[Closed] layering, what works for you?

Bamboo base layers don't wick very well, they're quite absorbent. The Brynje mesh base layers look AWFUL but work better than anything else I've come across and layer well under a more conventional base layer for extra warmth and outstanding wicking (I imagine they'd be very good under merino but I don't have any of that anymore).

baabaa Merino base layer, On One merino jacket Endura night Vision waterproof jacket

I have had loads of base layers over the years and thoroughly agree about merino. It is not the magic bullet promised. I use Patagonia capilene which really seems the best. It is expensive but I have never paid full price for any of it and it lasts forever. I know they have changed the material lately but I am sure it is still good.
So, capilene 2 base layer, mid layer - I use an Alpkit one- and a Madison showerproof softshell with a buff to keep the gap round my neck warm and this usually does the trick. If it's well below zero I put short sleeved capilene under the long sleeve.

Base layer plus just a softshell jacket that has an in-built windproof front/arms. Altura Varium is my favourite. I don't use any other layers !

Merino works for me, but merino/poly blend is a bit better than pure.
Working for me on the sub-0 commute is a merino/poly (Supernatural) base > Northwave [url= https://northwave.com/en/p/reload-selective-protection/ ]Reload[/url] jacket > normal riding jacket.
The snugness of the Reload jacket really keeps the warmth in and windproofness stops chills through the front of the jacket - I think that's the key.
Slightly warmer and the Northwave gets swapped for a midweight jersey.

This morning - so cold but dry
Morvelo SS base layer
Mountain Equipment Eclipse grid fleece
Endura Windchill jacket
normal bib shorts
Gore Windstopper legwarmers
Troy Lee moto shorts
Long woolie boolies
Thermolite skull cap, Pearl Izumi Amfib gloves, Shimano winter boots

Bit too warm on the climbs, a bit chilly on the descents. NB I have very little natural insulation...!

howies long sleeve merino base.
a thickish short sleeve jersey
gore windstopper shoftshell
and if its really cold i chuck on the proviz 360 gillet thingy i have.
+ buff and some gore gloves
tends to do the trick

Between October and March I'll normally wear:
1) Endura Frontline base layer
2) Bib longs (medium weight but quite warm)
3) Short-sleeved club jersey over the top of the base layer
4) Waterproof socks (MTB), windproof socks (road)
5) Waterproof boots (MTB), regular shoes + overshoes (road)

This represents perhaps 80% of the riding I do, either MTB or road. I'm a huge fan of the synthetic Endura base layer and I have a pile of them in the drawer for all sorts of outdoor uses.

When it gets below freezing, or if the ride will be slower paced (and thus generating less heat), I'll stick a long-sleeved club jersey over the top of the ensemble and/or either a thin waterproof packable shell for showers, or a slightly more robust jacket for persistent filthy weather. Would also consider an Endura Stealth II softshell or a similar roady-cut one if it's a properly cold or windy day, but these are very much the exception.

It must be said that I wear way, way less layers than I used to as I've got fitter, because I work that much harder on the bike so tend to swelter in thicker layers.

Well today I have a merino base, a Fox riding jersey, alpkit woodsmoke shirt and altura mayhem jacket and I've been pretty snug. My feet are frigging freezing though!!

Polartec Alpha/Pertex jacket and either a HH dry or warm L/S under. Reminds me that I need to put on the classifieds a Mavic Inferno jacket that would suit current Chicago conditions - baked in it on the three times I wore it at sub zero temps.

AT the Dyfi Winter Warmer on Sunday I had on

- Aldi LS Thermal base layer
- Normal SS Jersey
- Roubaix Style LS Jersey / Jacket
- Roadie race cape lightweight jacket
- Castelli Nanoflex + Longs
- Maddison Softshell Shorts
- Merino socks
- Fox Winter gloves

Temp was average 0degC, got a bit toasty on climbs so it was un-zip time, fine on fast descents, pretty much standard proper winter kit, sometimes I wear a Castelli Perfetto jacket instead of the other two.

