Ulvang Warm Top : Exceptional Winter Comfort

I was excited as soon as I spotted the mysterious Nordic-sounding name, “Ulvang,” on the box.

The search for the perfect cold weather base layer garment can be somewhat frustrating, so my hopes were high that I had been sent the perfect thermal layer. Unfortunately, these hopes seemed dashed when I opened and inspected the long sleeve shirt and accompanying long underwear pants from Ulvang.

The material felt soft enough, and the construction seemed sound, with smooth seams and sturdy stitching. Even the color—a striking black with gray shoulder accents—was, well…nice. But that was the problem: The shirt and pants looked nice, not extraordinary. Had I given up at this point, I would have really missed out on some fantastic gear.

If I hadn't donned the apparel for an intense weekend-long winter backpacking trip, I would have never come to know the superiority of the Ulvang garments. True to the brand’s heritage (Ulvang’s namesake, one Vegard Ulvang, is a Norwegian skiing champion), I thought it appropriate that a trek into deep winter snows should be the proving ground for these products.

The shirt’s lack of obvious features started melting away as soon as my body heat started to rise. After the first thirty minutes of hiking (uphill, with a rather large pack), just when I might normally start to feel the sweat glissading down my back and chest, followed by clamminess and general discomfort, I felt a comfort that I hadn’t felt before in similar conditions. As my pack straps pressed against my shoulders, the shirt didn’t uncomfortably bunch up like others I had worn before.

As the weekend camp out continued, I wore nothing against my skin except the Ulvang shirt and pants (well, and a pair of socks). Regardless of my tasks—building a fire, cooking, footwear repair, lounging, or sleeping—I never once felt the apparel bind or pinch in any way. Almost miraculously, my body temperature seemed perfectly regulated, whether I was inside a sleeping bag, in front of a fire, or bounding through the snow.

It wasn’t until the weekend was complete that I could look back and marvel at the comfort and performance of the wool-polyester blended Ulvang line. The garments had been almost forgotten, which might just be the ultimate compliment to a shirt and pair of pants that had done its job splendidly.

Bottom Line: Most thermal body layers seem either too light or too heavy, and imperfections are magnified. Ulvang has managed to find the perfect middle-ground with a very well-designed top and bottom base layer garment. --G. P. (Mar 06)

Price: $70 top, $60 pants

Manufacturer's Site: www.ulvang.com

Buy Online: www.swixsport.com, , , Winter Gear