The Eddie Bauer First Ascent line of performance clothing is attracting a lot of attention. The garments are well designed, utilize cutting edge materials, perform well, and are a great value. I previously reviewed the Eddie Bauer First Ascent Downlight Sweater, which is an excellent balance of quality materials, lightweight, warmth, and value. I was attracted to the Eddie Bauer Expedition Baselayers for the same reasons.
Although these warmer baselayers are primarily intended for winter conditions, they are also appropriate for summer backpacking in the mountains, where nighttime temperatures can drop below freezing. So, how do they shape up in terms of versatility?
ARTICLE OUTLINE
- Introduction
- Description
- Performance
- Assessment
- Specifications and Features
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# PHOTOS: 4
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Eddie Bauer First Ascent Expedition Weight Baselayers Review
Thanks for the great concise review Will. It is interesting to see EB extending their line of high quality, good value outdoor clothing.
Rab is also releasing baselayers with the same fabric and similar styling.
i wore this material, or one very close to it for years. it has to be hella nippy for it to not be a limiting factor in how hard one can hike. the stuff is fantastic to wear at work though. when in the bush, for area under the graph usefulness, it can not hold a candle to two layers of thin'ish merino.
nice review. i saw no graphs. well done.
v.
I have both the EB Expedition and mid-weight baselayers and love them both. As mentioned the expedition weight layers are way too heavy to hike in, but great for very cold or less strenuous activities.
I found that in cool weather I could realistically hike in the mid-weight layers, which are simply a thinner version of the products reviewed here. In the summer I carry them as part of the sleep system. Men’s XL mid-weight top weighs 6.7 oz, size L bottom weighs 5.6 oz. They are the lightest mid-weights I could find.
Beauty is both expedition and mid-weights are all on 1/2 off sale right now at
http://www.eddiebauer.com/EB/Mens-Outerwear/First-Ascent/index.cat
Have fun!
Will: Thanks for the review!
Given that the garment is made in Canada, I got to thinking that the fabric resembles that in the Mountain Equipment Co-Op's Expedition Weight baselayer-long-underwear, so for comparison's sake, here is the link:
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?rnav=last&PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442627307&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302699173
Enjoy!
Paul
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