Base layers for men as a staple

Whether you’re going hiking, heading to a tennis, or putting on your backpack, boots, and the rest of your gear for a mountain adventure, the first thing you need is a base layer.

What is a base layer? As the name suggests, a base layer is a piece of clothing you wear first when layering to keep warm and dry. It can be a T-shirt or leggings for example. When it comes to base layers, there are some things to pay special attention to. If you’re picking out men’s base layers, here are a few things to consider:

Is it going to protect you? No shirt can protect you from a bear so bring a can of bear spray. But clothes can protect you from cold, water and your own sweat. A good base layer can be the difference when it comes to feeling comfortable in your own skin. It should feel like a second layer of skin.

Now, we’re not going to pressure you into investing into the Columbia brand but we’ll do our best to share some information about the technologies we’re using when making men’s base layer clothing items.

Technologies we use in creating base layers for men

At Columbia, we’re every bit as dedicated to science as we are to comfort and quality. We believe that we need to find a balance between them, which is why we’ve done a ton of research. Our professional experts team has come up with the perfect technologies to design the ideal base layer men will love. We worked very hard to ensure you get freedom of movement together with lightweight items to keep you warm and dry.

First of all, we have Omni-Wick™ moisture wicking technology. Items made with this technology wick off excessive moisture and sweat. It also quickens the evaporation process so the water never sticks around for long.

Then, we have our famous Omni-Heat™ reflective technology. It eliminates the need for too many layers as it takes your own body into consideration. You see, contrary to popular belief, clothes and blankets do not make us warm. They just keep us warm. Our own bodies are the machines that generate that warmth, and with our reflective technology, the base layer items that are close to your body retain that warmth and give it back to you. But they do not let it escape. At the same time, they have a cooler effect so you will not get too warm, as excessive warmth and sweat simply evaporates.

Choosing the perfect base layers for men

At Columbia, we want both men and women to express themselves and feel comfortable and find clothes true to their preferences while being fully functional. Thai is why we try to offer men a wide range of options with our sport gear. With our base layer collection, we have tops and pants.

With tops, you can find long sleeve shirts and baselayers without a zip, with half zip or a quarter zip. Some also have thumb holes for an added comfortable feeling. I mean, is there anything worse than your sleeve going up underneath a jacket?

With pants, we have wool tights for thermal pants used under your trousers and hybrid pants that can be worn on their own in warmer weather.

Our sizes go from S to XXL but all of our fabrics are stretchy so check your measurements to be sure.