baselayer advice

[quiggers]

further to a previous thread, I'm off to Lapland on Sat with some dogs and a sled, and have purchased some silk baselayer.

What I'd like to know is ?????

Are you supposed to wear underwear with them, or just go 'au natural' ?
If underwear required, assume there's no point wearing a synthetic pant, seeing as you want the natural thermal properties ??

Also, I've bought some of the cheap Italian wool tops as recommended by Neil in another thread from Endicotts - but they didn't have any bottoms - anyone got any recommendations for cheap/discount wool bottoms ?

Cheers..

[addyb]

Look mate, I hate to say it, but silk's not that great as a baselayer. It's about as effective as cotton. Silk IS however, about the most comfortable next-to-skin fabric in existence. (So yes, you don't wear anything underneath it, that's why it's called a base layer)

The trouble with silk is that it doesn't really transport moisture away from your skin like polyester, polypropylene, or merino wool. When you sweat, just like when wearing cotton, silk absorbs that moisture and holds it in. And so when you stop moving, that sweat is still there, and it cools you down. In cold conditions, this can lead to hypothermia, and in advanced stages, death.

Silk and cotton both absorb approximately 30% of their weight in moisture, and very very slow to dry.

Silk IS good as a warm-layer fabric, because it feels nice to wear, and it's not so bad as a sleeping fabric, when you're in your bag. Provided that it's DRY.

Anyway, I'm sorry to burst your bubble about silk, but these are the cold, hard facts.

Adam

[Toddy]

I've got to disagree, please see
http://www.patra.com/facts.asp

I find silk next to the skin is ideal *if* I wear breathable layers above it too. I usually wear silk, linen and then wool when I'm outdoors.
and
http://www.couloirmag.com/gear/clothing/fabric_glos.asp
see Precip technology for the explanation. You *want* an absorbent layer next to your skin and then the layers above to wick it away, it's getting the mix right that counts.
I do agree about cotton though, stays wet and takes ages to dry.

Why not try wearing the silk for a couple of days this week and see how you get on? That'll give you time to wash it through before you go and still have a good trial.

Have fun, we're all green with envy, really Wet, cold, damp, grey, dreich winter here still...........

Cheers,
Toddy

[quiggers]

no worries about bursting the bubble, that's why the forums here, appreciate the advice.

My plan was to wear some wool tops/shirts next to the silk. I've been wearing the silk base tops here in the UK through the winter, where it's a lot damper and not suffered as far as i can tell - plus on the sled there's not a lot of movement, apart from falling off!!!! So sweat shouldn't be as much as say hiking..

apart from in the Sauna with some Vodka

I'm going to take some wool as well so can switch depending on how I get on.

I must admit I've seen a few references to linen being used a mid layer, but wouldn't have been something I'd have thought of..interesting, going to look into that..

cheers,
Quiggers.