Are Merino Wool Base Layers Worth It?

Merino wool, is an incredibly gentle fabric usually used as a performance-related base layer and socks, is one of the most sought-after substances when it comes to outdoor activities. But is it worth the hype?

Below we go through everything you need to know about merino wool, such as next-to-skin comfort, warmth, moisture-wicking capability, stink prevention, and more.

It adapts to most weather conditions, keeping you cool in warm weather while assisting you in staying warm in the colder weather. It's one of the best base layers on the market.

What is Merino Wool?

Merino sheep is a breed of sheep prized for its gentle and finely crimped wool. If we look at the wool from a technical perspective, the diameter of wool is measured in microns. The lower the micron is, the finer– and more pricey - it is.

Regular wool can be forty microns or more, but merino wool is a lot finer and soft like cashmere, beginning at about 24 microns down to 15 microns and below.

Because of its thin diameter, merino wool isn’t itchy or difficult like thicker wools but gives staggering warmth and moisture-wicking capabilities. Originally from Spain, merino sheep are in many instances found in Australia but are now being raised in the United States, New Zealand, South America, and elsewhere as well. Animal welfare is an aspect to consider when it comes to selecting a wool or other material.

Next-to-Skin Clothes

Merino wool clothes turns the thought that wool is itchy and uncomfortable absolutely on its head. Merino fibers are a good deal finer and softer than well-known wool and suitable to wear all day. It's a simple way to keep warm without wearing three layers of clothing.

We normally put on merino wool t shirts as day-by-day pieces, but they’re additionally our choice for long-distance things to do like backpacking or marathon running when compared to other fibers.

High-end merino shirts feel a lot softer and lighter than cotton. It also outperforms it in warmth, moisture-wicking, and body temperature regulation. It’s hard to beat this fabric as a next-to-skin layer.

Warmth and Temperature Regulation

One of the motives that merino wool is so famous is its warmness relative to weight. The fabric has a more natural, super soft feel. It is also able to trap warmth efficiently between the fibers of the merino fabric, making it a lot hotter than a synthetic fabric of the same weight. This also means that merino wool is perfect for the winter months, especially if you want to add an extra layer.

The warmness of merino also regulates your body heat and temperature well. Arguably, it’s just as much a summertime material as it is winter. In most cases, we put on merino wool for running, hiking, and mountain biking. This is due to its relief across a range of temperatures.

If you wear it in the morning, the merino base layer will keep you insulated and warm. You’ll also be cool, dry, and ventilated once you start working up a sweat as the day warms up. It's the perfect hiking clothing and should be added to your list of hiking gear.

Another thing worth mentioning is merino wool’s potential to insulate when wet. If you step into a creek and get your trekking socks wet, it won’t compromise their capacity to keep you comfortable.

The same goes for your base layer if you’re sweating heavily: the shirt won’t hold the cold, wet material against your physique like cotton. Instead, merino clothes will hold you at a blissful temperature and maintain its smooth feel.

Moisture-Wicking and Breathability

These moisture-wicking merino wool base layer work by pulling moisture away from your body and skin by absorbing it into the fabric’s fibers. The moisture then moves through the material and evaporates to the exterior.

Merino wool clothing is often advertised as having undue levels of quick drying which is an amazing property when it comes to sweat. This because of its ability to retain a lot of liquid relative to its weight – a lot better than synthetic materials. Again, this is a natural property of the wool and any other advantage to basic comfort.

Merino Wool (backpacking)

Because merino wool clothing keeps you comfy by keeping you dry, it also encourages breathability and is a lightweight layer you can wear while taking on the great outdoors. We’ve determined the most breathable articles to be lightweight and skinny, which makes sense because air can pass through easily, allowing the fabrics to dry out.

Clothing that are mid or heavyweight, for example shirts, socks, underwear, or pants can begin to feel muggy when you’re working hard, however, the overall performance is great and compares nicely with high-end polyester.

Stink Prevention 

Among the many benefits of using natural fiber is one that both you and your adventure companions will appreciate: reducing body odor. Merino’s capability to soak up moisture barring smelly microorganisms is one of its “miracles”. This odor resistant wool is a great option for t shirts.

