Walking across England from the North Sea to the Irish Sea along Hadrian's Wall

[melensdad]

Maybe I'll be asking for some wool base layers for XMas! I'm guessing that whatever is added to that Columbia poly shirt will wear out whereas the wool won't. Just a guess though.

I presume the same thing about the anti-stink component wearing out before the fabric wears out.

I also found some charcoal impregnated clothing, made from bamboo charcoal that is fused into polyester clothing, that claims to be non-funking. But at $75 for a shirt I was not going to pop for that test.

 

[melensdad]

TERRAMAR 1/3 Zip Base Layer Shirt . . . Another MERINO WOOL shirt to try out:

Picked this CHINESE made Merino Wool shirt up at Bass Pro. It is the ONLY brand of Merino Wool product sold by Bass Pro, and they only have a couple different items. The only color available from Bass Pro is black, not sure if the manufacturer also makes them in other colors. Most of the other Merino Wool products are made in New Zealand. Being that this is Chinese it was somewhat cheaper (list price is $65) and I also have to wonder if it really is Merino Wool. Time and trial will tell.

I bought it because of the 1/3 zipper. Its box says 1/2 zipper, but clearly the zipper only unzips about 1/3 of the way down from the collar. I think the term "1/2 zipper" is more of a style than an accurate description, I do not consider that false advertising, etc.

Based on what I can tell from the packaging, it appears to be a 200 weight fabric. I'm not totally positive of that but it feels to be the same thickness as the my 200 weight Icebreaker and a bit heavier than my 150 weight RedRam baselayer.

The inside seams flat but around the collar are taped over flat seam, which is a nice detail. The shoulders are caped so there is no seam on top for the backpack straps to rub into my skin. The sleeves are actually attached to the caped shoulder a few inches past the shoulder socket. Wearing a size LARGE, it fits much looser than my "bodyfit" Icebreaker size large baselayer shirt, but not as loosely as my polyester Koppen size large wicking shirts.

I question the claim that it is 100% Merino Wool because as soon as I put it on I found it to be somewhat itchy. Merino Wool is a very fine special type of wool that is known to be much more comfortable against the skin, some say its itch free. Even my expensive Icebreaker brand is mildly itchy to me, but not immediately upon putting it on. This Terramar started to itch immediately. Uh, quality control in China, and honest packaging from China are world renown, right??? Yeah, sure. Well maybe this is 100% Merino, but its certainly not as comfortable against my skin as other 100% Merino? So maybe its a lower grade? Or maybe I'm nuts?

Still, its going to get tested. In fact I'm wearing it now just to try it out.

 

[melensdad]

BTW, it may seem odd to some of you that I am buying LONG SLEEVE WOOL shirts for a SUMMER TRIP across Northern England/Southern Scotland, but the "average" temperatures for that region, during the month of June, range from the mid-40's to the mid-60's.

Wool is known to wick moisture naturally. The polyester hiking shirts I own are typically woven in a waffle pattern, or thin dual layer pattern to wick moister away from the body to control body temperature. They tend to help keep you cool when its hot, if worn as a single layer and warm you if worn as a base layer.

Thin long sleeve hiking shirts also provide a sunblock effect so sunburn does not become an issue.

 

[melensdad]

WOOL UPDATE ~ the multi-day 'stink' test:

Well I've not gone totally caveman, but I have worn the Wool baselayer tops for 2 days each and there is no "funk" or "stench" smell from the shirts, they seem to be naturally anti-stink.

On the other hand the Polyester shirts tend to smell with a nasty funk almost immediately after any exercise or work.

But then I got an Anti-Microbial Treated Polyester shirt and tried that out for 2 days. No stench from that either. The Anti-Microbial is a Columbia brand shirt. It cost about $40 for the anti-stink Polyester. So a regular/untreated polyester shirt is less expensive, those run $20 to $30. The Merino Wool shirts are still a lot more expensive, running $50 to $85 each.

I'm not sure what shirts I like the best. Honestly I think the Polyester shirts are a bit more comfortable to wear than the Wool shirts. There is no 'itch' factor with the Poly. The Merino Wool is NOT itchy like regular wool, but there is still a little bit of itch to it. You don't notice the itch when you are active, but its probably not the type of shirt to wear if you want to 'cuddle' and watch a movie with your sweetie. As for durability I honestly can't say which shirt is the best option, there is a long history of Merino Wool being stink-free for the life of the shirt, I don't know if that is true for the Anti-Microbial Polyester shirts???

