translate:/Global/SiteRating: 3 | Not Yet Reviewed | Warm layers

Review: The fabric is soft and has enough stretch to make movement easy. Lovely snug collar, too. As a base-layer it feels soft and warm and copes well with moisture, and it looked good on its own, too. Some odour retention, but not too bad. VITAL STATSColours: Midnight/seal grey, black/seal greySizes: S-XXLFabric: Hydro-Therm (polyester)Women’s version: YesContact: 0161 749 1313, www.regatta.com

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Peter Storm Micro Half-Zip

£18.00

Baggy plain fleece cuffs let down an otherwise nicely-fitting top that boasts a superb snug, high collar and a good-length hem. The fabric feels warm and soft against the skin. A warm top that works well both as a mid-layer and base-layer. The zip is a useful length, making it easy enough to get on and off and aiding ventilation.VITAL ...

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Highlander Bamboo Base Layer 2009

£18.00

The Highlander Bamboo Base Layer weighs 174g (men’s S); closer fit; superb price; excellent wicking abilities; very comfy; soft fabric with a generous cut at rear and plenty of stretch; bamboo fabric has natural antibacterial properties to reduce odour. But its simple styling won’t appeal to everyone; no zip; black colour (blue for women) not ideal in the sun. (01506) ...

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Tiso Microfleece

£20.00

This lightweight fleece is a perfect compromise between a base-layer and mid-layer, and the high collar is good. The polyester microfleece fabric is nice and soft, but the very baggy hem and cuffs are disappointing. Excellent warmth-for-weight ratio, but it does start to bobble, and the baggy cuffs and hem let it down.

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KEELA ADS LONG-SLEEVED

£20.00

Review: Not the softest fabric, but it stretched easily enough to allow unrestricted movement. The seams were more noticeable than most. The Ads felt dry against the skin and dried quickly when things did get a little sweaty. It loses a couple of marks as the neck-zip is shorter than most and it was also quite smelly after use. VITAL ...

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Trekmates Bamboo Long Sleeve Top

£22.00

This top uses bamboo as the main constituent in its fabric, although you wouldn’t really know that, as it has a pleasant softness against the skin, not unlike cotton (which makes up nearly a third). It is this cotton element that becomes apparent once you start to sweat. More moisture is held close to the skin than with rival base-layers, ...

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Trekmates Bamboo Long Sleeve Top

£22.00

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Wynnster McKinley

£25.00

One of the best for fit and the fabric offers plenty of stretch, meaning that the cuffs and hem are neither too loose nor too tight. Lovely snug neck, too. Performs well as a base, mid and outer-layer, and comes at a great price, too.VITAL STATSColours: Navy blue, graphite, dark brownSizes: S-XXLFabric: Cirrus microfleeceWomen’s version: VailContact: 01922 628554www.wynnster.co.uk

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Peter Storm Active Base Layer

£25.00

This Peter Storm base-layer felt like a T-shirt when on, an old favourite of a T-shirt at that, with a pleasantly soft touch to the fabric. In use the top performed better than anticipated, and although it often left a sweat patch on the lumbar region, it seemed no worse than some wool tops. After a single use, the typical ...

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Peter Storm Carrick

£25.00

This midweight fleece from Peter Storm is a nice fit with good-length arms, a high, snug collar and drawcord hem. The fleece cuffs go a little baggy after being pulled up and down a few times, but that’s a minor gripe. The Thermatech 200 fabric offers the right amount of insulation and this jacket could certainly be used as an ...

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Peter Storm Active Base Layer

£25.00

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TECHNICALS MEN’S BASE-LAYER

£25.00

Review: A close-fitting top cut from a lovely soft, stretchy, lightweight fabric. As a base-layer it performed impeccably, offering useful insulation and superb moisture management, but on its own it proved too light for anything other than warm weather. VITAL STATSColour: BlackSizes: S-XLFabric: 95% nylon/5% elastaneWomen’s version: NoContact: 0800 665410, www.blacks.co.uk

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Wynnster Vail Zip Neck

£25.00

This Wynnster Vail Zip Neck fleece is made from an attractive waffle-grid fabric. The design is long and can look rather shapeless, but makes a comfortable enough layer if you don’t mind feeling ‘swamped’. The sleeves feel bulky too. The half-zip is a little too short to pull this fleece on and off easily, but the collar is snug.

