 Poster: A snowHead
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Hi everyone,
Am looking for some advice on warm baselayers. I'm quite a cold person (I can thank my Mum's circulation problems for that) and so when I go skiing or boarding I find that although I'm fine (if a little hot) on the slopes, I'm freezing on the ski lifts. So I thought I'd actually look into something more hi-tec than my regular cotton tshirt!
The best thing I've found so far I think is the Helly Hansen "HH Warm" range "for activities that involve a lot of stop and go, normally involving you freezing due to excessive moisture being built up and then cooled down". That sounds about right to me.
There are 4 tops in the range (http://www.hellyhansen.com/W06/index.php?menu=5):
Freeze 1/2 Zip Turtle
Frost V-Neck
Hybrid Zip Turtle
Ice Crew
and for the life of me, I can't work out what the differences are between them!
So, two questions for you all:
1) Anyone know the differences between the 4 HH Warm tops?
2) Can anyone recommend any other similar base layers to the HH Warm range?
Thanks
James
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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alt, Welcome to  , James!
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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alt, my spouse suffers from cold fingers and she bought silk gloves to go inside her normal ski gloves and it worked a treat. Being a lardy I dont suffer from the cold.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Sorry can't really help on the wrm base layers - have just invested in a peter storm one in a choice pink and we'll see how you go.
I would advise mittens too
L
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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As long as the head, ears, neck, armpits, wrists, hands and hips are fully covered up.
As long as water or wind cannot 'touch' these vital parts of the upper body, where major veins are located, then one should stay relatively warm.
My best guess is that you're getting cold on lifts because somewhere critical, like the neck, is overexposed to wind or water (snow).
Most mid- and upper-range garments from most well-known brands should do the job of covering you up fairly competently (e.g. HH, Icebreaker etc.).
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Like long distance running and use HH base layers in the winter. Swear by them. Great brand and great quality. Not sure of the difference, alot of it now is cosmetic. If you have the time buy one of one type and try it on then make your decision. Taking 3 HH tops with me skiing in a weeks time.
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Icebreakers in Merino wool are the business..not so cheap tho. So warm I only use these as a 4th layer on the coldest of days
Anything with a Microfleece Polartec badge is warm as well and is my general base layer in a 3 layer system.
I prefer my fleeces to have a defined rating as I think there are fleeces and fleeces
For a bit of background read this http://www.polarfleece.com/
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Looking at the HH site the main difference is the style of neck, V neck, crew or turtle with a zip. I'm not sure what the difference is between the 2 turtle neck ones though, apart from the colour!
I wear the crew neck HH sport thermals and rate them highly, these are very light, but warm and good at wicking away the moisture which is very important. If you get at all sweaty then your cotton getting damp will be the main reason you feel cold on the lifts. I tend to wear turtle necks tops with a zip when I'm running and having the zip is very useful to help regulate your tempature, but I don't think it's so important when you are skiing because you can always unzip your jacket a bit or open some of the vents.
Incidentally, last month's country walking magazine (not mine!) had a themals review, their top three were: Smartwool, Patagonia capilene, and then Lowe Alpine dryflo.
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zebedee,
Welcome to 's and thanks for the information.
A personal opinion is that for the price M&S merino containing thermals are pretty good though not exactly elegant to wear around the chalet on their own.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I like my Under Armour Cold Gear stuff, compression tops and bottoms, moisture wicking and really warm. These are much warmer than some Salomon base layers I bought last year and also some HH LIFA ones, but I can't remember which one I bought - only that it was black and had a spiral white pattern down the arms? And beware - my HH base layers melted when I tried to give them a quick blast in the washing machine.
Cheers
BB
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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The HH ones I have are the LIFA ones you mention. One problem with them that I find most hi-tech clothing is that you have to wash at 30 or cold and sometimes by hand which is a real pain. If you hate household chores like me it might be worth checking the labels when you shop around.
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You know it makes sense.
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My fav base layers are Merino wool ones from www.howies.co.uk . very warm,comfy and low odour if worn for a few days
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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mistermouse, you must be rich! £50 for a t-shirt? 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Snowy, Not anymore , but they do seem to last
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Also - with fleeces (and I'm asuming) microfible thermals don't use fabric softener - it can slightly interfere with the moisture wicking ability.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Thanks for all the replies. Some good suggestions in there I think, so I'll look into the Icebreaker and Smartwool ranges at least! Thanks again, and happy new year!