This is the new Columbia shirt:

 

[melensdad]

In my never ending search for safe water and ultra-light weight water carriers I stumbled across this website from a link on the National Geographic gear page. Its similar to the Sawyer Mini, but its in the shape of a long straw that actually fits inside the pouch. The pouch looks much more robust than the Sawyer pouch, which is prone to bursting at the seam.

The Best Filtered Water Bottle: Portable Bottles With Water Purification

The Vapur® MicroFilter is a lightweight, chemical-free water filtration system that utilizes the most advanced hollow fiber membrane technology. The Vapur MicroFilter safely removes 99.9999% of waterborne bacteria (such as Salmonella, Cholera and E. coli) and 99.9% of protozoa (including Cryptosporidium and Giardia).

Together, the bottle and MicroFilter weigh just 2.7 ounces, and the filter is capable of purifying up to 500 liters of safe drinking water from lakes, rivers, streams and tap water.

Price is cheap enough that you could easily have 1 of these for every hiker.

Combined weight of filter + pouch/anti-bottle = 2.7 ounces. Cost about $14.00

 

[easy]

Melonsdad - I followed your link and that site says $69.00. Where's the link for the $14.00 item, please?

 

[melensdad]

Melonsdad - I followed your link and that site says $69.00. Where's the link for the $14.00 item, please?

That price is what some hikers say they paid. If the price is really $69 the nuts not worth it. The Sawyer Mini is under $25.

 

[BravoMike]

This went on my Xmas list!
Men's Hooded Indie | Ibex Merino Wool Baselayer with Thumbholes

I have read that there are different qualities of merino wool and some are softer than others. Sure, this one is expensive, but it has all the qualities that I was looking for. Supposedly soft (not itchy) merino wool (based on reviews I have read), partial zipper front to ventilate, thumb holes to keep wrists warm when wearing gloves and a hood.

 

[melensdad]

This went on my Xmas list!
Men's Hooded Indie | Ibex Merino Wool Baselayer with Thumbholes

I have read that there are different qualities of merino wool and some are softer than others. Sure, this one is expensive, but it has all the qualities that I was looking for. Supposedly soft (not itchy) merino wool (based on reviews I have read), partial zipper front to ventilate, thumb holes to keep wrists warm when wearing gloves and a hood.

You and I have similar ideas for Christmas presents.

My ultimate wish list item is a "soft shell" jacket and I think I've made my choice.

An Eddie Bauer FIRST ASCENT "Accelerant" soft shell jacket.

Worn over a base layer, it provides a layer of moderate wind and light rain resistance. Worn over a mid-layer and under a hardshell its a warm insulator. It has the thumb holes to keep the arms from riding up when you reach, it also has a hood that will fit under a hat. In the spring/summer it acts like a super-windbreaker worn over a base-layer yet it is still trim enough to fit under rain gear or under hard-shells and the outer layer material is smooth so it won't bind up when worn under a heavier layer or under rain gear. The Accelerant soft shell has breathing panels that allow body heat to escape when needed.

Accelerant Jacket | First Ascent

Several hiking and climbing websites have named it product of the year:
[video]http://m.youtube.com/watch?v=18CeViz_Zns&desktop_uri=%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D18CeViz_Zns[/video]

BTW, for those who dismiss the Eddie Bauer brand as just fashion, they own the FIRST ASCENT brand co-brand their F.A. items at SOME of the Eddie Bauer stores. The F.A. brand makes only serious hiking/climbing/hiking products.​

​

 

[melensdad]

Nothing new. Just more of the same.

The Zamberlan boots are freaking awesome! It is hard to describe how great they are.

The merino wool base layer shirts really are anti-stink!

The anti-microbial polyester base layer shirts are also anti-stink . . . but regular polyester base layer shirts get funky smelling if you sweat even just a little bit.

 

[melensdad]

For the walk across England I want to get a new 'soft shell' jacket, its basically a light fleece layer with a nylon or similar light layer over the top for a bit of wind/rain resistance. Eddie Bauer has a line of clothing favored by hikers and climbers called their FIRST ASCENT line. Its only sold in specific stores that are authorized to carry this stuff. Those stores are few and far between, the closest one is roughly an hour and half drive away via highway.

But, my sister came into town from the UK and wanted to go shopping as prices in the US are roughly 50% lower than prices in the UK due to things like the VAT Tax.

