Sometimes doom-scrolling IG pays off, and KETL Mtn NoFry actually made doom-scrolling something I’m not embarrassed of. After years of outdoor adventures spanning multiple continents and countless activities, I’ve finally discovered the the best of base layers—and in the most unexpected place. When I say that, I mean I’ve put premium gear through brutal testing scenarios: biking through Vietnam’s humid trails in Arc’teryx, hunting for weeks in Kuiu’s technical layers, stalking game for miles a day in Africa with Arc’teryx and Nike, trekking Peru’s diverse terrain in Smartwool, and training in Nike across various conditions.
Each brand had its strengths, but none quite hit the perfect balance I was seeking.
My quest for the ideal base layer became something of a personal mission and cost entirely too much money, clothing many people in great sweat-stained base layers through the local Salvation Army. I developed a straightforward five-point evaluation system that any serious outdoor enthusiast would appreciate for a base layer:
- Superior moisture management – Does it effectively wick sweat away?
- Layering compatibility – Does it fit comfortably under other garments, or no layers, just roll out and wear it as a shirt?
- Hood functionality – Is it large enough to cover a hat and protect my face?
- Practical design features – Small things, like does it include thumb loops?
- Odor resistance – Can I wear it for multiple days without offending my wife or dog or others around me?
Simple criteria, yet surprisingly difficult to satisfy in a single product.
I’ve been warm but smelled like death in Smartwool in the Andes. I’m been fully covered nut sweat up a storm in Vietnam in Arcteryx. It seemed, alas, I would just doomed to being comfortable while partially uncomfortable, which in many ways, that’s all the outdoors is. Then satisfaction came from a rare moment when social media actually delivered value—during a routine evening of Instagram scrolling on the toilet, an ad caught my attention: KETL Mountain Apparel.
My typical gear discovery process involves hands-on testing at retailers like REI, Scheels, or industry expos (sometimes in glorified closets with makeshift curtains). But this social media discovery prompted me to break protocol and blind order…boy I’m glad I did.
Who is a KETL and a NoFry?
Unlike the suspect story of Gonex, KETL has owners who you can actually find on that soul-sucking app called Linkedin. Now, their background on the website is about a group of friends who wanted better gear, but upon Linkedin inspection, the owners have been with KETL a long time.
That’s a good sign – real people, they actually match the website photos. And the photos, they are all active – primarily riding bikes (which I won’t hold against them).
The website lists every kind of clothing you can possible imagine – tops, bottoms, briefs, socks, they have it all, and luckily I ended up clicking on the NoFry and throwing caution to the wind and Apple paying.
The KETL NoFry is an amazing base layer. Long sleeve, 30SPF, light weight sun-hoodie, it looks good in pictures and my wife would say, looks even better in real life.
It fits well, it is extremely light weight, and while I don’t know if you would consider it a traditional base-layer, I would.
Unlike the suspect story of Gonex, KETL has owners who you can actually find on that soul-sucking app called Linkedin. Now, their background on the website is about a group of friends who wanted better gear, but upon Linkedin inspection, the owners have been with KETL a long time. That’s a good sign – real people, they actually match the website photos. The website lists every kind of clothing you can possible imagine – tops, bottoms, briefs, socks, they have it all, and luckily I ended up clicking on the NoFry and throwing caution to the wind and Apple paying.
The KETL NoFry is an amazing base layer. Long sleeve, 30SPF, light weight sun-hoodie, it looks good in pictures and my wife would say, looks even better in real life. It’s extremely light weight, and while I don’t know if you would consider it a traditional base-layer, I would.
And, after months of trying it – it just works, with few mistakes.
Here’s why:
- Moisture management – the material works perfect – I’ve sweat my ass off in this, but also gone from sweating to freezing in the Wasatch mountains and it does just fine.
- Layering – it fits under other layers, but, what I really like: the buttons. Unlike standard base layers where your only ventilation options are all-or-nothing, these buttons provide customizable airflow. Feeling warm? Unbutton for instant cooling. Temperature dropping? Button up for protection. This thoughtful detail makes it uniquely adaptable for variable conditions. Also, it just looks good – the wife likes it, even someone at the grocery store asked me where I got the shirt.
- Hood – Anyone who’s struggled with undersized hoods knows this frustration—like my Large Arc’teryx Cormac that barely covers half my hat, leaving my face exposed. The Nofry hood provides perfect coverage while maintaining visibility, and when not needed, it tucks neatly away inside the collar—another thoughtful design element.
- Design – integrated thumb loops, check. Not cheap sewn on thumb loops like Arcteryx, but real life integrated thumb loops. Buttons, check. It seems functionally designed by people who actually go out doors.
- Odor resistance – after three weeks of continuous wear, even weight lifting, without washing (a brutal test for any garment), there was no detectable odor. For someone with what I call a “hypersensitive nose” for my own body odor, this quality alone puts the Nofry in a league of its own.
Whether you’re hiking rugged trails, stalking game in the backcountry, or simply walking the dog around the neighborhood, KETL appears to have engineered what could be the perfect outdoor shirt. After rigorous testing across various activities and conditions, I can confidently say this unlikely find has ended my years, no decades – long search for the ultimate base layer.
Form
The stitching is well done, it’s reinforced in every single spot where you would need it – the shoulders, buttons, and the edges.
The hood does not jump up on your head when you bend down – very nice.
The shirt fits loosely, it has plenty of space to move around in without getting hung up on anything. This is not to be confused with Fit. Form wise, being a sun shirt, and for me base layer, it needs to not bunch up and get in the way when I’m bending over, putting on equipment for hiking or hunting, and move with me.
Function
Functionally, I really like this shirt. It’s the small things that matter.
The hood, for example – it’s big, which I love.
The integrated thumbhole – love it. It fits right in, sleek in the design, reinforced on the bottom.
Fit
It fits loosely, like it should. I’m not trying to flex on people when I am hiking, I’m working to be comfortable and not overheat. It fits well, and the small things, like buttons and integrated thumb loops, these make the fit that much better.
Field Performance
I think I’ve given enough information on my field testing – it’s gone solo, under jackets, under backpacks, under load bearing harnesses, a binoculars rig. For how thin it is, and it is a sun shirt, it has performed remarkably well, especially under packs and rigs.
It has held up just fine…except, except – the wearing.
See this photo?
This bothers me slightly. But working with the folks at KETL, we figured out why. It was leaning on the velcro on my Can-Am. The material is very thin, it makes this area pull up on the velcro. All good – I don’t like it, but I’ll deal with it.
One design improvement down the road may be a slightly thicker forearm area, or something like that. These guys will end up figuring it out, as, they are real people listening to real feedback on their IG.
Financial Investment
Worth every dime.
The 5Fs: 4.75
Why a 4.75? The wearing. Honestly, this should get the NoFry a 4.5, but, curiously, it has only happened on the sleeves, so I can’t say with certainty that it is not over-wear from my pulling my shirt sleeves up. I don’t want to exercise the lifetime warranty, I think that is kind of an a-hole move, so I’m going to keep going and see what happens. I have put months on it and not washed it and pulled the sleeves up a lot – so, I’ll split the .5 between them and myself. I put a year’s worth of wear in a short period of time.
The NoFry now has a permanent place in the rotation, so much so, I bought two. Wearing it inside out I haven’t tried yet, but I eventually will.
Sometimes the best gear discoveries happen when you least expect them—even while doomscrolling on the toilet.