Gear Review: MontBell Zeo-Line M.W. High Neck Shirt Baselayer

[great value]

Luscious, quick-drying fabric and a good fit don’t have to cost a lot, as this midweight zip-up proves. One Colorado tester who wore it for a month of runs up Boulder’s Mt. Sanitas in early-spring snow and cold called it “top-shelf in both comfort and performance.” The fabric uses a push-pull layered knit construction (see Arc’teryx review, previous page) with crimped fibers to create smaller air pockets and better heat retention. The Zeo-Line is on the light end of the midweight scale, making it “a very versatile shirt because it’s warm enough for a moisture- moving baselayer and light enough for shirt-only use on sunny days up to 60°F,” notes one ski mountaineer. “Even when saturated,” says our sweaty desert rat, “it never felt plasticky or clingy.” Stink level was on par with most synthetics; in other words, your mate will start complaining in three days. Gripe: The moderate hem length tends to come untucked, and sizing is best for shorter folks. $54 (bottoms $47); 5.3 oz. (m’s M); m’s S-XL, w’s S-L; montbell.us