Top Thermal Tights and Baselayers for Cold Weather

Testing options from Ibex, Paka and Danish Endurance

As is typical in the midwest, weather conditions have quickly transitioned from warm fall days to snow and cold. As we’ve started to transition to winter activities (and deal with the occasional drafty room) we’ve had a chance to try out some merino tights and baselayers from Ibex, Paka, and Amazon staple Danish Endurance.

Ibex Woolies

Ibex’s Woolies ($120 for full length/$110 for 3/4 length) have been a staple of the brand for quite a while, but that does not mean that today’s Woolies aren’t keeping pace with new fabric innovations.

The latest iteration of Woolies are crafted using Nuyarn® technology, a twist-free spinning method that makes merino’s already outstanding characteristics even better. While the fabric is ultra-llightweight and super thin, and can slide in under almost any pair of pants or ski bibs without bunching, it offers a remarkable 35% improvement in thermal efficiency, making it an ideal choice for various climates.

The Pro-Tech fabric surpasses its traditional ring-spun counterparts in performance. It’s 85% more elastic and nearly nine times more durable.

I’ve found the Woolies to be super comfortable for lounging on cool fall nights and I recently slipped them under a pair of jeans to do some yard work and do some bike maintenance that I’d been putting off.

While the Woolies that I’ve been testing are the full-length versions, they also come in a 3/4 version that are ideal for wearing under ski pants or bibs, or if you already are wearing a longer pair of warm socks.

While I have not had the chance to wear the Woolies over a full season, they have held up well through several wash cycles, with no signs of the pilling or holes that plague cheaper tights.

Paka Thermal Tights

Paka’s Thermal Tights ($120), while packing plenty of fabric tech, have a more traditional feel than the Ibex Woolies. The fabric is definitely heavier in weight, with a lightly ribbed texture reminiscent of old-school long johns. Unlike those old cotton knickers that soaked up your sweat and froze your legs as soon as you got active, Paka’s Thermal Tights wick off the sweat and keep you nice and toasty.

These are the second iteration of thermals from Paka. Their first attempt was 80% alpaca with 20% tencel, but these do a 40/40/20 blend of royal alpaca, merino and tencel. The new yarn blend is intended to maximize durability and softness, while making for a slimmer fit for easier layering. The soft and sturdy elastic waistband does not seem to roll, and the seams all are flat stitched for maximum comfort. There’s also a gusseted crotch for more freedom of movement.

While the fabric was definitely a little beefier than that in the Woolies, I still found them slim enough to wear under a fairly slim pair of jeans when I was shoveling snow earlier this week.

While the Paka Thermals are not a mass-market item, they’re not a niche product either. All that said, it’s nice to look at the scannable hangtag that comes with the package and to learn exactly where the alpaca used for them was harvested.

Similar to the Woolies, the Paka Thermal Tights have been washed several times, but still look like new.

More Than Tights

We’ve been lucky to receive some additional pieces for review from both brands. In underwear, both Paka ($39) and Ibex ($55) offer boxer briefs in similarly luxurious fabrics.

I know what you’re thinking. That’s a lot of money for one pair of underwear. And why merino/alpaca undies? Simple. Both offer comfort in an odor-resistant fabrics that hold up over multiple days of travel with a simple overnight rinse and dry. And does it hurt that the undies from Paka have cute alpacas on them? Not at all.

The undies have been through more wear and wash cycles than the tights. On the plus side, they’ve both held up without showing pilling or holes, but I have noticed that they gotten a little baggier (but no less comfortable.

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From the Bargain Bin? Danish Endurance

Selling for just $55 (and often less) on Amazon, I wanted to try some of the merino tights from Danish Endurance for comparison. Made from an 80/20 blend of merino and polyamid, I found them to have a similar feel, fabric-wise to the Woolies, but a slimmer fit more akin to the Pakas.

I typically wear somewhere between a medium and a large in performance bottoms, so I started out with a pair in size medium. While they fit, I found them a little too tight, so I exchanged them for a size large. As it happens, I’m glad I did, because, unlike the selections from Ibex and Paka, these did shrink up a little after the first wash.

Unlike the Paka and Ibex tights, these do not have a fly. While some might see that as a shortcoming, I actually wanted that, as it makes them a little more versatile as a tight for running, climbing or dancing (though to be fair, I used to dance ballet, so I really don’t get hung up about wearing tights by themselves).

Some reviewers on Amazon reported that items that they received suffered a little in durability, showing holes after just a few washes. While I have not seen holes yet, I have heard some little ‘pops’ from the seam when pulling them on, making me wonder about how they’ll hold up over time. I’d had the Danish Endurance tights for a shorter time, so they’ve been worn for little more than loungewear so far.

I can see how the price of the Danish Endurance tights would seem attractive compared to the more expensive offerings from Paka and Ibex. Yes, you could but two or even three pair of these for the same price as the others. But if you have to toss them after one season, are they really a value?