Zerofit – “The World’s warmest base layer” | REVIEW

Being cold whilst riding, or just going about your everyday winter tasks is no fun, so the promise by Zerofit for “The world’s warmest baselayer” sounds appealing.  

Zerofit is a Japanese company, founded by keen golfer Mr Koji Higashi in 2005. He wasn’t enjoying his game during winter so he set about designing something that would keep him warmer than the existing baselayers on the market but still allow him to move.

Zerofit was the result and its USP is a clever weave of fabrics that cause ‘Heatrub’ making it instantly generate warmth as soon as you put it on. It sounds too good to be true, but it works.

Product range

The current Zerofit range consists of the two garments we’ll be reviewing here: They’re the Heatrub Ultimate baselayer top (grey in our photos) and Heatrub Move (a thinner baselayer with different construction for use during sporting activities).

Also in the range are matching Heatrub Ultimate leggings (in male and female fit), Move AWT Baselayer (for winter training/running etc.), a hoodie, socks, neck tube and summer cooling baselayers designed to keep you cool and wick sweat during the hottest weather.

Zerofit Ultimate

Firstly, Zerofit tops are unisex and unlike most baselayers, they aren’t a compression fit – although the fabric is still quite clingy so go up a size if you prefer it to be a bit looser and don’t want to show off your manly (or womanly) bulges. This garment is made from a mix of 68% acrylic, 21% nylon, 2% polyester, 7% wool and 2% polyurethane. It’s designed for use in temperatures of -10C to +10C. The fabric is very stretchy and comfortable to wear and unlike a normal baselayer it doesn’t need to be tight to work.

The Ultimate has been independently tested to be five times warmer than a standard baselayer and twice as warm as a jumper. Japan’s leading testing organisation, The Boken Institute gave it a Heat retention Rating of 0.78. A standard baselayer has a rating of 0.1-0.14 and a jumper would have a rating of 0.3.

Care?

Due to the fabric used, Zerofit should be washed at 40º and dried naturally, no tumble drying.

This close-up of the fabric shows the fine downy strands that help to create the feeling of warmth as it rubs against you.

Heat Threads

The way Zerofit weave their fibres creates what they call ‘Heat Threads’ on the inside, it sounds weird but they create warmth as they brush against your skin. Slip this on and it kind of warms your body in a similar fashion to drinking a hot drink.

How is it in use?

I’ve been wearing the Ultimate and Move since November (not at the same time) and have been really impressed with their warming properties. My usual Merino wool EDZ baselayers haven’t been used at all since I got these.

I work from home and on my miserly SLUK wages I can’t afford to have the heating on during the day, so a baselayer makes things much more bearable. I also wear it for walking the dog at 5:30 am. With just a t-shirt underneath and a jacket on top, I’ve been warm enough through the depths of winter with temperatures down to as low as -7 so far.

Although it’s nigh on impossible to prove its ‘Five times warmer’ claim, whilst riding during winter it has certainly kept the chill off and the two tops have been on constantly since I got them. Whilst riding scooters I’ve been wearing a windproof Knox top layer with it to stop the wind chill and the combination works well.

The Ultimate is comfortable, stretchy, warm and is long enough in the body to keep my back warm whilst moving around on or off the scooter. The collar has started to go a bit bobbly but that’s to be expected with this type of fabric. All in all, a very good product that I’d recommend to anybody who needs to keep warm whether riding, walking, working, camping or for any other pursuits where cold can have an effect. I just wish I’d got the Zerofit socks, my feet are still cold…

Price and details

The Heatrub Ultimate is available in six different colours, black, red, navy, grey, Winter White and Forest Green and costs £55. It ranges in size from XS to 3XL.

I own many different baselayers but for winter or colder months riding I’ll be picking this one from now on.

Heatrub Move

This garment is more versatile than the Ultimate. It has a two-layer construction with a 45% polypropylene mix on the inside and a hollow polyester shell. They’re designed to work in tandem to regulate body temperature by wicking moisture (if you’re taking part in sports/working up a sweat pushing a scooter) but keeping you warm when you’re not exerting yourself. The design of the Move rids sweat from your skin and the hollow polyester combined with its ‘LABO’ fabric makes sure moisture evaporates quickly to stop you feeling that nasty cold sweat. This garment has been engineered to work from -5ºC to 12ºC and is suitable for runners, hikers, outdoor enthusiasts and of course scooter riders.

The Move is unisex, and is available in five different colours and sizes from XS to 3XL, as well as two junior sizes. This comes in a choice of black, titanium, white, navy and Dayglo Yellow. The black is much more forgiving than the grey Ultimate and hides a multitude of middle-aged lumps and bumps. It fits well, is lighter than the Ultimate and is plenty warm enough. I probably wear this one more for everyday use and expect it’ll be my ‘go-to’ layer during most of the year. It costs £40 which I think is fairly reasonable.