Icebreaker 200 Oasis Leggings - Women's Review

This high-quality product offers a wide range of thermoregulation in addition to exceptional durability for a 100 percent merino wool contender. It also sports cute colors and a great style that many of our testers love.

Performance Comparison

The Icebreaker Oasis is a thin, yet warm baselayer bottom. The 100% merino is high quality, offering a great level of durability and thermoregulation for whatever you do this season.

Photo: Edward Kemper

Warmth

Loaded with 200-grams of merino wool, this midweight baselayer bottom is perfect for cold weather. The fabrics feel thin, but the merino wool is packed into a tight and well-crafted package that offers a wide range of thermoregulation. Performing like other midweight pieces, it's perfect for wear underneath uninsulated pants while getting sweaty on the skin track.

Put it underneath a pair of snow pants or underneath your favorite skinny jeans on colder days. Perfect to wear for cool to cold weather.

Photo: Edward Kemper

Or wear it with an insulated pant while sitting under a cold clear night sky while winter camping. The fabric does a great job at regulating temperatures and keeping the skin dry to ultimately keep you warm. We noticed this while hiking and skiing in this piece. It is a warm base layer bottom.

The thinner materials makes this feel like a lightweight option, however, the 200-grams of merino wool fibers is pretty darn insulating.

Photo: Edward Kemper

Breathability

The Icebreaker Oasis offers exceptional breathability with its thinner fabric constructs. In our tests, we noticed that the fabric (like other merino wool contenders) does a great job at repelling water. This makes it more water-resistant than synthetic competitors. We noticed this in the field as well when we got rained on during a testing run. The water beaded up on the fabric and didn't absorb. It wasn't until it was agitated with the running movement that the fabric finally did absorb water. However, after a short stint of running (after the rain had stopped), the material was magically dry once again. These exact results mirrored our lab tests. Of the merino wool contenders, it absorbed less water (6.75 ounces) and dried out at the same rate as the majority of the contenders. The result? A breathable layer that will wick away moisture to keep you dry and ultimately warm. It provides a exceptional range of thermoregulation for a variety of outdoor endeavors.

During our water tests, the material repelled water and did not sink. This shows that the merino wool does not inherently absorb water until agitated.

Photo: Edward Kemper

Comfort and Fit

Consistent with most products made of 100 percent merino wool, it is nice and comfortable! The merino wool offers a soft touch on the skin while the material doesn't hold moisture to keep you dry all day long. The fabrics stretch nicely to provide a great overall fit for a variety of shapes and sizes. Even our longer-legged testers appreciated the extra materials in the length, while our large thighed ladies like the versatile fit. The waistband is simply sewn in and offers great against the skin feel.

A look at the overall fit of the Oasis Icebreaker 200. Thin, comfortable, and durable construction.

Photo: Edward Kemper

One of the key differences between this the Oasis and other options are the materials don't stretch out after a day of use. We are happy to see this amazing performance feature. Other then that, size is true to fit and because its fabrics aren't super thick, they aren't particularly cozy…but it is comfortable for all-day wear. Lounge around the house with a warm cup of joe or crush it in a comfortable style out in the backcountry.

Durability

Of the merino wool contenders, the fabrics are tightly packed, well constructed and seemingly highly durable. When out bushwacking through the woods in a couple of our tests (without an overlayer), we didn't note any snags and the material stood up well. In addition, after putting it through the laundry the fabric didn't pill not does it really show any sign of wear and tear. Our conclusion? This is one heck of a durable merino wool contender…not as well as synthetic competitors but one of the best in its class.

The seams and materials of this pant are well built, showing no pilling even after months of wear.

Photo: Edward Kemper

Value

The Oasis retails on-par with high-performing base layer options. If you're seeking a durable merino wool base layer, this is your best bet. The price is worth the comparative performance.

Go out skinning or hiking in the mountains in this awesomely comfortable piece that thermoregulates through a wide range of temperatures.

Photo: Edward Kemper

Conclusion