New from The North Face for this autumn / winter is a nicely specced polypropylene baselayer range, does it do the business on the hill though?
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The North Face L/S Baselayer Top
Tested
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Price:
£32.00
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Weight: 150 grammes (men's
medium)
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Features: 100
per-cent double layer. mid-weight Equiilibrium polypropylene
fabric, flat-locked seams, long Raglan sleeves, zip
neck.
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Decent wicking qualities and doesn't pong.
Close fit and high warmth won't suit all.
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The Concept New for autumn / winter 2005, the new TNF
baselayers form a little polypropylene oasis in a sea of polyester
and merino. It's not quite the only polypropylene baselayer out
there, it's the stuff that Helly Hansen has used for years in its
Lifa range, but the vast majority of synthetic baselayers out there
are made from polyetser.
As with other baselayers, the aim is to sit next to the skin and
create a comfortable environment by wicking away excess moistures
towards the outside world. Ideally it'll be cool when conditions are
warm and warm when things get cold.
FeaturesTNF emphasises the close cut, but the most crucial
element of any baselayer is the fabric. Polypropylene is a very light
fabric that doesn't absorb water instead letting it move through to
the outer layers. It's also antii-microbial, it says here, and easy
to care for.
The brand has developed its own version of polypropylene, which
uses - and we quote - 'unique hollow core polypropylene yarn' which
reduces weight by up to 25 per-cent compared to standard
polypropylene. The hollow core of the fibre is also claimed to help
keep the body at a regular temperature.
Otherwise, the design is our favoured long-sleeved, collared,
zip-neck, with a close fit for maximum skin contact and hence,
effective wicking.
In Action We've been using the new baselayer for several
months now, long enough to have a good idea of how it performs, which
on the whole is pretty well. In pure performance terms, the TNF top
is as good as most of the opposition. It seems to wick fine and
doesn't pong with extended use.
We weren't massively keen on the overall feel of the garment
though. For starters, it gives a very close fit that's good for
performance, but has a restrictive sort of vibe to it, particularly
when conditions are hot. We don't particularly like the feel of the
material either. Despite TNF saying that it's soft and comfortable to
wear, it has a very erzatz, synthetic feel to it, that's nowhere near
as pleasant to wear as, say, merino wool or Polartec's Powerdry.
It also felt very warm for its weight, possibly due to the use of
the hollow fibres. In some conditions that's a boon, but in warmer
condition, in combination with the synthetic feel of the fabric, it
meant the TNF top was low on our list. While we're quibbling, we'd
prefer a taller collar for added sun protection to the back of the
neck.
We've been using the TNF baselayer for months, but while it wicks as
well as most baselayers, it simply doesn't feel a nice as others
which offer similar or better performance, particularly in hot
conditions. The specification and claims are impressive, but it
simply didn't make us want to wear it regularly.
It's still light years ahead of the olde cotton tee-shirt, but we
reckon there are more comfortable alternatives that perform just as
well or better than the new North Face offering.
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Performance
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Value
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Pushed for time:
new polyproylene baselayer from The North Face for
autumn/winter '05. Performance is in the ballpark, but we
didn't find it as pleasant to wear as some of the
alternatives from other brands.
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