Underwear

What do I need to know before buying sport underwear ?

Selecting the best clothing for your adventure starts with the layer right next to your skin – your base layer. The role of the ski base layer is to hold on to warm air whilst transporting any excess moisture away from the body, keeping you warm, dry and comfortable.

A SNUG FIT TO TRAP WARMTH AND TO WICK AWAY PERSPIRATION

The main choice you’ll need to make is around the fabrics used – primarily, whether you prefer garments made from synthetic fibres or those made with natural materials like silk, bamboo or merino wool. Each has its own advantages. We’ve deliberately excluded cotton from this list, as while it feels lovely and soft next to the skin when first worn, it absorbs and holds moisture, and is not the best insulator.

UNDERWEAR MADE FROM SYNTHETIC MATERIALS

Synthetic baselayers offer several advantages for active sports like skiing. Stretchy and comfortable, durable, quick drying and easy to look after, they’re also more affordable than some equivalents made from natural fibres. While synthetic materials don’t naturally resist odours, many feature advanced treatments that address this: for instance, some CimAlp baselayers use our Warm IONIC technology, preventing bacteria-related odours from developing.

SILK UNDERWEAR

Silk is a popular fibre for baselayers thanks to its unrivalled softness, and is often mixed with other fibres for optimal performance. For instance, some CimAlp garments are made of silk and CIMATHERM blended fibres. These high-performance, technical thermal baselayers combine the luxurious, soft feeling of silk with ‘body mapping’ technology that optimises temperature control for each zone of your body.

MERINO WOOL UNDERWEAR

Warm, breathable, soft and naturally anti-bacterial, merino wool is ideally suited to high-performance base layers. You’ll find options in a variety of thicknesses, as well as fabrics that blend merino with technical synthetic fibres. Some of Cimalp’s most popular baselayers use blends, combining merino with polyester Polygiene®. This produces a snugger fit, with powerful antimicrobial properties that inhibit odour-causing bacteria.

Explore our hiking clothing ranges and complete your trekking gear by visiting our dedicated pages:

- Baselayers

-Technical socks