Hey friends! With our big 100-Mile Wilderness + Katahdin hike starting July 5 (my birthday 🎂), I’ve been fine-tuning my clothing system. I’m a huge fan of Smartwool — I basically live in it every day — so when I saw the new Women’s Intraknit All-Season Base Layer Bottoms in lavender, I hit “buy” pretty quickly.
I’ll be honest: the “base layer” label almost made me hesitate. I usually think of base layers as something you wear under other clothes, not as standalone hiking leggings. But after reading reviews and looking at the construction, I decided to give them a shot for this warm July trip in Maine. It’s been difficult trying to find lightweight wool leggings in light colors! I tried the last pair of lavender Ibex wool leggings, but they were too big and too warm. Smartwool has always been my go to, so I am really excited about this new line!
Why lavender? Light colors are my go-to for tick visibility in Maine. Black flies and ticks will be out, and I want every advantage I can get. After pulling off over 50 ticks several weeks ago, I’m definitely going with light colors in June.
First impressions of Women’s Intraknit All-Season Base Layer Bottoms (pre-arrival) They should arrive next week. From the specs, these are a lightweight merino blend (lots of Tencel and a bit of poly/nylon for durability) with Smartwool’s 3D Intraknit technology — basically body-mapped zones for better ventilation and stretch. They look noticeably thinner and more breathable than my regular Smartwool Active leggings.
How they’ll fit into my hike kit
- I’ll Wear: New lavender Intraknit leggings + one Smartwool shirt
- Backup: My pocketed Smartwool Active leggings + second shirt
- Sleep: Smartwool shorts + tank
- Socks: Sockwell wool compression socks (great for my veins)
- One bra and minimal underwear
I’m also planning to wear my Smartwool Women’s Active Lined Skirt or my Purple Rain Kilt over the Intraknit leggings. Even though the leggings can definitely be worn alone, the skirt adds extra bug protection, sun coverage, and a bit of modesty while still letting the breathable Intraknit do its job underneath. It’s a combo I think will work great in buggy Maine terrain.
The whole plan is super minimalist: wear one set, carry one backup. Merino makes this possible because it stays relatively fresh even after multiple days. If you haven’t tried wool, you are missing out.
Will I wear them alone? Yes — the Intraknit will be my main hiking leggings. They should be cooler and lighter than the Active pair, which will help with comfort in the heat. I’ll probably keep the skirt on during peak bug hours and can remove it if it gets really warm. If we have any really cold evenings, I will have my slightly warmer leggings in my pack. It can get down into the 50s in July along the trail. Katahdin can be 10-15 degrees cooler,
Once they get here I’ll do a local test hike in the full combo (Intraknit + skirt + shirt + Sockwells) and report back with real thoughts on fit, thickness, and how they actually feel on the trail. If they work as well as I hope, they might become my new favorite for warm-weather backpacking. I’ll give this clothing set up a try next weekend the 13th and 14th.
Have you tried the new Intraknit line? Do you wear base layer bottoms under a skirt on summer hikes? Drop a comment below!
My Little Red Bike 