Steph Wetherell, co-founder of Every Body Outdoors, tests the Smartwool Classic All-Season Merino Base Layer Crew. Here’s the verdict.
The Smartwool Classic All-Season Merino base layer is a simple but quality piece of clothing that does exactly what you need it to do and will quickly become a wardrobe staple. A merino base layer is one of my essential pieces of kit, and I’ve worn a number of different brands and versions over the years.
Steph Wetherell recommends
It performs well and I found it effectively wicked away sweat, kept me warm and worked well as part of a variety of layering systems.- lightweight
- simple design
- price higher than some others
| Quick Specs |
|---|
| Price: $115 / £100 (available from Smartwool) Weight: 177g (2X) Materials: 88% Merino Wool, 12% Nylon Sizes: XS, S, M, L, XL, 1X, 2X, 3X, 4X Women/Men’s version: Yes (Up to XXL) www.smartwool.co.uk |
This offering from Smartwool is a simple design but done really well. It’s lightweight (150g/m) and incredibly comfortable to wear thanks to their design which ensures there is 100% merino wool where it touches skin. A recycled nylon core means it’s a bit more durable than a pure merino layer, and after a few months of fairly intense wear it’s not showing any bobbling or wear. However, the high merino content means it still benefits from the wicking and antimicrobial properties and I’ve found it performs similarly to many of the pure merino layers I have.
The weight of the merino means I found it worked well on a range of warm and cool temperatures, but it wasn’t my first choice on the coldest of days (or I’d wear it under a second base layer). I can be quite a sweaty person when walking up hills, and I found this wicked well on the ascents and dried quickly, and I had no noticeable chill when I stopped.
A big innovation is the extended sizing, offering up to a 4X (size 28-30) in the women’s sizing. Finding technical merino base layers above a size 20 is incredibly challenging, so this is a real bonus and nice to see a brand like Smartwool embracing this the plus size market. As a fairly pear shaped size 20, according to the size chart I was a size 1X across the chest and 2X in the hip, so I opted for the 2X (which claims to fit a size 20-22). It’s predictably a bit loose around my chest, but not problematically so, and I the material has a good amount of stretch to it so I could probably have sized down to the 1X if I’d wanted a snugger fit. I’m quite tall and long in the torso, and I found it a comfortable length both on my body and arms. Whilst the extended sizing isn’t available in the men’s range, the boxy fit means that some larger men may also benefit from the women’s fit.
A few other nice features make it standout form cheaper baselayers – merrow stretch stitching means that the cuffs and neck are sturdy but elasticated and don’t feel tight anywhere, and the seams are flatlock stitched to prevent chaffing. The side seams also wrap around slightly to the front which helps the top sit comfortable.
This base layer performs well and I found it effectively wicked away sweat, kept me warm and worked well as part of a variety of layering systems. It’s not the cheapest option on the market but a comfortable fabric and nice features mean that it’ll quickly become one of those basic layers that will form a staple part of your wardrobe for many years.
Testing conditions
Steph has worn this base layer through the autumn and winter months, testing it with a range of layering systems and activity levels. She is a size 20 and 5’10 tall. Find more gear recommendations for bigger bodies via our plus-size outdoor gear guide.