So knowing of the closest FIRST ASCENT store, and knowing its in a mall that will make the women folk of the group happy, I suggest the Oakbrook mall. I can split off, go see what I want, meet up with the ladies later.

Good theory. First, I checked to see that the Eddie Bauer FIRST ASCENT store carries the specific item. Can't say 100% for sure based on their website, but it appears they do. So great, I'm good to go to the mall (something I hate).

90 minutes, 4 toll booths on the Illinois Tollway later, higher gas and sales taxes later we arrive at the mall. I depart the girls, who seem to be fascinated by all things shiny in Nordstrom, and head off on my trek to check out the holy grail of soft shell jackets, winner of multiple awards for 2013 from both the climbing and the hiking media. Finding the Eddie Bauer store was easy enough, walk in and the first 1/4 of the store is all FIRST ASCENT clothing. Wow, could this get any better? I'm just starting to look around when clueless salesboy BIFF show us with his oh-so-styled hair to ask if I need some help.

Why yes Biff, I do. I'm looking for a FIRST ASCENT Accelerant Soft Shell Jacket.

hmmm..... is it one of those, over there?

Uh, no, its a technical soft shell for hiking and climbing.

hmmm..... what colors are you looking for?

Uh, not really sure, just want to see the construction and try it on for size. Its the ACCELERANT style, won several awards, I need it for a long distance hike.

About this time Biff's sales buddy Bevis(?) shows up to help resolve the quandary​

May I haalp you fiiind something (I spelled it like it sounded )

Uh, yes, I was asking your boy Biff over there if someone could show me one of the FIRST ASCENT Accelerant Soft Shell Jackets.

hmmm..... is it one of thoooose over therrrre behind youuuuu???

Well I looked there, I don't see it.

hmmm..... I don't think we selllll that one in thiiiisssss store.

You don't think or you don't know?​

Can you figure out where this is going?

Need I go on?

WTF!?!

I'm not really a fan of Eddie Bauer, at least not for the past 30 years since they got bought out and turned into a fashion company from a real outdoors clothing company. But their FIRST ASCENT line of products seem to be well trusted, well designed, well made and worthy of consideration. Figured I'd give them another try.

I still want to see the specific item, I still will consider it. But I will not suffer fools to try it on.

 

[melensdad]

FWIW, if you want to buy something from Eddie Bauer's FIRST ASCENT line, its all on sale 30% OFF until Dec 2, with FREE SHIPPING, if you use the promotional code ICY.

 

[melensdad]

FWIW, if you want to buy something from Eddie Bauer's FIRST ASCENT line, its all on sale 30% OFF until Dec 2, with FREE SHIPPING, if you use the promotional code ICY.

Took my own advice, went on-line shopping at Eddie Bauer/First Ascent. Bought a HANGFIRE jacket and an ACCELERANT jacket. Both have great reputations in the hiking and climbing communities with the user reviews. Figured that one of them would end up being returned. But as I couldn't try them on, feel the fabric weight, etc, and as the sale ends today with both free shipping and 30% off, I just bought them both and will decide at home.

 

[melensdad]

Thought I'd do a bit of a gear follow-up.

Eddie Bauer FIRST ASCENT "Hangfire"

This is a technical fleece jacket (also available as a hoodie, but I got the jacket style) that is made of two different fabrics. On the bottom side of the arm, around the cuff, up to the armpit and then down the side of your body is a somewhat stretchy fabric that is designed to flex and breathe and allow excess heat to dissipate. The front and back panels are the fleece fabric, but not the fuzzy type that kids wear. The fleece also has some stretch to it but not as much as the side/arm panels. The outer face is somewhat smooth, the inner face of the fabric is very lightly napped. The combination of the two fabrics work very well together as the HANGFIRE fits over baselayers without becoming cumbersome. It also fits under shell layers without bunching up because the outer layer of the fabric won't grab your other layers but it still stays put so the sleeve don't ride up, the body doesn't twist over/under other layers, etc. So its sort of that middle layer that can be worn over an undershirt, or even a button down dress shirt to keep you a bit warmer in a cool house, and it can stay on under your other layers or even under a parka for extra warmth.

This is neither a wind-proof nor water-resistant outer shell type jacket. Its more like a modern day light weight sweater that zips up, but also, due to the two different stretching fabrics, it tends to stay where you want it to stay, never bunches or becomes a hinderance, and it provides an extra bit of insulation if you need it.

