The 7 Best Men’s Base Layers of 2027
What to know: Our team of expert testers wore 46 bottoms and tops made of natural and synthetic materials for skiing, running, and other winter activities. Their months of evaluation resulted in naming the Stellar Merino Base Top and Tights as the best overall base layer for men for its comfort and moisture management. Most versatile is the Flylow Hanmer Wool Baselayer Top for under $100.
The base layer (aka long underwear or thermals) is both the literal and metaphorical foundation of a proper layering system. A wrong choice makes the whole system fall apart. If you pick a layer that chafes or gets sweaty, you’re going to be miserable no matter how perfect your insulation or shell performs.
Even after testing them for over a decade, however, I’m still hesitant to crown a few as the best because base layers are highly personal. Someone skinning uphill in the damp Pacific Northwest needs something very different from a resort skier sitting on frozen chairlifts in Colorado. Your ideal fabric feel, insulating weight, shoulder fit, and myriad other variables may vary greatly from mine.
This year’s rough snow season in the western U.S. only reinforced how important versatility is in our gear. Due to inconsistent winter conditions, we found ourselves wearing these base layers not only while skiing and touring, but also during mountain bike rides, cold morning runs, gym workouts, and shoulder-season adventures where moisture management and mobility mattered just as much as warmth. After months of testing 46 bottoms and tops—because it is our job, after all—these are the best base layers that we believe will appeal to a variety of preferences.
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