First Lite Aerowool Real World Reveiw

First Lite Aerowool vs Exo Mountain Gear Death Hike




Aerowool
First let me explain what Aerowool is in layman's terms. Its 35% poly and 65% merino wool. Using the 37.5 tech, they have introduced carbon in to the fibers of the material that moves moisture from inside to the outside. Sorry First Lite engineers if i screwed that up, but from my understanding that's the gist.Aerowool Sizing
I also want to take a second to discuss sizing. As with other First Lite base layer pieces, they run about a half size large. I happen to be between a med and large, so a medium fits me perfectly in the Wilkin QZ. With an average 35-36 inch waist, the medium Dobson's were also a great fit. I want to mention that they do not fit the same as the Llano, or the Red Desert boxers. The Aerowool does not have as much stretch as the 100% merino wool, so it's less forgiving. So don't think you can squeeze into a smaller size than you are. Also rolling up your sleeves might be a bit tricky if you have Popeye forearms. One other bonus item, on the Wilkin there is about 2-3” of extra length at the bottom. If any of you have had a Chama QZ in the past, rest assured, you’re belly button will be safely hidden when wearing the Wilkin. This was great, esp when putting on my pack. I hate when my shirt rides up and gets above my lumbar pad. Gold star to First Lite for listening to customers on this one.
The Hike
Not gonna lie.. I was really worried about monkey butt on this trip. Last year, it was a major issue as none of us were really prepared for it. But as the miles ticked off I realized that while i was sweating, it wasn't bothering me to the point of causing any problems. Obviously the shorts were wicking the moisture nicely away from my… well my butt. Despite being at around 7,000-8,000 feet, it was pretty warm. My watch said 90’s so, it was probably in the mid 80s. The Wilkin was comfortable keeping the sun off me, and as I would sweat the wind would cool me down, but not to the point of being chilled. I was really happy with that, as we were doing a pretty good clip averaging 3-4 mph and it was never flat.


