Merino wool base and mid layers

[Markblox]

Can anyone recomend merino kit. I need quality at a keen price. Have had two from howies and they have both fallen to bits. Just came back from two weeks camping in Norway and they don't smell at all! Never washed them once!

 

[Steve the Kiwi]

go for the original that started the top quality merino market; icebreaker.

 

[Wicker]

Rohan merino stuff is pretty good too and somewhat less expensive than Icebreaker. Icebreaker is good though and available different weights of wool and more colour choices.

I tend to wait until the Rohan sale before buying.

 

[trebor]

+1 for Rohan, buy when the sale is on.

 

[JoeC]

Icebreaker for me.

Don't forget this.
http://www.ukgser.com/forums/showthread.php?t=149003

 

[tangenttim]

Merino Wool

Used the stuff for years and it's brilliant, winter and summer.

Best for longevity and quality is icebreaker.

Check the fitting though. I got a base layer that was XL but the fit was designed for a bean pole, a tad tight methinks.

Tim

 

[digga]

+1 for merino kit ...love it


Howies gear here ...but i believe there's cheaper stuff out there. mine has'nt fallen to pieces yet! But there again i don't wear it every day.

 

[pugster]

Hi, I am in the ski and outdoor trade (own shop) and the main brands are Smartwool (considered by many to be the origonal merino company) and Ice breaker. Both as good as each other although Icebreaker a tad more expensive. Icebreaker do, however have a more practical product line up in that they have garments (base, mid and casual) that offer the properties and advantages of merino but without the skin tight mountaineering look.

Either of those brands in their 240 + above weights for British climes and 200 or less for foreign will give great service. I wear Smartwool light weight rib crews and 1/2 zips which I find to be the best weight for under me bike gear and I cannot remember ever being cold or uncomfortably sweaty when warm.

Super kit, doesn't stay damp like cotton if in 'sweaty' climes or smell after hard use like Helly Hansen type products.

Hope that is of help, Graham

PS from a company point of view Smartwool are difficult to deal with so I am moving to Icebreaker as my supplier

 

[davycov]

merino

I've got an icebreaker top......excellent quality and does what the blurb says.

Davycov

 

[Thermo King]

merino

Hi,
Google a company called "Chocolate Fish". They do merino stuff just as good as Icebreaker but a little cheaper. They obviously have a smaller advertising budget.

Regards,
Kieran.

 

[hops]

Hi,
Google a company called "Chocolate Fish".
Regards,
Kieran.

For goodness sake spell carefully if you do this you might end up with a booking for the Oxo Tower

 

[Steve the Kiwi]

Hi,
Google a company called "Chocolate Fish". They do merino stuff just as good as Icebreaker but a little cheaper. They obviously have a smaller advertising budget.

Regards,
Kieran.

Not completely true; Icebreaker uses a higher quality wool fibre - everyone buys wool buy auction -blind as to exactly what qualility level is in the wool bale. Icebreaker broke tradition and have supply contracts direct with the top merino sheep stations to supply a certain micron (fineness) of wool. the only compnay buying higher quality wool is Georgio Armani for his suits and he pays up to USD$1200 a kilo for his wool

Pugster... you can't beat Icebreaker relations. I was in the trade in NZ and was in the first 10 stores to ever sell the stuff. the company is brilliant to deal with and will look after you ( that and they had a habit of hiring rather nice female sales reps )

Trust me...I'm a kiwi we know our sheep

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Just a quick question please;

I use a thin 'technical' man made fibre top in very hot weather and it works great under a vented jacket. It gets a bit pongy in swaety weather but it washes and dries dead quick.

Is Merino wool as good/better at wicking/cooling in these conditions and, granted it won't need washing as often, but I presume it needs careful washing and drying

Andres

 

[Big Lee]

Gentle cool hand wash with non bio detergent it says on my Craghoppers one.

 

[JoeC]

Just a quick question please;

I use a thin 'technical' man made fibre top in very hot weather and it works great under a vented jacket. It gets a bit pongy in swaety weather but it washes and dries dead quick.

Is Merino wool as good/better at wicking/cooling in these conditions and, granted it won't need washing as often, but I presume it needs careful washing and drying

Andres

I tried HH stuff first and boy does it smell after just one day. I moved to Icebreaker and wear the stuff for days without even a pong.
It requires no special washing except not to use fabric softner. It dries fairly quickly as well.
In fact, IB tell you to wash the stuff with jeans every now and then to get the bobbling off.
You will be amazed with merino. I bought a Merryl top once and boy did it itch. Wool not as good quality as IB.
Buy IB and you won't go wrong.

 

[Steve the Kiwi]

Just a quick question please;

I use a thin 'technical' man made fibre top in very hot weather and it works great under a vented jacket. It gets a bit pongy in swaety weather but it washes and dries dead quick.

Is Merino wool as good/better at wicking/cooling in these conditions and, granted it won't need washing as often, but I presume it needs careful washing and drying

Andres

For short, high areobic activites like winter running etc i will often use a synthetic polertec powderdry top. simply as a wicking device your techie synthetic top will do a much better job at "moisture managment" but they stink like hell. ( i have a draw full of the stuff so have to use it sometmes ) Merino will work fine but won't dry as quick.

Merino's master stroke is the breathabilty of the fibre. You won't overheat like you do with synthetics. Ice B. do a "superfine" (looks like cotton) fabric that i used in egypt in 40oC and found it to be very comfortable. ( i wore it every day for 2 weeks to test it after hearing about round-the-world sailers claiming no stink after weeks of wear... i can confirm)

Superfine would be brillant in this weather for running etc. I also use icebreaker superfine t-shirts under my bike jacket. so much more comfortable than cotton.
In winter if you layer two merino items you really feel the warmth build up after 10-15 minutes in away you dont get with synth. and much more comforable.

As mentioned above not special treatment except wash with jeans and alternate with washing inside out and um.. inside ..in. MAKE SURE ALL ZIPS ARE DONE UP on all garments in the wash as zips will bite moth like holes in the garments. The more you wash them the better they feel and look.

 

[Deleted account 211025001]

Looks like I'm going to have to give it a try then

I'll be riding from freezing temps to the 30's in the new year and have been trying to work out the minimum of kit needed to cover both extremes - sounds like a merino t-shirt and merino long sleeve top plus heated jacket and vented outer jacket will do the cold stuff and just the t-shirt and vented outer jacket for the hot stuff.

Thanks for taking the trouble to reply guys

Andres

 

[Deleted account rno]

I tried HH stuff first and boy does it smell after just one day. I moved to Icebreaker and wear the stuff for days without even a pong.
It requires no special washing except not to use fabric softner. It dries fairly quickly as well.
In fact, IB tell you to wash the stuff with jeans every now and then to get the bobbling off.
You will be amazed with merino. I bought a Merryl top once and boy did it itch. Wool not as good quality as IB.
Buy IB and you won't go wrong.

That's what I found when I bought a Merino T Shirt. Uncomfortably itchy. I only wore it once and never again. Are they all like that or do the IB ones give better comfort being more expensive?

 

[Markblox]

Thanks for the info

Just read all the replys and it looks like ice breaker then. I hope Cotswold sell it!

 

[Steve the Kiwi]

Are they all like that or do the IB ones give better comfort being more expensive?

actually yes... higher grade of wool means the fibres are longer and finer/softer. Longer means less fibre ends/ less etch. If you have a problem with the one you have now try washing it 5-6 times with jeans... it should break it in nicely