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First Lite Merino base layers

Yes, sizing was great I'm at 185 5'10 with a 33×30 normal pant size. They are a tad long but I expected that and I dont mind it. I read alot of the reviews for sizing on their website. That was very helpful for me. They also have a great online instant message system via their website.
 
I bought my first FL set this season and went with the 350 furnace set. First, they are extremely comfortable. I put them to the test on a MO bow hunt. In the single digits they worked great. I will say I did not sit all day. I put them over my 150 weight merino from Black Ovis (which I also think highly of).
If I still hunted or walked I had to remove all outer layers to keep from sweating.
In TN I can not wear the bottoms yet and only put the top on once I am on stand.
Because how unbelievably comfortable the top is I am considering their merino wool jacket for everyday use.
 
I have icebreaker base layers and love them can’t say much about the other brands bit would def purchase icebreakers again.
 
First lite fan here as well. I also love LLBean Cresta Wool midweights.... these are tough to beat and cost far less.
 
hope this is not a dumb question but have any of ya'll used the cabelas ECWS stuff? If so where would you rank it amongst the first lite and others. I hunt down south and hate wearing a jacket so layering is my go to means to stay warm. I currently have the heavy weight ECWS base layers and the polar weight ECWS base layers and love them. Typically I only wear them when its 30-40F I can wear the heavy weight tops then if it gets below 20 or in the low 20s I will use the Polar tops. If I plan to walk a good bit I cant wear the polar bottoms even in single digits. But for sitting in the cold they have worked great for me paired up with Goretex MT050bibs. I don't have any experience with the first lite stuff but I'm all ears if there is better stuff out there.
 
hope this is not a dumb question but have any of ya'll used the cabelas ECWS stuff? If so where would you rank it amongst the first lite and others. I hunt down south and hate wearing a jacket so layering is my go to means to stay warm. I currently have the heavy weight ECWS base layers and the polar weight ECWS base layers and love them. Typically I only wear them when its 30-40F I can wear the heavy weight tops then if it gets below 20 or in the low 20s I will use the Polar tops. If I plan to walk a good bit I cant wear the polar bottoms even in single digits. But for sitting in the cold they have worked great for me paired up with Goretex MT050bibs. I don't have any experience with the first lite stuff but I'm all ears if there is better stuff out there.

yep I have used it. The trouble with poly is it stinks after being worn. Merino seems to not stink up as much. Poly also sucks if it gets wet, wool is better. Poly does block the wind better IME but a good wind blocker over top of wool accomplished this as well.
 
I've been running Minus 33 expedition weight and light weight Merino base layers for two years now. In the 30's I can hunt with the expedition weight and something like a Nomad Harvester and be TOASTY.... I usually walkin and climb without the outer layer on, but if I do sweat, the wool just soaks it right up and I never get sweat-cold when I'm wearing wool.

Best $ you can spend on hunting clothes in my opinion. I can skimp on Nomad and not go Sitka because of them.
 
I used the first lite this year for an elk hunt in Sept in Idaho. Works great. I also bought a pair of the Kuiu zip off's. The zip off's have been awesome just for the convenience of not having to take outer pants and boots off and on. I highly recommend the first lite shirts with the kuiu bottoms.
 
I feel that the benefit of merino is next to skin comfort (relative to other wool). Wool vs. synthetic is another debate.

I don't feel that a thicker merino baselayer, or layering merino on merino, provides any advantage.

I use the lightest merino because it provides the most flexibility. I can strip down or layer something else over it. If it's warmer out, enough that I want to walk in with baselayers only, I usually go with a synthetic because merino gets shredded by briars.
 
I feel that the benefit of merino is next to skin comfort (relative to other wool). Wool vs. synthetic is another debate.

I don't feel that a thicker merino baselayer, or layering merino on merino, provides any advantage.

I use the lightest merino because it provides the most flexibility. I can strip down or layer something else over it. If it's warmer out, enough that I want to walk in with baselayers only, I usually go with a synthetic because merino gets shredded by briars.


