Winter calls, and with it promises of snow and ice, freeing mist and water temperatures well below what can be considered “comfortable”. Hypothermia has ended many OCR runners dreams of placing well at races, the evil child of being soaking wet and exposed to cold temperatures. While there are training techniques to help with this (we all just love cold water acclimatisation training), having the right gear is important too.
The Ferrari of baselayers, the Inov-8 125 and 150 is sleek, sporty, elegant and functional
Key Features:
- Natural merino wool
- Lightweight at only 125g
- Fast wicking
- Flat locked stitching
- Integrated thumb loops
Buy: Men’s version 150, Ladies 125
The Fit
Always measure yourself before buying sportswear. A baselayer should fit close to the skin without being restrictive. There should be no gaping or looseness. Inov-8 provide a fit guide based on your chest measurement (this is under bust if you are a lady, across the nipple line if you are a man). A measurement of 30″ puts me in the XS or UK size 6 category whereas in high street shops I can sometimes come out as anything from a 6-10.
Despite my short arms, the sleeves of the baselayer actually were fine- a little bit of loose material but it seemed to gather itself well in different places so as not to create bulky, baggy pockets. The length was great too. I like base layers to be long enough to tuck into my shorts and not ride up when my arms are at full extension. My torso, shoulder to waist is 11″ and the base layer could probably have provided a long fit for up to 15″ very comfortably. There was no creeping up.
It is very finely woven- if you put it on your head you can walk around your house comfortably without bumping into things as it is basically see through (yes, this was an essential part of the testing process- absolutely it was). When it is on you can clearly see your belly button through it. Despite this, almost immediately it is warm.
The Field Test
Testing a merino base layer during an unseasonably warm Autumn was never going to be easy, and thusly I decided to wait for a proper field test until Men’s Health Survival Of The Fittest in London, late November in order to test it when wet, muddy, cold and fatigued. The verdict was:
- Retains warmth, even when wet
- No rucking, riding or movement during any element of the race
- Remains lightweight even after taking on water
- Protects limbs from scrapes and cuts
- Resilient to rips and laddering
- No rubbing or chafing
The Verdict
The Ferrari of baselayers, the Inov-8 125 and 150 is sleek, sporty, elegant and functional - the best of all possible worlds. The fact that they also provide a lady fit which actually does fit ladies is also a definite plus as many unisex baselayers do not provide the snug fit intended when placed on a female form.
Don’t be put off by how light the garment is. It may look like tissue paper, but is as tough as the sheep it came from and warms to perfection. Although it is something of a pricey option, if you are serious about OCR and intend to race in the winter, this is a must have item which you will absolutely get the value from as you battle through the promised icy winter.