Icy wind stinging your face, sideways rain and many many many kilometres left. Just as well your core is nice and warm!
If you ask any outdoor expert in Ireland what the best piece of outdoor clothing is for Irish conditions they will more than likely say a good base layer. Having a great GoreTex jacket is necessary but those that have been out in all weather know that even the best waterproof jacket will create a stuffy, sweaty environment inside which will only be made worse if it is not paired with a good base layer.
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Base layers
A base layer is your first line of defence against the cold. It is the layer that is directly against your skin. Good base layers are made from wicking materials. This is to draw the moisture from your sweat away from your body ensuring it does not cool you down. It also ensures that when you stop perspiring you do not feel cold. The thickness or weight of the base layer you need will depend largely on the activity you are doing. If you are running or doing another similar high-octane activity you will likely need a lightweight base layer even in very cold conditions. However, if you are doing something much lower intensity or something where the wind plays a significant role; sailing, skiing or in our case cycling you will need a thicker base layer in the same conditions.
Our testing
On a cold winter cycle recently, I was discussing with a friend, how riding your bike in winter in Ireland is easily doable with the right kit. One piece of clothing that has been our secret weapon for very cold pre-work rides in the winter has been the Zerofit Ultimate Heatrub base layer.Â
The Ultimate Heatrub baselayer is a thick, yet surprisingly lightweight layer. It is made of a blend of Acrylic, Nylon Wool, Polyester, and Polyurethane. When we first unboxed the base layer we thought it looked more reminiscent of a turtleneck sweater than a technical base layer but how wrong we were. We first tested the base layer on a cold morning commute on the bike. It was 1° Celsius (feels like -2° Celsius according to my weather app) with a light headwind the whole way into town. I had the Ultimate Heatrub baselayer, a lightweight long-sleeve cycling jersey and a wind-resistant gilet on, and I was toasty. Getting layers right for winter cycling is a difficult task that generally takes a lot of trial and error. I was toasty in just 3 layers, the same amount of layers I would wear on autumn rides. Safe to say I was very impressed by the insulation that the Ultimate Heatrub baselayer provided.
Another recent outing for the Ultimate Heatrub baselayer was on a January trip to Iceland. Temperatures were routinely below -10° Celsius but paired with a fleece and a good outer layer our core remained toasty.
There really is no excuse to stay indoors this winter. The Zerofit Ultimate Heatrub baselayer has just given us another reason to get out, no matter what the thermometer says!
