Backpacker Magazine – Fall/Winter Gear Guide 2010

Gear Review: Icebreaker GT 260 Pursuit/Express Legging

Baselayer bottoms that you can wear solo.

by: Nancy Prichard Bouchard

Tags:
• Base layers
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• Gear
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• Apparel
|

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[best leggings]
Are these baselayers or tights? Both, actually, says an Oregon tester who wore them alone while training on Dog Mountain and under shell pants while slogging up the Emmons Glacier on Rainier. “I love the comfort range and versatility of these bottoms,” she reports. “They felt silky and unrestrictive under a shell. And thanks to the smooth outer finish, I didn’t look like I was in underwear when I wore them à la carte while rock climbing in 40°F temps.”

The 18.9-micron merino wicks well, but a touch of Lycra adds stretch and shape memory, so they fit closely without binding or sagging. A gusseted crotch further enhances mobility for skiing, climbing, and high-stepping, and mesh panels—running from hipbone to calf—increase ventilation. $100; 9.5 oz.; m’s S-XXL, w’s XS-XL; icebreaker.com


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