How to Choose Base Layers

Made from premium merino wool, the Smartwool Classic Thermal Merino Crew base layer top helps regulate your temperature and keep you warm while hiking or skiing in cold weather.
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Imported.
View the Smartwool Classic Thermal Merino Product LineView all Smartwool Men's Base Layer TopsBest Use | Multisport |
---|---|
Shirt Type | T-shirt |
Fabric | Merino wool |
Moisture Wicking | Yes |
Underwear Weight | Midweight |
Sleeve Length | Long Sleeve |
Gender | Men's |
Sustainability | Contains ZQ merino wool |
S | M | L | XL | XXL | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Chest | 36 - 38 | 39 - 41 | 42 - 44 | 45 - 48 | 49 - 51 |
Sleeve Length | 31 - 32 | 32 - 33 | 33 - 34 | 34 - 35 | 35 - 36 |
Waist | 29 - 31 | 32 - 34 | 34 - 37 | 38 - 40 | 41 - 44 |
Hip | 36 - 38 | 39 - 41 | 42 - 44 | 45 - 48 | 49 - 51 |
Inseam | 30 - 31 | 31 - 32 | 32 - 33 | 33 - 34 | 34 - 35 |
Measurements are stated in inches.
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An absolutely great product. Day hikes, working outside, winter backpacking. Wore the 250 top and bottom base layer on 1 week backpacking trip during the 2nd week of Feb - 13" of snow and ¹/⁴ inch of ice during our 1st night. The smartwool followed through by keeping me warm when we were static during lunch or at camp, but also kept me dry while on the move. Light weight, hyper packable. Worth every penny.
Very tight but neck is too large
Fits great and feels nice against the skin
When doing my research on this product, I saw a regular thread of one criticism arise for Smartwool products: the Merino 250 and 150 baselayers, in general, are not very durable. However, I thought that maybe those people with those complaints used their products more vigorously or for more demanding activities than I intended. My intended use for these products was simply for every day, around town, office, and home activities when outside temperatures dropped below 30 degrees (i.e. not camping, hiking, cycling, mountain climbing, etc.). I decided to give the 250 baselayers a chance and try out for myself. I bought a top and a bottom in preparation for the winter, but before committing to buying more Smartwool products, I wanted to test the durability for myself. Well, I used these products for my intended use-case, and here are a few of my experiences: 1) I can confirm that these are not very durable. I owned them for 12 weeks in total. I used them for about 25 days in total, and I washed them 5 times in a machine wash gentle, as well as 1 time by hand. The first time I hung these to dry, they needed 5+ hours to dry. So, afterwards, I would throw these in the drier on low for about 10 minutes, and then I would hang them to dry. This sped up the amount of time to hang dry by several hours. I noticed after my last wash, that the shirt had 3 small holes appear on the right torso side of my shirt. I would say I averaged about 4 days of wearing these between washes. 2) I found that I could wear these products multiple times before washing them because the odor resistance is excellent. I usually wore these 4 times before washing them, and I wore underwear under them to extend their use between washes. I would wear them for about 12-16 hours during the day, then I would change my clothes at night for bed, allowing these to hang dry. Wool certainly has an advantage over synthetics on odor resistance. 3) While I normally wore these in temperatures from 10s to 30s, sometimes I would be indoors at 60-70 degrees. While I definitely felt warm and started sweating a little at room temperatures, I did feel that these products breathed and dried well. I never felt these products get soaked like cotton nor unpleasantly damp like polyester while wearing them. 4) When soaked (like just after washing), these products need 5+ hours to hang dry. I would say these are not the best for highly humid, wet environments. I had high hopes for my Smartwool 250 Merino base layers, especially since these are highly rated. I must say that if I spend $100 on a baselayer top and $100 on a baselayer bottom, I expect to get more than 25 uses and 12 weeks worth of wear out of them, so I am highly disappointed about the cost to durability/longevity ratio. I guess the search for the best baselayers continues.. Cons: -3 stars - This baselayer is not durable at all. I had 3 small holes form after only 5 machine washes and 1 hand wash. (-2 stars for the lack of durability) - This product is expensive, and not worth the price given the fragility of the product. (-1 star for the cost) Pros: +2 stars - This baselayer resists odors extremely well. - This baselayer is extremely soft. - This baselayer does provide adequate warmth and is more breathable than synthetic counterparts.
I gave this base layer a good trial today. Walked approx. 5-6 miles in 30- 40 degree F weather. I had a Smartwool medium weight sweater on top of this base layer, and a light jacket over the two. As you can see by the pictures, the base layer collected and held quite a bit of perspiration. I was not running, only briskly walking on the trail which is for the most part flat. I like the fit and feel of this, but am a little disappointed by the dampness that it retained. Had I stopped for any length of time, perhaps a chill would have set in. It really would not be a good choice for vigorous workout, only an activity that is more sedentary. It is a nice underlayer for casual wear.
Holes in less than 2 months. Purchased this around Christmas time. Very soft and comfortable. Worse it in doors to lounge around and a few times as a base lawyer when hiking. Worked well. Washed and dried as the label recommends, actually washed such that it was separated from the rougher clothing. However, in less than 2 months, hole showing up. First set, I felt was due to the belt buck. However, after the last wash, exact same holes on the opposite side. Can't figure out why and how that happened. But also do holes on the sleeve. This is a very expensive shirt. 2months of use. Reading other reviews, it appears the quality of smartwool products is questionable.
The Laguna Blue is really a darker blue, like Royal Blue.
I bought this exact shirt in 2020 and have washed/worn it for years. It’s my favorites travel item hands down! I got THIS 2023 replacement just in case the original ever failed me. Uh, what failed me is this new item which is absolutely awful. It’s cheap and thin, has far less stitching, fits oddly, and when washed looks like a rumbled sweater with pilling all over it. The original product was amazing, but clearly this company has cut corners in quality, yet conveniently still charges the same price for a subpar garment. Avoid at all costs.
I don't even know how many Smartwool crews I have bought over the years, but it's at least 10. They hold up to wash and wear really well. They hold their shape and you would think they would wear thin in places that get consistent rubbing or contact from movement, but they don't. I wear them as a top layer during the cooler/colder months all of time. Love 'em. The only watch out is wearing them untucked over a belt with an old style buckle. If you lean on the buckle and rub the fabric enough you will develop pin holes in that area. There are so many cool belts today that have eliminated those old buckles that I hardly wear them any longer for that reason. Can't go wrong with Smartwool. Enjoy!
I've used this as a baselayer in a variety of conditions - cold (25F), temperate (50F) and warm (80F), on the trail (brisk walks and running), indoors, snow, rain, sun, etc. It's highly comfortable, fits great (fairly muscular with a little Dad bod mixed in) and doesn't pick-up odors after several days of wear (max for me is 5 wears over a little of a week without wash, but only due to me wanting to wash it rather than having an issue with smell). When washed (hand or gentle), it dries very easily (I'd say 4 - 5 hours max) on a drying rack. I'll definitely be picking more of these up, and also curious to see how a blend of synthetic and Merino compares.