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Supreme Merino Baselayer ss Vest
First Look
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Price:
£30.00
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Weight: 153 grammes
(medium)
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Features 100% 18
micron 200g superfine Merino. Vee-neck. Flat-seamed
construction, available in back and white. Unisex
fit.
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Soft, comfortable, natural, great anti-stink properties.
Moisture management not as good as synthetics.
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The Concept Oh no you're thinking, another merino wool
baselayer. Yep, it's made from the wool of merino sheep which has
incredibly fine fibres, so doesn't itch like traditional, coarser
wools and is a natural baselayer alternative to petro-chemical
derived synthetic fabrics.
Like any baselayer it's intended to be comfortable against the
skin and help transport moisture away from your body to keep you
comfortable.
So what makes Supreme different from say, Icebreaker or Smartwool
merino? Importers Chocolate Fish point out that unlike other merino
garments, which are now made abroad, the range they sell is still
made in Christchurch New Zealand available in the UK, which means you
know it's ethically produced in a country with no human rights
abuses. The range was orginally made for the New Zealand army back in
the 80s, so it has an established heritage too.
Features We've been using the Supreme short-sleeved vest,
which is a simple vee-necked, lightweight merino made with flatlocked
seams for comfort. The 18 micron fibres are very fine making for
added softness. The baselayer vests are also available in
long-sleeved versions and come in a choice of black or white.
If you hanker for brighter colours, Weft Indurstries, who produce
the Sureme range, also make the Mount Cook range in the same weight
fabric, but in a choice of brighter colours for the non-monochrome
inclined.
In Action If you're an OM regular, you'll know that we like
merino wool and the Supreme vest is no exception. Chocolate Fish say
that they reckon it has a softer feel than other merino brands and
we'd go along with that. It's really nice against the skin and
comfortable in both cool and hot conditions.
As usual we don't think it handles moisture as well as a good
synthetic, but it's not bad and, even when damp, still feels
comfortable and warm. The other big plus with merino is that it has
natural anti-stink properties which mean you can wear it for day
after day without becoming a trekking pariah. That's a massively
useful on multi-day trips when it helps to keep pack weight to a
minimum.
The vee-necked tee isn't really our favourite configuration, but
like we said, Chocolate Fish sells lots of other styles and colours
in the same weight of clothing, both tops and bottoms as well as some
rather attractive women's options like a camisole. The option we'd go
for would be a Mount Cook 'skivvy' - same fabric, but long sleeved
with a collar and zip-neck at a very reasonable £34.50.
Provisional Verdict Merino's a real feel good fabric,
both ecologically and physically. With Supreme and the other ranges
from Chocolate Fish, you also have the reassurance that it's been
made in New Zealand.
It's comfortable across a range of conditions, natural and has
fantastic anti-stink properties. The only real downside is that good
synthetics do handle moisture better and dry quicker, however, with
merino staying warm and comfortable even when damp, that's not
necessarily a major problem unless you really churn out the
perspiration.
It's also very decent value compared to merino alternatives from
other brands, the long-sleeved Skivvy with zip-neck is only
£34.50. And you can buy the women's stuff in hyacinth... What
more cold you ask for?
Finally, we have a confession to make, we like merino so much,
that we've started wearing it as a general, everyday top outside of
the summer - can you imagine doing that with any synthetic baselayer
you've used?
Know more or want to?
If you'd like to add your own experiences of this
product check out our user review system and post your opinions to
the world. If you have questions you can mail
us direct, ask
Richard Gear or try a posting to our
gear
forum.
