| Awards |  Best Merino Women's Long Underwear | Best Synthetic Women's Long Underwear |  Best Value for Merino Bottoms | Best Value for Synthetic Bottoms | Best on a Tight Budget |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Price | $150 List Check Price at REI | Check Price at Backcountry Compare at 2 sellers | $80 List $79.99 at Amazon | $55 List $54.95 at REI | $36 List $36.99 at Amazon |
Overall Score  |
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| Star Rating | |||||
| Bottom Line | These lightweight bottoms offer top-notch breathability and unique thermoregulation | While not recommended as a stand-alone piece due to the see-through polyester fabric, we love the superior breathability that helps keep us warm and dry | These bottoms offer a ton of warmth and substantial comfort at a more affordable price | These lightweight tights feature a soft and stretchy fabric that is easy to layer and maintains substantial warmth when dry | While these bottoms lack warmth for the coldest months of the year, they are a great option for those seeking a three-season stand-alone legging |
| Rating Categories | Icebreaker 200 Zone... | Patagonia Capilene... | Minus33 Franconia M... | REI Co-op Midweight... | Baleaf Fleeced Line... |
| Warmth (25%) | |||||
| Breathability (20%) | |||||
| Comfort and Fit (20%) | |||||
| Durability (15%) | |||||
| Drying Speed (10%) | |||||
| Layering Ability (10%) | |||||
| Specs | Icebreaker 200 Zone... | Patagonia Capilene... | Minus33 Franconia M... | REI Co-op Midweight... | Baleaf Fleeced Line... |
| Measured Weight (Size Small) | 5.63 oz | 4.90 oz | 7.52 oz | 6.40 oz | 8.80 oz |
| Material | 100% Merino wool | 92% recycled polyester, 8% spandex | 100% Merino wool | 92% recycled polyester, 8% spandex | 87% polyester, 13% spandex |
| Insulation Weight Class | Lightweight | Midweight | Midwewight | Midweight | Midwewight |
| Smelly Over Time? | No | Yes | No | Yes | Yes |
| Odor Control Fabric | Naturally odor resistant | HeiQ Fresh | Naturally odor resistant | No | No |
| Cuts Avaliable | Full-length | Full-length, boot-length | Full-length | Full-length | Full-length |
| Listed Fabric Weight (g/m²) | 200 g/m² | 129 g/m² | 235 g/m² | Not disclosed | Not disclosed |
The 200 ZoneKnit is a unique pair of long underwear bottoms that highlight the natural breathability of Merino wool by combining the material with perforated ventilation panels to shed excess sweat and moisture. The lightweight design offers a great high-waisted fit and is constructed from 100% Merino wool. These bottoms offer great performance and versatility, whether hiking, trail running, or pursuing active snow sports.
The 200 ZoneKnit isn't what we traditionally think of when considering a long underwear bottom. The 100% Merino wool design is rather thin and features sections of perforated fabric to enhance warmth by easily offloading excess sweat generated during intense efforts in the mountains. Though these bottoms are considered lightweight at 200 g/m², they can trap much body heat.
The Eastern Sierras are the perfect testing grounds thanks to their dramatic temperature swings from desert to alpine. During one of our trail runs, we found these bottoms kept us cool when the sun was out and warm when it set once the temperatures dropped. The wool continued insulating us when wet and dried quickly on our bodies, so we maintained warmth as we completed our run. For a thin and lightweight design, the 200 ZoneKnit provided excellent thermal insulation while shedding sweat through the perforated ventilation panels.
The 200 ZoneKnit was built to elevate the industry standard for breathable performance. Its unique body-mapped technology regulates your body's temperature by releasing sweat through the Merino wool fabric, allowing your skin to breathe, especially during high-output winter activities.
During our spring testing period in the High Sierras, we were impressed by this layer's ability to release sweat through the perforated sections of the bottoms. We raced uphill against the sunshine that threatened to destroy our backcountry ski objective; however, when we arrived too early, we noticed the Zoneknit 200's ability to dry quickly on the body. This quick sweat release helped regulate our body temperature, which quickly went from high output to sedentary as we waited for the sun to heat the slope and soften the snow just enough for perfect turns. Icebreaker turns it up a notch by combining the already highly breathable performance of 100% Merino wool with perforated fabric to offer unique zone-specific thermoregulation.
