Endura’s Baa Baa merino layer.

Everyone needs a good base layer at this time of year, and the Baa Baa Merino base layer is as good as it gets. Merino wool is an ideal choice for base layers, it’s not only soft next to the skin but has fantastic wicking and insulating properties, both extremely important when mountain biking. It also doesn’t stink to high heaven when you’ve been pounding out the miles either, and you can even wear it for consecutive days without washing – handy for daily commuting.

Chunky merino provides good warmth on cold winter days.

It fits well, Endura sizing usually comes up a little large, so it is a little on the baggy side. Not enough to ruin the performance of the base layer though. It’s a very warm base layer, one of the warmest I’ve tested. That’s because it’s a reasonably thick layer of material and that means, worn with the appropriate layers over the top, it will keep you nice and warm on any ride.

There are cheaper merino base layers available, which makes the £40 price look a little steep, but trust me when I say that this one is a worthwhile investment. It’s very well constructed and has proven durable over the winter months, plus it comes from a company with a very good reputation for making some of the best technical garments in cycling.

One last thing, I like that it is available in four bright colours (and black) to brighten up your day. So, if you don’t have a good base layer in your life, here’s an excellent example.

Quality material and construction.

Verdict

A very good merino base layer that is plenty thick and warm enough for any day of the year when paired with the correct layers. A good investment.

Price: £39.99
More information: Endura Baa Baa Merino Long Sleeve Base

What Endura says:

1. Naturally insulating and low odour properties of fine gauge Merino wool
2. High warmth/weight ratio even when wet
3. All seams flatlocked for comfort
4. Athletic fit
5. Machine washable

Nobody can see you’re wearing one, but a good base layer can make the difference between being comfortable and being cold and clammy, especially in the winter.

A base layer, as the name suggests, goes under your other clothes, against your skin. But what’s wrong with just wearing a jersey?

Well, for starters, the classic ‘layering’ combination of base layer, jersey and jacket is versatile. You can switch and swap according to the conditions. You can fine tune the base layer itself and more or less leave everything else alone: a warm base layer for cold weather, and a light one for summer will work equally well with the same top.

A baselayer’s an essential part of your outfit if you’re going to ride in conditions like this. Image by Vik Banerjee via Flickr.

Base layers are made from fabrics that are designed to move sweat away from the skin. That’s important in summer, when they can help keep you cool and dry, but it’s even more important in winter. When you sweat your way to the top of a hill then stop for a breather, a cotton t-shirt will have you feeling cold and clammy very quickly. A good base layer will hold so little water against your skin that you’ll still be comfortable.

Base layers split into two varieties: synthetic and merino. Synthetics are usually lighter and a bit cheaper to buy, but can feel a bit, well, synthetic. Merino is a type of wool, with very fine, soft fibers so it’s comfortable against the skin. Both synthetic and merino base layers retain their insulating properties when they get damp from sweat, but merino has the advantage of being naturally antibacterial thanks to the lanolin in the wool, and the structure of the wool fibre.

As a result, merino tends to resist getting smelly even if you don’t wash it between rides, as it’s the bacteria that live off your sweat that smell, not the sweat itself. Synthetic base layers have coatings on the fibres to prevent bacterial growth and pong, but these tend to wear off over time.

The base layers below have been selected to give you an overview of what’s available, and we know from experience they’re all well made and work well.

We’re not saying they’re the only ones you should consider, though. Companies such as Assos, Castelli, Endura, Exteondo, Helly Hansen, Louis Garneau, Nzo, Odio, Pearl Izumi, Santini, Solo, Sportful, Under Armour and plenty of others make good base layers.

Got a favourite? Let us know in the comments.

Rapha Merino

Yes, it’s a product of up-themselves roadie uber-brand Rapha (“drinking coffee, looking tired”), and yes it’s expensive, but Rapha’s merino baselayers deserve their reputation for being fantastically comfortable.

The fabric is feathery-light and silky smooth, the fit is long and close and Rapha’s claims of the same garment being able to wick away sweat and keep you warm when it’s cold are right on the money.

From: Rapha
Price: £60

Craft Active Crew Neck Long Sleeve Base Layer

They know a thing or two about the cold in Sweden, so it’s no surprise that Craft has a big range of winter base layers as well as plenty of summer ones. A mixture of polyesters gives this base layer a combination of moisture-wicking to get sweat away from your skin and insulation.

There’s a high collar to keep your neck cosy because cold there is literally a pain in the neck, and a long tail to keep your lower back covered.

From: Craft
Price: £32

Northwave Karbon Tex

One of the Bikemagic crew credits this super-warm base layer with getting him through the last couple of winters. The fabric is so thick it’s almost like a light polyester fleece, as found in mountaineering gear.

Making it even cosier and more effective in very cold conditions, a wind-resistant layer on the front stops the chill from getting through.

It’s overkill if the temperature is above single figures, though, unless you enjoy being a boil in the bag rider.

From: Northwave; i-ride.com
Price: £55.99

dhb Merino SS Roundneck Baselayer M_150

Like so much from Wiggle’s house brand dhb, this is a decent quality bit of gear at a very good price. It’s not quite as slinky as the Rapha merino, but it’s a heck of a lot cheaper.

