[Review] Women’s NTS Mid 250 Bottoms by Smartwool

I’m a generally cold person and so when I had the chance to try out Smartwool’s warmest women’s base layer, I was ecstatic. The Women’s NTS Mid 250 Bottoms are the perfect warm layer for any winter or cold weather activity that you may find yourself doing. With 100% merino wool and Smartwool’s name, I know that I’ll be wearing these base layers for years to come.

If you have read some of my reviews in the past you know that I am partial to anything merino wool. I feel like it is really the only fiber to have next to your skin when you’re heading out skiing. For one, it feels really amazing but for two, it will keep you warm while pulling moisture away from your skin. Merino also has natural odor reducing capabilities so if you are traveling a lot and have little time for laundry, your base layers won’t start to stink.

Two things that Smartwool has included in these pants are two things that some may even go without noticing but for me, they are a big deal. The first is the wide waistband. It is so much more of a comfortable fit than a skinny waistband and something that will make or break a favorite layer of mine.

Not only are the seams flatlock constructed, there is also only one seam that goes down the inseam of the pants. Again, this is something that some may not even notice but on long tours, with lots of layers, it really adds to the comfort level.

Extremely warm, wide waistband, and merino wool fibers are all causes for a great base layer for winter activity. The only gripe I have with the NTS Mid 250 Bottoms is the fit of them. Length wise, they are perfect (I’m 5’10 and 150 lbs). Also, I should mention that I really like to have my base layers tight up against my skin (NTS = next to skin) because not only are they comfortable that way, they really work how they are supposed to work. With that said, I am normally a medium in all of my base layers. I feel like with these, the waistband is way tighter than it should be (in comparison to my other medium sized layers).   If I sized up to a large, I feel like they would be too baggy and long and overall not a good fit. If the waistband wasn’t so tight, I could definitely see myself categorizing these as some of my favorite base layers to wear on cold days.

Overall, paired with the Smartwool NTS Mid 250 Crew, I will be warm and comfortable on a cold day of skiing. It’s so important to have warm and comfortable base layers because ultimately, that is what you are going to be feeling throughout the day. I know from experience that I can expect to still be wearing these Smartwool base layers years down the road. Check out my review of the Women’s NTS Mid 250 Crew Top if you are looking to complete the set.