If I'm on the road it's the same base layer, same SS jersey and a Castelli San Remo Thermo-Suit

Winter bib tights
Merino base layer (short sleeve)
Thermal arm warmers.
Gabba short sleeve.
Gore Gilet.
With a Goretex jacket over everything if it's really cold.
Woollie boolie socks in Winter boots and overshoes if it's really cold.
Sealskin hat under helmet.
Two pairs of gloves.
I will probably have all of this on tomorrow.

I have been wearing a On-One long sleeve baselayer for about £10, a karrimor running top with a mesh back and a karrimor running windprrof in the cold weather. Last year I really suffered with the cold but found this seems to work even though overall I think there is less material than I used to wear.

baabaa Merino base layer, Polaris soft shell jacket Endura night Vision waterproof jacket.

Toasty.

Road / gravel rides on the coldest days thus far I have been wearing with bib tights:
- Endura Baabaa merino base layer
- Gore Windproof softshell jacket

I'm generally quite a 'warm' person, and this has been plenty warm enough for me. I get what you say about the merino getting soggy, but to be honest I don't really notice it. The Gore jacket is great at keeping the cold out and the warmth in.

On the mtb I tend to just go with a compression base layer, a s/s technical t-shirt and maybe a very light gilet which I can stuff in my hip pack if it gets too warm. I think I'd get too hot in a proper jacket unless it was really cold / wet.

Have lived in the following since early November when riding and it's a setup that hasn't missed a beat, if anything most of the time it's been too warm!

Craft Fuseknit LS Baselayer - great value, comfortable and I think it's a smidge more versatile than my old Endura BaaBaa. Maybe not quite as warm but more than enough for me.

7Mesh Strategy Jacket - Gore Windstopper fabric and fleece lined in key areas around the chest. Water-resistant and has 3 pockets which is nice. The perfect compromise between a jersey and a jacket for MTB use. So good I've got two! (also got a 7Mesh Recon for crimbo which is very similar but does without the fleece lining and pockets, better for slightly "warmer" days)

7Mesh MK2 bibshorts & Strata Tights - more versatile than bibtights as the tights clip into the shorts. Tights are fleece lined and if anything too warm. DWR coated too so repel light spray well.

7Mesh Revo shorts - these things are the dogs! Light, breathable but the waterproofing is off the chart! Expensive, but so worth it when it's hammering down or the trails resemble a river.

I've got a few other bits and pieces from 7Mesh and Craft, I'll just keep interchanging as conditions improve (or worsen!!) Could do with a proper waterproof jacket really, want a 7Mesh Guardian but they are serious £££. Will continue saving as their gear is next level. Pricey, but it all looks and performs like new after 2 years hard abuse and it is just so nicely made and designed, definitely a brand for those who want the best and appreciate nicely made kit!

Is your midlayer breathable? I find many windproof roubaix / softshell things woeful (see my expensive Patagonia and prior to that Mammut). This could be part of why you feel clammy.

What is on your extremities? I find that warm feet, hands, head and neck mean that I need fewer layers on. Buff on the neck and head in cold is really effective at heat-retention.

Personally, I now do more baselayers - HH Warm hybrid merino in really cold, Patagonia Capeline for best wicking. I often on a really cold day can have three layers of them on.

The on top most of the time my pertex top - a running one with a couple of side mesh vents and shoulder vents that is ace at removing sweat.

If really, really cold I do add my Patagonia softshell and just get wary of over-sweating.

Merino long sleeve base (warm when sweaty and wet)

T-shirt
Random fleece
Wind/waterproof shell

Shorts, no liners, no pants. As long as your top is warm that's plenty good for anything down to freezing.

May consider long trousers if riding much below that. Maybe.

Oh. And brigdale merino blend walking socks. Warm wet feet.

A permutation of:

Decathlon short sleeved cycling shirt.
Decathlon long sleeved top.
(Both synthetic, I think).
Aldi or Decathlon cycling jacket - various weights.
Gore Paclite if chucking it down.

Shorts or bib longs.

Various combinations of the above do me fine all year round tbh.