Its been too cold to really wear it for what I intend to use it for, that is an added bit of insulation in the spring, summer or fall on those days, or during those cooler parts of days, when a baselayer is just not enough. But I will also say that the HANGFIRE has become a near constant companion of mine (OK, I don't sleep in it).

Just like MR. RODGERS had his cardigan sweaters to wear around his 'neighborhood,' so I have my HANGFIRE jacket.

 

[lucky4034]

Very cool thread!

 

[melensdad]

GEAR REVIEW: Koppen Base-Layer Shirts:

I like these shirts for casual wear, but they are NOT going to be making the 'cut' and going to England with me. For a real trip like that I want the odor control of merino wool or a treated polyester. These shirts stink when you sweat and there is no way you can hike across an island, even a small one like England, without working up a good sweat.​

​

Koppen appears to be the 'store brand' from Dick's Sporting Goods. So since Dick's has taken down all their BLACK GUNS its a strike against the brand right off the get go.

I have 3 of these shirts, been wearing them for nearly a year. All 3 are very similar. 2 identical except for the iron-on logo and color, the last one has a 3 button neckline in the "Henley" shirt style.

All 3 use the same 100% polyester fabric. Its a waffle weave fabric that adds a bit of insulating air space when teamed up with a mid-layer shirt over it. But in the heat the waffle weave works very effectively to pull moisture away from your skin during active hikes. They also act to effectively protect your skin from sunburn in the summer with an SPF rating that I seem to recall is 50. So while these are long sleeve shirts, they are light weight and can be used as summer shirts for hikes. They are attractive enough that you don't appear to be wearing an 'undershirt' while hiking. Logo designs vary from shirt to shirt and they seem to offer about a half dozen, or more colors.

All seams are sewn flat so your backpack straps won't cause you additional pressure/wear spots when they push against the seams. The shoulder construction is a caped design so there is NO seam running across the top of your shoulder, its moved forward several inches and the shoulder strap of your backpack does not directly press down on the seam. Sleeves are long enough and fitted well enough that they don't bunch or ride up your arm. The fabric, despite its waffle weave design, is fairly slick so your mid-layer shirts will not snag or pull on these when worn as base layers.

My wife thought I was crazy for wearing them when we went on our daily summer 5 mile hikes, but the wicking of moisture is effective with this waffle weave and the slightest breezes went through the fabric, the combination helped keep me cool.

Annoying laundry tag. I'd prefer it was a decal that was printed on the inside of the shirt, but being a "waffle weave" style of fabric a decal style tag probably wouldn't work well? You can also see the seam detail, which is well done, and does not rub your skin raw.

Couple of downsides to these shirts. First, there is an interior laundry tag that is annoying. Remove it or learn to live with it. Second, its polyester so when you sweat it will get a funky smell. Polyester shirts just do that, I don't know why. But there is no hiding the odor of a sweating man in a polyester shirt because the fabric, unlike wool which kills order, seems to magnify the odor! SOME polyester shirts have an "anti-microbial" odor blocker, others use Silver, or Charcoal or similar additives to help kill odor, but these are budget priced shirts, often found on sale for about $15 each, and offer zero odor control.

On the bright side there is a small KOPPEN loop style tag on the bottom seam of the shirt. If you want to rinse the shirt in a stream or other water source, the loop tag on the bottom seam is a great place to hang the shirt from. Nice feature.

Close up view of the waffle weave fabric + loop tag that allows you to hang the shirt from a string, branch, etc:

Consider these as cheap 'workout' shirts that will go into the laundry after you finish your local hike, run, training, etc. For the price (when on sale) they are a good value. But, as with all other untreated polyester shirts, you need to be able to toss them in the laundry when you strip them off. Wearing one of these on a multi-day 'thru-hike' would be torture to your nose and the noses of your hiking companions unless you could wash/rinse it daily. But even then, by lunch you will be the 'smelly' guy in the group.

As Dick's Sporting Goods turned its back on gun owners, consider a different brand of similar design.

 

[melensdad]

First Impressions ~ FIRST ASCENT Accelerant Jacket by Eddie Bauer

I've had this odd jacket for less than a month, and I call it odd because I'm not really sure what it is supposed to be. But it seems to do a lot of different stuff. It is like a cameleon in that it seems to take on the characteristics needed for the task.

