Macpac's baselayer fabric mixes merino wool and synthetics with the intention of giving the best of both, but does it work in action?
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Macpac Interwool Core Zip
Tested
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Price:
£??
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Weight: 207 grammes
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Features:
Long-sleeved, zip, baselayer top with long front zip for
ventilation, stnad-up collar, back made from Interwool Grid
fabric for airflow, shoulder, underarm and side seams
arranged to eliminate chafing, flatlocked seams sewn with
soft thread.
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Comfy, wicking, low pong factor.
Sleeves feel a little flobby
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The
Concept It's a baselayer, but what with sheep being New Zealand's
most popular natural resource, it made sense for Macpac to
incorporate merino wool into its baselayer garments. The result is
what they call 'Interwool', a fabric which comines synthetics with
natural merino with the aim of getting the best qualities of both.
The merino is on the inner face of the fabric.
Merino wool is extremely fine, so it won't cause itching like
coarser varieties. It's also comfortable against the skin and wicks
well - Macpac says that 'electrical attraction established between
the charged ions in the Interwool merino side chains' close to
the skin attract vapour and channel it outwards. It's also reckoned
to have significant thermal values.
The fabric's available in two thicknesses, the lighter Pique and
Grid as tested here and a heavier 'Mid' version, which is thicker and
designed for extreme cold weather use.
Features Macpac's used our favourite long-sleeved zip-neck
baselayer design, but with some neat twists. The back section uses a
more open Interwool Frid fabric for enhanced wicking, while the rest
of the garment is the soft, comfortable Interwool Pique.
Seams are flatlocked to avoid abrasion and the panels that make up
the top are cut so that seams are well out of irritation's way - the
top of the shoulder, for example, is totally smooth to avoid rucksac
strap problems.
In
Action We really like merino and the pure merino garments we've
used have impressed thanks to smooth next to skin feel, reasonable
wicking, lack of pong and an uncanny ability to stay cool when it's
hot and hot when it's cool. The Macpac baselayer stuff seems to have
managed the neat trick of keeping most of those qualities but adding
the better wicking qualities of synthetics.
We found the fabric comfortable, fast wicking and pretty pong
resistant. We also used a heavier weight version of Interwool, but
preferred the lighter weight version for its faster wicking and
better cooling when working hard - for extremely cold conditions
though, the heavier 'Mid' fabric is worth considering.
The design works well too with a proper deep zip for rapid cooling
when the going gets hot and comfort and protection from the high
collar. We didn't notice any seam chafing with or without a pack,
which suggests that the flatlocked seams and seam positioning are
doing what they're supposed to. Just about our only complaint is that
the sleeves feel a little bit flacid, a stretch panel or just a cuff
might be an improvement, but it's hardly a major issue.
The Core, as tested, seems hard to get hold of in the UK at the
moment, which is a shame as it's a really effective, well-designed
baselayer top using a very impressive fabric in a carefully thought
out top. There is Macpac Interwool out there though and based on our
experience over the last six months or so, it's right up there with
the best wicking synthetics, while still having merino-like
qualities. Worth seeking out.
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Performance
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Value
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Pushed for time:
Rare but effective baselayer range from Macpac that
combines the positive comfort, thermal control and anti-pong
of merino wool with synthetic wicking ability in two
different weigths of garment. Well worth hunting down if
you're in the market for a quality baselayer.
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