Are you saying Merino doesn't have any insulating abilities so it doesn't matter how thick it is, or are you saying other wools have better insulating properties so you would wear them over a thin Merino layer?
 
Are you saying Merino doesn't have any insulating abilities so it doesn't matter how thick it is, or are you saying other wools have better insulating properties so you would wear them over a thin Merino layer?

Neither really. I would say "regular" (and cheaper) wool maybe better insulating quality because it has more air pockets and looser fibers. Maybe. Theoretically somewhat, and real world observation.

But more so, paying the premium for merino, the best bang for the buck is that next to skin property. I feel there's no real benefit to going heavy with a nerino baselayer or layering expensive merino versus just layering cheaper stuff over a quality light merino baselayer.
 
I’m a nerd who spends way too much time researching things about deer, habitat management, layering systems, archery, etc. Without getting overly technical, your best bet for extremely cold is a synthetic base layer paired with heavy merino wool over that. The moisture wicking properties of synthetic next to skin combined with merino over that is far and away the best combo to run...in mild temperatures (30-45) your best bet is straight merino (base the weight of said merino on if you’re cold natured or hot natured) UNLESS, you’re walking a long way to your hunting location, then the best combo would be a synthetic base layer and then put on merino when you arrive to the tree. Garret Prahl (DIY Sportsman) recently did a video on this and mentions some of these aspects regarding layering and he echoes some of these same sentiments. I personally run FL for ALL my gear minus the synthetic base layer which I will run in extreme cold weather and/or for long hikes in. Just my preference, and it seems like the science tends to back that sort of system.
 
IFyour treestand hunting I would go go with woolx or minus 33 400, that's the heavy weights
 
Been running first lite base layers for years.. the base layers are great, super comfortable. Don’t forget their mountain athlete compression socks. Probably gonna take a little heat for this... but if you put a toe sock like Injinji on first then a pair of those over it your feet will be warm toasty and comfortable no matter the temperature.
 
Been running first lite base layers for years.. the base layers are great, super comfortable. Don’t forget their mountain athlete compression socks. Probably gonna take a little heat for this... but if you put a toe sock like Injinji on first then a pair of those over it your feet will be warm toasty and comfortable no matter the temperature.
That’s just about the only thing from FL I haven’t tried is their socks. Will be purchasing a pair before next fall to try out. I’ve also never tried a liner sock. Guess I should be, huh?
 
First lite merino is great. I have a couple wick 150 tops, some wick 150 boxer briefs, and tops/bottoms of both fuse and furnace sets.

The wick gets worn in 60F+ temps. It wicks exceptionally well and drys out super fast. I even wore both the tops during summer on evening runs. I would soak them through, lay them out to dry, and put them on the next day. After a week they still weren't stinky but I felt out of principle they should be washed lol.

The fuse set is great for anything 30-60F. It's probably my goto set for the majority of my hunting season.

Furnace gets broken out when it's 40F and below. It's definitely warm stuff, and works great for stationary/treestand hunts. Just be careful how you layer up before your walk in or you will sweat in them!

As for the quality, with the exception of some pilling in friction areas and some of the heat transfer labelling coming off after some washing, all of my FL merino still looks great and doesn't have a stitch out of place.

I have also owned icebreaker and blackovis merino and the biggest difference, outside of cost, is the softness of the fabric. FL is very soft and does not itch me at all. The blackovis and icebreaker stuff I had was a little stiff and scratchy and smelled like awful wet dog after sweating in it. The sizing was also poor for a taller/longer guy, but if you more normal proportions you should be fine. However for the money I will concede the blackovis stuff is hard to beat.
 
That’s just about the only thing from FL I haven’t tried is their socks. Will be purchasing a pair before next fall to try out. I’ve also never tried a liner sock. Guess I should be, huh?

I highly recommend it. The injinji keeps your toes separated so if your hiking it prevents a lot is chafing and makes your feet particularly around the toes Blister resistant.
 
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