What We're Made Of

Thermal base layers are an excellent way of combating uncomfortably low ambient temperatures allowing you to move without restriction and enjoy your activities freely. A set typically consists of a top and leggings, but can be complemented by Eskeez beanie and socks to give you top to toe protection and warmth. Anyone who works or plays in cold or extreme conditions will testify, thermal base layers make a huge difference to their comfort. Thermal underwear of this type will enable the wearer, young or elderly, to wear their chosen outerwear without packing them out from the inside out with numerous layers that restrict movement.

Why choose Eskeez?

Even though both cotton and wool are porous, they will absorb and generally 'hold' water. Cotton will not wick when it is wet. Once it becomes wet or saturated it tends to stay wet keeping the wearer damp and therefore cool. Wool as a base layer can wick moisture away but only if it is knitted in a certain way. Eskeez fleece allows for a densely brushed surface to be next to the skin giving both warmth and comfort and smooth outer knit surface to wick any moisture away and enable easy dressing of the next layer.

Eskeez fleece fabric has an incredibly warm and comfortable tight brush fleece on the inside and smooth slip knit on the outside, making it easy to wear other clothes on top. Eskeez should be worn next to the skin at all times to maximise the garments performance. Our yarns are coated with a durable water repellent making these products very fast drying. All threads are soft bulk threads to leave gentle internal seams next to the skin. The garments are constructed using full stretch overlock, serger and cover stitching. This gives comfort and a superior fit. 

Our base layers are made of 93% Polyester and 7% Elastane.
Machine washable at 40°C. 

How do they work?

Eskeez thermal base layers are made from a combination of polyester and elastane. They are tight fitting garments that hug the skin, enabling the fabric to "grab" moisture and by doing so encourage the movement of moisture away from the body enabling you to dry out quickly if you become sweaty or are caught in an unexpected shower. Due to their body hugging nature, they also have the ability to keep you warm by holding a thin layer of air between the body and the base layer. The animation above graphically demonstrates the unique wicking abilities of Eskeez products and when worn will perform so well we are confident that you won't find a product to match them for warmth together with performance.

What is wicking?

This refers to technical fabrics that move sweat away from the skin to the outer surface of the fabric, where moisture can evaporate away. Eskeez products have a unique capillary action that quickly and effectively removes moisture from the skin keeping you warm and dry.

What to look for when buying a thermal base layer?

As previously mentioned, a good thermal base layer will be made up of an effective wicking fabric that effectively expels body moisture while keeping the wearer dry and comfortable. A water repellant such as Scotchgard is an added benefit as it loses surface moisture very quickly. Eskeez products are all Scotchgarded.

What should I wear with my Eskeez thermal base layer?

A base layer is part of a collection of clothes that should be worn together to ensure the correct temperature for the body is achieved in any given activity.

It is perfectly acceptable to wear your normal clothes on top of your base layer but do bear in mind that Eskeez have a very high weight to warmth ratio and you will not need as many layers as you are used to wearing in colder conditions. When skiing, for example, an Eskeez and your outer ski wear would usually be all you need unless you were in extreme cold conditions.

Remember, Eskeez keep you warm even when wet so you can wear your base layer under a wetsuit if you wanted to protect against the cold.

Sizing

If you are unsure of sizing, it's always wise to get a size too small rather than a size too large. When too large, thermal base layers don't transport moisture away from the skin or retain heat so they are virtually useless and a waste of money. Please refer to our Sizing Guide which will give you accurate measurements to enable you to get the size right first time. Remember that Eskeez have a full money back guarantee should you not be happy with your purchase in any way.

If you have any specific questions about the technical aspects of our base layers then please don't hesitate to get it touch.