Warmest bottom baselayers?

[coskigirl]

Thanks everyone! This gives me a lot to look at. Today I did CWX capri tights, Patagonia wool pants and the shells. I did okay given the sub-zero wind chills.

@Monique I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on the omni-heat tights.

 

[Monique]

Thanks everyone! This gives me a lot to look at. Today I did CWX capri tights, Patagonia wool pants and the shells. I did okay given the sub-zero wind chills.

@Monique I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on the omni-heat tights.

With any luck, I can tell you after this weekend!

 

[Monique]

@coskigirl - not sure if I'll be skiing this weekend or not. BUT in addition to the omniheat, the Arc'teryx coreloft pants arrived yesterday, and the Patagonia should arrive in the next couple of days - my plan is to see which one fits best and return the other. I think the Arc'teryx will win because it fits okay (given that they're men's pants) and it's an elastic waistband, which I think will work out better as a layer than the fly on the Patagonia.

 

[AmyPJ]

I wear tights as a base layer, sometimes the thin ones and other times the insulated ones, and then have a variety of second layers depending on how cold it is. The second ranges from thin wool to the heaviest-weight Columbia Omni-Heat base layer pant. If it's colder than that, I wear lightly insulated pants.

I'm a pretty big fan of the Columbia Omni-heat myself. I think that stuff is legit.

I have honestly discovered that in temps low 20's or lower, I just need insulated pants, particularly if I'm going to be riding a lot of chair lifts and not the gondola.

 

[AmyPJ]

I, like @SBrown, go with tights as my base layer. I have many pair of 3/4 length or zip-ankle tights (both kinds from road cycling) that work great for skiing, are comfortable and durable. And you can get them for far less money than specialty ski base layers.

Another trick: use knee warmers from the cycling world to give your knees a bit more insulation. I have some inexpensive polypro ones from Performance Bicycle, and I'll wear them under my tights on really cold days to keep my legs warm. This is especially helpful on my right leg (i.e. #projectfemur), as the screws for my Ti rod are very close to the skin and conduct cold very well.

I've also used Patagonia fleece tights under my shell pants in a pinch. They aren't the best at staying put, but they are certainly warm.

I use Smartwool knee warmers, too! I double them up and have been a real nice change for me this season now that I know I have arthritis in both knees. They keep my knees nice and warm without pulling on my patellas.

 

[neonorchid]

@coskigirl - not sure if I'll be skiing this weekend or not. BUT in addition to the omniheat, the Arc'teryx coreloft pants arrived yesterday, and the Patagonia should arrive in the next couple of days - my plan is to see which one fits best and return the other. I think the Arc'teryx will win because it fits okay (given that they're men's pants) and it's an elastic waistband, which I think will work out better as a layer than the fly on the Patagonia.

Can you post a link to those Arc' coreloft pants?

 

[Monique]

Can you post a link to those Arc' coreloft pants?

@Tico originally mentioned them early in this thread.

http://arcteryx.com/product.aspx?language=EN&gender=mens&model=Atom-LT-Pant

http://www.rei.com/product/873050/arcteryx-atom-lt-snow-pants-mens

 

[Josh Matta]

I normally wear a wool ice breaker base layer, and if its cold out I add some polartec fleece pants from several companies.

 

[Ron]

You have great answers already but I swear by my el cheapo Kenyon base layers sold by STP. They are usually about 20 per pair, genuine polartec and have been great.

Women's
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/ke...ilterString=s~kenyon-polartec/&colorFamily=01

Men's
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/kenyon-polartec-power-stretch-base-layer-bottoms-heavyweight-for-men~p~2926g/?filterString=s~kenyon-polartec/&colorFamily=01

 

[SBrown]

^^Even better, they have gray, charcoal, and charcoal heather to choose from!

 

[Ron]

Lol. Any color as long as it's a gray? The official base layers of 50 shades of gray

 

[Lorenzzo]

^^^ I'm not sure if they'd work for me or not since they're kind of in a grey area.

 

[cantunamunch]

Break out of the grey. Good guys wear black.

NSFM*:

http://www.glieberman.com/a876-thermofabric-full-support-footless-tights-with-fly/





*Machismo

 

[SBrown]

Lol. Any color as long as it's a gray? The official base layers of 50 shades of gray

There are other colors, too, just ... why so many gray? Although I like gray.

 

[Lorenzzo]

Break out of the grey. Good guys wear black.

NSFM*:

http://www.glieberman.com/a876-thermofabric-full-support-footless-tights-with-fly/





*Machismo

These look worth a try, if they aren't warm enough for skiing they might be good for around town under jeans. Just jeans hasn't been cutting it around here this winter.

 

[Ron]

They really are great even when not looking at cost.

 

[Monique]

These look worth a try, if they aren't warm enough for skiing they might be good for around town under jeans. Just jeans hasn't been cutting it around here this winter.

My go-to under jeans are silk long johns. REI sells them. They add a surprising amount of warmth without adding any bulk at all.

 

[AmyPJ]

You have great answers already but I swear by my el cheapo Kenyon base layers sold by STP. They are usually about 20 per pair, genuine polartec and have been great.

Women's
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/kenyon-polartec-power-stretch-base-layer-bottoms-for-women~p~3834n/?filterString=s~kenyon-polartec/&colorFamily=01

Men's
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/kenyon-polartec-power-stretch-base-layer-bottoms-heavyweight-for-men~p~2926g/?filterString=s~kenyon-polartec/&colorFamily=01

Are they easy to roll up or fold up above the boot top?
I bought these wicked nice fleece lined tights from Costco thinking "BASE LAYER!" but they are really tight around the upper calf if I fold them up above the boot. Boohoo!

 

[SBrown]

My go-to under jeans are silk long johns. REI sells them. They add a surprising amount of warmth without adding any bulk at all.

Those, and the microweight merino tights that are out now. Sometimes silk gets too static-y, but that's what I used the LL Bean catalog for, for about ever. Pointelle. Lorenzzo would look nice in pointelle. ;-)

 

[Drahtguy Kevin]

Break out of the grey. Good guys wear black.

NSFM*:

http://www.glieberman.com/a876-thermofabric-full-support-footless-tights-with-fly/

I like the idea of a "male comfort panel." The Tuesday crew is familiar with my whining about CW-X tights and pissing issues.