“The best materials. High-quality, durable workmanship. Functional clothing that fits my build well. Svala is a Finnish family business with more than 70 years of history. It’s the kind of package that guarantees quality and performance I can rely on.”

Jaska Halttunen, cycle tourer and creator of Fillaripäiväkirja

Merino Extreme – warmth that lasts all day

The men's Merino Extreme 200 base layer set solves one of the toughest challenges of dressing for exercise and the outdoors in colder weather: how to stay dry and comfortable when your body keeps warming up and cooling down. Ordinary merino clothing holds warmth even when damp, but feels clammy on your skin once you've been sweating. A polyester base layer dries quickly but doesn't hold warmth. Merino Extreme combines the best of both.

The secret of Merino Extreme is the two-layer structure of its 200 g/m² knit. The polypropylene on the inside moves moisture away from your skin, while the merino wool on the outside holds warmth and breathes naturally. Your skin stays dry as your heart rate rises, and your body stays warm during breaks too. The fabric feels soft and light on your skin, almost as if you weren't wearing anything at all, yet it still regulates your temperature.

Merino wool is naturally odour-resistant, so when you take the set off in the afternoon, you're not greeted by that familiar stale base layer smell. It feels as fresh as when you put it on. On long trips, airing the set is often enough to freshen it up, which is a big advantage when washing isn't an option.

The men's Merino Extreme 200 base layer set comes with a 100-day satisfaction guarantee. We want to give you time to try it properly: wear it as you normally would for 100 days. If you're not happy with it for any reason, you'll get your money back.

Pro-tested Merino Extreme 200 base layer set for year-round wear

This close-fitting but stretchy men's base layer set moves with you without feeling tight. Raise your arms, reach, lean forwards, squat or take a long stride, and the top and bottoms follow your movements instead of stretching or holding you back. All seams are soft flatlock seams that lie flat and won't rub your skin, even with repeated wear.

The top's neckline stretches as you pull it on and doesn't press on the back of your neck. Long set-in sleeves give you more freedom of movement, and the shoulder seam is moved away from the ridge of your shoulder. The cuffs keep the sleeves firmly in place, so you don't have to pull them back down when you put on a mid-layer. The slightly longer back hem keeps your back covered when you bend over.

The anatomically shaped front panel of the bottoms adds comfort and freedom of movement, so the bottoms feel natural whether you're moving or standing still. The full-length legs protect your whole lower body from the cold, from waist to ankle. This is especially important on long trips, when your lower body has time to get as cold as your upper body. The soft but firm elastic waistband with the Svala logo keeps the bottoms securely in place and won't leave a red mark on your waist, even if you wear them all day under thicker workwear or outer trousers.

You can wear the Merino Extreme 200 base layer set as a second layer over an Airbase mesh set, or as your first layer in severe cold. In the Svala AIR System™, this set is the Base Layer: the warming layer you wear over Airbase, the moisture-wicking Zero Layer.

Thoughts from the designer

“In demanding conditions, your base layers decide how comfortable your day is. The lower body is often forgotten, yet when you're standing still, your legs get cold just as quickly as your upper body. I wanted to design a men's set where two materials work together: polypropylene carries moisture away from the skin, and merino wool holds warmth even when the set is damp. A simple idea, but one that took years to refine.”

Ninni Pohto

Ninni Pohto, designer at Svala

Merino wool and polypropylene: a fabric refined over decades

The two-layer structure of the Merino Extreme knit is the result of years of development at Svala. The inner layer is polypropylene, which moves moisture efficiently from your skin to the outer layer. The outer layer is SuperWash-treated merino wool blended with a small amount of polyamide to make it more hard-wearing. In practice, this means your skin stays dry and the set keeps you warm even when it's damp.

Merino wool is naturally excellent at holding warmth and moving moisture. Its natural odour resistance helps prevent unpleasant smells, and you can often freshen the set by airing it instead of washing it. That means you can pack one set for a trip instead of several. Long-fibre merino wool doesn't itch like ordinary wool, so the set feels soft and comfortable on your skin, even when you wear it for long periods.

Merino Extreme works very well as a first layer in severe cold or as a second layer over a Svala Airbase mesh set. In temperatures from −30 °C to +15 °C, the set keeps you warm even when you alternate between activity and rest.

The men's Merino Extreme 200 base layer set is made from 75% mulesing-free merino wool, 22% polypropylene and 3% polyamide. The materials are OEKO-TEX 100 certified, which guarantees the product is safe against your skin. The set is designed and made at the Svala factory in Kärsämäki, Finland, with skills honed over decades.

Developed in Finland for Finnish weather

Sitting on the ice for hours? Packing your rucksack for a week in the wilderness, where temperatures change from morning to evening? Working a long day in the cold, with the temperature never rising above freezing? Merino Extreme is made for moments like these.

Merino Extreme products suit almost any hobby on land, on water and in the air, as well as leisure time outside. Your gear no longer decides how much you enjoy being outdoors.

The Merino Extreme 200 base layer set is at its best:

At work
Hiking and trekking
Running
Cycling
Cross-country skiing
Snowmobiling
Canoeing or boating
Fishing and ice fishing
Hunting
Everyday wear

Svala's Merino Extreme was developed in Finland and has been tested in professional use for decades. In other words, it has proven itself on people who show their clothes no mercy: on long shifts, on week-long wilderness trips, and in wet, cold conditions where your gear decides how comfortable your day is. If the set has stood up to them, it'll stand up to you too.

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