Southern California - What's a good brand/fabric Base Layer for local temps?

I've tried UA and Nike base layers, but find they get kind of steamy and soggy... and I don't even sweat that much. I'm looking at the Craft stuff, but they come in different types of fabrics and styles (at least for the wimmin).

What kinds do you usually wear on rides that start out at 40°F and rise to 70° in a few hours? I'm looking for a brand that will keep me slightly warmer, wicks well, but won't cook me on a hard ride when temps climb. (And please name brand/fabric, not styles, because I have to look for the women's version)

Thanks!

I have DeFeet base layers.

I don't even use base layers ... I just pile layers on top of my jersey. Probably not a smart thing, but that's how I started, and hard to stop (even with the NorCal winters up here).

I use the PI EKG long sleeved for colder days and Nike's non-cycling specific base layers in both long sleeved and sleeveless for those no so cold days.

If it's definitely rising to 70, I just ride with a long sleeve jersey and shorts/leg warmers. However, if it's consistently cool in the 40-59 range, I wear a longsleeve Smartwool shirt under my jersey. I always wear smartwool socks no matter the temperature.

I got a couple shirts here (looks like lots of stuff on sale now):
https://www.zanzabarbazaar.com/Store/Store_ProductSearch.aspx?sProductName=smartwool

I got my socks from sierratradingpost.com

I hate to admit it because I think the stuff is overpriced, but whatever combination of material Patagonia uses, it seems to be effective. They make 3 different weights, so you need to determine which works best for yourself. I find the silk weight works pretty well most of the time. Dry Clime is another fabric being used by a number of product manufacturers that seems to work well, and you can typically find their stuff at TJMax & Marshall's in the active wear depts at significant discount. Good luck Joy.

An IN-N-Out tshirt. Only $7.99 and available on just about evey street corner!:D

... there's always newspaper that you can stuff under your jersey. The only thing is perhaps you will be wearing the front page headlines on your chest ... :lol:

An IN-N-Out tshirt. Only $7.99 and available on just about evey street corner!:D

I'm all for frugality, Mr. Beanz!

In fact, an even cheaper option for me is to just let all my chest hair grow back. Of course, that would obscure the giant anchor I have tattoed there.... Oh, what to do! :p

... you will be wearing the front page headlines on your chest ...


... and backwards!

defeet or craft. i have about 4 sleeveless, 2 short sleeve and one long sleeve defeet baselayers. for colder weather i have some of the original craft (heavier) baselayers and one with the windstopper front. the windstopper one can be a little damp as it doesn't breathe enough but they have a new one that i saw at interbike with a better windstopper front. both work well and i haven't tried the underarmour stuff to compare.

an even cheaper option for me is to just let all my chest hair grow back.

You, have chest hair??? :eek: Probably more than me!

What kinds do you usually wear on rides that start out at 40°F and rise to 70° in a few hours?
Happytime,

I’ve never found anything that keeps me warm at 40, that doesn’t roast me at 70, especially when climbing. The key for me is layers and options.

- Two jerseys.
- Two thin(er) base layers instead of one subzero one.
- Arm warmers instead of anything long sleeve.
- Wind vest, with vented mesh back.
- Plastic bag stuffed in the front of jersey.

I use full zip on everything, and can cover a wide range of temps just by using the zippers and warmers - without even stopping.

If you’re just doing an easy flat ride, you could just throw on a long sleeve winter type jersey or jacket, but with 25-30 degree temp swings, long climbs, and any fast pace riding, you’ll want to take a scissors to them in no time.

Everybody’s different... this just works for me.

I have Under Armour base layers, and although they work well, I'm frugal -

Sooo . . . I usually use Champion base layers that got at Target for like $14.99 or less. I have a sleeveless one for sleeveless jerseys and a sleeved one - pretty lightweight, and seems to wick sweat away pretty well. They have a much better selection for women there at Target - every time I go and see the usual bland men's workout stuff compared to the bright, hip women's stuff (think bold colors with contrast stitching, etc.) - but for a black base layer, can't complain.

