Gear Review: Arc'teryx Rho Hybrid Bottoms & Crew Neck
When chatting with people about their shoulder season or winter adventures a very common question I hear is “what do I wear to stay warm?”. My immediate answer is always “wool”, but then that is followed up with the rebuttal… “I find wool too itchy”. Well I’m happy to report of a solution that offers the best of both worlds, the warmth of wool without being itchy.
Arc'teryx’s Rho Hybrid base layers include a crew neck and bottoms that I’ve been wearing this winter on every adventure and they have been a superb addition to my clothing selection. These thinner layers are a great choice when out for active adventures like skiing or snowshoeing and pack down nice and small. They are also very light with the top weighing 160g/5.6 oz and the bottoms 120g/4.2 oz.
Love the flat stitching
Usually I find something with base layers that will cause a little niggle and bother you when enjoying the outdoors but not with the Rho series. The flat stitching never caused discomfort and each panel is form fitting leaving no places to bunch up. Even with a heavy backpack, I never had to reach in and readjust the baselayer.
All day comfort and warmth. Great for really breaking a sweat.
The Rho series uses panels of both Phasic™ AR II fabric (Arc’Teryx’s proprietary polyester) and merino wool depending on if the section needs to be stretchy, or create areas of warmth. Since they are geared for higher activity they also wick well while still keeping me warm and providing odour resistance (isn’t wool wonderful?). The wool sections are Nucliex™ 150 which is comprised of 87% Wool and 13% Nylon to give them a longer hard-wearing lifespan.
Merino wool panel on the left and a Phasic™ AR II fabric panel on the right.
Another great feature is that you can just throw them in the wash after you return home despite being wool (although you might not need to as I didn’t find them to get smelly).
Day two… still not smelly
The Rho baselayers were very versatile and never felt restrictive even during any ascents or descents while snowshoeing. They will definitely be my first choice for any active daytime adventures, and perhaps only swapping them out at night when winter camping to let them dry for the next day’s adventures. The best baselayers are the ones you completely forget about because they are so comfortable and regulate your body temperature. Be sure to check them out and there are options for both men and women.
With the proper gear and layering, the colder temperatures aren’t a barrier to enjoying what winter has to offer!
