Every so often, I experience a texture so magical that I wonder why the sense of touch is not as celebrated as, say, tasting or hearing. Million thread count sheets at a fancy hotel, for instance. New Zealand wool carpets in an upscale Whistler chalet. The little patch of fur behind my Golden Retriever Lola’s front ankles. Merino wool under layers.
Seriously y’all. This is where I start reviewing SmartWool’s NTS (Next to Skin) collection, and you’re going to see a whole lot of heavenly metaphors going forward. I can’t help myself. It's that good.
Before I get ahead of myself, let’s talk about base layers. Base layers are perhaps one of the less glamorous components of shred gear and don’t get the same attention that goggles or outerwear get. But anyone who has ever spent a day on the mountain wearing a cotton t-shirt knows that a good base layer is clutch for freeriding.
Now, I used to think all base layers were created more or less equally. My own base layers range from old long underwear (like, old) to Lululemon leggings to proper snowboarding base layers made from synthetic material. SmartWool’s products are made of merino wool. Read: material of the gods.
If you have never experienced a SmartWool base layer, let me try to describe it to you. It’s tight fitting but not restricting. It dries so fast that it has to be magic. It takes a LOT to make it smelly. It doesn’t have that bathing suit feeling that some other base layers have—on the contrary, it feels like the most luxurious sweater on earth, but in full body form. I’m not joking when I say I would love to wear this outfit all day, every day, because it feels like wearing clouds. The only thing preventing me is that the tight, all purple Barney look simply doesn’t mesh with my life outside of snowboarding. Incidentally—have you ever tried to photograph yourself in your base layer? I have:
Yeah...
The Next to Skin collection is designed not to chafe, and the tops are nice and long, mitigating the whole exposed-back-while-strapping-in issue. The tops and bottoms come in three types, depending on your activity type and climate—micro, light and mid. I went for mid, since it is designated as the base layer for very cold weather, and I have no complaints. There is also a nice selection of relatively muted colours—no neon here, alas.
Now, the question on everyone’s mind: how much does it cost to experience this celestial magic? The NTS Mid Crew Top and NTS Mid Bottoms retail for $119.99 Canadian apiece. This is expensive—but I sincerely believe it is totally worth it. These are going to last a long, long time, and they kept me comfortable on the mountain in a way that only a really good quality product can. I don’t like to overpay for things, and this definitely requires saving up for, but think of it as the Chanel handbag for snowboarders (that might be a bit girly)—it’s an investment piece and you are paying for quality.
If you’re looking to ease your way into the world of SmartWool, you can always just go with a pair of the snowboard socks. I have been wearing these around the mountain and they live up to the hype. At $33.99 Canadian, they are a more affordable option until you are ready for the whole merino shebang.
SmartWool’s Next-to-Skin collection is not only Magee-endorsed, but a certified Magee-life-changer. If you’re eager to get your paws on some SmartWool products stat, they are available at a ton of shops throughout Whistler, or you can find your closest retailer online at www.bluerivertrading.com under the Store Locator tab.
