REI Co-op  Merino 185 Base Layer Bottoms - Women's

First of all I loved the color. A nice grey toned purple that goes well with a lot of my wardrobe. As for functionality, it does the job. Fits underneath pants for extra warmth. The fabric is soft and is not irritating. I took them camping with me where temperature was in the mid to low 50s at night, and found myself overheating in my sleeping bag at one point. Wearing just base layers I was able to sleep comfortably with them in a tent. Outside the tent I did get a bit chilly at night and needed to add a layer. This has a waistband that resembles boxers to me (see photo). I think it layers under pants really well and I like the look better than just a standard legging, but I could see it not being everyone’s favorite. I am a size 14 usually and I think the 1x fit good at the waist, but a little loose for the actually leggings part. The fabric is 100% merino wool, so the maintenance is a little higher than some synthetics. EVERYTHING sticks to it and you have to be careful with how you dry it. But the payoff is that it keeps you warm and dry and lasts a long time. Big fan

Love the design of these baselayer pants. I’ve had many other brands, but these are the first that I actually love. For reference , I’m 5’4”, 129 lbs, not curvy (aka not much difference between my hip/waist measurements). Mine are size small and fit perfectly. My favorite feature is the waistband. Most baselayer waistbands cut in too much on me or the elastic is narrow. Not these—the elastic is wide, doesn’t roll & doesn’t squeeze so much that I have the dreaded chub bump above the waist. These sit so smoothly on the waist that I don’t even notice them. Another reason to choose these—the crotch gusset is correctly shaped, so no torturous flossing effect. Thank you for this, REI designer, from the bottom of my heart. The fabric has remained soft and hasn’t pilled yet, and they’ve been washed/worn multiple times. I did catch the outer calf seam in Velcro, as shown in the photo. I think this pulling would have happened to any seam that got caught with Velcro, though. Lastly, the color is perfection. They’re a dusky purple/lavender that has more personality than black or gray, but still subtle and unobtrusive. These baselayer pants are flattering, comfortable and warm. I highly recommend.

I have worn many different brands of merino base layers and I like these a lot. I’m somewhere between a small and medium depending on brands, and with these I find the mediums a bit baggy, especially in the stomach area… probably should have gotten a small. The wool is very comfortable as is the waistband. I also like the length of them, I hate when base layers are too short. The purple is also a lovely color. Time will tell how durable they are, as that’s the usual weakness of merino base layers.