Suggest you try on before purchase. I found Icebreaker itchy but Smartwool comfy. You're right to not go less than 200g/m2 weight, I have a 210g its surviving well but I have a 150g which is bobbling badly and a 150g which has hole forming. So Smartwool 150g, Smartqwool 200g ok.
Also recommend black as matching the colour for darning is easier. I darned a green top and couldn't find the same shade green thread.
I have used 3 different merino baselayers over the years.
I have some Rohan ones for more normal, "everyday" wear. These are 4 years old now, get good use in the winter months but are going a bit bobbly now.
I used to have a couple of sets of Icebreaker zippered tops and leggings. However, these were the China-made ones and the zipperson both tops broke within a couple of months and the leggings shrunk too. The odd think about the leggings was that the shrinkage was uneven - some pannels shrunk loads, some seemed not to shrink at all! Considering they were washed with the tops which did not shrink at all it was a real pain. I got no joy when trying to return them and will never but Icebreaker again.
My current favourites are the Helly Hansen 'Warm' tops and leggings. Mine are a couple of years old now and have seen hard use over the last two winters. They are a double layer construction with a merino layer next to your skin and a synthetic layer on the outside. I find the fit better on me than either the Rohan or Icebreaker ones and the synthetic outer means that if I wear fleece on top of them the layers wont snag and bunch up. I think it also offers some protection to the merino - mine have not bobbled at all yet. Cotswold Ourdoors were doing a set of leggings and top for £60 a while ago. I bought several!
James' experience with his icebreakers finally did it for them. I was thinking that keeping QC in such a alien place as China, with so much potential for fraud, is a serious issue.
For those with experience of Woolpower would you consider the 200gsm layers as practical down to -10C for sedentary activites? I can't imagine they could really cope with that but I fancy the 400gsm layers may be a little too inflexible for higher temps and I'm hoping to avoid buying more than one set.
Greg, I have a Woolpower 400gm gilet and it definitely adds warmth to what you're wearing but it's not as hot as I was expecting. For sedentary activities down to -10C it would depend on how many layers and what you propose wearing on top. My Marmot fleece gilet is warmer (possibly due to a tighter weave) and my Marmot Powerstretch gilet is about as warm, but is more wind resistant than either. If you're being sedentary at about -10C I'd suggest the 400gm weight and adjust your layers on top as necessary. I haven't worn my Woolpower gilet often enough to comment on durability.
Even at 400gm the weave is more open than I expected. Look at the Aclima stuff for different weights. See here....
Well I did wonder what is the context of -10C sedentary, not sure they actually mean just wearing a 400g wool base and nothing else. Also its colder to sit or worse still be laying down at that temperature due to conduction. I assumed they meant as a base in a 3-layer system with fleece mid and wind outer. Even then.... likely not warm enough at -10C sedentary. Really, that problem has little to do with choice of wool.
If it's convenient go to the Norwegian store in Keswick. They have some some merino wool tops from Scandanavia, different weights and at least two different makes. The Devold ones are quite good.
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