Brynje has been making base layers in Norway since 1887, in the town of Larvik. Its 1921 mesh underwear — inspired by Viking chain mail — traps a layer of air against the skin, holding warmth in and moving moisture out. The Norwegian army has used it for decades, and it went up Everest with Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay in 1953.

Today Brynje is still what polar guides, explorers and special forces reach for. The range now runs from the classic mesh layers to merino base layers, mid-layer fleece and polar down, designed in Norway and made in Europe. We brought Brynje to China because both companies care about the same thing: staying warm, dry and safe a long way from help.