Nothing basic about base classes. The base layer (outdoor industry means “undershirt”) is the foundation for your entire outdoor clothing system and it all starts next to the skin. From the choice of fabric to the placement of seams, a lot of engineering goes into an outdoor sole that sets it apart from a regular cotton bra. It should be comfortable, non-scaling, and wick sweat away from the outer layers of clothing so you don’t get wet. Getting wet can be just annoying, with unpleasant sensations like shivering and cracking, or extremely dangerous if you’re in cold weather.
Two things we look for in the base class are its light weight and whether it has a hood. The latter is not necessary, but it is extremely convenient on sunny days. There are a lot of bras and soles out there; a few are terrible, but also few really stand out. These are our favorites.
Update December 2021: We’ve added Uniqlo Heattech Crew Ibex Indie Jackets and Collared Long Sleeve T-shirts, and we’ve added new retailers to existing products.
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