Despite the nylon (?) facing and the Priimaloft insulation, this is NOT a 'hardshell' jacket. It is NOT windproof. It is NOT waterproof.

First off this is a LIGHTWEIGHT jacket. About half the weight of a typical cotton/khaki spring windbreaker. But it has Primaloft insulation in the front and back panels for warmth. Then it has stretch vent panels down the sides, and up through the underarm and then back down the underside of the arms to keep you cool. But then it has a stretch hood as well as extendable cuffs with thumb-holes for warmth. So it keeps you cool and it keeps you warm?

Like I said, its an odd jacket. But I'm really beginning to appreciate it for all it offers and I can see why a couple different outdoor/adventure magazines named it an Editor's Choice.

If the temps are above 30-degrees-F and you are out and about and active (X-country skiing, hiking, etc), this little jacket will keep you warm without overheating assuming you have a baselayer and a shirt or sweater over your baselayer. If the temps are above 40-degrees-F and you are sitting on the sidelines at a football game and the wind is blowing, even just a little bit, you will probably be pretty darn cold by the end of the game. This is clearly a jacket for ACTIVE wear, not for casual wear.

The side stretch vents keep you from over heating when being active but do little to keep you warm if you are just sitting, standing or strolling along window-shopping downtown with your spouse. You can see the fabric detail below, the bright green (it is available in more subdued colors) 'shell' covers the insulation and adds a bit of wind resistance but the softer gray/blue stretch material offers no block for the winds and minimal insulation. Being a stretch material they also help to keep the jacket from moving around too much, this is designed to fit you, not necessary be stuck to you, but clearly you don't want it moving around under your backpack or riding up on your while you are climbing, hiking, or skiing.

You can see the hood in the photo below, which is a different type of stretch material. The extendable cuffs with thumb holes are the same material as the hood. The hood fits well and moves with you, rather than one of those hoods where your head rotates inside the hood. This is a well designed hood! Its also thin enough that its not obtrusive, you can wear it under a hat, it doesn't prevent you from hearing, and as I stated, but cannot understate, it actually moves with you! The photo also lets you see the areas where there is insulation in the jacket. Those areas have the shiny inner fabric and include the whole back panel and the whole front, plus the tops and sides of each arm. I should point out that if you wear a mid-layer shirt/sweater you will be holding your cuffs when you insert your arms into the jacket sleeves as some fabrics will 'stick' to the stretch fabric along the underside of the sleeves. But once your arms are in the jacket the sleeves don't ride up or bunch. Further, the extendable cuffs are a nice feature for a bit of added warmth, but area also easily folded into the arms and thin enough not to become obtrusive.

The zippers are water resistant, but the jacket clearly is NOT designed for the rain. Snow may shed off it, but this is still a 'softshell' design and works as both a MID-LAYER and a LIGHT OUTER LAYER.

Insulation is Primaloft 100.

FIRST IMPRESSIONS ARE VERY FAVORABLE


.

 

[melensdad]

GEAR UPDATE: First Ascent ACCELERANT jacket:

Been using the First Ascent ACCELERANT jacket more lately and it really impresses me.

Today I had some errands to run, some work with my tractor outside, some tasks outdoors and I was dressed pretty lightly in a Koppen polyester baselayer, a button down shirt and then the First Ascent ACCELERANT jacket. 6" of snow on the ground, mid-20's temps, occasional wind gusts but not steady wind.

The First Ascent ACCELERANT kept me warm in the car, kept me warm while I was active and for the most part kept me warm when I was in the tractor seat too . . . but this jacket is clearly designed for ACTIVE wear and not for PASSIVE activities. Sitting in the tractor seat is NOT really active and when the wind caught me it cut right through the jacket (remember, this is NOT a wind breaker but it does have some wind resistent panels in addition to some very breathable panels). While I was more active, attaching a heavy implement to the tractor's 3pt hitch and moving around I had NO issues with keeping warm. The hood, while fairly light and thin, did an excellent job of keeping my ears, and neck, plus my head warm.

In my earlier review of this light weight jacket I called it a chameleon in that it was adaptable to a lot of different circumstances and I think that may be a very good description. Its light, and capable and adaptable and becoming a very handy jacket. Now I'm thinking that I need a new, lighter shell that will team up with the First Ascent ACCELERANT.