I use Champion too, also Reebok, New Balance, UA, Hind and whatever the Walmart brand is. I buy whatever is on sale or generic. Most of them double as gym wear. I have tank tops, sleeveless, short sleeve and long sleeve. This time of the year I'm using sleeveless or short sleeved.

For 40 to 70 degree weather, I'll use a base layer, jersey, maybe a vest and maybe arm warmers. Depending on what the ride is, I may suffer for the first hour rather than carrying stuff in my pockets for the rest of the day.

Target house brand or Champion @ Target.

Save $$s, buy other stuff.

I have an Assos base layer that works great for our usual temps, but when it gets cooler, I switch to my Craft base layer. http://www.craft-usa.com/ :)

I have an Assos base layer that works great for our usual temps

I tried looking for those in women sizes. No luck so far.

I have found a lot of Craft products, so may go there. Anyone know if Giordana makes base layers? I've been having pretty good luck with their clothing recently.

Yup..the Champion ones at target are actually better than my Nike and Voler more expensive ones...
I wear a base layer all year...warmer in winter...cooler in summer....it really does work!!
The ones at target come in long and short sleeve....I find its better to get a size smaller for best fit

This is not your usual brands but here is what I use: Body Glove, Rip Curl, Aleeda, Hurley.

As you can guess, they're all rash guards. Keeps you warm, wicks well, some sun radiation protection, comes in long sleeve too. And in So Calif. you can get them on sale. Beats the local bike shop prices.

When you go to Hawaii, they have some good selections with distinctively Hawaiian identities. Never been to Australia but I imagine they're awesome.

Mahalo

I usually use Champion base layers that got at Target for like $14.99 or less.
I tried those... the price is great, but they made my back itch so much, I spent the entire ride looking for light post's to rub up against. :(

I tend to stick with Craft, Nike & Defeet.

My only base layer is from Walmart or Target, branded "Athletic Works". I think it was around $8 so the price is right. It's made of some kind of wicking material and sits tight against my body (showing my tummy as well, but hey it's underwear). It originally rubbed my pits a little, but has stretched or softened up just enough to be quite comfortable. They also come in different colors for the OCP person.

I'll probably get a name brand base layer this month to compare, then buy a third in whichever brand I like best. But it also irks me that some base layers cost more than my jerseys!

My horrible experience at Stagecoach caused me to start a collection of base layers. Here are my experiences.

Craft pro-dri sleeveless - most expensive (high $20 on sale) - I like it. Keeps me warm while it's still comfy on hotter days. When I stop, it takes longer for the moisture to cool down (which is good; otherwise I will be shivering). Avg 1.5 days to dry.

PI sleeveless ($15 from Perf on sale) - good for hotter days; doesn't really keep me warm. When I stop, the water on it cools rapidly (I guess because it's not tight fitting?) and I get cold very fast. Avg 1 day to dry.

CW-X pro sleeveless (low $20 from STP/BackCountryOutlet) - feels quite warm, but maybe too much on hotter days. Not as nice as the Craft in terms of warmth, but it also has some shoulder/chest compression gimmick thing, which feels kind of weird and I'm still trying to get used to. Avg 1 day to dry.

I've tried UA and Nike base layers, but find they get kind of steamy and soggy... and I don't even sweat that much. I'm looking at the Craft stuff, but they come in different types of fabrics and styles (at least for the wimmin).

What kinds do you usually wear on rides that start out at 40°F and rise to 70° in a few hours? I'm looking for a brand that will keep me slightly warmer, wicks well, but won't cook me on a hard ride when temps climb. (And please name brand/fabric, not styles, because I have to look for the women's version)

Thanks!

Are you getting the right size for the Nike/UA stuff? It's most effective when you get full compression.

