Reliable clothing for skaters in every layer
Layering is the key to dressing for Nordic skating
Nordic skating warms you up, and your heart rate usually stays at a comfortable level. But when you stop or take a break, you can quickly start to feel cold without the right gear. On open ice, wind and wind chill make the cold bite harder, which is when the right layering really matters. Clothes that are too bulky make skating awkward and can easily leave you too hot or even uncomfortable.
We have put together a complete, practical set on this page: one reliable garment for each layer. With these garments you cannot go wrong, whether you skate shorter loops on a nearby lake or go on long trips out on the sea ice. You do not need to compare dozens of options or guess whether the garments work together. Here is a set in which every layer is designed to work with the next.
One reliable garment for every layer
The Zero Layer moves moisture away from your skin, the Base Layer evens out your temperature, the Mid Layer adds insulation for breaks and slower skating, and the Shell Layer protects against wind and snow. Merino and Airbase take care of moisture and warmth, so you can focus on your pace and the ice.
Four layers, one complete set
Layering is the answer to dressing for Nordic skating. We chose one reliable garment for each layer that works at both extremes: a fast, sweaty pace and a break in bitter cold. Together they make up the Svala AIR System™ layering system: four layers, each with its own job, from the Zero Layer to the Shell Layer. You do not always need all four. Some of the layers are enough for a short skate in the spring sunshine, while for a long trip or a hard frost you wear the full system.
Zero Layer – Next-to-skin performance
Nordic skating is usually aerobic exercise that keeps you pleasantly warm even in freezing temperatures. Worn next to the skin, the Airbase mesh shirt and mesh bottoms keep your skin dry.
Airbase is 100% polypropylene, which does not absorb moisture at all but moves sweat away from your skin to the next layer. So you will not get cold on a break with a wet shirt stuck to your back under your rucksack.
The loops of the 120 g/m² 3D mesh knit breathe and trap air, forming a thin layer against your skin: it cools you while you skate and keeps you warm on breaks. Airbase is thin and stretchy, so it follows your body without restricting movement. The silver-ion treatment keeps the layers fresh, so you can skate many sessions in the same garments with nothing more than airing.
Men's Original Airbase 120 mesh set
Women's Original Airbase 120 mesh set
“In Nordic skating, your speed and the wind keep changing, but with the right layering you stay comfortable. When your clothing works, you can focus on what matters: the freedom to move and the nature around you.”
Base Layer – Temperature regulation
When your pace slows or you stop for a break, your body’s own heat production drops quickly and you need a layer that keeps you warm. An insulating merino layer goes over Airbase. Merino regulates temperature in both directions, so it does not feel stuffy when your heart rate is high and does not let you get cold when you stop to take in the view or enjoy a snack. It also keeps you warm when it is damp with sweat, which is crucial when your pace changes from brisk skating to standing completely still.
Airbase and Merino Extreme are the Nordic skater’s go-to pair: the mesh layer moves moisture away from your skin, while Merino Extreme insulates and evens out your temperature. The double-layer construction of Merino Extreme combines the warmth of merino wool with the moisture transport of a technical material, so it keeps you warm but stays breathable when you are moving and sweating.
Men's Merino Extreme 200 base layer set
Women's Merino Extreme 200 base layer set
Mid Layer – Thermal insulation
When the frost deepens or you take a longer break, a temperature-regulating layer is no longer enough on its own. Over Merino Extreme you add a layer that insulates even more. This is where Nordic Terry Wool comes into its own.
The material, known as wool terry, has a smooth outer surface and yarn loops on the inside. The loops are the secret of this insulating layer: they trap warmth and move moisture away from your skin at the same time, so the layer keeps you warm but stays breathable.
Nordic Terry Wool goes over Airbase and Merino Extreme, and together these three layers carry you through even hard frost and wind. On a short skate you can leave this layer at home or pack it in your rucksack for breaks, and in hard frost or on a long trip you wear it over your other layers.
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: a lightweight shell jacket or a windproof winter jacket. The shell layer’s job is to block the wind and keep snow and sleet out, so the warm air trapped in the layers beneath cannot escape. In Nordic skating, wind chill makes this important even at moderate speeds. Protection alone is not enough, however: the shell must also breathe, so that sweat does not soak the layers from the inside.
Choose a shell with enough room for your other layers, as the air between the layers keeps the warmth in. Svala’s own shell layer, Ventile, is not just a winter jacket, so the same shell goes with you on spring, summer and autumn trips too.
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 the layers to suit the weather and your pace. You do not need to buy everything at once or replace your entire wardrobe. The Svala AIR System™ also works with the clothes you already own. If you are starting from scratch, start with what you wear next to your skin: it is the most important part of the whole system. The most reliable foundation for a Nordic skater is Airbase mesh knit next to the skin with merino over it. On top of these, add a mid-layer and a shell to suit the weather and the distance.
If you already have one of the layers sorted, 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 under the merino, so you do not get cold on breaks or at a fast pace.
- Are your next-to-skin and warm layers already sorted? For hard frost and long trips, add the Nordic Terry Wool mid-layer set, which keeps you warm especially when you stop somewhere exposed.
- Do you already have a skating jacket or a winter jacket suited to the activity? There is no need to replace it. Make sure there is enough room underneath for your other layers.
This way you can build a practical system at your own pace. Although we put these layers together for Nordic skating, they will not sit unused in your wardrobe: the same layers also work for other outdoor activities and change seasons with you.
Four layers, one effective system
Layer: Zero Layer - next-to-skin performance
