Reliable clothing for every layer on ski tours
Why the right base layers are a matter of safety
On a ski tour, staying dry and warm is not about comfort but about safety. Far from help, on a week-long trip in changeable fell weather, the wrong layers can ruin the whole trip. The right ones make it safer and more comfortable.
That is why we have put together a complete, working system on this page: one go-to garment for each layer. When your pulk glides behind you, an endless expanse opens up ahead and the only sounds are the swish of your skis and your own breathing, your clothing simply has to work. With these garments, you cannot go wrong, whether you are an experienced fell trekker or setting off on your first trip.
One go-to garment for each layer
You do not need to compare dozens of options or guess whether your garments work together. Here is a set in which every layer is designed to work with the next. The Zero Layer wicks sweat away from your skin, the Base Layer evens out warmth, the Mid Layer adds insulation for the coldest conditions and the Shell Layer keeps the weather out. Merino and Airbase take care of moisture and warmth, so you can focus on the route, the scenery and the feeling that you can manage on your own.
Four layers, one set that works
Layering is the key to dressing for ski touring. For each layer, we chose one go-to garment that is designed and tested for exactly these conditions. Together they form the Svala AIR System™ layering system: four layers, each doing its own job, from the Zero Layer to the Shell Layer.
Zero Layer – Next-to-skin performance
It all starts with the skin. Worn next to the skin, the Airbase-mesh shirt and -bottoms keep your skin dry even when you are pulling a pulk and sweating on a steep climb. Airbase is 100 % polypropylene, which absorbs no moisture at all but transfers sweat immediately away from the skin to the next layer. This prevents your body from starting to cool down as soon as you stop in the wind on an exposed fell. This is precisely when many people start to feel cold.
The loops in the 120 g/m² 3D-mesh knit allow air to circulate and trap it in a thin layer against the skin: it cools you during a sweaty climb and provides thermal insulation when you stop for a break. The material feels light against the skin, almost as though it is not there at all, yet it still regulates temperature.
Airbase has a silver ion treatment applied to the core of the fibre, so your clothing will not start to smell even on a long trip – you can pack one shirt instead of five.
Men's Original Airbase 120 mesh set
Women's Original Airbase 120 mesh set
“I choose Airbase underwear for the most demanding ski tours and expeditions primarily for safety. I also wear the same underwear on shorter winter trips and ski tours, where comfort is the main reason for my choice. Airbase is always an easy choice.”
Base Layer – Temperature regulation
Staying dry alone is not enough in freezing conditions; you also need a layer that keeps you warm. Worn over Airbase, the Merino Extreme -shirt and -bottoms are the workhorse of ski touring. Together, Airbase and Merino Extreme are the best layer pairing for ski tourers: the mesh layer moves moisture away from the skin, while merino provides warmth even when damp.
The dual-layer construction of Merino Extreme combines two materials in one shirt: the technical material on the inside wicks moisture away, while the merino wool on the outside retains warmth. Merino keeps you warm even when damp and regulates temperature in both directions, so it does not feel stifling on uphill climbs or leave you feeling cold during breaks.
Merino's natural antibacterial properties help prevent odours, so you can tour for an entire week in the same base layers – simply airing them overnight in the tent is enough to freshen them up. An experienced tourer's trick is to dry a merino shirt that has become damp during the day in your sleeping bag overnight, using your own body heat: by morning, the shirt is dry and warm, ready for another day of skiing.
Men's Merino Extreme 200 base layer set
Women's Merino Extreme 200 base layer set
Mid Layer – Thermal insulation
When the weather turns colder and your pace slows, a temperature-regulating layer alone is no longer enough. Over Merino Extreme, you add an insulating layer that holds on to warmth better when your body no longer produces it as efficiently: during steady trekking, on open, windswept fells and while setting up camp. Nordic Terry Wool, a merino wool blend, is made for this.
Nordic Terry Wool fabric has a smooth outer face and a looped inner face. The loops are the secret of the insulating layer: they trap air and move moisture away from your skin at the same time, so the fabric insulates but stays breathable. Nordic Terry Wool goes over Airbase and Merino Extreme, and together these three layers keep you warm even in hard frost.
Men's Nordic Terry Wool 400 zip-neck mid-layer set
Women's Nordic Terry Wool 400 mid-layer jacket
Shell Layer – Weather protection
The outermost layer completes your layering: the Shell Layer. Its job is simple: keep out wind, snow and rain so that the warm air trapped in the layers beneath cannot escape. Protection alone is not enough, though: the shell must also breathe so that sweat does not get trapped and soak your layers from the inside.
For ski touring, the Shell Layer is often a breathable, windproof membrane fabric, roomy enough to fit over your other layers and fitted with proper vents. The roomy fit is no accident: it leaves insulating air between the layers, which keeps the warmth in.
Svala's own Shell Layer, the Ventile 200, is a membrane-free jacket made from tightly woven long-staple cotton. It protects you from wind, repels light rain and breathes.
Men's Ventile 200 jacket
Women's Ventile 200 jacket
You do not need everything at once – start here
The system works best when you wear all the AIR System™ layers to suit the weather and your pace. Each layer then supports the next. You do not need to buy everything at once, though: you can build up your layers gradually. If you are starting from scratch, begin with the next-to-skin layer: it is the most important part of the whole system and makes the most noticeable difference to how you used to dress. Airbase next to your skin with Merino Extreme on top forms a pairing that goes a long way on most trips. This is where to invest first.
If you already have a suitable layer, buy only what is missing:
- Do you already have a merino wool base layer? Complement it with Airbase. Wear Airbase next to your skin, and the combination will keep you drier and warmer than merino alone.
- Are your next-to-skin and warming layers already in place? For cold weather and long breaks, add a Nordic Terry Wool insulating layer.
- Do you already have a shell layer? Make sure there is plenty of room underneath for Airbase, Merino Extreme and, if needed, an insulating layer. The air between the layers is part of what keeps you warm.
This way, you can build a system that works at your own pace, and each layer slots into the same system. Although we put these layers together for ski touring, they will not sit in the wardrobe between trips: the same layers also work for other outdoor activities and everyday exercise, from day trips to commuting.
Would you like to explore this topic further?
Would you like to read more about ski touring equipment and clothing, and see a packing list?
Read more in our guide.
Four layers, one effective system
Layer: Zero Layer - next-to-skin performance
