Updated 05/18/2025

I’ve been looking for warmer base layers to wear on cold weather camping and backpacking trips and these heavy and midweight merino wool items from Woolx fit that bill.

About Woolx

Founded by a father/daughter in upstate New York, Woolx is a company focused on providing merino wool clothing for outdoor adventurers. All of their wool comes from Australia and is ethically sourced and Woolmark certified. Learn more about Woolx.

Duralite Stella Petite Leggings

Specs

Sizes: XS to 3X
Lengths: regular, tall and petite
Fabric weight: 330g heavyweight
Fabric: 85% Australian Merino Wool, 12% Nylon, 3% Spandex
Price: $150

Warmth: The Stella leggings are constructed using 330g heavyweight fabric, which is super thick and warm. I’ve worn them under a pair of softshell pants when hiking in the winter and I stayed warm all day. Since the fabric wicks moisture and is breathable, it helped to prevent feeling sweaty when I was exerting a lot of energy.

Fit: Since I usually have difficulty finding leggings that aren’t too long for me, I like that these are available in multiple lengths. I’m 5’1″ and the petite length fits me perfectly, falling just below my ankle without extra fabric to bunch up at the bottom (my usual experience with leggings).

Comfort: These leggings have a close-to-the-body fit without feeling tight or overly compressive, which is important to me since I don’t like a lot of compression. With only 3% spandex, they hold their shape without sagging, while the wide waistband is comfortable and doesn’t bind at the waist. Overall, I really like how comfortable these are. They look good too — the seams on the back add a bit of shaping and style.

Pockets: The Stella leggings don’t have pockets but Woolx does offer other styles that do. I prefer no pockets since I don’t use pockets on leggings and plan to mainly wear these as base layers in cold weather.

Washability: I’ve washed these twice so far and haven’t seen any shrinkage. Instead of putting them in the dryer, I prefer to hang them to dry. In my experience, clothing lasts longer when I hang dry items. However, the care instructions say to wash in cold water and dry on low heat.

Hannah Long Sleeve Top

Specs

Sizes: XS to 3X
Lengths: regular, tall and petite
Fabric weight: 230g midweight
Fabric: 100% Australian Merino Wool
Price: $125

Warmth: I have several wool base layer tops that are 150g wool, and this top feels much warmer – as it should based on the heavier weight fabric. Additional warmth also comes from the longer sleeves with 3″ cuffs and longer overall length.

Comfort: The Hannah crew neck top is soft and comfortable to wear, with princess seams on the sides for shaping. Some wool layers can feel scratchy but I haven’t experienced that with this top. I would prefer a slightly shorter length for when I need to tuck this top into hiking pants but I like the length when wearing with leggings.

Washability: The care instructions for this top are the same as for the leggings: machine wash in cold water, dry on low heat, but I prefer to hang dry instead.

Lyla Ankle Light Cushioned Socks

Specs

Fabric: 60% Merino Wool, 38% Nylon, 2% Lycra
Made in the U.S.

These socks are moisture wicking, antimicrobial to reduce odor, and quick drying – great features for hiking socks. I like the way these socks fit, with compression in the body of the sock and extra cushioning at the ankle and heel. A low no-show sock, I prefer to wear this style in warmer weather. I find that wool socks work great in the summer and don’t make my feet too hot since they wick so well and are breathable.

Final thoughts

Overall, I think that these three items are very high quality and worth the high cost. I also have merino layers from SmartWool and Icebreaker, and in my opinion, these are on par with those more well-known brands.

Disclosure: this item was donated for the purpose of a review.

Gear Reviews: My goal is to share clear, unbiased information about outdoor gear. I am not sponsored by any gear companies and I don’t accept paid posts or links. I regularly receive products from brands for review, with no expectation of a positive review and no compensation for my opinions. As an independent gear reviewer, I only review items I’ve personally used on multiple trips and that I believe are high-quality and worth recommending.

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