• Howies NBL Light long sleeve baselayer
• £45
• www.howies.co.uk

Winter riding places a lot of demands on your choice of clothing, and the first line of defence against the onset of hypothermia is the right baselayer, as they remove moisture from your skin and keep you warm.

Merino wool is one our favourite choices, as it combines a great deal of warmth, breathability and odour resistance while managing to feel incredibly comfortable. The Merino baselayer market is a pretty crowded one, but Howies have been doing Merino for years.

The NBL here uses 100% New Zealand Merino wool, the thickness of which is just right for going underneath several other layers. As usual with Merino, it’s silky-soft to the touch, feeling luxurious next to the skin, almost like a second skin. The light weight of it gives added versatility for a range of temperatures.

Three colours are available in four sizes from S to XL, with a short sleeve version available.

Ups and downs

Positives: Excellent at regulating body temperature, comfortable, doesn’t pong

Negatives: None yet

Verdict

Perhaps the best thing we can say about the Howies NBL baselayer is that you won’t notice it when you’re wearing it. You will notice how warm and dry you are when you get home after a ride however. Top stuff from the Cardigan Bay-based company.

Performance: 5/5
Value: 4/5
Overall: 4/5