GEAR ON TEST – Zerofit Heatrub baselayer clothing

Tested by: Phil Suriano

Sydney isn’t the Antarctic. Far from it, in fact, but winters can still get cold here. Head inland and it gets even colder. I ride all year round and some of the most enjoyable rides I’ve had have been in the colder months. For that reason, I’ve always worn a warming baselayer on cold rides, whether here in Sydney or more extreme winter environments, like Tasmania and the High Country.

Until recently, I thought woollen undergarments had better warming properties than synthetic equivalents, but the new ‘Heatrub’ gear from Zerofit proved me wrong.

What is Zerofit Heatrub?

Developed in Japan, Zerofit Heatrub synthetic baselayer undergarments are designed to keep you warm in the coldest temperatures without restricting movement, which is what you need on a motorcycle and especially on an adventure bike.

This clothing hasn’t been developed specifically for motorcyclists, though, with applications for any type of outdoor activity in cold conditions.

Zerofit claim their Heatrub gear, which consists of longsleeve tops, leggings, socks and neckwarmers, is five times warmer than their competitors. Having ridden bikes since I was a teenager, and put a lot of gear to the test since then, I was curious about these claims and more than happy to give the product a go.

The ‘five times better’ claim isn’t a brag with nothing to back it up. Zerofit had their garments independently tested at the Boken Institute in Osaka, Japan. Evaluations at the Institute resulted in a heat retention rating of 0.78. To put that into context, a standard baselayer rating is 0.1-0.14, while a heavier jumper would typically rate at around 0.3, meaning the Ultimate baselayer has significantly higher heat retention properties, without adding bulk.

Ultimate and Move

Zerofit supplied me with their Heatrub Ultimate and Heatrub Move baselayer long-sleeve tops to test. The difference between the two is that the Ultimate is designed for -10° Celsius to 10° Celsius temperatures, while the Move suits a temperature range of -5° Celsius through 12° Celsius.

Unlike most other baselayers, these garments do not work on the basis of ‘compression for heat’. This means they provide warmth without restricting your ability to move freely – an important consideration for motorcyclists. Zerofit’s gamechanger is technologically enhanced 'Heat Threads' that line the inner side of the garment. These are activated through movement, gently brushing against the skin to generate warmth – in other words, heat through friction.

Woolen or Synthetic

My past experience with synthetic baselayers has been very disappointing, so I was somewhat skeptical about Zerofit’s claims. A series of frigid morning rides out of Sydney this past June would be a good test for the Heatrub baselayers.

Before my first ride in the Heatrub Ultimate, I inspected both it and the Heatrub Move I had been provided and found the overall finish to be excellent – typical Japanese quality. The Ultimate is slightly thicker (more like a thin mid layer in my view), making it easy to pick against the Move by its feel. Both tops are available in black, with the Ultimate also available in navy and grey, while the Move offers white and titanium colour options.

Both long sleeve tops have a good stitch standard, along with subtle branding (these aren’t ‘outerwear’, so no need to be emblazoned with logos and graphics). Both have a 4 to 6cm wide collar that I’d describe as midway between a crew neck and turtle neck. On the Ultimate, the neck opening is larger, presumably to allow a neckwarmer to be tucked in.

As mentioned, I usually use a woollen long sleeve baselayer and found that wool keeps me warm, it breathes and doesn’t smell – so I can wear the same top for a 7-day adventure ride.

Warm – Fast!

There is nothing worse than being too cold or too hot on a ride, so I always layer up, knowing I can remove or add a layer as temperatures – both mine and those outside - alter.

For a ride with a pre-dawn start, I would typically wear a baselayer, lightweight 3/4-zip pullover and a jacket with adjustable ventilation. This combination easily enables me to ride from 5° Celsius to 30° Celsius temperatures without having to carry extra riding gear.

In the two-week period that I tested the two Zerofit baselayers, temperatures ranged from 4° to 13° Celsius. Each ride typically started between 4:30AM and 7:00AM – when the day was at its coldest.

I tested each Heatrub baselayer under both textile and leather jackets. I first thing I found with these tops is that they are extremely comfortable, with the inside fabric having an exceptionally nice feel on your skin. The fit is snug but not restrictive, which can’t be said of polyester compression tops. There's also enough length in them to ensure they don't ride up your back, which is a huge plus when you're on a bike.

I wore the Heatrub Ultimate first and found it to be just too hot. Remember, this is designed for sub-zero conditions, so even in single figure morning temperatures, I soon found myself opening every vent my jacket had! If I was in Tassie in August, then the Ultimate would be the better option, but in Sydney, the Heatrub Move was more practical and became my preferred baselayer for the remainder of the test period.

I gave each baselayer equal time, though (ten rides each), and I must stress that the Move isn’t a “better” garment; it was just better for the temperatures I was riding in.

The other thing I noticed about the Ultimate is that the fabric started to form pills and looked worn after a few rides, while the Move still looked new.

I managed to sweat in both tops and can verify that Zerofit’s claim about the moisture evaporating off the fabric quickly is true - something which other tops don’t do as effectively.

I didn’t wash the tops, so both carried body odour after ten rides –– but I expected this to be the case.  I can ride for days on end in my woollen baselayers without them getting smelly, so that’s a mark against the Zerofit gear for multi-day rides. If you’re riding single days, then it isn’t an issue, though.

And before you ask, yes, I did wash both tops after the test period! Ironically, the Heatrub Move dried faster than the woollen items I have, so if you were doing multi-day rides, you could easily wash out your Zerofit gear after a day or two and it would be dry by morning.

In Conclusion

Aside from their impressive heat retention properties, some other positives with the Zerofit Heatrub baselayers include the fact they're slightly cheaper than good quality woollen equivalents and the feel is much nicer than some poor quality woollen baselayers that are rough and itchy. They take up minimal space when packed, too.

In terms of sizing, the Heatrub Move matched the woollen garments I currently have, so a medium in those equalled a medium in the Heatrub Move. But for the Heatrub Ultimate, I had to go up a size to a large for the best fit.

It’s worth repeating these garments aren’t just for motorcycling. You can wear them for any winter activity outdoors, from more active pursuits like hiking and rockclimbing to golfing, fishing or simply walking the dog. Of course, they’d come into their own on the snowfields, too.

Given the soaring power bills many of us are struggling with at the moment, a lot of people could benefit from wearing these garments indoors to save on their heating costs!

Jokes aside, I would say a Zerofit Heatrub baselayer, specifically the Heatrub Move, would be a welcome addition to the set of winter riding gear for motorcyclists in the southern states.

In addition to the Heatrub Ultimate and Heatrub Move baselayer tops, Zerofit also have socks, leggings and a neck warmer, which would be worth adding to your kit, too. 

Available direct from the Zerofit online store, Heatrub pricing starts at $49.95 for the Ultimate socks and the neckwarmer, with the Ultimate leggings (separate mens and womens sizes) $129.95. The Heatrub Ultimate Baselayer top is $129.95 and the Heatrub Move Baselayer top $109.95. Both tops are unisex fit, with the Ultimate available in XS-XXXL sizing and the Move in XS-XXL. The Ultimate is available in black, navy and grey colours, with the Move in black, white or titanium.

To see the full range and get more details, go to zerofit.com.au