Icebreaker Pace Zip : The Ideal Baselayer for Cold Weather

I'm a bit of a merino wool connoisseur, and one of my favorite brands is Icebreaker. I love their fabrics, which are as soft against my skin as they are effective at keeping me comfortable during a variety of outdoor activities. I'm also a fan because their outdoor apparel is fashionable and fits well.

Icebreaker's long-sleeved Pace Zip top is a body-hugging baselayer designed for active wear. Its raglan sleeves give me a custom fit through the shoulders, while its under-sleeve gussets give me total freedom of movement. With no seams around or along my shoulders, I can wear a backpack and never feel chafing. Of course, all of the seams are flat locked and offset so my skin never gets irritated, and I can also layer easily without seams lining up on top of each other.

At 6' tall, I have a hard time finding women's gear that fits (Icebreaker makes a similarly styled top for men called the Sprint Zip, pictured below) my long arms and extra long torso. Icebreaker's Pace Zip top has been such a treat. The sleeves are actually long enough that I have room to stretch my arms and still have my wrists covered. I can also use the thumb holes (discreet slits, reinforced on both ends with extra stitching) comfortably. The top is cut a bit longer in back than in front, which I really appreciate, and is just long enough to tuck into my baselayer bottoms.

Icebreaker did a stellar job designing this top. The 1/4 zip is backed by a flap of fabric so I never have to feel a cold zipper against my chest. The zipper also has its own small garage to park in when fully zipped, keeping it out of my way. When fully zipped, the collar, which is just over two inches high, provides excellent neck protection.

I love the 200 Liteweight wool used in this piece, which is part of Icebreaker's Performance Sports line. It's kind of a miracle fabric to me because it's very thin and light, yet works like a midweight layer. So, I get warmth without bulk. I also get excellent body temperature control. Where this top shines the most is on warmer days (40+ degrees F), when I misjudge the weather and wear a jacket for 30 degree F weather. The Pace Zip does such a good job of breathing and of wicking my sweat off my skin that I don't overheat. I love that.

When I'm hiking or power walking, I heat up fast, especially if I'm wearing a pack, so for me this top is ideal for cold weather (20-30 degrees F). During activities like snowshoeing, all I need to wear is a thin windbreaker fleece over my Pace Zip. Once the temps head up to the 40's, I switch to a windbreaker.

Finally, I love the design of this top. It's sleek without binding. It follows my body's contours without feeling tight (I feel fine wearing it as a casual top with jeans because it's not skin tight.) It's sporty and stylish, yet has a refined look. The red wool lining on the inside of the color matches the contrast stitching and a small patch of red at the hem of the top. Also, the material has enough give in it to move when I move, but it's not overly stretchy. Hands down my favorite top of the season!

Available in women's sizes XS-XL, in black with red contrast or light blue with silver contrast. Men's Sprint top is available in S-XXL. I tested a size XL, which is a size up from what I usually wear. If you have a large chest, or are between sizes and prefer a looser fit, as I do, you might want to size up.

Bottom Line: This top comfortable and effective, ideal for cold weather, as well as for year-round warmth for camping trips, travel, and daily wear.--E.D. (Jan '11)

BUY ONLINE: $100, click to shop. Up to 40% off at Altrec.

Manufacturer's Site: www.icebreaker.com

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