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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For really cold weather forget the base layers and just wear a Buffalo shirt under your shell.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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| alt wrote: |
| Thanks for all the replies. Some good suggestions in there I think, so I'll look into the Icebreaker and Smartwool ranges at least! Thanks again, and happy new year! |
Excellent choices. Both use premium quality Merino wool, which has the massive advantage of not stinking to high heaven after wearing - unlike all man-made baselayers I've tried before. Icebreaker baselayers and Smartwool socks seem to be more widely available for some reason. Don't be put off by the high prices, they're worth it.
Icebreaker intermediate layers are also excellent substitutes for a fleece. Less bulky under a jacket and more comfortable. You won't go back to anything else.
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I will slowly invest in Merino but as I sew I love Polartech Powestretch for really warm baselayers - very easy to knock up a stretchy long sleeved T shirt for about a tenner!
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The warmest layer i have is a Lowe Polartech Powerstretch top, not very often is it cold enough to wear it in this country. I bought the other half one and she lives in it
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Merino, merino, merino...
There's nothing bad about it so why look elsewhere???
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Yes, Merino for me. Expensive, but you really can get away with just one for the week. I wore an Icebreaker top for two whole weeks cycling and camping around the Western Isles. It was not taken off at all - serving as pyjama top as well. And not whiff at the end of the tour, honest!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I'm a Musto man. Get all my base layer stuff from the local yacht chandlers. It's anti-bacterial stuff and I think I still smell like sex on legs after a week! Maybe that's the Old Spice (well, maybe not Old Spice)  The Must gear comes in nifty little stuff sacks, and is less expensive from the yacht chandlers than other stuff from SnR.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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SPAM - content deleted.
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Kaiser, This a million times over!
Mine are Icebreaker and love them. I am about to get an ortovox (also merino) one tho, as they seem highly recommended. Merino is the key for me - you never get that horrible damp wet feeling
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You know it makes sense.
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| Quote: |
I find that although I'm fine (if a little hot) on the slopes, I'm freezing on the ski lifts.
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Isn't every one. While skiing you are exerting a lot of energy. While sitting on the lift none. The trick is to be just a little warm going down (avoid sweating) and put up with it on the lift.
But I would ditch the
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regular cotton tshirt
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Anything is better than cotton next to the skin (not sure about linen or flax) IMHO any propitiatory base layer will wick away the moisture and prevent that cold clammy feeling you get with cotton.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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PS the icebreaker layers were from 47degrees.com, much cheaper than elsewhere, but there website has been down for ages 
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Poster: A snowHead
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Wow a 7 year bump from Tootill 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| PaulC1984 wrote: |
| PS the icebreaker layers were from 47degrees.com, much cheaper than elsewhere, but there website has been down for ages |
Are they still going, 47deg not icebreaker.
Btw I would highly recommend both.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Pants, I should have noticed that!! 
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Old thread, but while we're at it, I prefer the HH synthetic merino blends (like the Freeze) to pure merino (Icebreaker, Devold, etc). Wick sweat much better than merino and don't get clammy, don't stink like synthetic. Best of both worlds.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
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Helly Hansen ice crew, waaaaaayyyy too warm unles it's very cold or you are pretty inactive, great for winter riding on the motorbike but used once skiing and had to remove mid layer. If you sufferform the cold I would say HH ice crews are brilliant. But if you are middleaged and have a "slight" tummy then always wear something on top! You'd frighten less children!
And yes, that is from knowledge 
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ADESki,
I've got a HH warm ice crew (I think) and it is and it has to be -20 before I can wear it.
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Just noticed that I replied to this post seven years ago. For what it's worth, I still have the same Icebreaker top and I have worn it, on average for 6 weeks every year since (skiing and mountaineering trips) and it's still going strong. All things considered, not a bad investment.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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I use the HH lifa tops and they are all I need under a shell down to -15C. I just carry a low bulk Rab synthetic duvet top which is very warm for exposed stops or emergencies. I now have a few dare2B, compression tops etc for touring, I guess I could always double up if I ever hit really low temps.
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