I’m looking at layers. I want to have something that when walking and then sitting that the sweat would wick away to keep me warm..
I was looking at the 2.0
Is that good for the 30 deg mornings that get to 50 in the afternoon ?
Or would I be better off going to 3.0 ?
Looking for input from the masses here on IDO..
I need to stay light and not bulky at all as I will be bow hunting..
thanks !! 
Ever try Smart Wool.I like it better than anything I’ve ever tried.A little cashy but I love them.
i have never used any of the under layments
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Ever try Smart Wool.I like it better than anything I’ve ever tried.A little cashy but I love them.
x 2
Actually any of the merino wool that’s made with decent quality is great. I prefer the wool over the synthetics. It retains warmth when damp (so does most synthetics) but doesn’t retain the body odor that synthetics do. It is pricey, but so is UA. UA is good stuff too, just prefer the merino wool.
not knocking under armour, but go into a dedicated running store or biking store and look at their winter running/biking gear. You most likely will NOT find any under armour there. UA has big marketing pockets so there are better options out there. I use Asics winter gear basically because of my experiences from winter training for marathons/triathlons. Even though high activity like running/biking makes one think that they dont need as much insulation because it is usually sustained activity, the products need to have EXTREME wicking properties. So if you go into a top end dedicated bike/running shop and then consider why under armour is not there.
UA products will work if you decide to go that route. If you do I would suggest 3.0 or even 4.0. What you will find is that your outer layer is what will then change based on the temp.
And just an addition, I normally walk to the stand in the AM with just the base layer. Any sweating, I stop about 100 yards from the stand and let myself cool down a little and then put my outer layers on before completing the hike to the stand.
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And just an addition, I normally walk to the stand in the AM with just the base layer. Any sweating, I stop about 100 yards from the stand and let myself cool down a little and then put my outer layers on before completing the hike to the stand.
Regardless of what you choose this is probably the best advice posted so far. 
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Actually any of the merino wool that’s made with decent quality is great. I prefer the wool over the synthetics. It retains warmth when damp (so does most synthetics) but doesn’t retain the body odor that synthetics do. It is pricey, but so is UA. UA is good stuff too, just prefer the merino wool.
I tried Cabelas merino because it was cheaper and usually have good luck with their stuff. Felt like a steel wool,fiberglass blend. One and done with that stuff.
I wear both 2.0 and 3.0 for bow hunting interchangeably. They do a great job of keeping the heat in, but do not wick as well as some wools do as mentioned above. Best results with UA is to not wear your jacket over it while walking in to avoid sweating. I like it because of its insulating value while avoiding the bulk as you indicated above.
I was crusing thru Sams Club this afternoon and came across the merino wool tops and bottoms.. At $20 each I thought I would give tem I try… Even found 3 paire of socks in the same material for $16…
I leave for hunting next Wednesday evening and I will give you my honest opinion !!
Dave,
I’ve been rolling with a polypropelene base layer from farm and fleet for the last couple years. They have various weights of it for 20 bucks. over that I run the cabelas polartec fleece. UA is overrated in my opinion. You pay a lot for that little logo. I do have a set of UA and I can’t tell the difference. It is important to go with the wicking layer in socks most of all as damp feet will cool your whole body really fast. I like the wool too but not as a base layer. Wool keeps you warm even when wet.
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Dave,
I like the wool too but not as a base layer. Wool keeps you warm even when wet.
With what you said, why would you not want to use wool as a base layer then?
So…
I picked up some Merino Wool under layment at Sams Club for about $20 each top and bottom..
Fantastic !!! 
Denny,
Just personal preference. I grew up hunting the northern Wisconsin swamps and I’d prefer something that wicks the moisture away from my skin. If poly is good enough for the US army to issue, it is good enough for me. I also find the really good wool stuff is very expensive and I tend to be hard on gear. I also like to run quite a few layers of thin fleece garmets so I can shed layers easily.
SO if wool keeps you warm when it gets wet, does poly as well and at less cost in your opnion?
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SO if wool keeps you warm when it gets wet, does poly as well and at less cost in your opnion?
Poly pro doesn’t maintain the warmth when wet quite as well as wool does, but it will maintain warmth a lot better than wet cotton. Another down side to a lot of the poly pro/synthetics is they maintain body odor more than the natural fibers like wool and silk. Silk is the warmest you can get by weight, but it’s not very durable. If you’re going with wool go with merino. It’s much softer than the wool most of us grew up wearing. Not scratchy at all. You can find merino wool for prices similar to the synthetics as mentioned above ($20 per top and bottom). You’re going to get what you pay for to an extent. It’s not necessary to spend $70 or more on a pair of synthetic or wool bottoms or a top, however the $10 dollar sets you can get aren’t nearly as warm as you’ll get with the midrange prices.
Regardless what you get, the best advice mentioned above is dress light when you’re active. I try to start out slightly uncomfortably cool and warm up as I’m moving. This will prevent sweating/damp long underwear, underwear, socks, boots, etc. Once you get where you’re going or level of activity decreases dress up for the heat.
Something else to remember when you’re dressing for the cold is avoiding cotton such as socks, tshirts, and underwear. You’re defeating your expensive long underwear and boots if you wear cotton underwear or socks and end up sweating. Cotton will not wick. It holds moisture which keeps it next to your skin. If you’ve got sweaty drawers or socks next to the skin you’re probably going to end up with a chill or cold feet.
As important as what kind of long underwear you choose is making sure you’re dressing properly with all of your layers and not overheating/sweating when you’re active.
yes. Let me guess you are a sheep farmer.
Nah. Just spent more than my share in the cold over the years.
I think its a rare person that can handle wool on their bare skin. I know I cant. It wasnt until recent years that I could really use modern base layer material. The old poly would rub me the wrong way and I had to have cotton on my skin which of course is bad if you sweat. I still wear a cotton t-shirt unless I know I’ll be sweating. These things last so long I dont constantly try new ones. I have 3 sets of silk from Cabelas that last for many years. Also one set of newer thermax which again can go 10 years easily. I have so many kinds of thermal shirt both base and top layer that its like wasting money if I buy another. But I’m sure I will.
Columbia also makes some good poly base layer stuff that is a lot cheaper than UA. I like wool too. Only knock is it will shrink if you put it in the dryer. Always hanger dry the stuff after washing!
-J.
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Columbia also makes some good poly base layer stuff that is a lot cheaper than UA. I like wool too. Only knock is it will shrink if you put it in the dryer. Always hanger dry the stuff after washing!
-J.
All I use for base layer is the Columbia stuff. You can get it really cheap from their factory outlet stores usually. Last time I was in Portland I stopped at an outlet and they had base layer for $5 for the tops and $10 for the bottoms.
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All I use for base layer is the Columbia stuff. You can get it really cheap from their factory outlet stores usually. Last time I was in Portland I stopped at an outlet and they had base layer for $5 for the tops and $10 for the bottoms.
Guess I’ll jump in the truck and head out…
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