Best Ultralite Baselayer: Alternatives to MacPac Nitro?

If you want Polartec Alpha, Timmermade custom makes them for same price I bought a Macpac (love it). Farpointe makes one with a kangaroo pocket as an alternative to Senchi. Note that forum member “iDownman” has a current group order going for the Macpac. However Alpha wasn’t made as a next to skin layer. Still need something under it such as the lightest capilene. I do love my Smartwool 150 hoody, but Alpha is a better performance piece for moisture management.

Thanks Bill. I did see Timmermade, but they’ve got a 12 weeks turnaround time right now which isn’t going to work. Searching Google for FarPointe, I don’t come up with any website or link for products.

Alpha is not designed to be a baselayer. R1 is Polartec Powerdry – fleece with very high wicking action. Alpha doesna wick.

Isn’t Alpha-Direct able to be worn against bare skin?
And as far as I understood things the Macpac Pisa and the Macpac Nitro are made with Alpha-Direct.
That said I find my Pisa does work best over an UL baselayer.
But there are people here who use heavy weight polargard over UL polargard base layers and that seems to work for the folk that do it.

I’d clarify that when I meant baselayer I mean the first piece to go over my t-shirt, first piece of protection, not what’s next to my skin. I tend to stay fairly warm so I normally go with a super light Merino shirt with then a light piece to go over it. Down is for camp and a rain jacket over the light top will usually suffice if on the move unless it is downright freezing.

So you mean midlayer!

Your Base layer is your T shirt.

I read of fast hikers/runners who have used the Nitro (Alpha) next to skin and rate it.

• Whether it wicks or not, I don’t know, but it certainly shifts moisture very effectively.

Nobody has mentioned the Kuiu Peleton 97 Hoodie yet?  Seems very light (5oz) and popular with some.

Not sure how warm it is as so light.

(I found the R1 hoody too warm/hefty for hiking outside of winter)

Re. The Peleton 97.

It’s marketed as a warm baselayer by Kuiu, but lots of users seem to use it as a midlayer as well.

The Macpac Nitro is made of the 90 weight fabric. No wonder it’s so bloody warm! For use in the SE USA 90 wt. torso with 60 wt. arms/hood would be ideal. Arms with thumbloops, hood with elastic cord to seal around the face, and kangaroo pockets would be ideal. I think Timmer will do that. Senchi might if there is no rush. Waypointe is new to me, so no knowledge to share. Initial reports are positive. The endgame is that Alpha is perhaps the most thermally efficient synthetic fabric yet made. How this little 5.5 ounce whisp can retain heat over a wide range of temps is amazing. For $100 USD is amazing. Add another 100 for a 2.5 oz wind jacket. Near the warmth of a Ghost Whisperer but usefall over a vastly wider range of temps/conditions. Alpha under a Montbell Versa lite rain jacket with pit zips was as ideal a cool-cold rain setup as I can imagine. The Alpha allows a lot of airflow under a shell with some ventilation. Hey, I’m just another consumer, but the Alpha fabric really is a revelation, a game changer. Hikers can have a super felixible system from dry to rain to snow for under 15 oz.

Sorry about that Dave. Should have left a link.

Farpointe  is on Reddit, user name COCAL0LA.

Here is a comparison of Senchi and Farpointe hoodies:

A tale of two hoodies. Senchi and FarPointe Polartec Alpha fleece from Ultralight

Senchi shop page:

https://www.senchidesigns.com/shop

NOTE – Senchi is posting new Alpha Direct hoodies on Thrs. Jan. 29.

They will go fast!!!

So what I’m reading is Alpha Direct (i.e. Senchi Direct Hoody) tech is not hype, right?  So is it best as a midlayer (say, over a Cap LW) or next to skin (wicking) or versatile enough for either equally?

Saw that, will try to get onboard.

Yes Steve H. The or is correct.

Depending on the temps you’ll be in, have you looked at the Voormi Riverrun Hoody? Expensive but super versatile. Warm in cool conditions, cool sunshirt in hot conditions. Superfine merino wool with thin inner layer of wicking yarn (polyester). I use mine as a light, breathable UV protective layer in hot summer sun and a warm base/mid layer for active use in cool/cold weather.

That actually looks pretty nice. Right up the alley I am looking for. 7 ounces not too bad. I tried getting a Senchi piece this week, within 1 second of supposedly having stock on sale they were sold out again, so my guess would be impossible to get one. Price is similar to the MacPac Nitro that can be had, although that requires international shipping. The Patagonia Capilene Air is even pricier. Thanks, I may look into this.

Made in the US too.