SmartWool Mid-weight Zip-T and Bottoms: Warm, Cool, and Odor-Free

Mid-February, 2005. It was sunny and 55 degrees at 5000 feet as I left Albuquerque. Perfect for a bike ride. However, ominous clouds clung to the mountains where I was headed. By 6500 feet the sun was gone, the temperature plummeting. As I crested the pass at 7500 feet it was 35 degrees with the sky providing an equitable mix of rain, sleet, and hail. Screaming down the other side of the mountain road at 40 mph, my tires kicking up ice-cold water and grit like a super-charged French bidet, I had one positive thought: “At least I’m wearing my SmartWool.”

Specifically, I was wearing a SmartWool Traditional Mid-weight Zip-T as a base layer and I could take solace in the fact that the remarkable SmartWool fabric would both keep me as dry as conditions allowed and ward off what felt like impending hypothermia. My torso was taken care of. Too bad I wasn’t wearing my mid-weight bottoms.

When I eventually made it back to the sun and relative warmth of Albuquerque I had to reflect with appreciation on the fact that my SmartWool Zip-T had been comfortable across a wide range of conditions. The ill-fated bike ride was just one day in the life of a six-week road and camping trip during which temperatures ranged from the single digits to the 70’s. Essential in the bitter cold, I also found myself continuing to wear my mid-weight top and bottoms even after the afternoon had given way to t-shirt and short warmth. In other words, the strangely dense yet lightweight SmartWool fabric acted as more than an excellent insulator--it moved moisture and air so effectively that it kept me dry in most conditions, and when I forgot to take it off in warmer temps, it kept me cool.

So SmartWool kept me warm (so much so that you could get by with fewer layers), it kept me dry, it even kept me cool. It’s soft and comfortable yet hearty, well-constructed and able to take a beating. It doesn’t rub or chaff. I used it for sleep and strenuous exercise. Yet SmartWool’s greatest attribute was it’s unwillingness to adopt my body odor as it’s own. This is in stark contrast to any of the other synthetic base wear that I own--all of which are a magnet for body odor. One day and my polypro stinks. Two days or more and it’s virtually unbearable. SmartWool, on the other hand, can go for days on end without a wash and still be inoffensive. This is particularly advantageous when camping with that special someone when you're forced to wear the same base layer days on end.

Bottom LIne: At $75 for the top and $65 for the bottoms, SmartWool is not an inexpensive choice. But in terms of their versatility, high performance, and what would appear to be real durability, I’d say that SmartWool is an investment worth making. One note on size--personally, I prefer a snug fitting base layer and my SmartWool top and bottom struck me as a bit roomy. I’m a medium but I’d be interested in trying on a small before I make my next purchase of SmartWool. (Item pictured is a women's model. Men's tops available in blue, black, olive,and gray.)

Price: $75 top, $65 bottoms

Manufacturer's Site: www.smartwool.com

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