REVIEW: CLAWGEAR Seamless Merino Base Layer

When you exert yourself physically, you want the sweat to be quickly transported away from the body so you don't get soaked. Especially in the cold season, this is where the wheat is separated from the chaff. It would also be great if you don't start to smell after wearing the same T-shirt for a few days. One of the few materials that fulfills all of these requirements is Merino wool. Since spring, we have been using the CLAWGEAR Seamless Merino Base Layer underwear and want to share our experiences with you.

First of all, the CLAWGEAR Merino Base Layer underwear is not a classic thermal underwear that keeps you warm when standing still in winter, but rather functional underwear designed to keep your body dry and therefore warm. Of course, the layers above must also be able to transport moisture, otherwise, it won't help. The underwear is part of the new Body Layering Concept by CLAWGEAR and is therefore perfectly matched with the new collections of the Operator MK III and Raider MK V.

Material and Cut

The CLAWGEAR Merino Base Layer garments are all made from a Merino blend fabric. 56% polyamide, 42% Merino wool, and 2% elastane. The high percentage of polyamide is supposed to give the products good durability.

A very nice detail is that the material composition and washing instructions are embroidered on the inside of the hem. This allows the label to be easily removed if it bothers you.

The fit is close-fitting (Bodyfit). In other words, the top hugs the body, allowing sweat to be transported away from the skin.

Great care has been taken to ensure that there are no seams on the shoulders or hips that could cause chafing in the long run. Thanks to the design of the seamless variant, the seams are kept to a minimum. A special feature is the 7/8 length of the long underwear to prevent unnecessary pressure points in the boot shaft. Additionally, the construction is designed to not restrict the wearer's freedom of movement during activity.

Depending on the location on the garment, the material structure has been adjusted. This is based on "Bodymapping," which is found in various zones on the underwear. Therefore, you will find a slightly padded structure on the side of the hip and shoulders in the top, which represents the protection zone.

There is an open structure on the chest and under the arms to ideally transport sweat to the next layer.

Similar structures can also be found on the underwear, as illustrated on the packaging. In the long run, this also provides a very comfortable feeling even with a full combat loadout.

In the conception of the "Next To Skin Layers," special attention was paid to being able to wear the products on top of each other without causing pressure points or bulges. For this reason, the underwear has different waist heights when worn on top of each other. It also works in combination with regular underwear and the long CLAWGEAR Merino underpants.

Wearing Comfort

Because the CLAWGEAR Seamless Merino Base Layer underwear is snugly cut, the feeling when wearing the top may initially feel constraining. Personally, we have this feeling with all tight-fitting clothing. However, with the tops from CLAWGEAR, the sensation disappears after a few seconds and it feels like a second skin.

We did not feel any constriction with the underpants. By the way, the underpants do not have a fly. Both are extremely comfortable to wear, even after several hours or days in a row.

Experiences

We were able to extensively wear and test the underwear from spring to autumn. The winter is still pending but will be added later. During a four-day shooting course in Poland in early April, the weather was anything but sunny and warm. We wore both underpants and the long-sleeved top continuously on all days.

On the last day, we could not perceive any penetrating foul smell. It didn't smell like nothing, but it wasn't the sweat odor usually associated with synthetic performance underwear. The underwear kept me warm, but we were also appropriately dressed for the weather. So jacket, softshell pants, etc.

In the summer, we occasionally wore the short underpants and short-sleeve shirt while doing activities. With the summer heat over 30°C, even the best merino wool underwear starts to develop a smell by day 4, but much less intense than with synthetic performance wear.

As autumn approaches, it's similar to spring. The wearing comfort is good, you stay dry on the inside, and at least for up to three days, you remain odor-free.

The underwear is also very practical for long flights to, for example, Japan or the USA. After up to 20 hours of travel time, you may not feel particularly fresh, but the absence of unpleasant odors is definitely a huge plus.

Durability

So far we have not been able to detect any significant signs of wear on the CLAWGEAR Seamless Merino Base Layer underwear. Neither from wearing it nor from the washing machine. But beware of hook and loop fasteners, Merino wool doesn't like them.

Also, the underwear did not shrink when washed, which can happen with other manufacturers and especially with wool.

CONCLUSION: Overall, the CLAWGEAR Seamless Merino Base Layer underwear has been very convincing and performs well in all seasons. No strong odor after 3 to 4 days with the same t-shirt, what more could you ask for. Thanks to the sophisticated, different fabric structures and zones, the underwear is not only comfortable to wear but also provides padding at key points, further increasing wearing comfort. Truly well-thought-out functional clothing.

The CLAWGEAR Merino Base Layer underwear is available directly from CLAWGEAR in Black and Stone Gray. The shorts are priced at 36.90 euros, the long pants at 59.90 euros. The short-sleeved t-shirt is available for 74.90 euros, and the long-sleeved for 89.90 euros.

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