The Best Base Layer for Cold Weather
Yak Wool Supercharges Merino in Kora’s Soft, High-Performance Base Layer
Kora’s Yushu Collection of base layers provide exceptional warmth, softness, and breathability with added corespun panels to ramp up strength and durability in high-wear areas.
Kora’s Hima-Layer™ Yushu fabric is knitted out of 60% premium yak wool with 40% superfine Merino (18.5 micron certified mulesing-free) and comes in at 240 grams per square meter. With Yushu, kora has created an ultra-breathable fabric that has a wonderfully soft handle for everyday skin-fit comfort and provides yak wool’s exceptional Himalayan-born warmth. Kora designs and tests all of its own Hima-Layer™ fabrics, and has been developing high-performance yak wool base- and mid-layers since 2011.
The Yushu collection is named after the Himalayan home of kora’s yaks: the Yushu prefecture sits at 4800ms / 16,000 feet of altitude on the Qinghai Tibet plateau. The collection launches with styles for men and women, including long-sleeve tops, leggings, and men’s shorts, as well as a hat and neck gaiter. All styles come in black and feature corespun merino textile (a nylon yarn wrapped in merino) to increase durability in high-wear areas such as the crotch and the under-arm. All seams are crafted with overlock and triple step zig-zag stitching ensuring a completely flat yet ultra-strong finish.
The pieces in the Yushu collection are finished at the cuff with a colored woven tape inspired by the colors of prayer flags and the terrain of the Himalayas, making each Yushu piece unique. Prices range from $45 for the hat to $140 for the long-sleeve zip top.
The benefits of Yushu’s yak and merino combination include:
- Exceptionally warm in very cold weather, yet cool and comfortable during intense exercise
- Breathable and draws moisture away from the skin so you stay dry
- Naturally odor-resistant, so you can wear it for days at a time and pack light
- Super-soft and itch-free for more comfort
- Natural stretch that flexes as you move
- Built-in 40+ UPF sun protection
- Machine washable; dries fast
