Base layers: the cheap upgrade that transforms long rides

Nobody brags about their base layer. There are no cool graphics, no big logos, no Instagram shots. And yet ask any rider who tours seriously and they will tell you the right base layer changed everything.

This is the cheapest comfort upgrade in motorcycling, and most riders skip it. Do not be most riders.

What a base layer actually does

A base layer is the thin garment worn against your skin, under everything else. Its one job is moisture management, and it changes your whole day.

• It wicks sweat off your skin so you do not sit in a wet, clammy shirt
• It regulates temperature, keeping you warmer when cold and cooler when hot
• It reduces chafing under armour on long rides
• It adds a clean layer between you and your jacket liner

Cotton kills your comfort. Once it gets damp from sweat, it stays wet, steals your body heat, and chills you for the rest of the ride.

Why cotton is the enemy

That favourite cotton t-shirt is the worst thing you can wear under your gear. Cotton soaks up sweat and holds it. On a cool Canadian morning that wet cotton pulls heat out of you and leaves you shivering an hour into the ride. On a hot day it turns into a soggy, clinging mess.

A proper base layer uses synthetic fabrics or merino wool that move moisture away and dry fast.

Choosing the right one

• Synthetic: cheap, durable, dries fastest, great for hot weather and sweaty work
• Merino wool: naturally warm, resists odour over multi-day trips, comfortable across a wide temperature range
• Fit: snug but not restrictive, because a base layer works by sitting against the skin

For cold-weather riding, add a thermal mid layer over the base and you have a system that handles a huge temperature range.

When it pays off most

Base layers earn their keep on:

1. 01Long highway days where you are in the saddle for hours
2. 02Early spring and late fall, when mornings are cold and afternoons warm up
3. 03Hot summer commutes where wicking keeps you from arriving drenched

It is a small spend that punches far above its price. Browse base layers and thermals or ask us what works for our climate. Get the layer next to your skin right and every other piece of gear works better.