Thermal gear isn’t just for the depths of winter. In a country where temperatures aren’t exactly predictable, the best thermal clothing can enable us to continue doing the activities we love the most when the weather takes a turn for the worse.
If you’re a winter sports fan, thermal gear will help you stay warm and dry, whatever the weather, enabling you to get the most out of your day on the slopes, by providing unbeatable temperature regulation, without cramping your style. However, these warming layers can be just as useful when you’re taking the dog for a walk on a chilly morning.
Thermals should wick away sweat while trapping heat close to the skin and preventing cold air from working its way in. Many thermal items do this with the help of polyester, which does a great job of trapping heat. It’s often associated with cheaper thermal items, though, as it can be less breathable than other fabrics. However, advances in manufacturing processes mean brands will often combine polyester with other materials, to ramp up the breathability.
Bamboo is also being used for thermal clothing by a growing number of brands. The hollow fibre is soft and versatile and does a great job of wicking away sweat. Then there’s merino wool – a premium material (with a premium cost) that ticks all the boxes, offering fantastic breathability and heat retention alongside a softness you’ll struggle to find with other materials. It’s also got antibacterial and antimicrobial properties, due to the lanolin and keratin wax produced by sheep.
Finally, a top tip: when choosing thermal wear, bear in mind that base layer items such as T-shirts and leggings will be a snug fit (this is one way in which they retain heat), so, don’t size up if you want your thermal gear to do what it’s meant to.
How we tested
We love our thermals – although, we don’t just wear them on the slopes, as thermals are perfect for everything from winter walks to chilly bike rides. We take our thermals very seriously and when testing, we considered multiple aspects. Could we maintain full freedom of movement while wearing the garment in question? Did the material balance sweat-wicking with heat retention? Did certain areas chafe or rub? We considered all of these factors and more while testing a range of garments for this review.
Why trust us
Tamara Hinson is a keen skier and snowboarder (she used to be a snowboard instructor and was also a qualified ski and snowboard technician) and spends a large amount of the winter months in the French Alps, so she knows good kit from bad. As with all of our IndyBest reviews, each piece of thermal clothing has been trialled in a range of different conditions, and she’s only included items that past the rigorous testing process.
The best thermal clothing items for 2024 are:
- Best overall – Helly Hansen women’s LIFA merino midweight two-in-one base layer hoodie: £100, Hellyhansen.com
- Best budget women’s top – Mountain Warehouse merino women’s thermal top II: £34.99, Mountainwarehouse.com
- Best budget men’s top – Kipsta adult base layer top keepwarm 900: £29.99, Decathlon.co.uk
- Best women’s hooded top – Arc’teryx rho women’s hoody: £110, Arcteryx.com
- Best leggings – Bamboo Clothing balance seamless active leggings: £52, Bambooclothing.co.uk