I have found the craft base layers to be one of the best I have used.. I have a few of them.. I would just buy the standard base layer.. It really doesn't get cold enough here to use the windproof version which is more oriented for very cold weather.. the ones I have are similar to the prozero line, they were called prodri series... performance still has them..

http://www.performancebike.com/shop/profile.cfm?SKU=20961&subcategory_ID=1223

I hate to admit it because I think the stuff is overpriced, but whatever combination of material Patagonia uses, it seems to be effective. They make 3 different weights, so you need to determine which works best for yourself. I find the silk weight works pretty well most of the time. Dry Clime is another fabric being used by a number of product manufacturers that seems to work well, and you can typically find their stuff at TJMax & Marshall's in the active wear depts at significant discount. Good luck Joy.

Patagonia makes some of the best general-purpose base layers in the world. Under those conditions I'll use a long-sleeve Patagonia capilene silkweight, which is now a capilene 1 under the designations that came out last year. Main problem is that the sleeves are too lose and get a little flappy, but at least I'm using something that is already in the drawer from backpacking. I'll also layer a windshirt on top. This is the rig if the starting temp really is down around 40. Five degrees or so warmer and I'll skip either the base layer or the windshirt. Of course, I tend to be a furnace, so maybe move your base layer up to a capilene 2. You can sometimes get the capilene stuff on sale from A16 (a mountaineering store). There's one in the shopping center at Crenshaw and PCH that has the AMC movie theaters. The driclime stuff you find at TJMaxx, Marshall's, etc. tend to make you sweat about as much as the capilene 2, keep you warm somewhere between capilene 1 & 2, but do have the benefit of costing maybe a third as much.

Are you getting the right size for the Nike/UA stuff? It's most effective when you get full compression.

That might be it, Voltie. I have the XS and S and it's form fitting, but not up against my skin everywhere.

That might be it, Voltie. I have the XS and S and it's form fitting, but not up against my skin everywhere.Some base layers are compression fit and some aren't.

I use Craft ProZero most of the time. Works well for most temps except super cold (<40) and crazy hot (>100)

I tried looking for those in women sizes. No luck so far.

I have found a lot of Craft products, so may go there. Anyone know if Giordana makes base layers? I've been having pretty good luck with their clothing recently.


Giordana does but I don't know if they make them in womens size/fit.

I've found the craft stuff to be pretty good. I've only used the prozero and procool mesh tops but they are both top notch. My torso stays pretty warm during the winter so I only use the prozero stuff when its below 40. I even use the procool mesh top when it gets warm. I find that it helps to keep my dryer.

+1 for the Craft Pro-cool sleeveless mesh base layer all the time. Works great paired with short sleeve jersey and arm warmers or a long-sleeve jersey down to the high 60s-low 70's. Add a vest for mid 60's and below, down to about low 50's.

Anything lower and it's long sleeve Pategonia capilene for a base, long sleeve jersey, vest as needed... this assumes proper mix of knee warmers or thermal tights.

Capo forma makes some nice wool socks for winter riding, and I pair them with PI Cyclone toe warmers when it really gets cold.

I rarely use jackets, since NONE of them breathe worth a darn... but have a Gore pac-lite that's just OK if needed.

My next purchase this winter will be a long sleeve mid-weight jersey, likethe Assos Evo or something...

Chest Hair.

Smartwool, Ibex, Icebreaker wool. I have stuff from Smartwool and Icebreaker. Icebreaker is nicer but Smartwool is typically cheaper. It is hard for me to buy synthetic insulation pieces after using wool. Once you wool you'll never go back.

Well since no one else has said it I will:

All your base layers are belong to us.

Target house brand or Champion @ Target.

Save $$s, buy other stuff.

I use Champion from Target as well, work well year round and can be found at less than $10 on sale some times. Come in multiple colors and quite resilient to washing machines. Here (http://www.target.com/C9-Champion-Tech-Muscle-Top/dp/B000R9K13K/sr=1-6/qid=1191731654/ref=sr_1_6/602-5998401-7217400?ie=UTF8&index=target&rh=k%3Achampion%20muscle&page=1) is a link.

