I love fall even more, thanks to Columbia Sportswear Company’s women’s Baselayer series with Omni-Heat® thermal reflective technology. Each year, I find myself counting down the days until that first cool, crisp morning and the opportunity to take in the rich harvest colors as leaves begin to change. However, as much as I love romanticizing my favorite time of year, the season change used to fill me with a certain amount of dread. With those cool mornings I loved so much, came the need to add layer-upon-layer of clothing in order to stay warm. I do not enjoy feeling like an over-stuffed Michelin Man or the Pillsbury Dough Boy.
On a cold day’s duck hunt, the Midweight Baselayer keeps the hunter warm to the core. Now, only if the birds would cooperate! Photo courtesy of Wyatt Bodenheimer
Fortunately, I discovered the above-referenced Columbia Sportswear Company’s women’s Baselayer series with Omni-Heat® thermal reflective technology. Omni-Heat® is advanced fabric technology designed to help the body regulate its own temperature by reflecting body warmth, while allowing excess heat to escape. Imagine thin fabric covered in hundreds of tiny little metallic dots – all working to redirect body heat back toward the body. Yeah, it sounds a bit far fetched, but it works! The stretchy, polyester-blend fabric is lightweight, yet 20 percent warmer than ordinary fabric, minimizing the need for excess layers. Say goodbye to the Dough Boy! Better yet, the silhouette of the Baselayer series is sleek and form fitting, but does not compromise comfort or flexibility.
The Baselayer also incorporates Columbia’s Omni-Wick technology, which helps pull moisture away from the body, keeping it dry from excess perspiration.
During the cool fall and winter months, because of my location, I do little activity outside without first layering on my Midweight Baselayer. Not only does the Baselayer keep me toasty warm on the ski slopes, it also is the perfect addition to my duck-hunting gear list. In fact, last season I hunted one particular morning in -5 degree temps. The ½-zip, Midweight Baselayer top and full-length tights kept me plenty warm and still provided me the flexibility under my hunting jacket to quickly mount my shotgun and pack in my decoys without feeling bulky and weighed down.
The Columbia Baselayer Midweight and Heavyweight Tops all offer perfectly-placed thumb holes, allowing for maximum flexibility. Photo courtesy of Todd Bodenheimer
What do I love most about the Baselayer (besides the fact I know it will keep me warm)? The sleeves have thumbholes! The thumbholes are perfectly placed, and help keep the sleeves in place when layering underneath other clothing. I no longer have to worry about the sleeves creeping and bunching up. The thumbholes also keep the sleeves down over my hands and help provide a bit of extra warmth on days when my gloves may have been left at home. (I can neither confirm nor deny if I have done this from time to time.) The long cut of the body of the Baselayer top also helps it stay put when tucking it into pants, without adding extra bulk around my belly.
The Columbia Women’s Baselayer series offers a variety of styles to meet a variety of needs, and comes in both a Midweight and Heavyweight line:
The Columbia women’s Baselayer offers both Midweight and Heavyweight tights. Photo courtesy of Columbia Sportswear
The complete Baselayer system is available through Columbia’s website and retail stores, as well as most major sporting-goods retailers across the country. With MSRPs ranging from $50 to $70 (depending on cut and style) the Baselayer system also comes in a variety of colors, meeting the needs of both the cost-conscious and fashion-minded individual.
An experienced huntress, Michelle Whitney Bodenheimer has pursued big game, upland birds and waterfowl throughout North America and Africa. Although Michelle loves to hunt and shoot (both rifle and bow), her biggest passion in life is sharing her love for the outdoors with others. Michelle is the dedicated gear review columnist for Women’s Outdoor News, in a column called “Her Gear.” Michelle’s writings and photography also have been published in a number of outdoor journals, including On Target, Lady Angler, The Gun Dog Journal, The Shooting Channel and African Hunting Gazette. Michelle has been a repeat contributing guest on Outdoor GPS,a live hunting and fishing television program broadcast on Comcast SportsNet NW. When Michelle is not writing, she is serving her time as an outdoor educator. She is an active volunteer for the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) Outdoor Skills Program. Her primary responsibilities with ODFW are serving as a shotgunning coach and dog handler/guide for ODFW’s upland bird hunting clinics. Michelle also teaches regularly for Women in the Outdoors (WITO) and Becoming and Outdoors Woman (BOW) programs. She serves on the Pro Staff team for Cabela’s, as well as for the NW Ladies Hunt Camp, an educational outreach program hosted in conjunction with the NRA’s Women on Target Program and Extreme Desire TV, and is a member of the field staff for Próis Hunting and Field Apparel for Women. A current member of a number of national conservation organizations, Michelle is a life member of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundations, as well as a life member of the National Rifle Association. She also served as a past director for the Southwest Washington chapter of Safari Club International. Take caution, however, if Michelle invites you along on a hunt. Having been stalked by a cougar and attacked by a cheetah, she tends to live life a bit on the wild side. View all posts by Michelle Whitney Bodenheimer
