Wicking Weight: Layers that Keep you Dry

Published on 08/07/2012

By Peter Reese

Remember when your dad would come down from his room on winter mornings in cream-colored long johns that were a little too snug in all the wrong places?  That's not a good look. These base layers will wick moisture all day long, and might make you look a little buffer than you really are.

TERRAMAR TXO 1.0 CREW

Base layers than look good and work on their own.  Most either cling too tight, look like long underwear or can’t stand up to demanding use.  Wool options are desirable, yet most are beyond the range of many travelers and adventurers.

Terramar puts startling comfort and fit in the kit with the TXO 1.0 CREW.     Activated carbon with nano silver turns this 100% polyester long-sleeve piece into a soft, breathable, non-stink offering that even carries an UPF rating of 50+.  Testers questioned the TXO’s comfort until repeated cycling, running and hiking sessions quelled their concerns.  All flat seam construction avoided chaffing even with pack straps while non-revealing sleeve and pit mesh panels gave TXO some breathing room.   Fast drying and light at about 130 grams, Terramar sprints ahead by offering the piece in heavier versions for cooler – and downright cold – conditions like those confronting explorer and sponsored athlete Eric Larsen.  If there’s a base layer that can handle months of continuous wearing, Terramar has it dialed in.

Earn cash back on the Terramar TXO 1.0 Crew

GRAMICCI ENDURANCE TEE

Sweat, dry, repeat, go out in public and wash in the sink.  At home, taking care of much-loved tees is easy. However, trekking and travelling put higher demands on this essential.  The Active Junky that’s seeking all-natural comfort with performance attributes has come up short on viable options (much less experienced success on the road with them).

The products of Gramicci sink their roots deep into the rocks climbed by their stonemaster founders.  While the general public is starting to awaken to the brands’ values, Active Junky testers were literally stunned by their most subdued piece, the ENDURANCE TEE.  Almost hiding on page 13 of their catalog, this 55% hemp, 45% certified organic cotton shirt surpasses most other options we’ve tested.  Not only does this blended knit maintain shape – and sizing – after multiple wash cycles, it defies categorization.  When we tried to stink it up, it refused.  When we wore it in public, it didn’t look couch-potato sloppy.  When we dug deeper on the tee’s composition, it pushed back with low-impact, colorfast dyes.  Spend the money, donate the others and put that long-delayed bouldering session back on the calendar.

Earn cash back on the Gramicci Endurance Tee