Tops

Everything worn above the belt, from a plain tee to a winter fleece

The tops gathered here cover long and short sleeve t-shirts, hooded tees, stretch tactical shirts, hoodies with a water repellent face and heavyweight fleece jumpers in the British army pattern, in olive, black and camouflage, in men's and women's cuts. They are built to work as a system rather than in isolation, so the useful question about any of them is which layer it belongs to.

Which layer sits next to the skin?

A t-shirt or a long sleeve tee, and the fibre decides how it behaves. Cotton is comfortable and cheap, holds moisture and stays damp against the skin once it is wet through. A synthetic or blended fabric moves sweat outwards and dries far faster, which is what counts on a cold walk. Cotton for a warm day and for town, a blend for anything that raises a sweat, is a rule that survives most conditions.

What does a fleece jumper do that a hoodie does not?

A fleece traps air in a lofted pile, so it insulates while still letting water vapour escape, and it keeps some of that warmth when damp. A cotton hoodie is heavier for the warmth it returns and slow to dry, though it shrugs off knocks and looks less technical. The army pattern jumpers add reinforced shoulder and elbow panels, which is precisely where a jumper wears through once a strap or a bench is involved.

How should a top fit under a jacket?

• Base layer: close to the skin without gripping, since a gap of trapped air is what stops the fabric wicking at all.
• Mid layer: room for a shirt underneath, but not so full that it bunches at the armpit once a jacket goes over the lot.
• Sleeve length: long enough to stay at the wrist when the arms go up, which is the movement that exposes a short cut.
• Body length: a hem that stays below the waistband when bending forward, because a rising hem lets cold air straight in at the back.

Why do some of these carry stretch panels?

Tactical shirts set elastane sections under the arm and along the flank so the shoulder can move without dragging the whole garment with it. It is the same reasoning behind a raglan sleeve, and it matters once a pack or a harness is worn over the top. The compromise is that stretch fabric is thinner and abrades sooner, which is why those panels sit where friction is lowest.

How do you stop them bobbling and holding smells?

Wash inside out on a cool cycle, use less detergent rather than more, and skip fabric softener, which coats synthetic fibres and is the usual reason a wicking shirt stops wicking. Bobbling comes from abrasion inside the drum, so a full load of mixed textures is harder on a fleece than a light one. Air a fleece between wears instead of washing it every time, since repeated heat is what flattens the pile for good.