Helly Hansen LIFA Merino Midweight ½ Zip and Thermal Pants – Reviewed & Tested 

From bagging Munroes in Scotland, to sleeping in Dorrigo’s perpetually icy mountains, Anna’s learnt a thing or two over the years about thermals, and has a few thoughts on Helly Hansen’s LIFA technology.  

Over the years, I’ve collected my fair share of thermals, and I’ve learnt that they’re something I’m actually prepared to spend money on. 

Why? Because it doesn’t matter what you put on top, if you’ve got a bad base layer (itchy, sweaty, or bulky), you’re going to be in for a pretty crappy time. 

If you’ve ever lived in a cold climate, you’ll know that the secret to staying comfortable lies in layers. Sure, a warm jacket is great (and important), but the real secret is in the ability to strip off or layer up, and your overall comfort really comes down to the layer closest to your skin. 

Read more: Winter Layering for the Outdoors – Our Layer-by-Layer Guide

With thermals on the market ranging from $20 to $200, starting at Kmart’s $10-$20 range, it’s easy to de-prioritise, especially when you’re already forking out for bigger ticket items like down jackets. But, having done the rounds, I’m here to tell you, you’re arguably better off cheaping out on the down jacket, and investing in serious thermals… you’ll thank me later. 

Helly Hansen recently had me try out their LIFA merino baselayers, and overall, I’m impressed. 

Quick Specifications 

Women’s LIFA Merino Midweight 1/2 Zip

Weight: 305g (women’s size S)
Material: 57% Merino Wool and 43% Polypropylene
Breathable: You bet!
Colour: Black
RRP: $160

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LIFA Merino Midweight Pant

Weight: 275g (women’s size S)
Material: 57% Merino Wool and 43% Polypropylene
Breathable: You bet!
Colour: Black
RRP: $130

Buy Now

Performance

Helly Hansen has been around longer than sliced bread (43 years longer, they go back to 1877!), and being Norwegian, they clearly know a thing or two about cold climates. 

LIFA technology is an innovation coined by Helly Hansen in the 70s, and in a nutshell, it’s a mix of fibres designed specifically to keep moisture away from the skin (no sweat!). They were a big deal, having the first technical base layers to hit the market.

In the pieces Helly sent me, there’s polypropylene against the skin and merino on the outer, wicking sweat upwards to the surface for evaporation, while the soft merino wool ensures you stay warm.

But do they actually do their job and keep you warm? Boy, do they. The temps I wore them in were single-figure (2-5ºC), and with the sun still in the sky, it didn’t take me long to start de-layering.

The style looks pretty good when worn as a top, handy for layering!

Overnight, I was thankful to have these as PJs, and slept soundly without waking with a shiver once. I loved the fact they’re comfortable (and stylish) enough to wear as normal clothes, not just baselayers, meaning I could layer and de-layer as often as I liked without having to change entirely when the temperatures shifted. 

Durability

Having only worn the items a few times, it’s hard to comment on durability, but they seem well made. I did wear them on their own, not as a baselayer, on a few hikes and noticed the material can snag easily. As a baselayer, this wouldn’t be an issue, but it’s worth noting that the knees of the tights were looking a little worse for wear after setting up my tent on stick-covered ground. 

Design

The top is one of those pieces I know I’ll be reaching for all the time — not just as a base layer, but as a casual jumper too. It’s sleek, stylish, and doesn’t scream ‘hiking gear,’ which makes it perfect for wearing straight from the trail to the pub.

The mesh panels are a winner — super breathable and surprisingly lightweight, so I didn’t feel like I was overheating when I started moving, though on a warm day hiking, I ended up taking it off pretty quickly! 

One notable feature that I love on both the tights and top is the sleeve length, which is LONG, making it easy (and extra toasty) to tuck into my socks and boots or gloves. 

The only thing I’d like to see on the top is thumb holes, which in my opinion, is the most underrated feature (aside from pockets) any top can have, especially a baselayer, to help keep it in place under my other layers.

Comfort

The thing about thermals is that they’re usually wool, which is great for warmth, but can be incredibly itchy and uncomfortable when it’s directly against your skin. Luckily, Merino technology has come in leaps and bounds over the years, and Helly Hansen’s Merino x LIFA Technology is one of the best I’ve had the pleasure of rubbing my skin up against.

The only downside? The fabric doesn’t have a lot of stretch; however, the sizing is spot on. There’s a size guide on the Helly Hansen site to help make sure you find the right fit. The lack of stretch is clearly an outcome of the type of fabric used, which overall isn’t an issue in the scheme of all the wins – though if you were to get the wrong-sized tights, you could be in for an uncomfy time, so make sure you pull that measuring tape outta your sewing box before ordering. 

Sustainability

Working at We Are Explorers means I’m lucky to receive gear for reviews pretty frequently. I also used to work in retail during my uni years, so I know exactly how much plastic goes on behind the scenes of the retail industry. This means that one of my biggest pet peeves is when ‘sustainable’ companies rave about their practices, then ship your items with more plastic than Toys R Us. 

Thankfully, Helly Hansen walks the talk and prides itself on sustainability, and the base layers arrived in minimal cardboard packaging. Overall, Helly’s approach is the simple but solid: ‘make durable gear that lasts season after season’. It’s better for your wallet and the planet, reducing the need to replace worn-out gear every year.

LIFA itself doesn’t appear to have any specific sustainability technologies, such as recycled plastics, but 57% of the product is merino wool, which is a renewable resource. 

As we’ve said before, we’d love to see Helly Hansen focus on its greenhouse gas emissions and textile waste in the supply chain as next steps. Full transparency and carbon-neutral practices are the gold standard, but Helly Hansen is taking good steps in the right direction and balancing this impact with performance in the elements.

Price

Ok, so there’s no beating around the bush here. Helly Hansen isn’t a budget brand, and you’re not likely to buy these thermals without a little consideration of the price. 

At $160 for the top and $130 for the tights, it’s an investment. If you’re a once-in-a-season kind wearer, then it may not be worth the cost, but if you’re breaking it down per wear (or how many seasons you’ll get out of them), then these are going to end up cheaper in the long run than the $10 ‘bargains’ that’ll end up in the bin half way through the year. 

Final Thoughts

With the high price point, there are likely cheaper thermals out there for those who aren’t planning on wearing them a lot. 

But, if you’re on the hunt for base layers that are going to see you through a serious season of cold-weather activities, I’d look no further than Helly Hansen’s LIFA merino range. With comfort and high performance at the forefront, these are layers that’ll keep on giving, and if you’re calculating cost per wear, it wouldn’t take a long winter to see their value.