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Gear Review: SmartWool MerinoMax Full Zip Midlayer

This midlayer will go with you on any adventure requiring more than short sleeves.

[light Wool midlayer]

“A sweet fleece alternative,” says our tester, who used this soft, stretchy, streamlined jacket as an outer layer for spring ski-touring, a cozy sweater for yurt nights, and as a her sole jacket on a two-week, mild-weather adventure through India and China. “The wool stayed warm when it wetted out in light flurries or drizzle, and it never felt stuffy or clammy when I was hoofing it hard,” she says. Extra long sleeves have little pockets in the cuff, so you can skin without gloves on, then tuck fingers inside to stay warm on breaks (the men’s version has thumbholes instead). $180; 13 oz.; m’s S-XXL; w’s XS-XL; smartwool.com

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