Review: Devold Wool Mesh & Lauparen Zip-neck 190-weight baselayer tops
Right: Wool Mesh 190 Zip Neck Left: Lauparen Merino 190 Zip Neck
What we liked
Medium-light weight and soft merino
Mesh structure!
Snug neck, long body and sleeves, and doesn’t shrink in the wash!
What we didn’t
Icing on the cake would be some thumb-loops
The Verdict
THE SHORT READ…
A couple of wonderful base-layer garments here from Devold - the fully-meshed-up Wool Mesh 190 Zip Neck, and the Lauparen Merino 190 Zip Neck with mesh side-panels. They are a lovely quality of merino, and the first mesh tops I’ve found (I’ve tried a few) that don’t shrink at all in the wash. Both have nice snug necks (especially tall on the Wool Mesh 190), and are long in the body and arms. These have become my go-to layers now - the Wool Mesh 190 for more active situations and the Lauparen as an all-rounder. I’d have loved some thumb-loops to warm even more of my hands, but even so, highly recommended.
Lauparen Merino 190 Zip Neck - showing the good body and arm length
Lauparen Merino 190 Zip Neck - showing mesh side-panel
THE LONG READ …
Fabric & Construction - Both are 100% merino and 190 g/m2 - so are really a medium-light weight. The Wool Mesh 190 Zip Neck, as it’s name implies, is all mesh (except neck and cuffs), while the Lauparen Merino 190 Zip Neck only has mesh side panels. Top-quality construction in both, as you’d expect from the Norwegians. The seams are flat, so less pressure points under a back-pack.
I do wish that they both had thumb-loops at the end of the sleeves, for when you want to get a bit more coverage over your lower hand, but aren’t quite ready to get gloves out yet. But, the sleeves on both are pretty long anyway, coming up over the base of my hand, which is great.
Fit - Both are long in the body, coming down really low. And long in the arms as noted above. Both have snug necks when done up but the Wool Mesh’s neck is noticeably taller, which is wonderful for touring - warmer on the neck when you need it, but the zip allows the high neck to fall away and cool you down easily. They are both nice and form-fitting - the Lauparen still slightly more relaxed around the mid-back and neck, the Wool Mesh 190 lovely and snug all over. And after many washes, they retain that snugness. Sizing is bang-on Devolds sizing charts.
Care - No shrinkage in the wash. None. This is a game-changer over other brands offering mesh items, which can shrink to quite dissapointing degrees. With Devold, no more having to stretch them after washing and drying flat between towels - just wash ‘em and hang ‘em to dry (no tumble drier!).
Wool Mesh 190 Zip Neck
LEFT: Aclima Mens WoolNet Hybrid Mock Neck RIGHT: Wool Mesh 190 Zip Neck
Performance - For active wear in the cold, 190 is a great weight for me, warming when I put them on but not toasting me immediately, and when I’m working hard I can control heat by opening my upper layers and/or using the neck zips.
The Wool Mesh 190 is easily as warm as the Lauparen Merino 190 but it’s cellular mesh construction allows you to dump heat that bit quicker if you open up whatever layer you have on top - great for ski touring. It’s mesh size is fairly small, compared to Brynjes meshes, say, but still does the job. See the picture above of it next to an Aclima Mens WoolNet Hybrid Mock Neck - the Aclima’s mesh is really much more open - so the Devold is perhaps better for those who don’t want to flash a lot of skin but still get the benefit of the mesh. And hopefully you’ll get sunburnt less on a hot day with this as your only layer on! Something to watch for with mesh tops…
Both the Devolds have a long front zip allowing heat to be managed - and that zip can open two ways, from the bottom also, allowing you to keep a warm neck but also get a bit more air in lower down.
The mesh side- and under-arm panels on the Lauparen Merino 190 are a nice touch, just taking sweat build-up there down a notch, and adding a bit of stretch for the form-fit.
Wool Mesh 190 Zip Neck
Form…
Fit…
SUMMARY…
These Devold merino base-layers - the Wool Mesh 190 Zip Neck and Lauparen Merino 190 Zip Neck - are superb garments: lovely materials and construction, thoughtful design and great fit. The Lauparen for general base-layer usage and the Wool Mesh for more active wear. Yes, they are pricey, but these are garments you’ll love wearing for a long time, I’m sure.