We like short-sleeve merino shirts for cool (rather than frigid) days, and even as undershirts when it gets a bit warmer. They’re perfect for early starts on Spring and Autumn rides.

From: Wiggle
Price: £27.89

DeFeet Un-D-Shurt Short Sleeve Base Layer

Defeet’s cleverly knitted polyester fabric feels almost like cotton but it performs like a top-quality wicking synthetic, which is exactly what it is.

It’s thin enough to fit under just about anything, though if you want something even lighter for summer rides, take a look at DeFeet’s barely-there Un-D-Lite base layers.

From: DeFeet, i-ride.co.uk
Price: £35.99

Gore Bike Wear Windstopper Turtleneck

For ultimate protection against the cold it’s hard to go past Gore’s Windstopper fabric. This high-necked, short zip base layer has warm layers over your neck, chest, shoulder, arm and kidneys with lighter fabric under the arms and over your back to let sweat out.

The zip neck makes for a little versatility as it’s rarely consistently cold enough for you to be fully snugged up in base layer like this for both climbing and descending.

From: Gore Bike Wear
Price: £74.99

Marmot Midweight 1/2 Zip LS

It’s always worth checking out your local outdoor shop for baselayer options. Californian mountaineering outfit Marmot got started making down jackets and sleeping bags and like most outdoors companies now make a wide range of gear, including this rather nice midweight base layer.

It’s made from Polartec Power Dry, a polyester/Lycra mix with Cocona activated charcoal impregnated in the fibres to help control pong. The Lycra helps make it snug without being super-tight and the fabric is thick enough that with another layer or two it works for everything from cool Spring and Autumn days to the depth of winter.

Because it’s intended for outdoors rather than bike ride use, the back’s not as long as some, but the whole shirt is plenty long enough that you won’t get a cold lower back as long as you’re not in a racing snake ride position.

From: Marmot
Price: £54.99

The pinstripe finish divided opinion.

The fabric is a merino and nylon blend that helps to keep the price competitive as well as increasing the durability. There’s a slight cost in feel when you first put them on, but you don’t tend to notice too much once you have had them on for a few minutes.

They come in the in vogue mid calf/high ankle length, which was welcome over the more traditional short bike socks cut on colder rides. An elasticated mid sole keeps them snug and they’re finished off in a black/grey pinstripe which tended to polarise (geddit?) opinion slightly.

The Polaris Merino Sox are best suited to colder, drier days keeping feet warm, dry and comfortable all day. Like most bits of quality crossover bike kit, they managed to find a place in the everyday wardrobe too, seeing action running and walking as well.

Where they miss out compared to 100 percent Merino socks is in the extremes of conditions. They feel a bit more sweaty when the going gets hot, but don’t seem to offer quite as much insulation in the extreme cold. They also felt less comfortable when wet and dried more slowly compared to my benchmark Smartwool socks

Verdict

Well priced, comfortable socks that offers good performance for the majority of uses and comes in a decent length too

Pros

Good value, comfortable and warm

Cons

Polarising looks, work less well in the extremes of conditions than some

Price: £9.99
More information: Polaris Merino Sox

Merino wool really is remarkable stuff. Even despite some impressive advances in man-made fabrics, merino is still hard to beat. It’s ace at regulating your body temperature in the hot or cold. It’s soft next to the skin. It doesn’t stink after exercise, no matter how hard you ride.

And Cardigan Bay-based clothing company howies have announced a nice new range of merino wool based tops. There’s the NBL Light base layer, in short or long sleeve, making them ideal for year-round use – a short sleeve merino base layer is just the ticket for the current weather.

The base layers come in several colours, and feature nice contrast panels on the arms and down the torso. They’re slim fitting with flatlocked stitching and shaped arm holes for extra comfort.

There’s also the Vail Merino t-shirt, that don’t look like base layers but still pack all the benefits of merino, so you can stay snug and warm off the bike, in the office or in the coffee shop. A range of smart colours is available, and there’s a howies logo-ed Classic Vail t-shirt on the way too.

Nice simple stylish merino base layers and t-shirts. What is there not to like.

Prices start from £39 available from www.howies.co.uk

Craft has developed a new material that combines Merino and synthetic fabrics to create what it believes is the perfect base layer for the winter.

Dubbed Warm Wool, this new garment bring together the best of two worlds in a unique knitting construction – Merino on the outside provides warmth and prevents odour, whereas synthetic material on the inside guarantees a comfortable, soft feel on the skin and great moisture management.

Swedish performance brand Craft presents ‘50/50’ baselayer hybrids: withthe tops Warm Wool Crewneck & Zip Mockneck as well as the WarmWool Underpants, Craft provides the right gear for less intense activities in cold conditions. On the inside Craft uses a high-tech polyester yarn, which is extremely soft on the skin, very elastic and offers great moisture management. On the outside, high quality Merino Superwash material ishighly breathable and provides natural warmth: Merino fibres are extremely fine and trap air, which results in grea t insulation.