I layer in different things depending on the ride

Commuting, about -1 at 6.30am this morning, same as normal. LS synthetic base, LS jersey, rapha brevet insulated (polartec alpha) gilet. Rapha windshirt over the top for the first 10-15 min till I warm up. Bib longs on my bottom half, just normal ones. Neoprene overshoes on my feet, buff round my neck, gore windstopper skull cap and gloves (lobster, aldi or galibier). Last night was raining quite hard so wore berghaus hypersmock over the LS base and jersey

For MTB it's always long non-bib tights with shorts over the top. Top half is LS synthetic base, SS or LS jersey and softshell top but can vary based on the ride. Freezing rain pre xmas was marmot thermo base (powerdry), adidas terrex gilet (primaloft front) and columbia outdry jacket.

I run quite warm once I'm up to temperature and moving. But I cool down quite quickly when stopped, and if I'm slightly damp it takes me longer to then get back up to temperature

I tend to run warm so ...

Each list is from warmest to coldest temps.

Baselayer: mesh vest or CoolMax short armed T (at least 20 yrs old!) or a long sleeved polypropylene thermal and PlanetX arm warmers.

Outer layer: Rab windshirt or Gore Windstopper jacket.

Top layer - only worn if it's drizzling/raining: Haglofs windshirt or lightweight rain jacket or Endura MT500

Legs: either bib shorts with leg warmers or Madison Roubaix bib longs. If it's wet I'll put on some 3/4 length Endura waterproof trousers over the top.

Gloves: lightweight gloves for climbs and switch to heavier ones for descents or exposed moorland.

Add things like a couple of buffs, if it's really cold maybe a neoprene facemask.

Two years ago in Rovaniemi in temps down to -16C I wore Roubaix bib tights, long sleeved thermal, an old Endura "softshell" cycling top and the Haglofs windshirt and was warm enough.

Why arm warmers as well as the long sleeved top? It's fairly easy to regulate your core so you don't really need to overdo it there but to keep your hands warm you need to ensure that the blood can get there without cooling.

The trick is not to get too warm so that you sweat - have warm clothing to hand for stops so you don't cool down too much. The colder it gets the more you have to monitor things to keep in the Goldilocks zone.

Here's some tips https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/av/world-43233477/how-do-you-keep-warm-tips-from-cold-countries worth watching to the end 😉

-6C this morning on canal into Leeds. I often run a bit cold but wearing the following was fine:
Cheap £10 Kooga baselayer
Stolen Goat long sleeve jersey
Sportful Flash Softshell jacket
Spokesman winter bib tights
Aldi waterproof socks
Tin foil wrapped round toes
Neoprene overshoes
Endura BaaBaa skull cap
Buff type thing round neck and mouth
Liner glovers
Galibier Deep Barrier gloves

Helly Hansen Lifa long sleeve top, short sleeve polyester T then a Gore windstopper with removable sleeves and sometimes a shell on top. Lower half I tend to wear 3/4 bibs and long socks with baggies on top. Buff under the helmet and liner gloves to add some extra finger insulation.

In the cold I tend to just wear a l/s merino base (baabaa or Rapha) and a softshell jacket.

Lusso max repel bib tights for road and roubaix tights, baggies & kneepads for MTB.

Headcover/buff, decent gloves and maybe a neck warmer too - and woolyboolie socks. Keeping extremities warm is vital for me.

Is your midlayer breathable? This could be part of why you feel clammy.

