise it’s great, offering plenty of warmth with its dual-texture Alpin-wool fabric. The tough wool outer fabric couples with a microfleece lining on the inside to trap warmth next to the skin. The top certainly is warm, although bulky with it. Pound-for-pound this isn’t the ...

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Mammut Zip Long Sleeve All Year (2012)

£70.00

This is a top base-layer and another using a mix of merino and polypropylene to give benefits of both materials. The top uses ‘body-mapping’ techniques – using different construction in different places to help retain warmth and draw away moisture where necessary. Underarm and back sections are built to draw moisture away quickly with thinner material. The front uses a ...

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The North Face Hybrid Long Sleeve Zip Neck (2012)

£50.00

A tight fitting, athletic top built for high-energy activities, and as such may frighten off more casual users. The tight fit ensures that moisture is lifted quickly away from the skin and sent to the outside. Body-mapping has also been used to provide a little extra insulation in key areas. Best of all is the seamless construction, which means a ...

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Finisterre Brisa (2012)

£35.00

A straightforward, lightweight polyester base-layer with a lightish fabric and excellent wicking properties. Dimples in the material draw moisture away from the skin and allow the garment to dry very quickly too. The cut is slightly fitted without being overly tight or restrictive in any way. Added anti-microbial functionality does manage to keep the worst odours at bay for a ...

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Peter Storm Merino Base Layer Top (2012)

£30.00

A lightweight, unfussy top that combines merino and polyester fibres to help keep the costs down whilst benefiting from the properties of both materials. It does wick away sweat well, and it dries fast, however it is thin, and is better-suited to warmer conditions or with more layers on top. Against the skin there is enough merino in contact to ...

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Marmot Midweight Zip Neck IS (2012)

£45.00

A midweight top that seems best-suited to slightly cooler conditions. The inside of the fabric is lined with a waffle-effect finish to the Polartec Power Dry fabric, which not only helps trap a bit of heat but also helps draw moisture up and away from the skin. The fabric also has a decent amount of built-in stretch that gives it ...

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Rab Meco 165 (2012)

£60.00

An all-new style of base-layer from Rab, using a combination of merino wool, but this time with the clever addition of Cocona – a coconut-derived fabric. The added fibre adds the fast-wicking properties associated with man-made fibres, but with a lower pong quotient, thanks to the coconut infusion. Out of all the mixed material base-layers on test, this is the ...

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Aclima Warmwool Polo (2012)

£62.00

An incredibly luxurious feeling base-layer. Although part of the midweight range it is pleasingly thick when on and really helps to keep warmth in – almost feeling like a jumper or mid-layer. Of course, in warmer conditions that isn’t ideal, but for walks in cooler, winter conditions it is excellent. There are slightly thinner panels of material on the sides ...

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Helly Hansen Warm Freeze Half-Zip (2012)

£60.00

Helly Hansen’s polypropylene Lifa hollow fibres are mixed with merino wool in this top to capture the best elements of both. Lifa fibres are fast-wicking, with some insulation, while the merino gives extra warmth to the top, whilst also providing natural anti-odour. The dimple effect fabric helps draw moisture up and away well. It works well over a range of ...

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Trekmates Merino Contrast Zip-top (2012)

£55.00

A lightweight merino top suited to warmer weather. When holding the top up to the light it’s a little alarming to be able to see through the material, but there is no such worry once the top is on. It creates more warmth than you might expect from something that appears so thin. The thin nature of the fabric, especially ...

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Paramo Cambia (2012)

£36.00

This simple looking base-layer has a neat trick up its sleeve – it’s reversible. That’s not just useful for extending times between wash days: one side of the top is built for use in cooler conditions, one is better suited to warmer weather. The stitching on one side has a series of dimples that either traps heat when against the ...

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Rohan Basis T (2012)

£35.00

A super-soft base-layer with a loose fit and a scoop neck. The fabric is so soft to the touch that you’d swear it has merino in it, although actually it's made from a blend of polyester and elastane. It’s been treated with Rohan’s Dynamic Moisture Control finish, so it wicks sweat away quickly and keeps you dry in warm, humid ...

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Sprayway Solstice (2012)

£35.00

This base-layer is made from eco-friendly Cocona fabric, made from the activated carbon of recycled coconut shells. It’s really soft to the touch, and the activated carbon wicks away sweat very quickly indeed. It makes the fabric very breathable too. The carbon doesn’t do a lot to prevent bad odours, though – so unless you’re one of those women that ...

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Ice Breaker Chakra Zip (2012)

£63.00

Simply the warmest, softest, best-looking, most versatile base-layer on test. It’s got a high zip-neck collar which locks in warmth when you need it, and allows a welcome flow of air if you get too warm. The fit is form-fitting but not tight, so it feels just as comfortable underneath outer layers as it does on its own. Made from ...