At 35-70, I use lightweight merino wool up top. I usually find thin pullovers (I prefer long sleeve, polo-collar) at the thrift store or discounters like Marshall's for $5-15 (retail can easily be $50-75 for merino wool).

At 70+ I use synthetics from Target.

I have DeFeet base layers.

+1 DeFeet are really comfortable and perform well, though they're pretty thin so they may not be the ultimate winter layer. I use them in pretty cold temps though and they've been fine.

i have nike stuff and i think it feels fine... i m not wearing it super compressed or anything... and my underarmour stuff works really well also... i love heatgear/coldgear

Chest Hair.
I'd be willing to spare some if anybody wants it.

If it's definitely rising to 70, I just ride with a long sleeve jersey and shorts/leg warmers. However, if it's consistently cool in the 40-59 range, I wear a longsleeve Smartwool shirt under my jersey. I always wear smartwool socks no matter the temperature.

I got a couple shirts here (looks like lots of stuff on sale now):
https://www.zanzabarbazaar.com/Store/Store_ProductSearch.aspx?sProductName=smartwool

I got my socks from sierratradingpost.com

Here's a 10% off coupon code at zanzabarbazaar which is good til tomorrow night: ZBSHAMU

At 35-70, I use lightweight merino wool up top. I usually find thin pullovers (I prefer long sleeve, polo-collar) at the thrift store or discounters like Marshall's for $5-15 (retail can easily be $50-75 for merino wool).

At 70+ I use synthetics from Target.

I'd like to try one of the merino base-layers, what brands do you find at Marshall's or similar places?

I have a synthetic, compression base layer from Target (under armor knockoff), don't recall what brand. I find that they don't wick quite as well as the deFeet layer that I usually use. The Target ones tend to get clammy.

Lot of the riders around here seem to prefer Craft. I've been too cheap, thus far, to spend the money for Craft. I maybe try one this fall/winter though, as I only have the one DeFeet layer, and a couple of the Target ones (which I don't like as well), so I tend to run out of clean winter cycling clothes rather quickly if I'm commuting and/or training regularly.

I was at Performance today and purchased the Pearl Izumi UltraSensor Mesh Sleevelees undershirt for $21.00. I saw that Performance had a house brand for sale for about $15.00 and the Craft Pro Cool sleeveless undershirt for $29.00.

I'd like to try one of the merino base-layers, what brands do you find at Marshall's or similar places?

I have a synthetic, compression base layer from Target (under armor knockoff), don't recall what brand. I find that they don't wick quite as well as the deFeet layer that I usually use. The Target ones tend to get clammy.

Lot of the riders around here seem to prefer Craft. I've been too cheap, thus far, to spend the money for Craft. I maybe try one this fall/winter though, as I only have the one DeFeet layer, and a couple of the Target ones (which I don't like as well), so I tend to run out of clean winter cycling clothes rather quickly if I'm commuting and/or training regularly.

I just checked a couple of labels, I've got an Alfani, and an Amherst&Brock (I think that's a Today's Man house label).

I look for something that looks like this:
http://content.nordstrom.com/ImageGallery/store/product/Gigantic/2/_5334342.jpg

My guidelines are 100% Merino wool (cashmere is too warm for me), lightweight, $5-20.

To care for them, hand wash, drip dry. No dry cleaning or machine. Here's a guide.
http://www.fuzzygalore.biz/articles/wash_sweater.shtml

I find that they stay warm, but still wick great, and don't smell funny until about 3 days of commuting.

At Target, I don't use the compression stuff. I like a little looser fit. I picked up a couple of those Champion polyester activewear polo's and 1/4 zip pullovers for $14. I sweat a lot in the summer, and these things keep really dry. They just get a bit chilly below 72 degrees.