The Review | ODLO EVOLUTION WARM Baselayer Test
During the winter months your clothing has to perform at its limit, managing heat buildup inside your jacket while trying to keep the icy cold out. When you are pedalling hard while wearing lots of layers, a good base layer is essential to wick moisture away from your skin and help to keep you warm and dry. Cotton T-shirts will become clammy and cause you to cool down fast, and old school polypropylene thermals will get so smelly your partner will probably leave you! We checked out the ODLO EVOLUTION WARM Baselayer to see if it was the solution!
ODLO has been specialising in base layers for some time now, over 70 years in fact, so they should have a good handle on how to make a good one. The Swiss company started out making training tights in Norway for ice skating athletes, and in 2002 introduced their ‘effect’ fibre, using odour reducing silver ions to keep bad smells at bay. The €69.95 ODLO EVOLUTION WARM baselayer we were testing is aimed at the colder end of the year. The shirt features the ‘effect’ fabric and uses 3D construction to keep stitching (and thus seams) to a minimum.
The fit of the baselayer is very close, and the stretchy, soft fabric is very comfortable next to the skin. The EVOLUTION WARM features integrated ‘climate zones’ (or thicker weaves to the layman) to keep heat where you need it and also help control moisture in high-intensity exercise.
Our impressions of the ODLO EVOLUTION WARM
There are some products on the market that impress because they simply perform their function very well, and the ODLO EVOLUTION WARM falls into that category. Ride after ride, despite working hard in the cold air we have been kept perfectly dry and comfortable. The baselayer wicks extremely well, even after a long ride when the inside of the jacket lining feels damp from perspiration we still feel dry and fresh! After repeated rides and washes, the fabric is still soft and comfortable and there are no pulling or threads coming loose.
Conclusion
At €69.95 it’s not the cheapest, but it compares well against Merino wool versions and does not get smelly like a conventional polypropylene baselayer. The ODLO has become a winter ride essential for our test team, and if you currently ride with a cotton T-shirt, a decent base layer will rock your world!
You can find out more about ODLO on their website
Words and photos: Trev Worsey
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