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Snugpak Base Layer

Snugpak Base Layer

If you follow my reviews on a regular basis you’ll see a fair bit of gear from the world-renowned Snugpak brand. Having established a place at the forefront of performance tactical and outdoor performance clothing that’s been hard won over the course of many years, they continuously innovate with new fabrics, adding more depth to their already substantial range.

While I was away testing earlier in the year I was able for the first time to give their base layer garments a really good try. Base layers are the fundamental first building block of a performance clothing system; if the base layer doesn’t transfer moisture away from your skin effectively there is absolutely NO POINT in buying (usually) expensive breathable mid and shell layer garments as the system is going to fail from the inside out in short time, leaving you uncomfortable and not being able to perform at your optimum.

Once upon a time base layers were all about thermal insulation, but over the years they have been transformed into garments that help you to control your core body temperature, helping to keep you cool when it’s hot, and also helping to build up a microclimate inside your clothing system that will allow you to stay warm when the temperature plummets.

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Snugpak use a soft, open structure fabric for both their Long Sleeve Top and their Long John which feels great right against your skin. It’s lightweight too, with the top weighing in at just 205g and the LJs at 185g in size XL. Both garments are a relaxed fit with flatlock seams being used throughout to avoid chafe points. I’m a big guy with long legs and arms and the lengths of both suited me fine.

Snug As A…

Both garments feature a 94% Polyester, 6% Elastane mix with Coolmax added in to give really first-rate levels of performance. Coolmax is a really a family of moisture-wicking technical fabrics initially developed in the late 1980s by DuPont Textiles (now Invista). The fabrics employ specially-engineered polyester fibres to improve breathability compared to natural fibres like cotton which actively retain moisture in their structure. The fibres help to wick away moisture and the fabric as a whole is engineered to draw it away from the skin through capillary action, increasing evaporation over a wider external surface area. Coolmax fabric was originally developed for clothing intended for use during extreme physical exertion; sweat can evaporate quickly so the wearer is kept dry. Other useful properties include resistance to fading, shrinking and wrinkling. The fibres are now often woven with other materials such as the mix used by Snugpak.

Snugpak 2nd Skinz Coolmax garments use this technology to mop up any perspiration created when you really get to work. The superfine internal hairs search for excess moisture to absorb then wick it away over a larger surface area keeping the body warm when cold and cooling the body off when it starts to over-heat.

The casual fit means that these are extremely comfortable garments to wear over extended periods of time and don’t inhibit movement even under other clothing layers worn over them. They also come in a handy mesh-backed carry case which can be used over and over again to easily transport and store the garments, although I can think of many other uses for the carry case too!

The 2nd Skinz are well-priced at just £19.95 each, perform every bit as well as any other base layer garments I’ve tried to date, and come in Olive or Black. I can tell that the Top and Long John are going to be an integral part of my packing list from now on, and if you give them a try I’m certain they’ll become part of yours too!

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