Go for wool or synthetic ski baselayers
On my very first ski trip I proudly had a cotton t-shirt as my baselayer and a cotton sweater as my midlayer. “So what?” I thought about my “sophisticated” layering system while getting on a lift chair. “Damn it!”, I cursed at the end of a day because a damp t-shirt made me feel cold and uncomfortable. The same day, a salesperson in a local ski shop pointed towards a rack with wool and synthetic baselayers. His advice was simple: “Avoid cotton stuff on a ski trip at any cost.”
While you should stay away from cotton t-shirts, do not overthink synthetic or wool layers. They should fit and serve its main purpose: keep you dry and warm. Typically, baselayers come in three versions: lightweight, midweight and heavyweight. I personally prefer light and midweight baselayers for high output athletic activities; and I reserve heavyweight for the very cold conditions. (And yes, it works well if you BBQ when temperatures drop to low teens.)
I own a couple of different baselayers: Arcteryx Rho LT, AR, Smartwool midweight shirt, Patagonia Capilene 3, and one piece from The North Face. For the most part, all of them fall into a category of the midweight layers. All of them are form fitting baselayers – a beer belly is a major disadvantage here. And some will look tight on you even if you are in a good shape. For example, according to official charts I should use large with my Arcteryx baselayers. In reality, I would readily trade my L for XL, and maybe, even XXL for a slightly relaxed fit. So, if you decide to buy baselayers on the Internet, make sure to get a correct size – the best way to do so is to see an identical item in a regular store, or ask about it on skiing/hiking community boards (backcountry.com has Q&A section which often resolves many questions.)
Another popular selling point is a promise to “keep funky smell at its minimum.” It is a very vague statement and you should not base your decision on this factor alone. In my experience, Arcteryx Rho LT was the least stinky synthetic layer. However, I would not put it on for après ski or a date – it still stinks after a good, hard-charging day of skiing or snowboarding (even with silver-ions treatment.)
Finally, many manufacturers will charge you up to $100 per baselayer. And in my humble opinion, there is no baselayer that is worth $100+. You can always find a decent baselayer in your local discount retailer. I bought mine in a localT.J.Maxx, and I can confidently say: Silver ions worked just fine in my baselayer labeled as ‘slightly imperfect.’ And it did not cost me a fortune.
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