I really dig cycling. As I’ve stated before, it’s my favorite of the three triathlon disciplines. So when we received these base layers from Louis Garneau, I knew I wanted to test one and see if these base layers were better than the ones I was already using.
Just to get it out of the way: The base layers I am currently using are from Nike and Body Glove; they are very similar to the Under Armour-type of base layer. I choose to wear base layers under my jersey because when I didn’t, my jersey would always stick to me and I thought that it felt weird, really warm, and pretty gross. But with the base layers I had, I always found that while my jersey didn’t stick to me, the base layer and jersey (and in turn, I) were still soaked after long, hard rides. I still thought they were doing a pretty good job of keeping me cool during intense rides.
That is, until I tried the SF-2 Base Layer Tee.
This weekend I did a pretty hard, very climb-y ride with a group of friends. 24 miles with 2900ft of climbing. I figured it would be a great time to test out one of these new base layer tees.
The description on the Louis Garneau website does not really do this base layer any justice. The shirt material is very comfortable; the “supra filo 2” fabric helps manage moisture and the mesh weave of the shirt increases airflow. Yes, there is a reflective accent on the front, but it doesn’t really do anything unless your jersey is opened up. I did find that the material was softer than the base layers I was using, and it was lighter, too.
WARNING: IN THIS PARAGRAPH I’M GOING TO TALK ABOUT GROSS STUFF LIKE SWEAT.
With the SF-2 Tee under my jersey, I noticed I felt cooler than I had on comparable rides. Yes, I was still sweating; the white, salty residue of dried sweat on my gloves and jersey was enough proof of that. And that leads to my next point: with my other base layers, there was never any of that residue on my jersey. With the SF-2 base layer, there was. This tells me that the other base layers I was using kept the moisture on me, kind of “sealing in the flavor.” I’m not bacon, so there is no need for me to be cured in my own juices (I warned you this paragraph would be gross). The SF-2 base layer truly did wick the sweat away from my body, where it evaporated from the jersey. Like I said, I really felt much cooler than I had with my other base layers. The airflow and moisture management of the base layer were very noticeable when comparing it to what I had been using.
GROSS PARAGRAPH OVER.
So, to summarize: This base layer is awesome and helps you feel cooler and drier. It doesn’t feel gross or icky after long rides. It is also available in sleeveless, if that’s how you roll. If you want a fancier material, Louis Garneau has a Mesh Carbon base layer that is right up your alley.
Questions? Comments?
Thanks for reading!
-Chris
Triathlon LAB Blog 