To be clear, we’re not saying that you cannot make a merino shirt or long johns stink—we truly have—but it’s a night and day distinction when compared with synthetics (even one with a odor resistance treatment).

Depending on the specifics of your outing and the conditions, you can wear merino for a couple of days without it becoming pungent or feeling dirty due to the odor resistant, anti bacterial nature. As a result, it’s an outstanding option for multi-day adventures, travel, or simply any time you’ll be working up a sweat and won’t be able to change layers for a prolonged period.

For multi-day backpacking trip, climbing, and ski trips, the odor resistance of merino wool truly is a no-brainer when it comes to fabrics. Wondering if silk or wool is warmer read here.

Durability

Durability is merino’s only real downside, especially for the lightweight varieties as well as clothing items prone to heavy wear. In most cases, we only get a handful of seasons out of our merino wool base layers and shirts, although you can expect a longer life if you don’t wear them every day.

Lightweight tops made of merino are not as durable and most inclined to wearing out and developing holes - although they have a cashmere-like texture, while the mid and heavyweight shirts have held up better.

Merino wool socks, however, are another story. It may not be the perfect comparison because socks require nylon to create their structure, but the high-density knitting is proof that merino wool can be long-lasting and quite durable.

To help your merino products last longer, we recommend washing them in cold water by hand, avoiding a washing machine, and hanging them up to dry – even if the label says it can go in the dryer. Excessive dryer use, and even opting for a machine washed approach, can impact the quality and durability of the fabric.

The High Cost of Merino

Merino wool is pricey and there’s no way around it. Hiking and snowboarding socks made with merino run from about $20 to $30 and merino shirts can easily exceed $100. Taking into consideration the constrained durability, this is the most convincing argument to avoid the material altogether.

For example, you can get a decent synthetic base layer like the Patagonia Capilene Midweight for $69, while a comparable Smartwool is $100. And the identical is true for merino underwear and socks.

There is the occasional deal to look out for though. You can get a few merino items that aren’t expensive—but in general, expect to pay at least 50% more than what you would pay for synthetic fibers for a 100% merino wool item. This doesn’t imply that merino isn’t worth it, but only for those that feel the price merits the functionality.

Merino/Synthetic Hybrids

To push the limit when it comes to performance, brands are experimenting with different merino and synthetics blends.

The most spectacular that we’ve found are two base layers: Patagonia’s Capilene Air and the Black Diamond Solution one hundred fifty The Capilene Air in specific is unique: it mixes Patagonia’s Capilene polyester and merino wool in a stretchy, heat-friendly design. The shirt is extremely expensive at $129 (and $149 for the hoody) but gives a fit and overall performance that 100-percent merino can’t match.

The Black Diamond Solution 150 addresses merino’s tendency to break down by wrapping merino wool fibers around long-lasting nylon. Again, consider and look into these hybrid designs to pull out the best traits from the two types of fabric.

 

Who Should Buy Merino?

We hike, run, and bike in our lightweight merino shirts in the warmer months and turn to long-sleeve merinos in the colder weather for skiing and different cold-weather activities. This also goes for socks—we love merino and all we do is cross to thicker designs as wanted when temperatures drop.

In addition to the remarkable softness, a huge driver is the fabric’s stink prevention, which makes them outstanding for multi-day backcountry trips, high-exertion activities, and travel.

And despite being a performance fabric with a high-end price, merino nonetheless is very fun to put on every day of the week. The warm, next-to-skin experience is excellent for everyday use as well as being your base layer on a summit push.

Realistically, the core market for merino is the outdoors crowd (both men and women) and those are the people that will most enjoy its benefits. The extra cost involved is certainly worth it if you are an outdoor enthusiast.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Aleksandra Djurdjevic          

Senior Content Creator

Aleksandra Djurdjevic is a senior writer and editor, covering snowboarding, skiing and trends in outdoor winter activities. She has previously worked as ESL teacher for English Tochka. Aleksandra graduated from the Comparative Literature department at the Faculty of Philosophy in Serbia. Aleksandra’s love for the mountains, getting out in the snow on her board, season after season, seeking wild snow adventures across the globe helps her continue to be a top expert at CSG.