Mesh Base Layers

[Dan00001]

I've never tried one, although I do fancy trying one. I just have one question, I often see people stating that they use a mesh garment as a replacement for the traditional base layer and then go on to claim that they keep them warmer than the traditional base layer, but in theory, a mesh layer should only be effective at holding heat if the air in the mesh is trapped? meaning that to be effective, it should require a second, close fitting garment over the top of the mesh to trap the air? If you wore a mesh base layer, alone, underneath a waterproof jacket, would the air that's supposed to be trapped in the mesh not just circulate?

Have people who have used mesh base layers found this, or something to the contrary?

 

[hughtrimble]

I have started using them. Have a polypro Brynje long sleeve and merino Aclima longjohns.

Having a tight fitting layer above, unless easily opened/unzipped, defeats the purpose, as from my perspective their benefit is in the ability to immediately dump heat. That's not possible if they're under a tight fitting, hard to remove layer. If you're going to do that, you may as well use a solid base layer.

I wear mine under a zipped fleece (pretty air permeable, often Polartec Alpha stuff) or wool zipped jumper, and then have a windproof layer which can be easily added/removed. The fleece allows a lot of air through but is really comfortable when moving (I tend to run very warm). If that gets too warm, unzipping then dumps all the heat in the mesh. Trousers are harder, but it's why I pretty much only wear trousers with zipped vents to again dump heat when needed.

I'll be chopping and changing between usual solid merino base layers and these mesh ones over the winter. Not had them long at all, but I already really like them. The only issue I have is with the Brynje top which seems to ride up quickly; trying to work out how to manage that.

I'll try out just the later and a wind top sometime, and report back. I can imagine that being good in mid/late spring and early autumn.

I would recommend carrying a t shirt with you, as when indoors, you likely will want to remove the fleece and cover the mesh! It's a very Berlin nightclub look otherwise.

 

[Herman30]

I wear mesh undershirts. Always a shirt of some sort on top of the mesh and then as a third layer the shell garment.

Like yesterday going outside: mesh undershirt, then long sleeve combatshirt and a puffy vest.

 

[gibson 175]

I wear mesh undershirts. Always a shirt of some sort on top of the mesh and then as a third layer the shell garment.

Like yesterday going outside: mesh undershirt, then long sleeve combatshirt and a puffy vest.

What activity would you do in yhat situation? Would that be too hot to walk up a long steep hill?

 

[Billy-o]

When it gets cold here - round about early January - I switch to a wool mesh T-shirt under a 250 gsm wool baselayer. Never been more comfortable

 

[Herman30]

What activity would you do in yhat situation? Would that be too hot to walk up a long steep hill?

Not in current weather condition; 2-4 celsius with drizzle rain on and off. In summertime I would lose the puffy vest but keep mesh undershirt and combat shirt.
Yesterday I was a bit cold in said clothing but I had to be outside only 10-20 minutes waiting for the bus, we went shopping.
Had I been walking for a longer stretch and/or carrying a backpack that clothing would have been enough. Mind you; I am overweight and out of shape so I get easily warm.

 

[Dan00001]

I have started using them. Have a polypro Brynje long sleeve and merino Aclima longjohns.

Having a tight fitting layer above, unless easily opened/unzipped, defeats the purpose, as from my perspective their benefit is in the ability to immediately dump heat. That's not possible if they're under a tight fitting, hard to remove layer. If you're going to do that, you may as well use a solid base layer.

I wear mine under a zipped fleece (pretty air permeable, often Polartec Alpha stuff) or wool zipped jumper, and then have a windproof layer which can be easily added/removed. The fleece allows a lot of air through but is really comfortable when moving (I tend to run very warm). If that gets too warm, unzipping then dumps all the heat in the mesh. Trousers are harder, but it's why I pretty much only wear trousers with zipped vents to again dump heat when needed.

I'll be chopping and changing between usual solid merino base layers and these mesh ones over the winter. Not had them long at all, but I already really like them. The only issue I have is with the Brynje top which seems to ride up quickly; trying to work out how to manage that.

I'll try out just the later and a wind top sometime, and report back. I can imagine that being good in mid/late spring and early autumn.

I would recommend carrying a t shirt with you, as when indoors, you likely will want to remove the fleece and cover the mesh! It's a very Berlin nightclub look otherwise.

I get that, having the ability to dump warmth fast, it's a sort of similar concept to the Paramo Grid Technic base layers I often wear, which also dumps warmth quickly.

But in regards to specifically being warmer, in theory they would require a close fitting garment over the top to actually trap the air in the mesh. I've actually, since posting this, been made aware that Brynje do squally make a base layer that is mesh permanently attached to a thin wool layer, which sounds great for cold weather, but they are like £170 which is too much money for me to spend for UK temperatures.

 

[hughtrimble]

I get that, having the ability to dump warmth fast, it's a sort of similar concept to the Paramo Grid Technic base layers I often wear, which also dumps warmth quickly.

But in regards to specifically being warmer, in theory they would require a close fitting garment over the top to actually trap the air in the mesh. I've actually, since posting this, been made aware that Brynje do squally make a base layer that is mesh permanently attached to a thin wool layer, which sounds great for cold weather, but they are like £170 which is too much money for me to spend for UK temperatures.

I wouldn't state that they're categorically warmer; they're different. They breathe more as there's more air flow permitted so you get less sweaty, and there's less material to get soggy so then you can trap warm air rather than being in contact with highly conductive wet material (although merino itself does help with this in terms of keeping the moisture away from your skin better than some other materials), so in that sense they may be able to keep you warmer in certain circumstances. Is the suggestion that they're warmer than non-mesh, full stop?

 

[hughtrimble]

But in regards to specifically being warmer, in theory they would require a close fitting garment over the top to actually trap the air in the mesh.

Thinking about it, by definition this means they're not warmer than their non-mesh counterparts, because they require the addition of a solid layer to be warmer! Which they will do, in certain circumstances, but then to me it defeats the point of the mesh.

 

[TLM]

When somewhat younger I once tried a combination of Brynje mesh underware and a very thin shell in -20C temp. It was surprisingly comfortable while on the move, OK for a stop of 5 mins but not much longer. So it works well in some situations but it seems not to be a general solution for everything, as just an underlayer works well.

 

[HillBill]

To those who wear them... What are their wicking capabilities like?

 

[Herman30]

I can tell you one good thing about mesh undershirt.
Last summer I was out on my bicycle when it startet to rain. Not hard but kind of moderate.
Wore a mesh undershirt and on top a merino t-shirt. T-shirt was soaking wet but because it did not touch my skin due to the undershirt I did not feel at all wet on my upper body.

 

[Billy-o]

That Polartec Alpha stuff is great - I grabbed some of Rab's now discontinued experiments a few years ago. I see Haglofs use it now.

 

[Billy-o]

It's a very Berlin nightclub look otherwise.

Nipples and all