Odlo Active Warm Base Layer Set review
By Tom Calder
A genuinely warm, well-made recycled-polyester base layer set that traps heat without bulk, so it earns its place in a cold-weather resilience kit. It costs more than supermarket thermals, but the fit, warmth and durability are a step up.
- Best for
- Keeping warm through a winter power cut or heating failure, and for cold-weather outdoor activity.
- Skip it if
- You only need occasional light warmth or a cheap spare set, a £15 supermarket thermal…
as of 2 Nov 2026, 16:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.We earn a commission if you buy through the retailer links on this page. It doesn't change our verdict. How we make money →
Researched, not used. We haven't used this product. This review is built from the maker's specifications, owner reports and our own sizing.
What we like
- Brushed interior gives good warmth for its weight, useful if the heating goes off
- Made from recycled polyester with an anti-odour finish, so it wears well over several days
- Flat seams and a proper athletic cut make it comfortable for sleeping in or active use
Worth knowing
- Noticeably dearer than basic supermarket thermal sets
- Synthetic rather than merino wool, so it can still hold odour on long multi-day wear despite the treatment
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Our review
Odlo's Active Warm set (article 196702 for men, 196701 for women) is a long-sleeved crew top and long underpants in recycled polyester, placed by Odlo in its Warm class with a comfort range of -10 to 5C. It is the set for a long cold snap or a heating failure: warmer than a supermarket thermal, treated against odour, and cut to be slept in. It is synthetic, so days of wear will eventually tell.
What Odlo says it is
Odlo classes the set as Warm and gives a temperature chart: a minimum of -15 to -5C, comfort from -10 to 5C and a maximum of 0 to 10C. Those are figures for someone moving outdoors, so inside a house that has dropped to 12C they translate to a layer that keeps you comfortable while sitting still. The fabric is recycled polyester, and Odlo's odour control is its ZeroScent finish, which it describes as bio-based amino sugars. Retailers describe a brushed inner face; Odlo's own page does not, so expect a soft rather than fleecy feel.
Care, from Odlo's page, is a warm machine wash, no bleach, a low tumble dry and no dry cleaning; confirm against the garment label, since one listing quotes a hotter wash. Odlo offers a repair service, which is unusual at this price. The 196702 article number has been used across more than one season of this set, so colours and small details vary; the Eco wording in older listings refers to the recycled content.
In a cold house
The UK Health Security Agency's advice through a cold spell is to keep living rooms at 18C or more and to wear several thin layers. When the boiler has failed or the power is off, the base layer is the layer you keep on all day and sleep in, which is why a full set with bottoms matters more than a top alone. Polyester dries fast if you get damp fetching logs or clearing snow, and the flat seams stop it rubbing under jeans. Our keep warm without heating guide covers what to add on top, from a hot water bottle to shutting off unused rooms.
The limits
Synthetic fibre holds odour in a way wool does not, and a finish slows that rather than stopping it; after three or four days without a wash, a merino top is fresher. It is a snug athletic cut, so size up for lounging. Odlo publishes no fabric weight in grams, so the Warm label and the temperature chart are what you have to go on. It costs more than the supermarket sets on our list, and that is the fair trade for the warmth.
How it compares
On the thermal base layers page, the Helly Hansen Lifa set is lighter and better at wicking for hard work outdoors, but cooler to sit in. The Mountain Warehouse merino top is the natural-fibre choice for several days' wear, cheaper, but a top only and lightweight. The Uniqlo HEATTECH and Damart sets are the budget thermals for a short cold snap. The Odlo set is the warmest full set here, and the one to buy for a house that could be without heating for days rather than hours.
Our verdict
Buy it if you want a warm top-and-bottoms set that you would also wear for winter walks, dog walks or a cold commute, and you expect the odd week with the heating off. Skip it if you only need an occasional light layer, where a supermarket set does, or if several days without washing is the priority, where merino wins.
A researched review, built from the maker's specs, manual and UK listings; facts checked 2 Nov 2026. Sources: Odlo: Active Warm Base Layer Set, article 196702, specifications and care (read 2 November 2026); GOV.UK (UKHSA): Keep warm, keep well, cold weather advice.
Who shouldn't buy this
You only need occasional light warmth or a cheap spare set, a £15 supermarket thermal top-and-bottoms will do the job; and if you specifically want natural merino for multi-day wear without washing, look elsewhere.
Key specs
| Material | Recycled polyester (brushed interior) |
| Warmth | Warm / mid-weight (approx -10 to +10C) |
| Set | 2 |
This is a Researched review: we haven't used this product. We check every specification against at least two independent sources, re-check the UK price on a schedule where we can track it automatically, and say plainly who it isn't for. Commissions never change a rating.
If this isn’t the one
Best for Cold, active days out where you want real warmth without bulk.
as of 2 Nov 2026, 16:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.Best for An affordable warmth layer to wear under normal clothes during a cold snap or power cut.
See the comparison →
Best for Affordable everyday warmth and odour control for walkers, commuters and cold homes.
as of 2 Nov 2026, 16:07 GMT · Details
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon.co.uk at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.Questions
How warm is the Odlo Active Warm base layer set?
Odlo classes it as Warm, with a comfort range of -10 to 5C, a minimum of -15 to -5C and a maximum of 0 to 10C. Those are outdoor, on-the-move figures; indoors it is a layer for a house that has gone cold.
What is the Odlo Active Warm set made of?
Recycled polyester, with Odlo's ZeroScent odour control. Retailers describe a brushed inner face. Odlo gives no fabric weight in grams.
Is there a women's Odlo Active Warm set?
Yes. The men's set is article 196702 and the women's 196701, in the same fabric and class.
How should I wash the Odlo Active Warm set?
Odlo's page says a warm machine wash, no bleach, tumble dry low, iron low and no dry cleaning. Check the label in the garment, as wash temperatures quoted by sellers vary.
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