GOREWEAR

Windstopper Baselayer Long Sleeve Shirt - Men's

Warm, but check the sizing chart

Familiarity:

I've used it once or twice and have initial impressions

Definitely a cycling-oriented base layer, the windstopper membrane covers the front of the shirt, and the back is a more traditional stretchy breathable mesh. The main issue I have with the shirt is that the windstopper material, while it performs well, has some undesirable qualities. It's quite loud/swooshy, and doesn't have very much stretch to it, so even though the shirt fits tightly, the fabric bunches as forms these awkward rolls/accordion flaps when you bend your arms or twist with the garment on. Kinda odd looking. The interior of the shirt is not the most comfortable, and next-to-skin comfort is definitely important if you're going to call this a base layer. I haven't experienced any real chafing yet, but I'm never exactly excited to pull this shirt on. Functionally, it definitely gets the job done. It helps cut the wind a lot, and paired with a mid-weight thermal jersey I've felt quite warm down to about 45*F/7*C. It's also very lightweight for how much warmth it provides. The back panels help keep you from overheating, but you obviously wouldn't want to throw this on for sunny ride on a warm day. The sizing definitely runs small, I'm 6'1/165lbs and the Large is very fitted, and I definitely would be bummed if I bought a Medium. Be sure to check the size chart - the sizing of the shirt is accurate to the chart, but the sizes themselves are smaller than most Americans might be used to.