Good Inside & Outside Make It Good Inside & Outside
For the first time in forever, I’ve found a shirt that satisfies my high standards for warmth and dryness and my wife’s for style and versatility in the Helly Hansen Lifa Merino 1/2 Zip Long-sleeve base layer.
Because I commute by bike year-round in Minnesota, having a good range of base layers is as essential as having a good range of bike tires, but it turns out that the number of people who assess, let alone comment on, the aesthetics of the rubber on my wheels is far smaller than those who judge me by the shirt on my back. Despite my wife’s having mentioned this once or…uh…maybe twice, it didn’t really hit home until I was in a meeting one day wearing my Helly Hansen Lifa Merino 1/2 Zip Long-sleeve base layer.
Fit & Function
As soon as I had thrown on the shirt that morning, I noticed two surprising things: First, it fit me perfectly—surprising because I’m really small and most men in Norway, where Helly Hansen is located, are not. Second, it felt great—surprising because I knew that the shirt was 57% wool. Both surprises are due to a smart combination of a stretchy interior layer made of Helly Hansen’s renowned LIFA wicking fibers against your skin and an exterior 100% Merino wool layer that faces the world. I was already liking this new shirt, but even though my wife says that the Blue Fog (one of numerous color options), goes well with my skin tone, I was just hoping to keep my skin warm and dry on my four-mile ride in 15º F weather.
I was not disappointed.
Dry and So Fly
I was the driest I’ve ever been when I got off my bike and shed my jacket at work. Again, the double layer construction works like a charm. While wool by itself is famous for keeping sailors and mountaineers warm, it’s not truly hydrophobic and does retain some moisture. But in combination with the LIFA layer, the material delivered a one-two punch to my prolific perspiration and left me toasty and dry. I just lowered the zipper a few inches and my biking base layer became business casual. No more dashing to the nearest closet or restroom to make a quick change, and no more packing a dry shirt my backpack so that I can look presentable. Saving time and space is always a bonus, but the rewards this shirt offer didn’t stop there.
My meeting that day was with an Italian colleague, Silvia, who has impeccable taste and is always dressed as though she just stepped out of a fashion magazine. She had gotten used to seeing me wearing a wrinkled sweater fresh out of my backpack or still sporting a tight base layer perfect for the gym. So I knew that I’d struck gold when Silvia did a double take after her usual “Ciao,” and said, “Now that…is a very nice sweater. You should wear it more often.” And I do.
Available in men’s (XS-XXL) and women’s (XS-XL) sizes. Men’s top comes in Black, Lav Green, and Navy; women’s available in Cayenne and Black.
Bottom Line: Thanks to the elasticity of the double layer construction, finding a good fit is no sweat. A warm, dry, and very sharp-looking shirt from cold weather experts Helly Hansen.
Manufacturer’s Site: www.hellyhansen.com
$110 available at Amazon, women’s top available at Moosejaw