What do you wear under your Buffalo shirt?

[bivouac]

At the weekend I treated myself to a Buffalo mountain shirt at the nice price of £49.99 - an item I have long desired. Sunday's sleet and snow seemed the perfect weather to try it out but I was a little surprised at the cold spots around my waist and in the small of my back. A little tweeking with the velcro straps and the waistband helped but I have to say that it is not as warm and cosy as I expected. The situation is improved by wearing my traditional base layer under it, but of course that is not approved by the makers. It seemed to be a perfect fit when I tried it on in the shop & I got size large as I am 42inch chest and I would not like to squeeze my rather portly frame into a medium and the arms are fine. So it seems that I shall be wearing a base layer under it and would welcome any comments or tips about wearing Buffalo gear.

 

[steven andrews]

I wear a Howies merino base layer under mine.

 

[Shewie]

I have the Spec 6 shirt which is nearly ten years old now, I'm not sure if it's basically the same as the Mountain but I rarely wear anything more than a 200g merino top underneath mine.

 

[Quark]

I have the same problem, if it can be called that. A slight draft up under the bottom around stomak/back. I wear at Helly Hansen type tee-shirt, that helps. And as far as I can tell, without hampering the effect of the pile/pertex. Tryed it with a Merino, but too warm for me. Doesn't stink though...

But I only need the tee-shirt when it's really cold, (at the moment it's -15 to -20) In "warmer" weather i'm fine.

 

[woof]

I have had my spec 6, for about 12yrs, they're a bit longer, but never wore anything under it. But now it is quite thread bare, and torn in places, so i, like you, now wear a base lare.

Rob

 

[Mike8472]

I have a mountain shirt and used it for 6 years now.
Its one of the best buys I've ever made.
they say you should wear nothing under it; so the pile is next to the skin but i never have. When I go walking in the winter all I have is a wicking t-shirt and the mountain shirt it is very warm when walking around but when you stop for a break or lunch etc then you start to get cold in them, so I never tend to stay still for long.

 

[andybysea]

Just a Lowe alpine base layer under mine usually.

 

[RAPPLEBY2000]

I use a Mardale jacket (a Buffalo copy), pretty much the same in everyway.

I'll were just a simple cheap poly-pro top no particular name from a local Lidl type shop..

if very cold I'll wear a US army poly pro shirt (like a norgee), underneath.

I always find a cotton t-shirt more comfortable but obviously it doesn't work as well.

 

[Paul_B]

Where did you get it for £49.99? No don't tell me shouldn't spend anymore this month, trying to save some money for a trip. I don't need one, I don't need one! I want one, please tell me.

I'm weak, I've resisted for 15-20 years to get one because I didn't need one, but for £49.99 my resolve would be weak.

 

[cockroach]

I have a Buffalo windcheater jacket, not a mountain shirt (zip up front, styled like your bog standard fleece jacket), I find it works best with just a thermal T shirt underneath. Plenty warm enough as long as you're active. Sounds strange, but if I put a fleece jumper on as well, it doesn't seem to make it any warmer.

 

[tommy the cat]

Where did you get it for £49.99? No don't tell me shouldn't spend anymore this month, trying to save some money for a trip. I don't need one, I don't need one! I want one, please tell me.

I'm weak, I've resisted for 15-20 years to get one because I didn't need one, but for £49.99 my resolve would be weak.

Buffalo do a few products that are cheaper than the mountain shirt.
I am guessing it is one of their less warm garments?!?
If I'm wrong I want to know the shop name too!!!!
I keep hovering over the buy button on these but not sure if they will be too warm for me......do they pack 'smallish?'
Sorry just reread the thread........yep where did you get it from?
D

 

[tombear]

Been using Buffalo shirts and the various copies since about 1986 and I've never worn anything under them unles I'm wandering around town and don't have a fleece.

