What do you wear hiking in cold weather, that is vitally important, must be comfortable, and that your hiking buddies may never see? Your baselayers!
I recently had the chance to test two baselayers from North Carolina company Polarmax. For the last 25 years they have been purely focused on making technical baselayers in their U.S. manufacturing facilities, with a big emphasis on innovation and quality.
Polarmax sells 3 warmth levels: Warm, Warmer, and Warmest! I gave the Warmer and Warmest a try…
Warmer: The Relaxed Fit T-Neck
Polarmax’s “Warmer” layer is designed for a comfortable, relaxed fit. It is thicker than lightweight long underwear that I own, and this Polarmax layer can easily be worn as an outerlayer. It is made of 97% polyester and 3% spandex.
What I found:
- Good for moderate to cool weather conditions. I wore mine in the Sierra Nevada mountains under a fleece jacket and stayed nice and comfortable.
- Very relaxed fit. As seen in the picture below, this is not a typical tight fitting baselayer. I would almost consider it a mid layer because the fit is so relaxed. It colder temperatures I prefer baselayers that have a tighter fit, such as the Polarmax Warmest layer discussed below.
- Great wicking properties. Even after a long day of hiking (and sweating), this baselayer did a good job of keeping moisture off my skin.
Warmest: The Heavy Weight Mountain Skins
I love this baselayer! This top has it all – it is remarkably soft, comfortable, warm, and flattering!
What I found:
- Extremely comfortable! The top is made of a polyester (90%) spandex (10%) blend, and has a wonderfully soft inner fleece lining.
- Excellent for very cold weather conditions. I love wearing this hiking and running on chilly days. For temperatures above 50 degrees Fahrenheit it will likely be too warm to wear.
- Flattering, athletic fit. This is a tight fitting baselayer, which keeps out all of the cold air.
- Good wicking properties. The fleece lining does a good job of wicking moisture away from my skin.
This is my new go-to choice for a cold weather baselayer. After a couple of washings a small hole appeared on the seam near the neck, but a couple of stitches fixed it right up!
Have you tried Polarmax baselayers? What did you think? Please share in the comments below!
