p12,13 TOM HUTTON:SGBGolf_NEW_template 27/04/2009 11:13 Page 12
BASE LAYERS
Base Camp
Everyone understands the benefits of a
good waterproof or a warm mid-layer,
but far fewer folk realise just how
important their base layer is. Tom
Hutton elaborates.
W
hile an awful lot of time and effort goes into choosing
outer shells and mid layers, much less thought is given to
the clothing worn beneath them. Yet ironically, no
amount of breathability or waterproofing is going to keep
someone comfortable if the layer next to their skin is cold, wet and
clammy.
It’s odd really; most people can get their head around how their top-
end, £300 jacket keeps rain out yet still ‘breathes’ and it’s elementary
stuff to get a handle on how a fleece can keep you warm. But get the
average group of walkers to strip off these two layers, and the odds are
that they’ve got a cotton t-shirt underneath.
What an opportunity! First, for them to increase their comfort simply
and relatively cheaply. Second, for the outdoor retailer to gain new CANTERBURY
customers and make extra sales by demonstrating their expert knowledge
on what is a relatively simple subject.
So what does a
base layer
actually do?
And why is it This is where hi-tech shell fabric comes into play. These are charged
so important? with stopping the rain/snow/wind etc from getting in, while miraculously
First, think about allowing water-vapour (the evaporated sweat) to escape.
the way a body Simple really. But the system is flawed if the clothing layer next to the
reacts to exercise: skin traps the sweat and prevents it from vapourising in the first place –
it sweats. The typical traits of a cotton t-shirt. Instead of escaping through the
science behind this microscopic pores of the outer layer, the perspiration is now being held
shows that as the next to the skin, making the wearer warm and wet when he or she is
sweat evaporates exercising hard, but cold and wet the minute they stop.
away from the skin it The solution to this problem is simple: just ensure that the layer next to
cools the skin, therefore skin can transport moisture away from skin and out into the outer layers,
helping to regulate where they can do their jobs. This is the role of the base layer.
temperature. So which base layers are best? The real answer to this is that any
The problem is, if the technical base layer is going to be better than a cotton t-shirt, but there
body produces a lot of are a few different fabrics out there, and they all do a slightly different
sweat, as it does when job.
exercising vigorously,
but the sweat can’t Firstly, the synthetics. These can be divided into
escape because it’s Polyester, which is the most popular, and Polypropylene.
beneath a jumble of Polyester works by using different weaves on the outside and inside of the
clothing, then it garment, therefore taking moisture off the skin and spreading it out. It is
CANTERBURY stays put, in liquid cheap and it’s tough, but it can suffer with odour retention. Some
form, making the manufacturers get around this by treating it with an anti-bacterial treatment.
micro-climate beneath those layers very wet. These tend to do the job when the garment’s new but go off over time.
12 SGB OUTDOOR APRIL 2009
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