Plus Merino wool has natural odour resistant properties. Thus, Craft’s Warm Wool garments unite the benefits of two worlds: the syntheticmaterial for great elasticity, a fantastic moisture management and smooth comfort; and Merino wool with its great breathabillity, natural isolation qualities and the prevention of odour.

http://craft.se/

Freezing feet aren’t much fun but for many are just a part of winter mountain biking in the UK, but these new Fox Mammoth socks do a good job at keeping the misery of frost bite firmly at bay.

Their main weapon in the defence against the increasingly cold weather is a thick Merino wool construction. And with a generous length – they’re the longest socks I’ve yet test – they cover a good deal of the lower leg keeping more of your skin covered up. If you find them too long to wear with shorts, underneath tights they’re hidden from view and you can enjoy toasty warm feet.

It really is remarkable stuff, Merino wool. It doesn’t pong, doesn’t itch, doesn’t get cold even when wet, washes easily and is warm and breathable. Despite the latest advances in man-made fabrics, sheep still provide the best insulation against the cold..

Available in sizes S/M and L/XL.

Verdict

Warm socks to keep your feet warm.

www.foxhead.com/eu

Pearl Izumi Elite Tall Wool socks – £16.99

I’ve been feeling the recent temperature drop in my feet, but these new cosy socks from Pearl Izumi have saved my toes from certain frostbite, offering great insulation against the cold with a generous length.

Pearl Izumi takes Transfer Merino wool and spin the fibres into 19.5cm high socks, which at this time of year is much appreciated. Whether you’re pairing them with three-quarters and want a little extra protection around the ankles and shin, or wearing them under tights, the benefits of longer socks at this time of year are hard to ignore.

Add the fantastic insulating properties of Merino and these socks have been keeping my feet toasty on recent rides, even with summer mountain bike shoes and all their mesh vents. Pull them on and they’re supremely soft, with no itching. If we stopped there we’d be impressed, but Pearl Izumi have gone a step further; anatomic arch compression panels give a little more support across the foot.

Merino is pretty breathable but your feet can get a bit toasty on warmer rides, so Pearl Izumi add mesh ventilation to the top of the foot to alleviate heat build-up – how effective they will be does depend a lot on your choice of shoes however, but it’s a feature we appreciate on warmer rides.

They’re thicker than normal socks too, which needs to be a consideration if your shoes are already snug with thin summer socks. I had no problem with size large socks over my size 10 feet. Four sizes from small to extra large are available.

If the Shadow Grey Argyle pictured isn’t to your tastes, more sedate colours include Black Plaid, Limestone and Black are available.

Verdict

A tad expensive but a good investment for your winter cycling.

www.madison.co.uk| www.pearlizumi.com

Just in time for the recent drop in temperature, Icebreaker has a complete new range of merino-based cycling garments, including base layers, trousers and underwear, to look at.

New Zealand-based Icebreaker started business back in 1994 and was the first company to bring the benefits of merino to the wider masses. It was also the first to source merino wool directly from the farmers, and they later developed a unique tracking system, a Baacode sewn inside each garment, that allows consumers to trace every fibre of their purchase.

For the autumn/winter seasons this year the company has launched a complete new collection that combines all the properties of merino that we have come to love and appreciate on a ride over the years.

The focal point is Realfleece 260. Launched in 2010, Realfleece is a naturally sourced replacement for synthetic fleeces. Made from premium merino wool grown in New Zealand’s Southern Alps, soft and cosy Realfleece provides instant warmth and instant luxury.

All Realfleece garments have an interior terry knit construction, with loft that has been brushed to create air pockets that trap air and lock in body heat. The outside has a smooth, stylish, air-permeable jersey finish. It has a very high insulation-to-weight value, which means it is exceptionally lightweight considering the level of insulation it provides

“Realfleece 260 is a the biggest story of our Fall/Winter 2011 collection. Like Realfleece 320, we expect it to be an instant classic,” says Creative Director Rob Achten

Other highlights in the new collection include three-quarter length trousers and arm warmers in the GT Bike range, with new colours and styles in the GT Base Layer range.

Hot new graphics and colours have been added to the core Bodyfit collection of base layers, and Kids – Icebreaker’s warm, soft, children’s layering system – had been extended up to size 14.

We say: We love Icebreaker’s stance on ethics and sustainability combined with highly technical pieces that make the most of one of our favourite materials, merino, and a real cyclist’s must-have. They make clothing that works and looks good on the bike, but isn’t out of place down the pub after a night ride.

www.icebreaker.com

From autumn all Icebreaker garments will be tagged with a unique Baacode that matches it with the batch of wool from which it was produced, while a swing tag invites you to head to the website and trace your garment right back to the very sheep station, of which there are some 120 used by the company in New Zealand, that provided the wool.

The website will show you the exact location of your sheep on a map along with video of the farmers in action and the living conditions of the sheep. You can also discover how each garment is made and follow the fibre to the factories that knit, dye, finish, cut, manufacture and ship the clothing. You can also pose questions and find out more about Icebreaker’s supply chain.

Intrigued? Head to www.icebreaker.com/baacode to find out more.