This is the first piece of bamboo-based clothing that I have ever owned, and I have to say I’m impressed with it.
The Novea base layer is a lightweight, long-sleeved top made from BAM’s proprietary blend of Naia (a fibre produced from wood pulp) and bamboo viscose – their unique blend of ‘next generation fabric… so lightweight it practically defies gravity‘.
And it is lightweight. The weight for a size L is 190 grams and my XL weighed in at 240G.
It also has a useful set of features including a crew neck, dipped hem, flatlocked seams and thumb loops.
The Novea is incredibly soft to the touch and very comfortable to wear, with no itching or chafing so this definitely meets my expectations. It is a very close-fitting top with a dropped hem at the rear. I’ve worn it on its own and underneath anything from a T-shirt to a windproof layer, and as the makers claim it is very good at wicking sweat away from the body. I do feel however that it holds on to that sweat rather than letting it evaporate off, so it can feel heavier the further into a long run that you go.
It is pretty good at reducing the sweaty odours that can build up while you’re running, on par with some of the man-made fibres I’ve tried so that’s impressive.
A little more about BAM and its materials…
We’re in love with nature-based fibres. Why? Because bamboo, for example, absorbs five times more carbon than hardwood trees, needs half the land cotton needs to produce the same amount of fibre, doesn’t need irrigation or pesticides and can be transformed into an unbelievably soft, flexible, high-performance fabric.
More than 95% of the fibres we use are nature based, organic or recycled.
It’s been hotter this past week so I’ve found that the Novea, with its long sleeves and thumb loops, is geared more towards the cooler weather. Our unseasonably hot weather hasn’t had those chilly mornings to try it out on!
It retails at £59 – expensive, but this is a performance top that’s built to last, so you will get your monies worth out of it. Overall, I think the BAM Novea Base Layer is a great piece of kit from a highly regarded brand, and it has definitely earned its place in my running wardrobe.
Review by Craig Jackson
