for road race training and commuting.

Tight fit, no itching, best washer. What are my options? Mostly for under my Rapha winter jersey or team long sleeve jeresy.

<= £50 but may stretch a bit.

My faves are Embers Merino or Icebreaker Bodyfit 200

I like me endura baabaa but I haven’t tried anything else tbh

Having tried a few merino layers, I just don’t bloody like them.

Merino – the emperors new base layer.

Avoid. It gets soaking wet and doesn’t wick as well as a synthetic. If you really must, get a mix.

I’ve tried a few and the best I’ve used (and the only one I really get on with) is my Howies one. Not cheap but used daily for a couple of years with no sign of wear. Tight fitting without being too tight, not itchy at all and will happily go a week without being washed before it gets stinky.

This one: Howies Linky Link

I think cheap merino is a false econmy. Buy chep, buy twice etc.

Ive use Lifas before but they stink after a short ride. Not good if I have to leave them drying in the office.

Any merino mix ones out there.

Helly do a mix now, but there are others. I have a Ground Effect Submerino which is my goto winter baselayer and has lasted for years,

Some of the cooated and treated synthetics are also very good (silver/argentium)

I’ve got an Aldi/Crane branded one in a medium that I’ve only used once – decent piece of kit. £15 posted if it’d fit the bill for you 🙂

Helly Hansen merino/warm, McArthur Glen, two for 40 quid. Done.

Phil that sounds a winner

dhb 100% merino wool baselayer is under £30 for the lighter version.
Excellent quality and really warm.

+1 for Merino mix ….

I like the the Rab Meco stuff (Merino + bamboo).

Icebreaker 150

but I prefer my Craft synthetic if I’m working hard

i’ve had an endura baabaa for a couple of years.

it’s quite good, the sleeves aren’t long enough, but that’s true of all clothing ever made.

i’ve had a howies jobby for a few months, it does the merino thing of soaking up all your sweat and hanging onto it for days without stinking, but the fit is just terrible; it’s got a weirdly big neck hole (i’ve got a massive head, and even i don’t need a hole that big) and it’s a ‘medium’ – but a few fatties could happily dance around inside it, swinging a few large cats.

seriously, what is it with howies sizing?

if you’re skinny, the endura baabaa is good, if you’re a fatty, with a truly massive head, and happy to spend £20 more than necessary, then the howies one will do.

I’ve got some On-One merino tops and they have been very good. I work outdoors and they have had a lot of use and are still going strong. One of them came off second best in a fight with some wire netting at Glentress but I’m not going to hold that against. I also have the Ground Effect submerino and also very impressed with that. I tend to wear it as an outer layer in all but the wettest weather. Because of the polyester outer it is pretty tough which helps to protect the more fragile regular merino layers. Never tried wearing it as a base layer but use it for most of the year as an outer or midlayer.

Having owned a BaaBaa, Smartwool and various Icebreaker merino baselayers, I’d go for Icebreaker every time. 150 or 200 flavour.
But I do agree that synthetic work better at moisture transfer, at the cost of smelling after a bit.
So perhaps a blend as mentioned above makes sense.

I use Icebreaker Bodyfit 200 for skiing, cycling and general mooching around. It’s really good quality, great fit and is lasting well considering how often I wear it. As much as I love it, I have to admit HH Lifa tops are probably better at keeping wicking sweat and keeping you dry.

+1 for the lightweight dhb merino tops. They go in with my regular washing with no fuss too.

Picked up 2 PX ones for £55, looks like they have just put them on sale on their site.

If the one I got is anything to go buy, wash them before you first wear them to get rid of the awful smell.

Can always send them back if I’m not happy with them. Got the 190 zip and the 150 performance.

Helly Hansen merino/warm, McArthur Glen, two for 40 quid. Done.

Can you buy them online?

The long sleeve bamboo one from BAM – all the functionality of merino, but softer, quicker drying and doesn’t smell of wet sheep when damp.

Prefer it to my Icebreaker

On-one –> fell apart at seams after 1 wash
Endura Baa Baa –> lost all shape, baggy and arms too short
Embers –> really good but more casual cut
Icebreaker 200 x 2 –> excellent – kept shape, does not smell

If it’s hot I’d go synthetic – for everything else it’s Merino

Look at SportsPursuit & Ebay – I paid less than £35 for my last Icebreaker

DHB Synthetic and a couple of cheapos from Decathlon for me.
I bath them in a weak dettol mixture once in a while, takes away any nasty odours.
The Decathlon ones are particularly good for £14.99, running, cycling and just general cold weather stuff they’re fine.

As Neil said Decathlon have them – super items about £20 – I have several.

Field and Trek have the Helly Hansen stuff on offer.