We Wore and Tested 5 Nuyarn Base Layers For Skiing

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Remember a few years ago, when everyone seemed to be switching to merino wool base layers for skiing? Synthetic base layer materials promised great moisture wicking capability and durability, but merino was king for both warmth (especially when wet) and odor resistance, making it my go-to choice for skiing. Unfortunately, most pure merino garments turned out to be quite expensive, and many didn’t seem to stay intact for more than a season or two of frequent use.

That’s where the innovative technology of Nuyarn comes in. Available in garments from dozens of outdoor brands this year, like TREW, Le Bent, Artilect, Kuiu and more, it takes merino performance to new heights, and should be on your radar for your next set of base layers for skiing. I can’t get enough of merino apparel for its ability to stay warm, dry and stink-free for days on end between washes, making it a great option for extended ski vacations or multi-day backcountry trips, especially when temps go up in the spring. Nuyarn takes all those qualities and adds durability and breathability, and better yet, it even increases comfort.

What is Nuyarn Wool?

Nuyarn isn’t actually a new material, it’s just a new way to make fabric from merino wool fibers. After being shorn off the sheep, raised and happily roaming around the hills of New Zealand, Australia or South Africa, the wool is spun to create yarn, which is then sewn into clothing. Merino’s extremely thin and soft fibers are part of what give the fabric its superior qualities (moisture wicking, thermoregulation, and odor-resistance, all in an extremely comfortable and lightweight fabric).

Nuyarn takes those fibers and spins them in an innovative way, without twisting them, to create a fabric with a claimed 35 percent more volume and aeration. That translates to a material that’s faster drying, more elastic, better at blocking wind, and most importantly, more durable. Nuyarn is a mechanical process (vs. a chemical application like adding PFAS), and the benefits last for the entire lifetime of the garment.

How Do I Care for Nuyarn?

Despite it being much more durable than standard merino, Nuyarn still requires some special care to keep in tip-top shape. It’s not recommended to wash these garments often (and you’ll find you won’t need to), and avoid tumble drying them. Instead, air dry them by laying them on a flat surface or draping them over a rack.

I did accidentally tumble dry a few of these, and they didn’t disintegrate–but I wouldn’t recommend doing this frequently.

Artilect Boulder 125 Quarter Zip Nuyarn Top - Men’s and Women’s

Colorado-based apparel brand Artilect has focused on making a full system of technical outdoor apparel, beginning with their A/SYS-1 base layers. Mid-weight quarter-zip base layers like Artilect’s Boulder 125 Quarter-Zip Nuyarn top are a great option for skiers looking for versatility in their garments, no matter the temperature. Whether layering this under a puffy jacket and shell on storm days at the resort, or wearing just this on the skintrack during a high-output ski tour, the Boulder 125 is an incredibly comfortable option with perfectly thought out details.

Baselayers often get overlooked as just simple single-layer garments, but it’s clear the Artilect design team put some extra thought into this one. With mapped underarm venting that extends down the side, I found that the Boulder 125 is warm, but not too warm for high-output activities. Cuff thumb loops and a small but effective zipper garage at the neck make this really comfortable next to skin.

Related: Review: Rab Men's Khroma Diffuse Kit

Artilect Flatiron 185 Nuyarn Leggings - Men’s and Women’s

Just like the Boulder 125 tops, Artilect takes the Flatiron 185 leggings (what most would consider to be a simple, boring piece of apparel) and elevates the design to something noteworthy. It uses a mid weight 185 gsm (grams per square meter) fabric that I found best suited for colder touring days and resort skiing, and I look forward to lounging around the cabin on my next ski vacation or backcountry hut trip.

The Flatiron 185 leggings feature comfortably stretchy fabric (it runs true to size), and strategic venting on the inside of the leg and on the back right below the belt line–right where things tend to get hot and sweaty especially when skiing with a pack or ski touring.

Lé Bent Feathertop Ultralight Nuyarn Hoodie - Men’s and Women’s

Often overlooked for skiing, lightweight sun hoodies are some of the best base layers for big days of backcountry skiing and for sunny spring days at the resort. Keeping yourself adequately covered is crucial for keeping the sun’s powerful UV rays at bay, and I’m convinced nothing works better than a lightweight and breathable hoodie. Typically seen as a warm-weather garment, most sun hoodies have been made of synthetic materials–great for fishing, climbing, or chilling at the beach, but not ideal for daily high-output use. From experience, I’ll say that ends with one thing: too many stinky garments.

Lé Bent takes the classic sun hoodie and makes it out of Nuyarn Merino. I found that it not only blocks the sun with the best of them, the unique weave of the lightweight 125 gsm Nuyarn acts as a pretty effective wind blocker. That’s especially nice while alpine climbing, ski touring, or doing anything else where the air temp might be warm, but a crisp wind might chill you to the bone. I’m excited to make this one of my go-tos for ski touring this winter.

Related: Review: Blackcrows Corvus

Lé Bent Sentinel Midweight Nuyarn Leggings - Men’s and Women’s

As a counterpart to the ultralight sun hoodies, Lé Bent also offers a set of much warmer leggings. Despite being called "midweight," I'd consider these on the warmer end of the spectrum. The 255 gsm Nuyarn material is spun together with raw bamboo fibers in a comfortably stretchy waffle knit pattern. In this case, the addition of Nuyarn fibers makes these leggings some of the warmest I’ve ever worn, excellent for really cold and wet days of skiing, both in the resort or the backcountry.

TREW Lightweight Long-Sleeve Top

I’ve always been impressed by TREW’s outside-the-box design thinking, whether it’s for technical outerwear or versatile baselayers like the Lightweight Nuyarn Long-Sleeve Top. The top is sort of a hybrid between a crew-neck sweatshirt, long sleeve tee, and base layer.

This one isn’t super technical, or necessarily ski-specific, and that’s a good thing. It means I can wear it as a comfortable casual top while traveling, as a cold-weather mountain bike jersey, or really anything where a long-sleeve tee is appropriate.