Kathmandu Merino Divide Top Review

Having the opportunity to try out Kathmandu's merino base layer, I was interested to see how it would compare to the synthetic base layers I've always used up until now.

Back in the old days, there was no such thing as synthetic materials, so for decades explorers and adventurers had to rely solely on garments made from natural materials. Then, in our rush to embrace new technology and materials, we mostly lost sight of natural fibres and their unique properties.

Something now being rediscovered with the emergence of merino wool garments.

Whilst doing a bit of research on base layers, I studied the clothing that George Mallory wore on his ill-fated Everest attempt. Analysis had revealed the base layer he wore comprised of a mixture of wool and silk. On the original 1924 garment, the plait knit fabric had wool on the inner and silk on the outer surface.

However what was most interesting about Mallory's base layer for me, was that it was manufactured right here in the Peak District by John Smedley of Matlock! The company is still based there and producing garments to this day.

All of us who regularly venture into the wider and wilder outdoors are familiar with the concept of layering your clothing, and Mallory was wearing seven layers. At the core of this is the base layer, which is designed to provide the first layer of insulation, whilst wicking away any sweat from the surface of your skin.

Anyone who has worn a cotton t-shirt as a base layer will know how quickly you start to chill once the fabric becomes damp and stays damp. In fact mountain guides in the USA have a saying, "cotton is death!" - and they won't even let you on the mountain until you are properly kitted out.

Synthetic base layers work very well at providing insulation and dispersing moisture, but anyone who has worn one - particularly for any length of time - will appreciate there are one or two major downsides to them.

The base layer I was testing was from Kathmandu. No, not the capital of Nepal, but the suppliers of a large range of quality outdoor gear, relatively new to the UK, but big in Australia and New Zealand.

The merino 'Divide' top is aimed at the serious hiker, trekker or climber for whom an effective layering system is essential to their comfort or survival. But who might also be looking for something a little more comfortable, wearable, effective and stylish.

Priced at £34.99, the Kathmandu base layer compares very favourably with other similar merino base layers on the market - some of which have quite astronomical feeling price tags. As a comparison, the Patagonia Merino 2 Lightweight Crew retails at £57.50 and the ICEBREAKER Men's Oasis Long Sleeve Crew retails at £60.00

Synthetic base layers tend to be slightly cheaper, so is merino worth shelling out a few extra quid for? After all, they'll do pretty much the same thing won't they?

First impressions are that the merino garment is incredibly light, which is a big plus point when weight matters - especially for long walks where every single ounce you're carrying counts.

Perhaps you've been inspired by the movie 'Wild' starring Reese Witherspoon and decided to do something like walking the Pacific Crest Trail?!

Merino is unlike any other type of wool out there and the material feels wonderfully soft and silky next to your skin. Synthetic base layers, particularly the cheaper ones, can feel a bit rough and itchy.

The seams are all very nicely flat sewn and the fit is excellent. It's a really nice looking top and very much the kind of thing you could use as casual wear too. It looks great on, and you'd never really know it was 'just' a base layer.

Indeed it felt so nice on that I was quite loath to take it off again.

So how well did it perform compared to a synthetic base? My outdoor adventuring partner Bea and I decided to do a circular walk of around ten miles up in the Peak District, starting at Alsop en le Dale and up through Wolfscote and Beresford Dales to Hartington, coming back via Biggin Dale.

It was an overcast February day in the Peak District, so we weren't expecting it to be anything like warm.

I started out wearing the base layer, a thin fleece and my soft shell on top, but after just a few yards from the car I was already getting uncomfortably warm. The fleece was immediately consigned to the rucksack for the remainder of the walk!

A massive plus point of wool is the complete absence of smell. You know the scenario - you don't need to be wearing a synthetic base long before it starts to get a bit whiffy. If you're on an extended trip of two or three days, you start to notice other people avoiding standing downwind of you.

With the merino base, that just doesn't happen. The top remains completely odourless - and I'm still wearing it whilst I'm writing this review.

It's also important to note that the merino base is fully machine washable on the normal woollen programme. It's all very easy.

I must admit I am massively impressed with the Divide top. It provides an excellent degree of warmth and comfort throughout the day, and it looks good - even on me.

I would never have expected to get away with wearing just a base and a soft shell on a February day up in the Peak District, but it far exceeded my expectations in every respect all day. Even when slogging up some seriously steep hillsides, at no time did it ever feel damp or clammy. It did a first rate job of allowing moisture to pass through.

The top also has an amazing UPF (Ultraviolet Protection Factor) of 50+, typical sun protective clothing generally has UPF of around 30, which means that only 1 out of 30 units of UV will pass through. This is a real bonus for us climbers, skiers, high altitude trekkers and anyone else at increased risk of UV exposure.

This is the first time I've tried a merino base layer and now having done so, I'll never buy another synthetic base layer again. I'm totally sold on them.

So if, like me, you've tried synthetic and you like the look, feel or just the concept of using environmentally friendly, sustainable natural fibres, try merino. They are definitely worth paying a few extra pounds for.

Away with stinky synthetics. Merino base layers are definitely the way forward!