 I made a test investment in a mid-weight Merino wool long-sleeve and was sufficiently happy with it I invested in a light-weight Merino long-sleeve and t-shirt top. Overall I'm happy but I not with the warm-weather handling. At about 70F its too warm, warmer, both indoors and outdoors, than other baselayers like Powerdry and Cambia (cool side). This won't make me recant Merino but mean I can't use in warmer conditions, use something else for summer and keep Merino for cooler. I test wore Icebreaker and Smartwool in a store and found Smartwool very comfortable, and still do, no itch at all. However, is there a make, or indeed is it possible, to have Merino wool top with just baselayer wicking anti-pong properties but less insulation? Today I went on a 6 mile scooter (with a Xootr Roma) in 70F strong sunshine, low humidity, with 20L backpack (the arched-off-back type) I did the route in 50 minutes but was hot and my wool was keeping me hot, the wet patches were not spreading out, not wicking widely and it took a long time to both cool down and dry out. I know wool hoards water and evaporates slower, but was surprised with the extra warmth. The flip-side of this is obviously, when I weigh my baselayers the wool is offering more insulation for the same weight, so this is great for cooler temperatures as I'm getting some insulation for no weight penalty. So O Learned Ones - is it possible to get Merino with little insulation, if so what makes?
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| Edited: 26/04/10 04:29 |
 i think you're now into silk territory.
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 I think the Microweight is about as light / thin as Smartwool get - I use the microweight zip ts in the summer, and live with being slightly damp. But then I'm slightly damp in any base-layer I wear in the summer, the merino's just a slightly more comfortable slightly damp than some of the other tops! Go much lighter and the tops'll be like stockings and tend to ladder - the Microweight ones aren't the hardest wearing tops you'll find.
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 If you want a no-pong base with minimal insulation then look for the silver-treated ones. X-static is the most common fibre used to make synthetic anti-pong bases. Hard to come up with objective assessments, but my X-static undies (Rohan ones) seem to do okay. This might be the sort of thing that'll tick the boxes. Pete.
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6 miles on a scooter at 70F and you're not happy with wool? Yet Eddy Merckx, Jacques Anquetil and Fausto Coppi, to name but a few, managed the thousands of km of Tour-de-France ok in woolen jerseys ...
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 That sounds close to the sort of temperature where I'd maybe start to think of alternatives. (to midweight that is but I'm not convinced the weight makes such a big difference.). Of course over in the UK it doesn't so often get consistently above that  (I've done ~30 and lived mind.). Closest you might get to super thin merino are the sportwools style things with a very thin merino layer under a polyester base layer. Montane's bionics for instance.
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| Edited: 26/04/10 11:23 |
This reviewer says that Chocolate Fish Merino (190 weight) worked well for him in "everything from sweaty overheating to frigid shivering during which I'm pleased to say, I didn't once experience the grim, sticky, clammy feeling I get using synthetic base layers" and were "ideal mosquito proof hot and humid travel wear":
http://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/review.php?id=2174
Interestingly I think it was Chocolate Fish who said they do not make a merino below 190 (another of their digs at icebreaker I guess?) because it was not durable enough?
Yep, just checked the Choc Fish website and it was them:
"Our Taranaki 190 T-shirts and tops are made in 190gsm Mapp Merino. This weight offers the ideal combination of comfort in both summer and winter, support where it counts, and durability. We consider that lighter weight fabrics, such as 150gsm, are far too flimsy, may give little in the way of support and are far less hard-wearing. Of course, the lighter the fabric weight, the cheaper it is to produce (especially in China!). We think quality is more important."
http://www.chocolatefishmerino.co.uk/taranaki/lightmidlayer.html
Not tried Chocolate Fish but personally I find my icebreaker too warm/ too slow to dry for summer and prefer my Berghaus X-Static t-shirts (the old model, don't think they make them anymore). As these are now wearing out I am looking at the synthetic/merino hybrids like the Bionic which Martin mentioned above (not sure if any other manufacturers do a polyester/merino mix?)
