View Full Version : Wool Baselayer Question
This may be a silly question, but I'll ask anyway. I recently bought a wool baselayer top and, being a small person, it's a little big on me-not too big, just loose. So my question is, are baselayers supposed to be tight to work. Will it still wick away sweat? I mean it's still comfortable and looks fine, I'm just wondering if I should find a different one in XS or if what I have will work sufficiently
I don't like tight-fitting tops. I buy mine to fit the way you describe. It works for me.
In case you don't know, wool is hygroscopic.
Awol1970
01-15-2011, 19:54
In case you don't know, wool is hygroscopic.
Bah! You people and your big words. I'm a bit of a 'tard so NOW i have to go open another window and look that up.:-?
haha, I had to look it up too. That's good to know. Thanks :)
bigcranky
01-15-2011, 20:13
Loose is fine.
Feral Bill
01-15-2011, 23:12
I'm wearing loosish wool base layers right now. Worked fine for xc skiing today.
Jujubes are tropical fruit trees hardy in some portions of Pennsylvania. Their fruits also known as jujubes might be dried for snacking on the A.T. had you some.
The genus Zizyphus begins with Z. It's a good word to keep in mind when playing Scrabble as I sometimes play it while eating scrapple.
shelterbuilder
01-16-2011, 11:05
A little loose/big is fine - with tops especially, since there will be more to tuck in and less chance of a cold draft on the back!
Also, "a little big" gives you some leeway when washing - if you screw up and it shrinks a bit, it won't matter!:D
As far as I am aware and can find in dictionaries, there is no word
"hydroscopic." "Hygroscopic", on the other hand, is a respectable word,
meaning the tendency of some materials to absorb moisture from humid air.
Richard E. Barrans Jr., Ph.D.
Assistant Director
PG Research Foundation, Darien, Illinois
As far as I am aware and can find in dictionaries, there is no word
"hydroscopic." "Hygroscopic", on the other hand, is a respectable word,
meaning the tendency of some materials to absorb moisture from humid air.
Richard E. Barrans Jr., Ph.D.
Assistant Director
PG Research Foundation, Darien, Illinois
As best I can tell, you are the only person who used the word "hydroscopic" in this thread.
Like all clothing, certain brands tends to be a little looser while others tend to be more athletic fit (read: Runs small).
Having said that, a little loose won't hurt. The men's small is a bit too tight on me for my baselayers, the medium is slightly too big. But, they worked fine for the ski tour I did today and the tele skiiing I did yesterday.
More importantly, in winter it is not so much the fit, as it is heat management. If you are excessively sweating, take off some layers! Being too hot and sweaty in winter can be uncomfortable during a break or even downright dangerous.
You all crack me up. Thanks for the responses; they were helpful and I learned some new words. P.S. XC skiing is tons of fun and if I could find a jujube that would be crazy. I would be in indescribable shock. The reason it's my username is because my grandma used to call me juju when i was little so I thought it was fitting. Not my trailname though. Still working on that; I think I'll just wait
I remember eating jujubes candy as a kid - it could yang the fillings out of your teeth (caused be eating jujubes in the first place). Jujube would be a great trail name.
If I could find a jujube that would be crazy. I would be in indescribable shock.
My greatgrandfather grew all sorts of exotic fruit and nut trees. He had a jujube tree on his property less than 20 miles as the crow flies from the A.T. in Pennsylvania.
I remember eating them more than 40 years ago, but only recently learned what they were. By the time I arrived on the scene, my greatgrandfather had passed away, but I remember another relative referring to them as dates.
A few years ago, I saw jujubes for sale in a nursery catalog and with a bit of online research solved the mystery. They are also called Chinese dates.
So what does hygroscopic have to do with the guy asking about the size being loose?
So what does hygroscopic have to do with the guy asking about the size being loose?
What does hygroscopic have to do with this question?
Will it still wick away sweat?
Old Hillwalker
03-06-2011, 08:36
A couple of years ago I was fortunate to be able to purchase Ibex clothing through a professional discount. I bought the short and long sleeve tops for use on AT boundary work.
Although I love the Merino wool for warmth when wet, I found that it took a terrible length of time to dry. It really didn't wick moisture to an outer layer at all compared to synthetic tops used as a base.
Once I sweated it fully wet, it tended to stay that way, and felt a bit like cotton except that there was not as much evaporative cooling like cotton presents.