The 200 ZoneKnit received high marks in this testing metric thanks to a supremely comfortable 100% Merino wool design with ultra-fine 18.9µ micron fibers for one of the softest next-to-skin feels we've tested. Like most high-end long underwear brands, Icebreaker includes flatlock seams to provide optimal comfort and reduce chafing in areas prone to friction. Icebreaker also includes a gusseted crotch that allows these bottoms to move with you and never restricts your full range of motion. A detail our testers appreciated during winter training runs, yoga by the fire, and backcountry skiing.
These bottoms offer a high-waisted design with a brushed elastic waistband to enhance function, increase comfort, and allow easy layering. The fit is very slim but remains true to size and is not without a bit of stretch. Unlike other 100% Merino wool options we tested, these bottoms keep their structure for days. The modern, stylish, and functional fit combined with ultra-soft Merino wool made it easy for us to give these bottoms all the stars.
Though the 200 ZoneKnit receives high scores in nearly every metric, we can't help but raise some concerns regarding overall durability. Over the last few years, we have tested four iterations of these bottoms, and almost everyone fails in the perforated sections. That being said, we are wearing these bottoms for days on end, taking them rock climbing against sharp volcanic stone, trail running in the unforgiving desert, and backcountry skiing for many miles uphill.
During our most recent testing period, the 200 ZoneKnit has held up to the abuse quite well, showing only minor signs of wear and tear, namely some pilling on the seams near the inner thigh. We recommend following the care instructions and recommendations from Icebreaker to extend the life of these bottoms. We also recommend avoiding adjusting or pulling them onto your body in the same spot every time, as this can make the perforated fabric fail sooner. Finally, it is worth mentioning that Icebreaker will replace any damaged garments due to manufacturer defects within one year of purchase. We will continue testing these bottoms and report back with any issues next season.
Our testing team was impressed by the 200 ZoneKnit's fast drying speed both on the line and body post activity. When testing outside Bishop, California, in temperatures ranging from 45-55°F with no wind, direct sun, and 9% humidity, these bottoms only required 51 minutes to dry on the line fully. Since 100% Merino wool designs typically take much more time to dry than their synthetic counterparts, less than one hour of dry time is quite impressive.
We attribute this competitive drying speed to the perforated fabric sections covering nearly half of the garment. We also suspect this is why sweat doesn't pool behind the knees and lower back, as we've come to expect from other long underwear bottoms that don't allow as much airflow or feature such awesome ventilation.
The low-profile, brushed elastic waistband, high waist, and slim-fitting design make the 200 ZoneKnit super easy to layer. We like that the high waist offers more coverage and allows for more space in the midsection to fasten our outer layers.
We had no trouble layering these bottoms beneath our ski bibs, puffy pants, or rain pants. We found that the layer requires little to no adjustment, even during high-intensity activity, though we did notice that it was more difficult to adjust if the fabric was sweaty. Overall, the lightweight design combines well with anything over the top, never “grabbing” other layers or requiring tons of adjustment on the go.
The Icebreaker 200 ZoneKnit is designed for the mountain athlete willing to invest in a pair of long underwear bottoms specializing in high performance. These bottoms harness your body heat while offering impressive breathability within a flattering and functional high-waisted design that makes layering a breeze. Though not without a few caveats, these bottoms offer great value and performance in exchange for your investment.
The Icebreaker 200 ZoneKnit is the perfect 100% Merino wool long underwear bottom for maximizing comfort and breathability. If you are interested in a warmer bottom with similar ventilation panels and don't mind a Merino wool and synthetic blend, check out our favorite pair of bottoms for cold weather performance, the Smartwool Intraknit Thermal Merino Bottom. Another great option for excellent breathability is the Patagonia Capilene Thermal Weight Bottoms. Though the synthetic bottoms are somewhat see-through, and we don't recommend them as stand-alone leggings, they are our favorite synthetic option for thermoregulation and breathability. Don't need any extra bells and whistles, check out the super soft 100% Merino wool design of the Minus33 Franconia Midweight Wool. These midweight bottoms are much more affordable but lack the breathability found in the other options listed above.
