Warmest bottom baselayers?

[James]

Anyone know what happened to Roffe base layers?
They used to sell a very stretchy pant and top that was neoprene like but not neoprene. Worked well.
I have one of the Hot Chillys warmest fleece things purchased in desperation during a cold spell. I kind of hate that loose fleece feeling though. Creepy.

Why are people so against insulated ski pants? Seems silly to pile on 3 base layers and a shell. It's the Arcctyrex/ Patagonia effect perhaps.

 

[Monique]

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

Serious question: what's the difference between the comfort panel and the convenient fly opening? Isn't the fly opening the issue?

 

[Monique]

Why are people so against insulated ski pants? Seems silly to pile on 3 base layers and a shell. It's the Arcctyrex/ Patagonia effect perhaps.

I don't like the features on my insulated pants as well as I like the features on my Arc'teryx pants. The insulated Arc'teryx pants I've found don't fit the way I want them to fit.

 

[Drahtguy Kevin]

I took it as the "male comfort panel" included the fly. The fly is, indeed, the issue. The CW-X doesn't have a fly, but the knee and IT band support stuff sorta offset the issue for me.

 

[SBrown]

...Why are people so against insulated ski pants? Seems silly to pile on 3 base layers and a shell. It's the Arcctyrex/ Patagonia effect perhaps.

I love insulated pants, when I can find them. My blue ORs are (lightly) insulated, but when it's below 5 and I'm riding lifts, I need lots of help, even with them. And it's way cheaper for me to pile on cheap fleece layers than purchase a custom inseam from Patagonia.

 

[Ron]

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!

Well I don't have huge calfs so they pull up to boot height without a problem. The fabric is pretty stretchy.

 

[AmyPJ]

Well I don't have huge calfs so they pull up to boot height without a problem. The fabric is pretty stretchy.

I also don't have huge calves so I might have to pick some up.

 

[AmyPJ]

Anyone know what happened to Roffe base layers?
They used to sell a very stretchy pant and top that was neoprene like but not neoprene. Worked well.
I have one of the Hot Chillys warmest fleece things purchased in desperation during a cold spell. I kind of hate that loose fleece feeling though. Creepy.

Why are people so against insulated ski pants? Seems silly to pile on 3 base layers and a shell. It's the Arcctyrex/ Patagonia effect perhaps.

I love my Arc'Teryx insulate Morra pants--they are my absolute favs because they don't make me look or feel like the Michelin Man and the insulation is not broiling hot. The color, however, is B O R I N G and I wish they came in more colors. Might pick up some Patagonia Snowbelle in a funner color when the sales kick in in the next few weeks.

 

[SBrown]

I also don't have huge calves so I might have to pick some up.

I've cut the hem off the bottom of some of my tights, or split the side seam, in order to fix this, as well. Wouldn't do it to anything expensive, but it works.

 

[AmyPJ]

I've cut the hem off the bottom of some of my tights, or split the side seam, in order to fix this, as well. Wouldn't do it to anything expensive, but it works.

I'd have no issue doing that, or I could go all Martha and pick stitch a new hem with my sewing machine that I never use.

 

[Monique]

I've cut the hem off the bottom of some of my tights, or split the side seam, in order to fix this, as well. Wouldn't do it to anything expensive, but it works.

All of my silk long johns now have sort of a bell bottom shape!

 

[cantunamunch]

Talking of going all Martha, have any of you tried needle felting onto polartec-type fleeces?

 

[pais alto]

Why are people so against insulated ski pants? Seems silly to pile on 3 base layers and a shell. It's the Arcctyrex/ Patagonia effect perhaps.

Lack of flexibility - for whatever reason, I'd rather have a quiver of base layers to deal with different conditions than one of ski pants. And maybe because I hike a lot.

 

[AmyPJ]

Talking of going all Martha, have any of you tried needle felting onto polartec-type fleeces?

Huh what?

Lack of flexibility - for whatever reason, I'd rather have a quiver of base layers to deal with different conditions than one of ski pants. And maybe because I hike a lot.

For one who hikes a lot, insulated would definitely be a no-go. For in bounds lift-served, I have just found that piling on base layers is still not as warm as insulated pants. And after awhile, all those base layers become cumbersome and hinder movement. More than two and it's just too much. I only wear shell pants on days in the upper 20's and higher, with sunshine.

It's 7 degrees up there today and I'm about to take the daughter out. I'll be wearing insulated WITH two layers. Partly because we'll be riding the slowest, coldest chair up there!

 

[cantunamunch]

Huh what?

!

There's really only two ways to felt something, mechanical (needle, card block &c.) and fluid (water jet, air jet &c.) What you call fleeces and what you call 'microfabric' were all water jet felted. Fancypants term: hydroentanglement. There is simply no other way to do it - mechanical weavers don't do 300tpi+


Repeating the question, therefore - have any of you needle felted patches or finishes or extra thickness onto Polartec type fleece garments?


Particularly interested in panels/material added to the wind short, kneecap, yoke, and above-breast pocket areas.

 

[Lorenzzo]

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. ;-)

The nice thing about undies is, except for mutual invitees, no one really knows what you got on. Not saying I went with red lace today, but not saying I didn't either.

There are only two risks I see. Getting hit by a car and ending up in the ER or thinking I'm disassembling what I thought was just the warm-ups at the gym but grabbing an extra layer or two by mistake. I've done that. Would fit right into the Embarrassing Moments thread.

 

[UGASkiDawg]

Anyone know what happened to Roffe base layers?
They used to sell a very stretchy pant and top that was neoprene like but not neoprene. Worked well.
I have one of the Hot Chillys warmest fleece things purchased in desperation during a cold spell. I kind of hate that loose fleece feeling though. Creepy.

Why are people so against insulated ski pants? Seems silly to pile on 3 base layers and a shell. It's the Arcctyrex/ Patagonia effect perhaps.

Cuz they are flipping hot. I wear one base layer of some sort of UA long heavyweight long john bottoms I got on sale or a pair of hot chilly skin tight fleece tights under a pair of $5 black thin fleece lounging pants I got at walmart and hacked off just below the knee and a pair of shell pants almost every day. When it was -12 the other morning I put an extra layer but that's the first time I've done that in I can't remember how long. I sweat like a pig skiing and generally need ways to dump heat not hold it in although I do wear a turtle fur neck gaitor in almost all conditions because I can't stand a cold neck.

 

[cantunamunch]

I've done that. Would fit right into the Embarrassing Moments thread.

I've had nothing but white spandex jammer shorts left in the bag. Yes, I went swimming anyway.

 

[neonorchid]

The nice thing about undies is, except for mutual invitees, no one really knows what you got on. Not saying I went with red lace today, but not saying I didn't either.

There are only two risks I see. Getting hit by a car and ending up in the ER or thinking I'm disassembling what I thought was just the warm-ups at the gym but grabbing an extra layer or two by mistake. I've done that. Would fit right into the Embarrassing Moments thread.

or this -

 

[Lorenzzo]

I've had nothing but white spandex jammer shorts left in the bag. Yes, I went swimming anyway.

Well some of us have forgotten our swim trunks while away skiing. Scan the crowd and if safe boxers and a confident expression. Briefs are a lot harder to pull off, so to speak. None of this is a problem at the Pug spa.