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Super Natural Wool Base Layers
Super.natural is a brand in the midst of its North America debut having already been available in Europe for over two years. Super.natural was launched by parent company Shanghai Challenge Textile Company (SCT). SCT is the only supplier to Icebreaker (who was the first wool outdoor sportswear company) and it is a certified system partner with Bluesign. Simply put, Bluesign ensures that the entire manufacturing chain is transparent and only environmentally responsible practices are used. Being owned by SCT means that, even though super.natural is a new brand, they are backed by a company with expertise in R&D and producing functional outdoor apparel. They do this by producing fabrics which combine natural fibres with the best performing man-made fibres for the ultimate solution.
The super.natural line up includes almost 80 products which range from base and mid layers for outdoor adventure to urban pants, jackets and hoodies, for both him and her. Below we will look at four pieces from super.natural which cover this spectrum quite well. First there is the super.natural Base LS 140 and Base Boxer 175 which are next to skin base layers to move perspiration and keep you warm and dry. Then we’ll look at what I would label a cross-over piece, the super.natural Max 1/4 Zip 175 which can be worn ski touring or out to dinner. The final piece resides squarely in the urban realm and is called the super.natural Combustion Cloud Max Hoodie 340.
All of the super.natural clothes that we’ll be discussing have a combination of merino wool for its warmth and anti microbial properties along with polyester for its moisture wicking properties. Some of the products also have lycra for its stretch and flex properties. CEO of super.natural Andy Vecchione put it perfectly when he said “It’s Merino made better”. Let’s dig in shall we?
super.natural Base LS 140
Price: $69 CAN / $60 US
Sizes Men’s: S/M/L/XL/XXL
Sizes Women’s: XS/M/L/XL
Colour Men’s: Ocean Deep, Caviar, Shadow Blue
Colour Women’s: Caviar, Colbalt Purple
Fabric: Advanced Jersey 140 – 50% Merino Wool, 50% Polyester
This base layer is an equal blend of merino wool and polyester to maximize warmth, anit-stink and moisture transport properties. It’s a very thin base layer ideal for those who run a little warm or spring ski tours where you don’t want to over heat. There is no zip so the price point is a little lower and given the light weight nature of the Base LS 140 a zip really isn’t needed.
super.natural Max 1/4 Zip 175
Price: $89 CAN / $85 US
Sizes Men’s: S/M/L/XL/XXL
Sizes Women’s: XS/M/L/XL
Colour Men’s: Ocean Deep, Caviar
Colour Women’s: Caviar, Latte
Fabric: Contact Stretch Jersey 175 – 48% Merino Wool, 48% Polyester, 4% Lycra
The super.natural Max 1/4 Zip 175 is a slightly heavier weight than the super.natural Base LS 140 as the numeral in the monicker logically indicates. The fabric blend is similar to the super.natural Base LS 140; however 2% is borrowed from both the merino wool and the polyester in order to place in 4% lycra which provides the Max 1/4 Zip 175 some stretch and mobility. This piece is ideal for colder days out in the mountains or those who need a bit more insulation day to day. Thanks to the 1/4 zip you can still dump excess heat when needed and this feature is a ‘must have’ for any of my personal ski touring base layers as you would be surprised at how well it works.
super.natural Base Boxer 175
Price: $49 CAN / $40 US
Sizes: S/M/L/XL/XXL
Colour: Ocean Deep, Caviar
Fabric: Contact Stretch Jersey 175 – 48% Merino Wool, 48% Polyester, 4% Lycra
The super.natural Base Boxer 175 is the same Contact Stretch Jersey 175 fabric weight and composition as the super.natural Max 1/4 Zip 175 mentioned above. This means that there is adequate support and warmth for those more temperature sensitive areas of your physique. Unlike flimsier, thinner briefs the Base Boxer 175’s lycra content provides great stretch for high aerobic activities such as ski touring and hiking which have been our primary test activities for this product over the last few months. I have found the 175 fabric weight to be ideal as well, not too thick & hot and not to thin & flimsy.
super.natural Combustion Cloud Max Hoodie 340
Price: $299 CAN / $225 US
Sizes Men’s: S/M/L/XL/XXL
Sizes Women’s: XS/M/L/XL
Colour: Men’s: Caviar, Metal Grey Melange/Ocean Deep, Mocha Melange
Colour Women’s: Caviar, Metal Grey Melange/Latte, Ocean Deep/Melange, Latte
Fabric: Combustion Fleece 340 / Micro Nylon – 44% Merino Wool, 56% Polyester and 100% Nylon
While the super.natural Combustion Cloud Max Hoodie 340 is not a backcountry specific hoodie it is idea for lounging around the house, office, lodge or staying warm while out and about. Given its 340 fabric weight it’s too heavy for backcountry use for this weight conscious reviewer but I have been rocking it under my shell on resort days as it keeps me super warm while skiing. Also, since it doesn’t look too mountain-tech you can still go for a meal or drinks after some turns without having to change. The 100% nylon shoulder details provide a nice contrast design to the rest of the wool/polyester body and one could argue that this would provide less wear under backpack shoulder straps although I don’t think this was the intention. And, speaking of hoodies, the hood is a nice feature for when things get colder.
Verdict:
I am a big believer in wool, it’s natural, renewable, keeps you incredibly warm and it feels good to wear. I find it to be the perfect material for base and mid layers. Having said that I am also a fan of man made super-tech fabrics. So what could make wool even better? How about a little man made super-tech fibre such as polyster and lycra thrown in?
While super.natural doesn’t claim to be the most technical brand out there their Base Boxer 175 and Base LS 140 offer up solid results for high octane adventure such as backcountry skiing. The Max 1/4 Zip 175 can do double duty on the skin track and at the pub, while the super.natural Combustion Cloud Max Hoodie 340 is definitely a more urban piece. Super.natural is a company with a good offering of products in the outdoor and urban markets. Unfortunately their website is less than informative and not designed for e-commerce.
Overall the products fit well, looked good, weren’t itchy and kept me toasty warm. The only down side with wool based products is that they do wear and ball-up given their natural fibres so be prepared for your garments to look warn fairly quickly, but then again isn’t that a benefit of wool?
If you are looking for a natural wool blend alternative to your clothing needs, be they backcountry or backyard focused, you should give newcomer super.natural some consideration. I think you’ll like what you see.
PROS:
- Wool is natural, warm, anti-odour and will keep you warm when wet, but you already knew all that.
- A Bluesign certified system partner so the natural fibres are produced in a natural and environmentally friendly way.
CONS:
- Since wool is a natural fibre expect it to pile and ball
- Wool is not cheap and super.natural products are no exception
Rating: 8/10
Fit / Comfort 2/2
Warmth 2/2
Moisture Management 1.5/2
Features 1.5/2
Quality / Price 1/2
This is only our opinion. Do you disagree? Did we miss something? Are we totally out to lunch? Join the discussion in the forums here, and let us know what you think. People like/dislike gear for different reasons so chime in and we'll get a well-rounded evaluation.
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