Base layer recommendations

Lambert wrote: I'In the past I have struggled with having enough clothing to be warm meaning that it's almost impossible to work effectively. Being warm and still able to move, that's the future!

Thats the thing , use wool first layer, and a thin/medium shell 2nd layer (jacket) on top to stop wind/rain, and you have full body movement with no restrictions. Even ice climbers wears layers like this. When doing more passive work, add a fleece sweater as mid layer, or/and a warm coat.
I also keep a thin wool neckwarmer (buff) in my pocket, as a great way to adjust temp changes according to task/workload.

If you sweat alittle, wool transports it very well from youre skin, and dries while wearing it when you stop sweating.
Wool sweatshirt, add trousers if really cold. Wool socks (thin/normal socks) are also great to keep feet dry and warm.

The only place i normally dont wear wool is underwear, as wool is 40dg wash only.... But i do have them for the really extreme cold days.

Polyester and especially cotton are freezing cold when wet, and never dries when wearing them. Polyester is ok at warmer temps.

I am a sheep farmer so am very aware of how good wool is as an insulator. For the last few years I have been using stretch jeans to allow movement while being wind resistant and fairly durable but they are miserable when wet, tops have usually been a t-shirt then microfleece gillett and heavy fleece outer which is fine until it rains and needs a waterproof jacket over top that's when the movement is restricted. What i was thinking was base layer then knee length sweatpant shorts to offer ventilation and get covered in muck then base layer and fleece jumper to allow movement inside the waterproof jacket. Trial and error.

Hi I do a lot of shooting and bike riding I always wear under armour that’s good stuff dawn

I grasped that you were involved in farming but wasn't sure in what field exactly ('scuse the pun :dry:).
Sheep eh? Now your forum name starts to make sense!
For a short time before joining the Royal Air Farce I had a farm job. I recall it being very hard work but immensly rewarding It was both arable and pastoral; mostly sheep barley and oat.

Yes trial and error is definitely the way forward with clothing but there's some technical stuff out there that amazes me - like the Buffalo clothing; it's just finding someone that has used it in order to get a recommendation!
It often makes me wonder in awe at how those poor guys in the WW1 trenches coped with the basic gear they had to use in horrendous conditions, so I try not to grumble too much when the great kit I have sometimes isn't "good enough"

+1 for me for Under Armour stuff Dawn, but I mostly use that for walking/hiking cycling and yoga rather than trying to keep warm. Its v expensive too - I've been lucky enough to get most of my Under Armour cheaply at US Military stores when we travel away.

"Rooster Sailing" for me, as the name suggests it is designed to get wet and to dry quickly as it's primary function

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I second that of OlaGB. Nothing beats wool. Nothing adapts to the differences in activity and perspiration. I use it all the time from September to May.
When doing skiing or when practicing my snowmobile skills there's nothing like it to keep you warm.

In the ski-patrol when we get injuries, we have so much more easy work if the patients have good clothing. Some young girls and boys not wearing a helmet and only want to look cool going down the slopes in cotton hoodie end up getting too cool and really chilled. Adding that to their other injuries.

Most days when out I use either light or heavy wool inner layer, then often fleece or another wool layer.
I even got Fleece pants like the kids in kindergarten got. Not so easy to find in my size
Fleece underneath your wind/rain layer however is a condensation collector. Living in western Norway we never know when it is gonna rain so Gore Tex or similar for the good weather, or flat out 100% waterproof plastic oilskin wich has no breath-ability and total fisherman style for the bad weather..
And if i haven't got my ski boots, then Muck boots neoprene/rubber boots. love them.
And do not forget that a lot of your temperature loss is thru the head and neck and hands and feet. So many people never wear a proper hat to keep your head warm more worried about looks.

But for working like on my car or about a farm or garden I often end up using worn out old clothes, or if it is colder I just bought cheap insulated nylon pants and jacket like a carpenter would use. but movement gets restricted and they do not adapt to activity much so often end up being too warm.