[Review] The Rett H/Z by Kari Traa

If you read my previous Kari Traa review, you’ll know that all I wore for base layer bottoms on my most recent ski trip were the Rett Pants. It’s strange seeing as how the Rett Top and Rose Top are from the same collection but I don’t love the Rett Top for skiing. It wasn’t my top pick for backcountry or resort days but I know as we transition into spring, it will be the perfect top for hiking adventures. While it wasn’t my favorite for skiing, it is an amazingly soft top with great qualities for any of your outdoor activities.

Kari Traa specifically designed the Rett collection around high energy activity. It easily adapts to the conditions and temps of your body because of the different weight and structure of the merino panelling. Of course, with this top being 100% merino wool, it’s 100% ideal for environments where you may be sweating at one point and then trying to warm up during another. Every time I slip on the Rett top, I still can’t believe how soft it is and how nice it feels up against my skin. I could definitely see someone getting this for hiking and not taking it off when you got home from your hike.

I think if we were skiing in the backcountry during some warm spring temperatures, I would’ve become more fond of this top but we were skiing in a lot of cold temperatures. I feel like the sizing of this top had a major play in my feelings of it. I have the Rose H/Z in a Medium and it fits really well up against my skin. The Rett top feels kind of loose and baggy throughout, which isn’t a great fit for me personally for ski base layers. Although, I do feel as though the Rett is much longer than the Rose which is nice for keeping my layers tucked in. I would highly suggest going into a store and trying on pieces from the line before you make your purchase only because I feel like there is a bit of a gap in sizing between the Rett and the Rose.

In contrast, when I’m hiking I don’t like my layers to be super tight so that’s why I’m looking forward to wearing this throughout the spring and fall seasons. I love the patterns and color combos that they’re using for the Rett collection and you could easily wear this pattern throughout the year without feeling like winter. The thumb loops are great for chilly mornings or keeping your base layer in place while layering up over it.

I’m definitely a huge fan of the Kari Traa base layers and was lucky enough to be able to try a couple of different pieces from their different collections. For skiing, my go to combo was the Rose H/Z top paired with the Rett Pants. You will be amazed at how soft the Rett top feels up against your skin and there’s a pretty high chance of you not wanting to take it off at the end of the day. Check out my other Kari Traa reviews to get a good layout of their collections!