December 03

HELLY HANSEN LIFA MERINO:2LAYER MOUNTAIN T-SHIRTS, PROVIDE LIGHT AND DRY HEAT (57% WOOL; 43% POLYPROPYLENE)

Posted by Héctor Rubio on December 3, 2020 in trail running spain | Leave a comment

Helly Hansen Lifa Merino: Mountain T-shirts with merino wool and hoody. 2 layers construction. Our TRAIL RUNNING GEAR section reviews the latest version of the first best-selling Helly Hansen winter layer. This winter HH Lifa Merino arrives with long sleeves and hood as well. For its dry heat and smell resistance it fits very well with alpine skiing, Nordic backcountry, skimo, mountaineering and winter hiking.
The iconic LIfa T-shirt of the Norwegian brand, maintains the merino wool of the sheep as a base material, for its magnificent thermal performance and resistance to odors. The Merino Lifa Midweight Hoodie combines 57% wool and 43% polypropylene in a 2 layers construction that keeps warm and evacuates sweat 56% faster than single wool.

HELLY HANSEN LIFA MERINO HOODIE
MOUNTAIN T-SHIRTS WITH MERINO WOOL AND HOOD. 2LAYER CONSTRUCTION

FIRST LAYER, KEY FOR MOUNTAIN COMFORT.

As we have detailed several times before explaining the THREE LAYERS SYSTEM for mountain clothing, the first layer is the essential basis to stay dry and comfortable in all winter activities and weather conditions. Within these first layers, there are natural material based on pen, wool and silk. Also in artificial fabrics such as polyamide, polyester or polypropylene. Among them, artificial polypropylene stands out for textiles as the lightest material and the fastest to evacuate sweat; while merin wool is the one that best value for durability-heat gives us.

Guadarrama, Madrid mountains in winter. Photo: Mayayo

HELLY HANSEN, FIRST LAYER: HH LIFA, MYTHICAL T-SHIRTS SINCE THE 1970S.

Founded in Norway in 1877, Helly Hansen has a long list of innovations on the market, including the first waterproof and flexible fabrics almost 140 years ago. In addition, he also designed the first polars in the 1960s and introduced the first technical layers with LIFA StayDry technology in the 1970s. At the time, it was an absolute pioneer in the use of polypropylene as the main base for mountain clothing.

Hence Helly Hansen, cemented his myth for decades with his HH Lifa first layer polypropylene T-shirts as staples for maximum mountain activity activities. Clothes that were also recognizable all over the world by their striped medd pads. In my case, I discovered them to do with them whitewater kayaking first and then as key companions for peaks such as Aconcagua, Cotopaxi or Nordic ski like the 90k Vasaloppet in Sweden.

Time passed and today the original Lifa, light and fine, is still a world bestseller when it comes to hitting it hard, but the Norwegians didn’t stay there. This summer we already brought you the novelty HH Lifa Solen, with versions of t-shirt or hoodie, that you can see below. Now, let’s go with the key news for winter.

HH LIFA MERINO: A LEAP FORWARD, COMBINING LYPH AND MERINO WOOL.

Helly Hansen continued to seek improvement and makes more than five years that launched its first winter layers combining outer merino wool and inner polypropylene. I thus achieved a particularly powerful combination for medium-low intensity activities, which in my case I have been using almost since 2015 with good results.

The Lifa Merino Midweight is one of Helly Hansen’s best-selling garments. By this Fall/Winter 2020, this 2 layers expands range: Helly Hansen introduces the Merino Lifa Midweight Hoodie. This is the latest development in the catalogue of a mythical range. that already baits more than 72 million units sold worldwide. Once again, it guarantees heat and excellent moisture management, whether you’re on the chairlift or on the slopes.

Now you are looking for a somewhat thicker version, which makes it unnecessary to also wear jackets and linings. In this way, the average weight of the Merino Lifa chosen here will be 225 g/m2. And it comes with a jersey construction, which includes a hoodie that eliminates all the cold spots for those extreme days in the mountains. The forntal neckline of the new sweatshirt rises around the face to cover the chin and neck, eliminating the bulky balaclavas. When the hoodie is not used, the hood and neck are flat.

The Lifa Merino Midweight Hoodie uses Helly Hansen’s warm LIFA Merino technology with a 2-layer construction that keeps warm: 100% Merino wool wool on the outside and 100% LIFA inside. LIFA fabric is based on a yarn technology that removes moisture from the skin and transports it to the surface of the fabric where it evaporates, bringing warmth and comfort to the user.

WHAT DO I WIN WITH THE 2LAYER SYSTEM? 57% MERINO WOOL AND 43% POLYPROPYLENE

The combination of two layers, inside polypropylene and outside merino wool, offers us a 56% improvement in moisture compared to wool fabric alone. In addition, the outer Merino wool is more durable and soft, provides a fantastic warmth and, if you have already used it thoroughly, you will know that it also provides a natural control of the antimicrobial odor.

The updated LIFA Merino collection also reaffirms Helly Hansen’s commitment to the environment through conscious dyeing solutions and the supply of Merino wool from sheep. Each Base yesterday LIFA® Merino is dyed in solution, which eliminates harmful wastewater; at the same time as all Merino wool used in Helly Hansen’s Base Layers comes from ZQ Merino, the global leader in ethical-sustainable wool supply.

LIGHTER T-SHIRT VERSIONS (160GR/M2) AND TROUSERS

The new LIFA Merino collection includes a lightweight 160 g/m2 base layer, which allows users more options to meet their own needs. The Lifa Merino Midweight Hoodie is available in specific styles for men and women, while also featuring a Lifa Merino Midweight Pant middle weight kickboard that completes the base layer kit.