 

[melensdad]

GEAR UPDATE: First Ascent HANGFIRE Fleece Midlayer:

The HANGFIRE is available in a "jacket" style or in a full zip "hoodie" style midlayer garment. I picked up the jacket style. It is constructed of 2 main types of fabric. The blue fabric is a reversed fleece, with the inside being the napped side. The outer side is the smoother side of the fabric. The fleece is slightly stretchy. The gray panels are where the real stretch for the garment comes into play, they also offer greater ventilation.

Front view:

Front Detail view of fabric, front pocket, and stretch panel:

Inside detail view of fabric. Notice the pocket has a hole for your ear buds/head phones. The inside of the pockets are a mesh style fabric. Not sure if you can see the light nap finish on the inside of the fleece panels?

Back view of the HANGFIRE showing the gray stretch vent panels and the blue fleece panels.

Lower pocket detail, the metal zipper pulls are tiny, but the extension loops make it easy to use the zippers.

In the various photos you can see that the seams are triple stitched and seams are a flat, non-chafing design. The shoulders are a raglan style so there is no seam on the top of the shoulder to get rubbed by your pack straps. The design of this jacket is a light fleece mid-layer and it it close fitting enough to wear under other layers but loose fitting enough to wear over a baselayer.

 

[BravoMike]

Review: Ibex Hooded Indie

Ibex Hooded Indie
​

MSRP $115 (Purchased for $95 from an online retailer)
​

Size: Medium (Fits true to size)​

Color: Brown Metal (I like my clothes to blend into the environment)
​

Weight: 8.6 oz (Ibex claims 8.8 oz)

​

For Christmas my lovely wife had gotten me an Ibex merino wool base layer, the Hooded Indie. Melensdad had asked if I would be interested to review my new Christmas gift in this thread and I finally have a chance to sit down, take some pictures and write this.

Ibex considers this a mid-weight in their line of merino wool. This is my first experience with a merino wool base layer with the exception of socks so I will only be able to compare this to my polyester base layers. I decided to get the Hooded Indie because of some reviews that I had read and the fact that it is the only merino wool base layer with features that I was looking for. These features include hood, thumb holes, and front zipper.

​

The hood, when worn up, makes this garment look like you are wearing a scuba suit but it seems to work really well. It fits close to the head and appears to be made to fit under a helmet for mountaineering or cycling. Whether or not this is what Ibex intended, the benefit of having a close fitted hood is that it is more efficient in keeping you warm and fits well under other hoods that you may be wearing. I have grown quite fond of hooded garments for my backpacking because I found that they are handy and efficient in keeping me warm. If I want my head, ears and neck covered, I just pull the hood up and it does the job quite well; no need to break stride.

​

The thumb holes are also another first for me. I wasn’t sure if I would like them or not, but now that I have them I am glad they are there. They surprisingly add quite a bit of warmth because about half of your hand is covered when the thumb holes are worn. Another thing that has annoyed me in the past while wearing gloves is that my wrists would become exposed and cold. This does not happen with the thumb holes. I also think these will help on cool/cold nights when wearing this base layer in my sleeping bag by keeping my sleeves from riding up.

​

The zipper is about 9” long and I would consider it a 1/3 zip. This really does help to ventilate if I start feeling warm. I imagine that I would use this base layer as much on its own that I can and adjust my comfort by using the zipper and hood. The zipper is made by YKK and locks when the pull tab is down. Ibex claims that there is an interior chin guard, but I don’t see one in the sense of what I am used to. There is a bit of material that covers the zipper on the inside so you don’t feel it, but I still notice the pull when it is up. I would rather have a “pocket” that the pull zips up into, but that is a rather minor complaint.

​

The overall fit and finish seems excellent. All the stitching is well done and the design seems well thought out. The Hooded Indie features raglan sleeves and flat seams to avoid any chafing from backpack straps. The merino wool was slightly itchy at first, but after I wore it a few times the wool seems to have softened and I don’t notice it anymore. Just like my merino wool socks, this top dries very quickly and did not feel cold when I built up a little sweat while wearing it.

​

​

The warmth for the weight of this base layer is great and I can see it working well during my favorite seasons (spring and fall), but I am curious to see how it performs in the heat of the summer as well. The only thing that I can pick out that might be a negative is that the merino wool does not appear to be as durable as polyester so I may not get as much use out of it before it wears out in comparison to my polyester base layers. Overall I am happy with the Ibex Hooded Indie and look forward to taking it out on my next hiking or backpacking adventure.