Base layers that don’t make you smell ?

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Ched9310

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Hi All,

Any recommendations for base layers that aren’t c**p material so if you get a bit hot & sweaty you don’t smell...?

I’m not generally a sweaty or stinky Betty ? But if the material is cheap I don’t have long before I can smell my deodorant working, to not smelling that great ?

TIA
 
Merino really is about the only thing you can wear for days, sweat in it and it won’t smell and nor will you. Aldi sometimes have them at a good price and second Decathlon. I used to get cycling ones from New Zealand and even with shipping and duty they were worth the money, lasted for years and were only put in the bin when full of holes.
 
Helly Hansen Lifa range :).

https://www.hellyhansen.com/baselayer/

I live in these in winter/spring/autumn. I have them in both long and short sleeve versions. Definitely not smelly - in days of yore Helly Hansen used to be nicknamed Smelly Hansen, but they've completely upped their game since then :D. The Lifas are also easy to wash and they dry quickly.
 
I can probably count on one hand how many times I've washed my merino ice breaker gilet I've had for 5 years, sounds gross but it literally never smells or looks in need of a wash! Its very hard to remember. I wore it solidly for 3 weeks riding 4-8 hours a day on holiday once I think it smelt a bit by the end of that ?
OH has some nice merino alpkit base layers
 
Plain cotton T-shirts work for me. It's not the textile that makes you stink; it's the food you eat, your metabolism and the presence of bacteria.
 
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There are also ways that you can treat your clothing to remove the bacteria that cause the smell. Pre soaking in vinegar is one. I pre treat the armpits with sanitiser hand gel and the Dettol anti bacterial wash is also very good.
 
Another icebreaker fan here. I can’t wear synthetic fibre at all. Just doesn’t work for me. It is pricey, but I buy in sales and it keeps for years. I get even longer out of it as it has to have many holes before I give up!
 
Another recommendation for Icebreaker merino base layers. But I also have some from BAM clothing which are bamboo and they’re good too.
 
I can’t wear wool, it irritates me. Is the merino likely to be as irritant as “normal” wool?
I have a merino blanket at home, which is fine as long as it not next to my skin, seperated by a sheet and 2 cotton throws. Any closer, and it really itches.
 
Spottyappy said:
I can’t wear wool, it irritates me. Is the merino likely to be as irritant as “normal” wool?
I have a merino blanket at home, which is fine as long as it not next to my skin, seperated by a sheet and 2 cotton throws. Any closer, and it really itches.
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All my merino tops are thin and don’t look or feel anything like traditional wool if that helps.
 
canteron said:
Merino wool! Try decathalon or icebreaker or many other brands! Skiing and mountaineering brands good places to look.
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Decathlon merino is exceptional, I find it the absolutely least itchy and as good or better than any other premium brand. My one Icebreaker 180 top got a hole in it really fast too.

Spottyappy said:
I can’t wear wool, it irritates me. Is the merino likely to be as irritant as “normal” wool?
I have a merino blanket at home, which is fine as long as it not next to my skin, seperated by a sheet and 2 cotton throws. Any closer, and it really itches.
Click to expand...

Merino varies a lot, what is used in your blanket will be different to what is used next to the skin, however, I have all sorts of merino. Trespass - unbelievably itchy, Decathlon - the least itchy, and all sorts in between. I wear polo necks for non riding ALL winter because if any regular sweater touches my neck I can't bear the itch. I cut all the labels out of my tops. And I have plenty of "fashion" merino from TK Maxx from all sorts of premium brands that are itchy, when Decathlon base layers aren't. Definitely worth a try!
 
Decent (Ie expensive :() merino wool is the answer, as many above have said. I can't wear 'ordinary' wool next to my skin without scratching, but merino has no effect on my skin.
 
Petalpoos said:
Decent (Ie expensive :() merino wool is the answer, as many above have said. I can't wear 'ordinary' wool next to my skin without scratching, but merino has no effect on my skin.
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Decathlon is honestly the best I've found and it's £12ish for a camisole, and £30-35 for tops and long underwear.
 
Merino is king without a doubt, I use Icebreaker its brilliant.

I use a site SportPursuit that does flash sales of sports kit, its great but you sometimes have to wait to get what you have bought until the end of the sale. I snowboard and have bought some great baselayers - Mavick and Haster are the brand names, that I use on a daily basis for cycling, riding and dog walking they arent Merino but are fabulous I wouldnt wear one for more than two days on the trot, particularly if I've done something very active like cycling.

https://www.sportpursuit.com/
 
i have a nice olvossa baselayer that is breathable and comfy. my partner's daughter has an aztec diamond one, which i don't really rate at all- material is cheap and stitching pops easily. that said, I do like the sweatshirts.
 
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