While hunting turkey in Nebraska this spring, I bought a base layer set for $14. It was terrible — nothing more than a long-sleeve shirt and paper-thin pants, and it was better than nothing but not much. Like most products, you get what you pay for. A top-end base layer top will typically run between $50 and $80. Bottoms, because they require more material, go between $80 and $160. The price range depends on the manufacturer. Some outdoor brands are more prestigious than others. But the biggest reason for the fluctuation is the difference in the amount of material that goes into either a lightweight early-season base layer or a late-season heavyweight base layer.