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Base layers
74 Degrees No Nonsense Men's Short Sleeve Merino Base Layer 74 Degrees No Nonsense Men's Short Sleeve Merino Base Layer
74 Degrees No Nonsense Mens Short Sleeve Merino Base Layer

74 Degrees No Nonsense Men's Short Sleeve Merino Base Layer

8
by Mat Brett
UPDATED Thu, Oct 15, 2015 04:24

First Published Oct 20, 2013

1
£49.00

VERDICT:

8
10
Comfortable merino base layer that's a little warmer and more hardwearing than most.
Weight: 
190g
Contact: 
www.seventyfourdegrees.com
How we test

At road.cc every product is thoroughly tested for as long as it takes to get a proper insight into how well it works. Our reviewers are experienced cyclists that we trust to be objective. While we strive to ensure that opinions expressed are backed up by facts, reviews are by their nature an informed opinion, not a definitive verdict. We don't intentionally try to break anything (except locks) but we do try to look for weak points in any design. The overall score is not just an average of the other scores: it reflects both a product's function and value – with value determined by how a product compares with items of similar spec, quality, and price.

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This 74 Degrees base layer has all the benefits you usually get with merino wool, but it's a heavier weight than most and a little warmer in the cool weather.

The merino wool used here is fine stuff (the individual fibres are les than 19.5 microns in diameter, if you're interested in these things), There are finer types of merino out there, but this is certainly soft and it's unlikely to irritate your skin unless you're really susceptible to itchiness. I found this perfectly comfortable in a variety of conditions.

The difference between this base layer and most other merino options is in the density of the weave. Rapha, for example, use 150g/m2 whereas this one is 215g/m2. That certainly makes a difference in use, the 74 Degrees base providing noticeably more warmth, and it's very durable too.

The base layer is a very simple T-shirt style design in a slim cut, with standard rather than flatlock seams and a rear that's very slightly longer than the front. The only branding is a small, embroidered logo on the left hip.

We've been over the benefits of merino wool a million times here on road.cc, the chief ones being that it's naturally antibacterial and so highly resistant to odours, it wicks moisture away from your skin well and that it still keeps you warm even when it's damp with sweat – all of which are certainly true here.

And the downsides? If you do sweat hard, any wool can get heavy with moisture – which is why I tend to use it for riding around town, and for really cold rides. Oh, and you need to beware of moths. Grrrr.

Also available in men's/women's long sleeve versions for £54.

Verdict

Comfortable merino base layer that's a little warmer and more hardwearing than most.

road.cc test report

Make and model: 74 Degrees No Nonsense Mens Short Sleeve Merino Base Layer

Size tested: Medium, Black

Tell us what the product is for, and who it's aimed at. What do the manufacturers say about it? How does that compare to your own feelings about it?

74 Degrees say, "Made in New Zealand, this No Nonsense short sleeve base layer is a beautifully soft yet hard wearing 215 gsm 100% fine merino wool, designed to survive long term use.

"We believe that by using a heavier knit our merino works better as a base layer, across a wider range of temperatures, is more durable and won't lose its shape. Although it's more expensive we use up to 43% more merino than other base layers to ensure our products perform better and last longer.

"Naturally soft, anti bacterial, odour and stain resistant, keeps you dry and comfortable, warm in winter, cool in summer. Machine washable.

"Long back design for extra comfort when cycling, suitable whenever a base layer is needed or on its own. Labeling is kept to a minimum to reduce irritation, and there is a discrete embroidered logo on the lower left hand side.

"Purchase as a close fit for best performance."

Rate the product for quality of construction:
 
7/10
Rate the product for performance:
 
8/10
Rate the product for durability:
 
9/10
Rate the product for comfort, if applicable:
 
8/10
Rate the product for value:
 
8/10

High-quality merino is never cheap, but this is good value for money.

Tell us what you particularly liked about the product

It's good to have a different weight of merino, offering you another option to suit the conditions. The price is pretty good too.

Did you enjoy using the product? Yes.

Would you consider buying the product? Yes.

Would you recommend the product to a friend? Yes.

Overall rating: 8/10

About the tester

Age: 42  Height: 190cm  Weight: 75kg

I usually ride:   My best bike is:

I've been riding for: Over 20 years  I ride: Most days  I would class myself as: Expert

I regularly do the following types of riding: commuting, club rides, sportives, general fitness riding,

 

Merino
74 Degrees No Nonsense Men's Short Sleeve Merino Base Layer
Mat Brett

Mat has been in cycling media since 1996, on titles including BikeRadar, Total Bike, Total Mountain Bike, What Mountain Bike and Mountain Biking UK, and he has been editor of 220 Triathlon and Cycling Plus. Mat has been road.cc technical editor for over a decade, testing bikes, fettling the latest kit, and trying out the most up-to-the-minute clothing. He has won his category in Ironman UK 70.3 and finished on the podium in both marathons he has run. Mat is a Cambridge graduate who did a post-grad in magazine journalism, and he is a winner of the Cycling Media Award for Specialist Online Writer. Now over 50, he's riding road and gravel bikes most days for fun and fitness rather than training for competitions.

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1 comments

Avatar
Guyz2010 | 10 years ago
0 likes

Cycling on a budget eh. Go to Marks & Spencer and buy their thermal T's and long arm T's. £22 for two and well warm, wash up good and last for ages. I'm fine in nought degC one layer and a windproof jacket. This shirts a rip off.

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