The only lightweight (150) merino I know of is Icebreaker - www.cyclesurgery.com have some on offer if that's what you are after?
As well as Smartwool's microweight range but it doesn't actually say what the weight (gsm) is but probably around 190 like the Choc Fish stuff??:
https://www.smartwool.com/default.cfm#/Search/microweight/
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Finisterre's Eddy is the "coolest" and softest merino top I've used - not cheap, but one of the most useful kit purchases I've made.
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Yet Eddy Merckx, Jacques Anquetil and Fausto Coppi, to name but a few, managed the thousands of km of Tour-de-France ok in woolen jerseysBut were they incredibly comfortable while they were doing it?  Pete.
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of course a hot, non-ventilated, close fitting t shirt is not the only clothing choice.
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I tried on a cycling wool top, not Smartwool, itched. That made me very nervous buying any wool I can't try on in stores. Icebreaker itched. Years ago I made a test investment in a few different makes of synthetics and really liked the Berghaus X-static, their anti-pong is wearing off (can only get so clean???). I own 4 X-static and love them, I wear them in preference, they are wearing (no Berghause Logo left!) and they ceased making them will look into Rohan, is it the same fabric? Issue is, the wool looks smart. Trekmates died and a few other brands with 'trek' in their name died and turned to chain-cleaning rags eventually. Subzero also died. So long-term my Berghaus and Cambia are lasting. True, Smartwool doesn't seem to list their weights, I'm wondering if all the wool manufacturers have similar minimum weights due to strength/wear issues?
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 I've used the same Icebreaker Tech-t lite (145gms) in the summer for a few years. It's been used on everything from an 11 day stretch when it was my only top, to day walks. No damage or signs of wear. Very comfortable in hot weather. The hottest weather i've worn it in is the lower '80's.
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I've worn an Icebreaker Superfine 140 t-shirt pretty much every day for several years winter and summer. (I have 3 and just rotate them). Utterly excellent, comfortable, not itchy, not pongy, no apparent wear. I machine wash them in Woolite. For the hills I usually use the next thickness up depending on season. If I want to go hard and it's hot I might use synthetics - usually Helly Hansen Cool. If you want a natural fibre for very hot weather, look at silk or linen.
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Is Icebreaker thinner or weaved differently to make it less warm?
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I think that's the same as mine. ALS. I thought it was 145, but it must be 140.
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Polygeine is 'just' a generic silver treatment which a fair few people (Haglofs also for instance) apply to various base layer fabrics. Cocanna is pretty similar in aim, and some bamboo carbon fibre things. The ultra t fabric is very, very light so I doubt its that like what Berghaus used (but may of course be entirely effective ). Best I can tell merino (which I'm wearing daily too) is very durable in general - only real wear I'm seeing after a year or so is on the cuffs. Quite vunerable if something sharp gets at the back though. Belt buckles say. Icebreaker do a few different weights, like smartwool. Very likely the same sort of weave. Trekking shirts a good option if it gets consistently hot/sunny (rare in the UK of course!).
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| Edited: 26/04/10 15:26 |
So I spent a week with my Smartwool Merino thin t-shirt and I was exercising on-foot and using a kick-scooter with backpack which was giving some rub every time I kicked and my cyclist's-arse raised the 20L backpack each kick. The merino is VERY bobbled on the shoulders and to a lesser degree around the waist, to the degree I can't use the t-shirt any more like that, it will need to be kept under a protective something else, or not worn under backpack. I find the material has a slight all-over bobble , or more like the short hairs over human skin, which is adding to its warmth. It's certainly got a good warmth/weight ratio but with temperatures in Texas/California 70F-90F its too warm. I will have to relegate to cooler months and also to either smart evening wear no-pack or under something like a windproof. The anti-pong is real after 6 days its got a mild odour. It also looks like a smart t-shirt. I can imagine in typical UK temperatures it is perfect for many situations like UK hiking under a windproof/waterproof.Perhaps it was my backpack or its use or simply the weave of my Smartwool t-shirt but its noway tough enough for backpacking, it will become ruined in just a few days of hard use.
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