I have always run hot so to speak and have known a fair few who don't seam to generate enough heat to get the capilary action working so end off wet and miserable (bought plenty of as new bits from charity shops that must have come from these folk).

Unless I am standing still i tend to have all the zips open but then I am a very sweaty bugger. I always now carry something like a Sleeka to slap on top when I stop and start to cool off.

Absolute great bits of kit, if they suit you, just a wind proof fleace if they don't.

I don't know if its right as i got it second hand from the lads at a outdoors shop just south of Sheffield who claimed they were well in with the staff at the factory but the only thing Hamish would countance going over a Buffalo shirt was a single layer of Ventile as anything else including Goretex wasn't breathable enough to let the pertex and pile breath. Certainly my Snowled single layer works well with it when its really windy.

After 20 years it does look like your grandads teddy on the inside, bald in patches but stilll much loved!

ATB

Tom

PS One thing I did do to my first shirt was add a storm flap (from a pertex towel) over the chest zip as if the rains in the wrong direction I got a nasty cold trickle down my belly.

 

[Shewie]

I keep hovering over the buy button on these but not sure if they will be too warm for me......do they pack 'smallish?'

D

They don't pack down that small Dave as the pile is quite springy, if you shove one in a compression sack it'll go to about the size of small melon. If you just stuff one into a pack they will fill it. They weight next to nothing though

 

[tommy the cat]

Ta Rich.
D

 

[g4ghb]

I'm another that doesn't wear anything under it - it takes a bit of a leap of faith to try it in bad weather for the first time but against all your instincts to wear multiple layers it really does work!

 

[Shewie]

I'm another that doesn't wear anything under it - it takes a bit of a leap of faith to try it in bad weather for the first time but against all your instincts to wear multiple layers it really does work!

This is a bit like folk saying it's best to strip off before getting into a doss bag for the night, it sounds so wrong and I'm never brave enough to try it.

 

[lannyman8]

awsome bit of kit one of the best i ever spent money on along with my lowa boots.....

i just use a cotton t shirt but best results come from nout but what nature gave ya...lol

my one is about 11 years old well worth the money........

 

[bivouac]

Many thanks for all your answers. The mountain shirt of which I am now the proud owner uses Pertex 5 whereas the Special Six shirt uses Pertex 6 which is more wind resistant I think. I got it from Marcruss Surplus Stores in Bristol. They are having a clearance sale and only had a few left. Their phone number is 0117 9292119 but I don't know if they do mail order. I like the sound of the Merino wool base layer and will probably go for that as my Berghaus ACL tee shirt has seen better days. As it happens, I saw a chap wearing a Buffalo shirt in Tescos car park today and, yes, he was wearing a tee shirt under it. He said he had been in Scotland all last week and the Buffalo had performed well with a base layer.

 

[MrEd]

i wear a borat sling as thats all i find necessary........

 

[Mikey P]

Just a HH thermal top. Buffalo is the original softshell and probably the greatest outdoor clothing for Scottish winter climbing and hiking. Even when they get wet, your body heat quickly drives the moisture away from the pile closest to your skin, so it feels dry even when wet.

If you are having problems with cold lower back/kidneys, there is a solution. I have a green mountain shirt for normal use but, when climbing, I use an old Buffalo cycle shirt with an expedition hood. If you look at either the Cycle Shirt or the Buffalo Big Face, they are both identical apart from pocket position. Both are made of the same material as the mountain shirts but ... they have additional material at the front and back and a crotch strap - this stops the shirt riding up and cold air getting to your lower back and also provides additional insulation in the front and rear lower areas.

I picked the cycle shirt up for a tenner on eBay, though I had to do a number of repairs myself and re-install the crotch strap. The expedition hood I got brand new of someone on an outdoor website for £20 (usually £30 + p&p): it is more robust than the normal hood and will fit over a helmet.

I have never done it myself but you may be able to install a crotch strap on the mountain shirt that will prevent it riding up and exposing your back/kidneys.