Svala AIR System™
Four layers. One effective system.
The problem with layering is that many people think they already know how to do it. Yet few know why air is the most important insulator in layering, what the layers need to be like to work together or which layers are easily overlooked.
Svala AIR System™ solves this. It organises layering into four layers, each with its own role, from the Zero Layer to the Shell Layer. When the layers are designed to work together, you do not have to guess whether they are compatible.
Svala AIR System™
Svala AIR System™ is a layering system that keeps you comfortable in both cold and warm conditions. At its core is air, which provides insulation between carefully chosen clothing layers. This straightforward system keeps you dry and warm, even as your activity level varies and the weather changes.
Svala AIR System™ is our way of creating effective layering with four layers.
Developed and tested over decades
At the heart of our layering system is Airbase-mesh knit, which traps air between your garments exceptionally effectively. Svala mesh is manufactured using a method we developed in the 1990s that is not available elsewhere. Airbase forms the foundation of a straightforward system that keeps you dry and warm, even as your pace varies and the weather changes.
Most outdoor outfits are put together using garments from different manufacturers, in the hope that they will work together. AIR System™ - by contrast, is a simple, effective system: everything works together. This makes AIR System more than the sum of its parts. You do not always need all four layers. Choose your layers according to the conditions, your activity level and your personal need for warmth.
Zero Layer – Next-to-skin performance
It all starts with the skin. Zero Layer - its primary role is to wick moisture away from the skin and help the body maintain a steady temperature, regardless of activity level.
Svala's Airbase mesh-knit fabric creates small insulating air pockets between the skin and the next clothing layer. Polypropylene does not absorb moisture but helps transfer it to the next layers. Silver ions permanently integrated into the fibre inhibit the growth of bacteria that cause odour, keeping the shirt fresh for longer.
Light. Dry. Airy. Directly against the skin.
Why is air the best insulator?
Air conducts heat less effectively than any textile fibre, which is why a still layer of air provides effective insulation. The yarn in the Airbase mesh set has a hollow structure, and the knit loops effectively trap air, forming a thin layer of air against the skin that adapts to body temperature regardless of activity level: in hot conditions, the mesh cools, and in cold conditions, it insulates. Read more about layering here.
During strenuous exercise, Airbase works as next-to-skin underwear even in freezing temperatures, and in severe cold it is worn beneath warm base layers. The manufacturing method is Svala's own: we have developed and tested it since the 1990s, and nothing equivalent is available elsewhere. Read more about the origins of Airbase.
Base Layer – Temperature regulation
Base Layer provides warmth while also performing well during physical activity. Its role is to trap insulating air and move the moisture carried away from the skin by Zero Layer further outwards.
Svala merino wool base layers and technical double-layer constructions perform particularly well in conditions where activity levels vary and clothing needs to provide both warmth and breathability. Merino wool provides warmth even when damp, so it retains heat even if moisture builds up in the garment.
When the temperature drops, Zero Layer and Base Layer work effectively together: the mesh layer keeps moisture away from the skin, and Base Layer provides the warmth needed.
Warmth on the move without unnecessary bulk.
”Svala’s Airbase underwear is the perfect starting point for any outfit, regardless of the season. What comes next depends on the season and the activity.”
Mid Layer – Thermal insulation
As temperatures fall or activity levels decrease, more insulation is needed. Mid Layer traps more air between the layers and helps retain the heat your body produces. The colder the conditions or the longer you remain still, the more important the insulating layer becomes.
Merino wool, fleece and technical insulating materials allow you to adjust insulation to suit your needs. Mid Layer is worn over Base Layer, and in extremely cold conditions you can use several insulating layers. In calm, freezing weather in the forest, Mid Layer can also serve as the outermost layer without a shell: it provides sufficient insulation and breathes better than a shell, as long as it is not too windy.
More air. More insulation. When conditions demand it.
Who is AIR System™ designed for?
AIR System™ is designed for Nordic conditions, where the weather changes quickly and clothing has to meet demanding requirements. By adding and removing layers, the same system adapts from a gentle run to a multi-day wilderness trek.
Layering is particularly beneficial:
- During a work shift
- On outdoor trips and hikes
- When running
- When walking
- When cycling
- On cross-country ski trails
- In a canoe or boat
- When ice fishing or fishing
- In everyday life
Svala products have been developed and tested in professional use in Finland for decades. This means the products have been put to the test by people who put their clothing through demanding use, and in situations where equipment determines comfort and sometimes survival.
Shell Layer – Weather protection
The Shell Layer has a simple purpose: to keep out snow, rain and wind. It must also be breathable, because if moisture gets trapped, the three layers underneath cannot do their job.
Natural and technical materials made in Europe have been selected for Svala’s Shell Layer collection.
Four layers, one effective system
Layer: Zero Layer - next-to-skin performance
You do not need everything at once – start here
The system works best when you wear all the layers of AIR System™ - suited to the weather and your activity level. Each layer then supports the next. However, you do not need to buy everything at once or replace your entire wardrobe: AIR System™ also works with the clothing you already own. You can build the system gradually, adding what is missing.
If you are starting from scratch, start with the layer next to your skin: it is the most important part of the system and makes the most noticeable difference to how you have dressed before. Airbase next to your skin and a merino wool set over it form a pairing that goes a long way in most activities – this is worth investing in 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 the mesh layer next to your skin beneath the merino wool, and the combination will keep you drier and warmer than merino wool alone.
- Are your next-to-skin layer and warming layer already in place? Complement them with an insulating Mid Layer - for cold weather and long breaks.
- Do you already have a suitable hardshell jacket? There is no need to replace it. Make sure there is ample room underneath for a layer next to your skin, a warming layer and, when needed, an insulating layer. The air between the layers contributes to warmth.
This way, you can build an effective combination at your own pace, and each new layer fits into the same system.
Accessories – warmth from head to toe
Accessories complete the AIR System™: headwear, gloves, neck gaiters and socks. Your hands, head and feet are often the first to get cold, even when the rest of your body stays warm, so layering only works fully when your extremities stay warm too.
Svala’s merino wool and technical accessories keep you warm and breathe, whatever the activity or season. The same layering principle applies to accessories too: a thin layer next to the skin to wick away moisture, with an insulating layer on top.
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