UKC

Hiya
So it seems my beloved Lowe Alpine dryflo T shirt is on its last legs, still wearable but doesnt seem as airy and pong resistent as it was...
LA have relaunched the dyflo stuff - but they should get a new marketing manager as the relaunch has been very, very low key indeed.
Anyway i'll probably order some new dryflo tops but I was wondering if theres any other brands you'd recommend - particularly ones which arent ponged out after a few days. Preferably gear which doesnt come with an eye-watering price tag, for what you actually get, base layers always seem ridiculously expensive!
Cheers!

In reply to neilus:
In my experience merino wool doesn't seem to pong, but it does hold onto moisture more which can cool you down when you stop.

Unless you have something to put on over the top, which might mean that needs washing once it's absorbed your sweat.

If it's warm enough you obviously won't cool though...

In reply to Timmd:

Agree with the comments about Merino. I have several. You can pick them up for £25-30 if you are patient and keep an eye out for discounts.

In reply to neilus:

Thanks...just ordered a 100% merino ss top from decathlon for 20 quid. I pretty much wear base layers all the time...i live in Austra, its often 35+° and I also run very, very warm indeed so whether im working, biking, or just hanging out ive normally got something light and breathable on. Will be interesting to see how the merino is in furnace like temperatures (its only 32° today!)...

In reply to neilus:
I'm not a fan of merino. Apart from it being expensive it's not as good at wicking as say capilene or polyester. It also takes a long time to dry after washing which is probably another symptom of its wicking properties and for me at least a consideration on long trips. Having said all that and if you are looking for some insulation in your base layer it's probably a bit better in that regard.

In reply to neilus:

The Montane Bionic tops made out of Sportwool are pretty good. I'm very sweaty but I can wear one for several days without washing it and it doesn't pong. Whereas a bog standard Helly can really hum on me after an hour. I find the styling of the Montane tops a bit Power Ranger but I'm sure there must be other products in Sportwool.

In reply to neilus:
Merino is expensive but it works you can wear it for days climb sleep eat curry go to the pub and it still doesn't stink - result
The rab coco merino stuff is good
and it brings you good luck on hard climbs - mine does

In reply to Ciderslider:

North Face Icebreaker (Merino wool) I have worn it almost constantly during the last two winters living in my campervan and it's hardly worn (unlike the two M&S merino wool base layers I've worn out), it stays reasonably pong free for over a week. Worth paying the extra for quality in this case.

In reply to neilus:

A mate of mine swears by bamboo base layers for skiing. No idea what they are like when it's wet though.

In reply to neilus:
If your polypro kit still smells minging after a wash, try washing it with a little vinegar in the wash ball, it seems to work. Also heard that freezing the clothes works, but I haven't tried it.

I use Merino for backpacks or cycle-tours as it doesn't smell like a tramp's pants after two hours and I can get several days out of a top before it starts to smell. As said, the drawback is that it doesn't dry or wick quite as well as polypro and it's expensive. It's also fragile, I have a few not overly used or old Smartwool tops which I've stuck my thumbs through without any great pressure. Poor show compared to the 20-odd year old Patagucci Capilene tops I'm still using.

In reply to davidbeynon:


Slower to dry than merino I've found. Really soft and more comfortable though IMO and probably suit those that itch with merino.

In reply to neilus:


This might be a reason why: http://www.grough.co.uk/magazine/2014/05/30/lowe-alpine-clothing-production...
However, they ceased production in 2011 and came back in 2013...

Merino Wool works way much better than synthetic clothes. Has anyone had a smelly merino wool layer? Even socks don't smell bad after 3 days! Neither Polygiene, nor "silver treatments" and other stuff seems to work. I am quite happy with Berghaus Vapour Long Sleeved Shirt (Argentium and Polygiene), though I haven't paid 40 quid for it which is its RRP. Rab Boreas is treated with Polygiene, but obviously, it's far from perfect (and it's not even a baselayer).

I just pack 2 very light shirts and wash them while being outdoors which seems to work fine. I also have at least one merino wool layer so if it's raining, I can keep wearing it and it does not smell at all.

In reply to neilus:

thanks chaps some good info there. Shame about Lowe Alpine...dryflo was the best base layer fabric, Triplepoint Ceramic was a great shell fabric too. When I first got into outdoor gear they were the Rolls Royce of products and how/when their market share plunged is a mystery to me...
These RAB MeCos look pretty good, 65% merino 35% cocona:
http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/rab_meco_baselayer...

In reply to neilus:

I you're going for the MeCo, try to try one on before ordering on line. I found the fit to be terrible and I can order everything else Rab make in M with no problem.

In reply to robthered:

Cheers Rob, so i guess you ordered a medium and it was too tight?

In reply to neilus:

No! Sorry, should have said. They didn't fit like normal base layers (all slinky and that). Really baggy, especially round the arms. Don't think changing size would have helped.

In reply to robthered:

Mmm wierd...thanks for the tip. In the link i posted, theres a guy wearing the 120mg long sleeve; says hes 180cm/78kg and the medium looks ok on him. At 175cm/70kg i guess id go for the small...but everyone seems to rave about these!

In reply to Mike Hewitt:

The M&S ones are pretty good. A bit tight-fitting but seem pretty reasonable especially for £20ish I paid for it!