Layering with wool: warm & dry from head to toe.

When you ride, train your dog, muck out or work in the stable, your body produces a lot of heat. You sweat, and when you stop, you cool down fast. The right layers decide whether you freeze or stay in control. Here is how to build a layering system with wool riding clothes, from skin to outerwear.

What is layering?

Layering is a clothing system built from several thin garments with different functions, instead of one thick one. The base layer manages moisture, the midlayer insulates, and the shell protects against wind and rain. Because you can add or remove layers, you adapt your clothing to your activity and the weather.

Why is wool good for riding clothes?

Wool both warms and breathes. When you are active, the fibre wicks moisture away from your skin, so you stay dry even when you sweat the most. When you stop moving, wool keeps its warmth even when damp, which synthetic materials often struggle with. You neither freeze nor overheat as the pace shifts between riding, dog training and standing still.

Wool also doesn't hold on to odour the way synthetics do. Often, airing the garment outdoors between sessions is enough, which extends its lifespan.

What base layer should you wear when riding?

The best base layer for riding is a close-fitting garment in mulesing-free merino wool. It is soft, warm, moisture-wicking and temperature-regulating. Mulesing-free means the wool comes from sheep that have not been subjected to mulesing, a procedure in which strips of skin are removed around the sheep's rear.

Merino LS Tee is made from 100% fine, mulesing-free merino wool, 19.5 micron. A moved side seam and flat stitching minimise chafing in the saddle. Unisex.

Merino Long Pant gives you the same base layer for your lower body. Wear it under riding pants or functional pants when it's cold.

What pants should you wear over the merino base layer?

Uhip offers a range of functional pant styles to suit different weather conditions and activities. Choose pants with wool in the blend that protect against cold and wind without restricting movement. Woolblend Stella Pant 2.0 and Woolblend Stella Zip Pant are made to be worn over the merino base layer. The zip version is easy to put on and take off.

What is a midlayer, and which one should you choose?

The midlayer is the insulating layer between your base layer and your shell. It should hold in body heat without becoming bulky or stiff.

Woolblend Full Zip is a full-zip wool-blend top that sits between your base layer and your jacket.

Wool Liner Jacket works both as a midlayer under a shell and as a light riding jacket:

• Lavalan® wool insulation (82% sheep's wool) for even warmth and temperature regulation

• Stretch panels at the sides for freedom of movement and ventilation

• No side seams, to avoid chafing

• Two-way front zip with storm placket

• High collar with fleece inside

• Two zipped hand pockets

On warmer spring and autumn days it is often enough as a standalone riding jacket. Wool Liner Coat offers the same function as a coat, for longer coverage.

Vilken ridjacka eller ridkappa ska man ha som skal?

Välj ett vattentätt och andningsbart skal som går att kombinera med ullmellanlagret. Hailey Rain Jacket är ett rent, tidlöst regnskal. Behöver du längre täckning finns Hailey Raincoat, regnkappan i samma stil.

Går Wool Liner att kombinera med Hailey? Ja. Wool Liner är en del av Uhips Made to Match-system. Med 12 fästpunkter kopplar du ihop mellanlagret och skalet så att de fungerar som ett plagg. Det gäller både jackan och kappan.

Så här sitter de ihop:

• Tryckknapp i nacken

• Tryckknapp på ryggen

• Fästpunkt vid båda ärmuddarna

• Tryckknappar bredvid dragkedjorna framtill

• Fästpunkt i den höga, skyddande kragen

Till sist kan du lägga till Uhips elastiska benband. De håller plagget på plats när du rider, går eller cyklar. Se hur det går till i videon.

Frequently asked questions about layering with wool

What should you wear next to your skin when riding in winter?
A close-fitting base layer in merino wool, such as Merino LS Tee and Merino Long Pant. Merino wicks moisture away and regulates temperature.

What socks should you wear when riding in winter?
Wool riding socks with light compression, such as Compression Wool Riding Sock. They keep your feet warm and dry while providing breathability.

What types of wool does Uhip use?
Mulesing-free merino wool in the base layers (such as Merino LS Tee and Merino Long Pant), Lavalan® wool insulation in Wool Liner, wool riding socks and a merino beanie, and an alpaca blend in Alpaca Beanie and Alpaca Headband.

How many layers should you wear when riding?
Start with a base layer, a midlayer and a shell. Add or remove layers depending on temperature and how hard you are working.

Can Wool Liner be used as a riding jacket?
Yes. Wool Liner Jacket works both as a midlayer under a shell and as a light riding jacket in spring and autumn. Wool Liner Coat is available as a coat.

How do you attach Wool Liner to a shell garment?
Wool Liner attaches with snap buttons in the neck, on the back, at the sleeve ends, beside the front zippers and in the high collar. Uhip's elastic leg straps keep the garment in place while you ride, walk or bike.

Do you need to wash wool often?
No. Wool's lanolin cleans the fibre, and wool is naturally odour-resistant. Airing the garment outdoors is often enough. When you do wash, use a wool programme at a low temperature and a mild wool detergent.

How do you wash wool garments?
Use a wool programme at 30°C, with no fabric softener and no tumble drying. Air the garment between washes.

Is the Hailey Rain Jacket waterproof?
Yes. 8,000 mm waterproofing, taped seams and 5,000 g/m²/24h breathability.