[Closed] How long could you wear Merino wool (tops) for?

You'd probably be ok until it becomes a bit too warm. That's when you're likely to need a slightly cooler alternative. 🙂

I use one to for my lunch time ride pretty much all year round, they are ace, don't stink as you probably already know and keeps you cool when it's hot in my experience. Sheep run theirs all year round so you should be fine 😀

Amos which one do you have.

I currently have two- tight fitting icebreakers. Reckon a looser/bigger one should be better for air -flow etc?

"and the award for the Most stupid question ever asked" goes to...

wore my baabaa L/s in nz - often on its own in 20/30 degrees plus they do work well for wicking and keeping you cool as well as warm

I did roll sleves up

as for how long - i wore mine for 4 weeks every day without washing it to proove a point - it didnt smell - the fact ive still got a girlfriend is testiment to that - and she now believes in the power of merino !

Lifetime achievement award surely over-due... 🙂

btw - baggy ?

I've got 2 Howies tops one with long sleeves and a t-shirt I normally wear both with the long sleeve underneath then just the T-shirt come scorching days (UK rider so few and far between!) Both loose fit, Gutted as the T-shirt has a couple of holes and you can't buy the red one with large Howies logo any more and I really like that style.

Hang on, it's April 1 isn't it?

Nearly got me there Hora!

AHHHH Have I been succered in!! Dammit, well I've got a head cold that's my excuse and I'm sticking to it 😉

chakaping, I know, it does look like a great subject for a 1st April-nab however its not. It seems 'madness' but I love my merino's. If they wick well then surely the thinking is 'why not'? 'Baggy' as in - the looser-fitting it is, the more airflow around your body will also help?

Synthetic tops STINK in warmer weather for me 😕

Hora....

For it to wick properly, it has to be close fitting.

The more air trapped between the garment and your skin, the more insulating it is.

Merino comes in a number of "weights". Just use a lighter one for the summer (190gsm or similar)

HTH

Oh - and wash/change more often if your tops are that smelly. It's [i]your[/i] bacteria that make them like that.

(190gsm or similar)

Will do. Even if the experiment 'fails' it means I have another layer for autumn/winter 🙂

I'm really impressed by the 150g/m2 icebreaker fabric. I have a long sleve and short sleve version and they are quite tough for such a thin fabric. Not very fast to dry but they are a lot warmer than synthetics when damp.

By far the best 'general riding' combo I have found so far is a skins compression top under either a 150g/m2 (or if cooler weather a 200g/m2) merino LS top. A very warm and comfy set up. wind or waterprrof shell over the top as required.

As for the baggyness, the wool will get wetted out from your sweat then will cool due to being out of contact with your skin. whether it will be any less comfy than a loose flappy synthetic I'm not sure.

druidh - Member

Oh - and wash/change more often if your tops are that smelly. It's your bacteria that make them like that.

Its your bacteria but they accumulate and grow on synthetics more than natural fibres. Not killed off by washing at low temps either.

Ok, I've just picked up XL 150gm Icebreaker (short sleave) for £31 from my LBS.

Funnily enough they ALSO have a short sleave icebreaker mountain bike-specific top in 95% 150gm merino/5% lycra. That was almost £50. **** that.

I'll stick to bargain thanks.

Cheers guys 😀

Ahem, I wore my Icebreaker boxers for four weeks in Iceland

No more than about three hours as it seems to bring me out in a rash 😯

Trekmates do a 'smartwool' merino top that is a very good alrounder, but is quite elastic so not good for baggy.

drys much faster than pure merino and seems to have the same antismell effect.

No more than about three hours as it seems to bring me out in a rash

Oh 🙁

I could live in my two. One of which is full of holes after 10yrs but STILL got my happily through riding all this winter

I wore the same merino top day and night for 3 weeks in the european summer doing around 75 miles a day.

Not a problem

Except for those around you...

Wore my Icebreaker for 2 weeks on the Pennine Way ( hiking, sorry ) and couldn't detect any smell. They do get very damp with sweat as they don't really wick, they manage moisture ( sorry but don't know the science behind this ). After 2 years of very heavy wear, the material has become very thin around the shoulders and back where my pack rubs and I managed to stick my thumb through it when taking it off. Still think it's one of the biggest bargains I've ever bought and will never go back to synthetics.

about a week before it get too smelly but have worn it for longer while on tour 😡

i wore a 150 icebreaker to France last July and it was fine. Its all a bit cliched to say so but it didn't feel hot and sweaty even though it was high 20s and in the car etc. A cotton t shirt would have needed changing after 4-6 hours but because merino doesn't smell you don't start to worry half way through a day of overt sweating. They don't seem to get sodden like cotton can in extreme heat. I just wish I could wear Merino to work.

I've worn one for at 4-5 weeks of commuting (30 mins each way), with proper 4-6 hour weekend rides in between. A 2 wk skiing hol, incl both 9 hour flights was probably most intensive sweat fest ever imposed on mine though.

I've had mine on since before Christmas, pretty much every day and certainly every ride. We went 7 weeks without heating, an absolute life saver.

And in fact I've got it on right now! Haha! What a mink.

I wore my marino short sleeve baselayers in the Malaysian jungle last year - perfect.

Wore my Icebreaker for 2 weeks on the Pennine Way ( hiking, sorry

Why sorry? IMO you are getting out there and enjoying the same places bikers do!

Hope this opens other peoples eyes as well. Stuffs fantastic.

try merino and possum, even better!
got mine in nz at xmas, then came back to riding in january.
its lighter and warmer, though not as robust

for merino by itself, have had two jerseys from

http://www.hallensteins.co.nz/Mens/Scott_Base.htm

which are indestrucatble

slightly O/T Phew only one mention of Howies on this thread 🙄

I use the Seal Skinz Merino Wool ankle socks all year 'round. Perfect and never too hot.

I've worn HH SuperLifa wear tops non-stop for 6 days trekking on more than one occation without a problem. I might have smelt, but you can't smell your own BO, so what does it matter!

hora - Member

slightly O/T Phew only one mention of Howies on this thread

i'm surprised it took you that long to start whining about them again!
tbh their merino stuff is probably one of the only things they do now that's still very good, and mostly it's worth the price too. although obviously better to wait for their sales...