I don't get shell jackets....

A snowHead

alex_heney, cotton is very bad in terms of retaining moisture. Really shouldn't be used in the layering of ski gear.

A snowHead

PJSki, It is still a natural fibre though.

I ski just fine with a couple of layers of cotton under a softshell.

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

rjs, yeah sure it's natural, but it is also a sweat trap. If you've been sweating and it suddenly turns very cold, you could be in trouble.

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Agreed, I wouldn't use cotton either. Cotton T-shirts are great for casual use, but not for sports. I learnt that lesson years ago from mountain biking. As soon as you start sweating they turn into a soggy mess. Merino wool is my preferred base and mid layer choice. I much prefer it to the synthetics.

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uktrailmonster,

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Hurtle, indeed. Merino may cost more than synthetics, but you won't need to wash it as much, so it will last longer. Also, you won't have to buy as much of it to get you through a week or two's skiing, so it works out very cost effective.

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After all it is free

GrahamN, I've never heard of 'polyprop with integral anti-bacterials'. All I know is that my merino base layer (with a silk layer below if it's unusually cold) wicks very efficiently into my Berghaus thin fleece (which describes itself as being made of polyester), which in turns wicks into and (and presumably) through my Goretex jacket. At the end of the day, I'm warm and dry and the only smelly thing is the fleece. Where do I find this magic, non-smelly, man-made fibre?

I can't comment on comparative survival rates, all these things seem to go on for years.

Hurtle, You'll find them under the 'X-Static' label. Man-made fibre with fine Silver thread interwoven. Silver kills Bacteria, so no smell. It also reflects body heat really well too, so clothing can be thinner, with the same insulation value. Spyder have had it for years, but they're not the only brand to use it now.

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GrahamN, interesting. Is this stuff cheaper than merino?

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having tried both, if think i am going to get really sweaty i'd rather have manmade - dries out quicker. for moderate sweatiness and below, i prefer merino

snow reports

PJSki,
It is a lot cheaper than merino and most companies now do a line in silver-impregnated base layers. I rate Odlo stuff myself, but I must admit I do think Smartwool has the edge as I don't feel as sweaty in it.

Arno, isn't one of the main points about merino that it's much better at wicking than synthetic?

You know it makes sense.

Think I'll take my chances with natural wool rather than silver impregnated man-made fibre Shocked

I've been using Icebreaker layers and Smartwool socks for the last 3 seasons and it still looks new, so I'm not worried about its longevity.
Other synthetics I've used previously pong too much for my liking.

Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:

PJSki, just from personal experience i find that wool stays wet longer if i really sweat into it - not necessarily a huge problem because it still regulates heat well. however, if i was running on a cool day, i'd rather have an old helly polyprop base on than a wool top

also, here's one mfr's recommendations:

http://www.patagonia.com/web/eu/product/shop/pbl_shop_landing.jsp?OPTION=PBL_LANDING

A snowHead

Arno,

A snowHead

I prefer the Microfleece for drying out and Merino as a very thin warmth layer.
I'd say the Merino smells less but I'd wash them daily anyway

Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?

I can wear merino for well over a week until even I start to wince, even for spring riding Twisted Evil

It always feels warm and comfy but when I take it off I realise it's still wet so agree with GrahamN and Arno. I use synthetics for summer MTBing and they wick better but stink after a ride. Only the Helly merino/synthetic mix (with antibacterial) remains as un-smelly as the pure merino. JT, I think Icebreaker pride themselves on the fact that some climber wore his for 56 consecutive days before washing... Shocked

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OK, I've just finished my last week of the season and I've tried a few variations along the way but my "standard" clothing setup has become:- short sleeve Icebreaker merino with long sleeve Icebreaker over the top + TNF soft shell.
That setup has seen me through glacier skiing at the PSB where the mountain was melting away underneath us through cool whiteouts at the VT bash and a couple of cold days in between in an Austrian January.

On cold days the biggest change I've made is adding a buff, it seems to "plug" the gap round the neck and keep more body warmth in as well as keeping a layer on the neck/face. I always carry an extra, thicker, long sleeve layer in my backpack but only skied once in it this year - it tends to come out more for sitting around outside as the sun goes down.

On a hot day I'll loosen the shell hem-cord and lower the main zip a little to get some more airflow through, that way I can nip them back up on a slow, draughty chairlift ride without needing to lose a layer.

Help!!

I don't get shell jackets....

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