Discovering Capilene...

[OwenM]

That's what my 3 sets are. They were waiting at the door when I got home just now:thumbup:

Raymond, part of our little industrial complex is a slag wool fiber plant. That stuff is made from molten rock and gravel being poured over water-cooled SS wheels spinning ~5000rpm, and it tends to get slung it all over the place sometimes. Fortunately, my current job is nothing like my old ones!

 

[OwenM]

I just picked up polyester tops and bottoms at cabelas for eight dollars each on clearance.

That's what my 3 sets are. They were waiting at the door when I got home just now:thumbup:

Garbage. I knew better, but the 5 star reviews(none of which mention actual use or wear, looking back at them) and price won me over. It went down to freezing last night, so I wore a set of the "X-Tek midweight base layers" to work. They did keep me warm. I had on a long sleeve cotton t-shirt and work pants over them, and didn't bother with a jacket 'til about 4am, and only kept it on for a short time.
So I came home, took the other two sets out, trashed the packaging, washed them all together, and hung them up to dry. It's easy to tell which bottoms I wore last night, because I pulled up on the waistband to get them set right when changing clothes, and when I hung them up I could see that the material ripped at the waistband in a place about 2" long just from a little tug with my thumb and index finger.
Treat them gently

 

[sizzler]

If I'm going synthetic it's Capilene all the way. Had a set for 10 years, used hard, can't kill'em.

The Capilene is polyester, polypro is, polypro. Polypro will keep you warm all right but gets super stinky and once it does it is very hard to get the smell out.:barf:

 

[OwenM]

I've read about polypros stinking, but none of mine ever have, even the old ones that I've been soaked in sweat dozens upon dozens of times while wearing.
These X-Tek underlayers are probably supposed to be a budget Capilene or something. They're 100% polyester, with some kind of anti-microbial treatment. I wore the same ones again last night, after washing them. 32 degrees, work pants and an old fleece pullover. Outside, and moderately active for about half the shift, I was "comfortably cool", and never bothered with a jacket.
It's 35 right now, but warming up, and I've got sweats on over them. No less comfortable outside than in the house at 69 degrees.
I'm really impressed with their performance. The fact one has already ripped tells me they aren't going to last very long, and real Patagonia Capilene would have been much cheaper in the long run. It's a shame they work so well, yet are destined for a one star review if I post feedback on Cabela's site.
I can stick four fingers through the hole now, even though I was careful putting them on, and grabbed a handful of material instead of just the waistband.

 

[Stickman]

Cabela's will probably replace them for you or refund if that's what you want. It's really a bummer when you have something brand new fall apart like that. I got into Patagonia about 20 years ago and never looked back. Yup, they're pricey, but in the long run they are money well spent.