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Wynnster Cirrus Superlite TX

£25.00

This lightweight fleece from Wynnster fits well, with just enough room to wear another layer underneath if needed. The Cirrus fleece feels good against the skin, and there’s a high, comfortable collar. Not as warm as Polartec 100 tops, but still a good weight, and not too bulky, either. Stretchy cuffs make it easy to pull the sleeves up when ...

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Craghoppers Miska

£25.00

This Craghoppers Miska fleece is a soft pullover fleece that feels great next to the skin and also offers enough room for a layer underneath in cooler weather. The raglan sleeves and detail on the collar are nice design touches. The collar is a nice snug fit to keep draughts out. The fleece washes and dries well too, but loses ...

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Royal Robbins Rylan

£25.00

This fabric for this top is a mix of 60 per cent Coolmax and 40 per cent cotton. On a demanding run it dealt with well with sweat and it benefits from a natural fibre feel. It’s quite different from the competition and will suit those looking for something altogether less technical for the hill.

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Peter Storm Active LS base layer

£25.00

Review: A warm and heavy top, and as such it worked well on its own in milder conditions. As a base it is a bit too hefty beneath a snug soft shell, and it also held on to moisture longer than most, which could be because of the very high (50%) cotton content. It felt quite soft against the skin ...

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Millet Pitching TS SS

£25.00

If you’re looking for a technical T-shirt that you might be able to carry off at a music festival, then this features Hindu-style script that suggests a recent foray to the Greater Ranges. UV-resistant, quick-drying and anti-bacterial, it’s a good, easy- fitting top that gets our thumbs-up.

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Berghaus LS Zip Tech T 2009

£28.00

The Berghaus LS Zip Tech T base layer weighs 201g (men’s S); looser fit; good price; very comfy; light; generous zip for venting; quick-drying; very versatile due to warmth; great wicking action and swift drying time, so a good choice for changeable conditions. But seams run along shoulders; fabric snags and pills easily; sleeves and hem are prone to riding ...

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Berghaus Long-Sleeve Zip Tech T base layer

£28.00

A super-light base-layer that is perfect for summer walking, but doesn’t provide as much warmth as others in the winter. The lightweight fabric and flat seams feel great against the skin and the fabric wicks moisture incredibly quickly, dries very rapidly, and is treated with silver ion technology for odour-resistance. There isn’t enough stretch in the fabric to allow the ...

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Tog24 Enigma

£29.00

This lightweight fleece from Tog24 is made from a lovely soft Polartec fabric, which is enjoyable to wear. The medium size is quite tight. The Lycra cuffs and hem do a great job, but a higher collar would be nice. The Polartec 100 fabric provides warmth without too much bulk, and the Lycra cuffs and hem add to its performance ...

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The North Face Flight Series Zip 2009

£30.00

The North Face Flight Series Zip base layer weighs 83g (men’s S); closer fit; supremely comfy; incredibly light; well-fitting; antimicrobial treatment; good wicking action; close-fitting with a decent length and cut; comfy seams; very fast-drying; good price. But it’s frighteningly fragile-feeling; synthetic fabric pills easily so not likely to be especially durable. (01539) 738882; www.thenorthface.com

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Regatta Yasmine

£30.00

A lightweight fleece that provides great warmth for its weight. It’s quite loose fitting, with particularly loose arms and cuffs, and although this makes it easy to pull the sleeves up when you’re too warm, it also lets warm air escape when it’s cold. However, it has got a lovely high collar that locks in plenty of warm air around ...

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Karrimor Delta

£30.00

This lightweight fleece from Karrimor is a fairly loose fit, but still very comfortable. It’s perhaps a little bulky for a base-layer, but makes a great mid-layer, especially as it has a very high, rather loose collar. The stretchy polyester microfleece fabric offers a reasonable amount of warmth and the zip-neck is a good length. The Lycra cuffs are also ...

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Dare2B Body Base T base layer

£30.00

This is one of those very tight and stretchy garments so beloved of athletes. It’s so snug, in fact, that the size S/M tested looks like it would fit a child. Performance-wise, it worked well: drawing moisture away from the skin and drying very quickly. And it’s also incredibly easy to move in, whilst feeling almost supportive on the torso, ...