Set

A long sit in a high seat on a cold morning and a wet, muddy walk during a driven hunt call for a different base layer. A base layer set is the foundation under your hunting clothing: it holds body heat, moves moisture away from the skin and stays quiet as you move. Here you find men's sets made of a top and bottoms, built for both still watching and active movement through the woods.

Who these sets are for

A base layer set is for any hunter who spends hours outdoors across changing temperatures. It suits quiet waiting in a high seat or field edge as well as physically demanding driven hunts, where you need to move fast through dense cover and wet ground.

Unlike everyday underwear, a hunting base layer is built to work with the layers above it. It sits close to the body, does not slide under a jacket or trousers and adds no bulk. Colours are usually natural tones, so the set also works under lighter summer clothing, where thinner fabric can otherwise show through.

A set is practical because top and bottoms share the same fabric and warm the body evenly.

Types available in the range

The range covers several types, depending on season and activity level, from light mesh to warm winter and merino wool models. Each is built for a different hunting situation.

All-round, all-season sets

The Harkila All Season set is built to be worn year round, changing only the outer layer on top. This works well for a hunter who does not want several different base layers and needs one set that covers both autumn and summer use.

Warm winter sets

Harkila Base Warm and Seeland Climate are built for cold weather, when you need to sit still in a high seat for a long stretch. These sets hold heat close to the body even at low temperatures, so they suit winter hunting and early cold autumn mornings.

Light, ventilated sets

The Harkila Base Mesh crew set is built from a mesh fabric for warmer weather and active hunting, when the body sweats from movement. The mesh structure lets air circulate and moves moisture away from the skin quickly, so heat does not build up on a long walk through the forest.

Merino wool sets

The Alaska Superior Merino set is made from merino wool, which naturally regulates temperature and reduces body odour. This matters when you close in on game, since scent can warn an animal before you get a shot.

Technical sets with added features

The Alaska CoolDry BlindTech Invisible set suits hunters who use thermal or night vision equipment, since BlindTech fabric reduces how visible body heat is to those devices. The CoolDry layer adds moisture control on top, so the fabric stays dry through a long watch.

How to choose the right set

When you pick a base layer set for hunting, a few factors decide whether the layer actually works with the rest of your kit.

• Season and temperature: pick a mesh or thinner set for warm weather, a Base Warm or Climate type set for cold.
• Activity level: still watching in a high seat suits a warmer, closer-fitting set, while active movement through the forest suits a lighter, ventilated one.
• Fabric: merino wool handles odour and temperature well, synthetic fibres dry faster and are easier to care for.
• Fit and size: the set should sit close to the body without restricting movement under outer layers.
• Colour match with your outer clothing: if a thinner set can show through, a natural tone is the safer pick.
• Added technology: if you use a thermal scope, a BlindTech type set is worth considering.

Practical advice in the field

A base layer set works best combined with additional layers rather than worn under one thick garment. Several thinner layers are easier to adjust to weather and activity, you can remove one while moving and add it back once you stop.

Before a long sit in a high seat, put on a dry, clean set, since sweat in the fabric cools the body fast once you stop moving. After an active driven hunt, change into a dry set as soon as you can.

When choosing a size, avoid going too large, since loose fabric holds heat poorly and can bunch up under outer layers, getting in the way of movement. A set that is too tight restricts circulation during a long sit in a high seat, which speeds up chilling in cold weather.

Care affects how long a set lasts. Wash merino wool sets on a gentle cycle and skip fabric softener, since it clogs the fibres and reduces moisture control. Dry synthetic CoolDry or mesh fabrics away from direct heat.

Brands in the range

Sets in this category come from Harkila and Seeland, two of the best known Scandinavian hunting clothing makers, along with Alaska, whose models use CoolDry moisture control and BlindTech concealment fabric. Each brand covers a different season and hunting type, and the Seeland Hawker line also includes a women's version of the set.

If you need the layer that goes over your base set, check the men's tops and bottoms. If you are not sure which set fits your hunting conditions, write to us and we will help you choose.