Does anybody have experience with Capilene?

[Josh]

Hello,

I am trying to decide between the Patagonia Capilene base layer 2 and 3. I am worried I will be too warm in the 3 and not warm enough in the 2. I will be using this for backpacking trips in So. Cal. as well as a thru-hike next year.

Does anybody have any experience with them and can shed some light on their warmth?

Thanks
Josh

[Lindsey]

Hey Josh,

I can’t remember if I’ve ever used 2, but my regular base layer is a Patagonia 3, and it’s really been perfect. I am generally a bit on the cold side, but I’ve found that on nights where the temperature is right on that cusp of being only slightly chilly while also being pretty nice, that I end up just wearing the 3 when I’m out and about in camp. It used it the entire summer on 7 trips up into the high sierras (9,000 feet and up) and it was a wonderful layer under my down jacket and even just as a sleep layer.

I would almost suggest you just go with the 3, because worse comes to worse you can always just wear that on evenings that are only slightly chilly (though, as mentioned, I’m not sure I’ve ever used a 2). Also, if you’d want something that is more useable on a thru-hike I’d also suggest this from my own Sierra experience 🙂

Hope that helps!

Lindsey

[Josh]

Thank you for your insight Lindsey, that helps a lot. I think I will go for the 3.

Josh

[Lindsey]

You are most welcome! I don’t think you’ll be sorry to have something slightly warmer. Enjoy!

[Jeff Hester]

I’ll throw in a second for Capilene 3. I used this for a base layer on my JMT thru-hike. For the most part, it was my sleep clothes with a couple of exceptions — cold nights and hiking up Mt. Whitney (we started up around midnight).

Most of the time for hiking, I wore shorts and a tech-tee. I’d add a wind shirt, then when it got chilly, a fleece.

The Capilene 3 worked really well for sleeping.

In the end, these decisions are highly individual. The best advice I can give you is to make your best educated purchase, but to field test before your thru-hike.

[Author]

Posts