MERIWOOL Mens Base Layer 100% Merino Wool Thermal Pants

This review compares the Elementex Midweight (bottoms - Black/Small) to two other well-known brands. I purchased three pairs of midweight bottoms, a brand that rhymes with StartWool (SW) and a house brand form an outdoor retailer with the initials R-E and I.Primary use of these bottoms is as a base layer when doing active outdoor winter sports like ice climbing and snowshoeing in the Sierras and keeping the chill at bay during the windy evening camp fires and cold tent camping. I chose the Elementex (E) brand because of its thickness (250g), it great price and a handful of good reviews. With the (SW) pair being OVER twice as much money… and the (REI) pair being double in price… the short review is that these (E) are a HECK of a bargain and 95% as nice as the (SW) brand and 50% better than the (REI) brand.THICKNESS: Compared to (SW) the E’s are almost as thick, so close that you could not tell unless comparing them side by side. (SW) appears to have a little more loft and a slightly higher thread count? (tighter weave??) End result is (SW) feels just a hair plusher, but not worth the crazy price (in my opining) unless you can get the (SW) pair at a really DEEP discount. The (E) pair was twice as thick as the (REI) brand and made the (REI) ones feel like a lightweight thickness as compared to a midweight. No comparison to the (REI) pair, as they were twice the price and half the thickness.CUFFS: The (E) pair has a very sturdy elastic waist strap sewn into the wool. It is burly and would almost be overkill but I had no issues while wearing them. The (SW) is more subtle in stretch, more like the wide band at the top of women’s yoga pants, but much taller and plusher feeling than the E’s. The REI version was like a typical band you would find on name brand boxers. All three felt comfortable with the E gripping the most and the REI the least. For the ankles, the E had the thickest, tallest cuffs to seal out the drafts, SW the next and REI the least but all worked just fine and had no issues.FIT: Snug, seemed true to their size chart, I got mine a wee bit smaller so the inseam would be shorter and these are stretchy to begin with. Thick curve hugging with snug ankles and waist.DURABILITY: I have not worn any pair more than a few weekends so I will chime back in if I have any concerns on failures. The E’s come with a 30 day warranty, and I have read reviews that the SW waist band has quality control issues, but SW does replace them when that happens. REI of course has a 365 day guarantee on anything they sell so nuff said there.PACKAGING: The bottoms came in a nicer box than I had expected. Simple cardboard with clear sizing and laundering directions inside. Garment tags are both sewn on and printed so if you are not a tag fan you may have to do some trimming. It was very nice not to see or have to fight any plastic in the packaging!!!!!SUMMARY: If you are looking for a base layer that is 95% of what the SW brand is without dropping a whole Ben Franklin on a pair of long underwear, then the E’s seem to get my vote. I thought they were just as good, and at half the retail price… works for me. If anyone can compare them to the Ice Breaker model, I would love to hear about it as I am a fan of their wool products as well. Hope this helps… go have some fun!!!

open the package and surprise to see the wool tops and pants were so light and thin.....wore them and felt like Hanes longjohns from walmart......i was about to leave a 3 stars rating until i left my apt into a 26F morning to do my errants....when i realized im only wearing these Elementex along with AE hoodie and sweat pants....keep me warm through out the day while my friends complained the nailbiting weather...haha....so 5 stars it is then.👍

I wanted to write this review so that customers had something to go off of. I haven't yet put these to use on the backpacking trip I purchased them for, but you'll see my initial reaction and expectations for them below.Quality: I was skeptical about buying wool. Everyone knows wool keeps you warm best, and is the most ideal fabric for physical exertion in cold climates. These leggings feel solidly crafted. If you're concerned about the relatively low price, don't be. In fact, after looking at other wool leggings at REI, I prefer the Elementex construction. Some wool leggings are just as thin as synthetic running leggings, but these have some thickness to them, so I expect more insulation out of them. The waistband blends into the rest of the leggings, which makes it more comfortable than normal waistbands.Feeling: these are sooooooft! When they tell you merino wool is fine and soft, it's true. It feels just like cotton and maybe even softer - they feel great to put on. They stretch well, just like other leggings. There is ample length at the bottom, if you get the right size it should be fine.Takeaway: all of the other products I looked at were no less than $60, and at REI wool leggings are no less than $90. I was worried about buying Elementex because there were no reviews, no sizes (see photos), and they were so much cheaper, but these did not let me down and I expect them to do very well.Sizing: Elementex doesn't include sizes on Amazon so I included the chart which came in the box. If you get the wrong size, note the liberal return policy.

I'm 6'0 180lbs with a 33 inch waist and an inseam of 34 inches. Typically, I have to get a waist size too large to get the length I need and they're baggy. I bought these in large and the length was all the way down to my feet, and then some, while giving me a nice fit everywhere else. Not baggy at all so I would say they're a slim fit but definitely stretchable if you're a bit thicker than I am. Just what I wanted. I've already washed and dried them once with no change in length or fit. It's 12 degrees outside and I'm wearing them under jeans right now. I've noticed no chill at all on my legs as I moved about outside today. They're pricey but worth it IMO.

I got this in combination with the top, MERIWOOL Merino Wool Men's Crew Tops, Large - Black, so I'll echo my review for that here:I wore this while traveling in Iceland for a couple weeks. It has all the great qualities you'd expect from Merino wool - it's warm, not too itchy, resists odor even when worn for multiple days, dries quickly, and insulates even when wet. I've washed it a few times (cold wash, air dry) and haven't noticed any shrink or piling.Unlike the top, I found the bottoms to fit perfectly. (I'm 5'10", 175 lb, 34x30" pants - ordered a large.) I don't think there is a better option for the price.

I bought this and the matching king sleeve top for my boyfriend. He is going camping and fishing with some friends in a few weeks and plans to wear them on the trip... In the meantime, he's been wearing them non-stop telling me how comfy and soft they are. He also loves the dark rich navy blue color. I always thought wool was too itchy, but these are fantastic. I also just found out they make a women's version... So I'll definitely need to buy a matching set for myself.I love the detail of the stitching and the fact that it's midweight, which is perfect for the kind of weather he usually camps in. So happy this item was a good deal and also high quality.