I was thinking similar. But the OP hasn't given us any info on how long or hard he's riding either.

hard he’s riding either.

mate it is all hard when you are as big as me........ ;o)

the midlayer is worn with a base layer most of the year and feels fine.
I wonder if the paramo velez thing is the problem. that feels damp inside when I take it off

Synthetic base layer (Polaris)
Thermal Bib Longs (Rivelo)
Endura windproof (not very), roubaixy type jacket.
Skull cap or fleece Buff under helmet
Cold and dry: Madison softshell shorts
Cold and wet: Royal waterproof shorts
Waterproof jacket on top if it's windy/splashy
Galiber or Polaris winter gloves, depending on balticity

I'm surprised you're cold in a velez. have you washed it recently? It should wick and work nicely

The reference to softshells isn't particularly helpful. A 'softshell' is everything from a waterproof without taped seams to a buffalo shirt, with every possible variant in between

I have softshells I'd use for each season

Madison m-tec LS wicking base layer
(Swapped for LS bamboo top below 1°)

Normal LS riding top

Endura Convert 2 jacket (dry) or
Goretex jacket (wet)

Buff

Mountain equipment ibex troo's

Wool socks (dry)
Sealskins (wet)

Endura deluge gloves

Skull cap (colder weather)

A good layer of sub-cutaneous fat is the best insulation.
Perhaps you need to put on a bit of weight, Tony?

The Brynje mesh base layers look AWFUL but work better than anything else I’ve come across and layer well under a more conventional base layer for extra warmth and outstanding wicking (I imagine they’d be very good under merino but I don’t have any of that anymore).

I wouldn't use anything else now, brilliant bit of kit and yes they do work under merino but I still prefer another synthetic layer over it when it's very cold and then a Lusso aqua repel jacket over the top with a mesh backed gilet to top it all of. The only downside to it I have found is if you go sliding down the road having come of on the ice and at that point you might think a cheese grater isn't the best thing to rub on your skin. It's not really an issue but you are aware it's not the softest thing you could be sliding against.

+1 for the Brynje mesh ("Super Thermo").

I bought some last year and since then have worn it for practically every outdoor activity where cold might be a problem; riding, skiing, canoe/kayak. It seems to keep me warm without overheating when I'm generating heat. I wear it as a base layer except that I put a thin silk top underneath so that the mesh slides over my skin.

Rather strangely for a Norwegian clothing brand, the best place to buy it online is an Austrian company (who mainly sell optical equipment!)

Primaloft / synthetic loft gilets are always the answer if it's cold and/or wet, imo. Keep the core warm and let your arms radiate the heat away. Cover with a wind-resistant shell that breathes really well, if needed.

combo has been, a bamboo base layer, a super Roubaix type mid layer, with a paramo pertex shell.
it isn’t working.

It won't work that well as there's not much loft in that, not a great combo for creating a good temerature gradient between outer and inner. eg too close to a single glazing window compared to a triple glaze. The layers get damp and there's not enough warm air trapping potential - synthetic loft does this job far better. Prob reason more riders don't use it for general colder weather riding is cycling clothing brand's fixation on generic cycling kit rather than what works for less race-inspired riding.

Brilliant riding layer for a tenner here -

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/trek-100-mens-padded-gilet-black-id_8502012.html

Up Top:
Skins Compession vest
Bam Bamboo
Some bike shirt or other
Cheap on-One softshell jacket
Altura shell on top if it's proper cold

Legs:
Shorts
Mountain Warehouse winter running tights

Feet:
Socks.

I use a sleeveless base layer off ebay (£4) under a Decathlon long sleeve base layer (£7) then on top of that I use a Ground Effect Baked Alaska. This will do me down to quite low temperatures riding around the Pennines. If I need another layer I'll throw on a windproof gillet and in extreme rain I've got an eVent jacket.

If the ground is sloppy I'll wear waterproof shorts. For all my winter riding I wear SealSkinz waterproof socks.

The Baked Alaska is probably the best bit of kit I've got. I've had it ten years now and it's still going strong. The windfoil front keeps the chill off on long descents.

Some synthetic t-shirt as a base layer(I've a few).
Polaris AM Soft shell.
GoreTex Active Shell waterproof.

That does me all winter cycling in and around the Cairngorms. I carry a Primaloft jacket to wear if I'm stopped for too long.

Biblongs or bibshorts with something longer over can help with core temperature as they add a little extra layer and help prevent a cold band around the waist.

Another Baked Alaska user here. If it's really cold I'll wear two base layers with it, short sleeve and long sleeve Merino but usually just one or the other. Then a gilet and a softshell jacket cover the rest of the bases. If you find Merino unsuitable then I'm surprised you like the bamboo.

