Kora Yushu Base Layer – Yak Wool and Merino For the Win

The Kora Yushu Base Layer $130 is made of yak and merino wool. Yak wool? Yes, yak wool. And it is super cool (literally)! Yak wool is even more efficient than merino as they live at a higher elevations than the merino sheep.

This allows the yak wool to keep you warmer and yet also breathe better.  That probably did not make much sense, reading that.  But trust me, it works.  Mother Nature has been at this a long time and she knows what she is doing!


Men's Yushu LS Zip yak wool base layer

 

Kora Yushu review

As you probably know, I am a huge fan of merino wool.  I still am will recommend merino to anyone and everyone.  Heck, I am wearing at least 3 merino wool articles of clothing as I write this! LOL.  So, my love for wool is still there.  But yak wool is next level.  I have tested a few other yak wool base layers and can say that they really are a bit better than merino.

Kora is founded on base layers made of yak wool.  It is a pretty cool story actually. Michael was in the Eastern Himalayas, staying with nomadic yak herders when he discovered the benefits of their wool.  Over a cup of yak butter tea, the herders taught him all about this natural wonder material.

I must say, it really is great material.  Some of the great properties of yak wool are that it does not hang on to stink (trust me, I stink, but the shirt did not!).  This is great for back-to-back days of adventures and also for those who don’t want to wash their clothes often.  Nomadic van lifers, this is your ideal base layer!

Some more interesting discoveries:

• 40% warmer than Merino
• 66% more breathable than Merino

If that did not just blow your mind, then re-read it!

How I tested the Kora Yushu

I used the Koru Yushu base layer in 8 days of high output activities.  Without washing it! That might sounds like a recipe for a stinky situation, and it was, but the shirt did not stink. I used it on several splitboard tours.  Hours of skinning uphill is a great test of any base layer! The shirt was also tested in some cold winter camping situations.  -9F was the lowest I was able to test this shirt out in.

The shirt dumps heat very well.  I was even able to use it while training at our gym. So, tested from -9F to 65F.  That is a wide range of temps that it has done well in.

This is the second item we have tested from Kora and we are impressed. If you appreciate natural materials and want a very high performing base layer, then look into yak wool!