Brilliant riding layer for a tenner here –

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/trek-100-mens-padded-gilet-black-id_8502012.html/blockquote >

jameso
gonna try one for a tenner. nothing to lose.

was cold again today. northface synthetic base layer, lusso Roubaix jacket and a paramo velex windproof. topped off with a buff under my helmet. merino liners under rab windproof gloves. keela roadrunner trousers.
only place warm was my feet. wool socks with Columbia Omni heat snow boots.

 

The warmest base layer I have is Ussen Baltic crew. Probably too warm for most cycling, unless sub zero. It is polyprolene, seems pretty good wicking.
http://www.ussen.co.uk/shop/men/baltic-pro-crew/

Polartec Alpha Direct over Brynje mesh baselayer. The problem with a lot of Lycra-type stuff is that it contains a fair bit of elastane for stretch, basically rubber, which means it can get cold and clammy.

Bamboo - viscose - is nice and soft, but like a sponge. Merino wool holds moderate amounts of moisture kind of in suspension quite well, but there's a crucial point where it gets overwhelmed and turns into a non-wicking, soggy, mess.

Alpha Direct is brilliant stuff, like a sort of lighter, latter-day Buffalo pile, but lighter and a lot less bulky. It's siliconised, I think, so doesn't really hold moisture, but wicks and dries very quickly, so you don't get cold and clammy. Rapha and Wiggle and a few other people using it for bike stuff, but there's loads of outdoor versions out there in various weights.

Around Zero

Ice Breaker Base
Normal summer short sleeve cycling jersey
Castelli Arm warmers (work better than just a long sleeved jersey)
Motane Pertex Gillet
Buff on head (no hair)
Endura Windchill > Chiba Pro Glove
Woolie Boolies
Shimano MW7
Assos Winter Bibs

Below Zero

Ice Breaker Base
Normal summer short sleeve cycling jersey
Castelli Arm warmers (work better than just a long sleeved jersey)
Motane Pertex Long sleeve lightweight
Woolie Boolies
Buff on head (no hair) - Buff on neck
Chiba Pro Glove > Sealskin Mittons
Lake MXZ303
Assos Winter Bibs

I find only my extremities suffer really, and don't like being over hot at all. Would sooner warm - ie. dress cool to start with.

Polartec alpha really is good stuff. This morning my windshirt was slightly damp inside but my layers were dry, including my polartec alpha gilet (rapha brevet insulated one). In hindsight I was warm enough to have been able to take my windshirt off, just couldn't be bothered to stop

Primaloft gilets don't breathe particularly well, but they are good insulators. The decathlon one sizes up a bit small when i tried it on, medium in most brands but large was a better fit in that.

The Rapha insulated gilet is quite thin though, and it wouldn't stand a crash very well. I use it on the road only. I use a rab strata vest or adidas terrex skyclimb gilet off road these days

In practice though, I'm spending 6-10 hours a week on the bike outside (moving quite slowly) so I end up rotating kit quite a lot. I find a buff really helps when it's cold

EDIT - I forgot about my Brynje layer. It's excellent, really works well. It looks completely ridiculous though. Had a funny restaurant visit in Chamonix wearing it - restaurant was boiling but couldn't take my jacket off for fear of scaring all the customers!

Casual riding and commuting, T-shirt and Jeans, Boots, Jumper(wool), Waterproof jacket, Light weight Down jacket windstopper(thin, no hood) Down gloves, windstopper helmet liner, backpack, get too hot? down jacket is packed down into bag.

Polartec Alpha Direct is brilliant stuff, like a sort of lighter, latter-day Buffalo pile,

Will have a look for some of that. Another thing I swear by is pile-lined kit but there aren't many options for cycling. Specialized make a good one (edit, it's Alpha lined) and Rab VapourRise is like a lightweight Buffalo. Buffalo/Montane Extreme jackets are a bit too hot for riding, or for all but the sort of Scottish winter weather that I've never ridden in.