Merino T shirt recommendations.

I’m after some Merino T-shirts. Short sleeve. Don’t want to spend premium icebreaker money (£50) so is there anywhere that is currently doing them at a more reasonable price (<£30). Will be buying them online most likely so don’t want to go hunt round TK maxx on the off chance.

Want them to look ok with Jeans but also be useable as base layers when travelling. Ideally no big logos etc.

Howies, £27 atm.

Howies ones are nice and on sale, also the Endura baa baa are pretty standard.

Howies ones are lurverley and last forever

Howies only in small from what I can tell.

Finisterre for £24, if you don’t mind brown: http://www.finisterreuk.com/shop/mens/clothing/merino-wool-base-layer/classic-weight-performance-fit/eddy-ss-bark.html

Or, Alpkit for £29: https://www.alpkit.com/products/kepler-merino-short-sleeve-top-mens

They’re both base layers, but look slightly T-shirt-y

Keep you eye on Aldi. I bought a couple of Merino Tee’s there last year for Fourteen quid each. They’re nice and comfy & appear to lasting really well. I wasn’t expecting much but for the dosh they’re as good as some of the stuff I’ve paid a lot more for. Limited choice of colours was my only gripe.

Decathalon. £19.99

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/techwool-190-zip-mens-merino-wool-base-layer-black-long-sleeve-id_8316088.html

Or just go to Uniqlo and buy their HeatTech t-shirts.

I’ve got loads of plastic T-shirts. What I’m really looking for is something that won’t smell after a few days when I’m travelling. Occasionally I’ll use it as a base layer for walking but I’m too sweaty to wear them biking – will stick to my string vests.

Anybody use EDZ stuff?

http://www.edzlayering.com/merino/

Got EDZ hat and buffs, think they are quite good.

Howies ones are lurverley and last forever

Aye, if you like them with big holes after a few years.

But yes, luvverly and do last well.[/i]

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I used a Howies one for 9 days straight walking on the Haute Route last summer, and it did a great job for me. First 5 or 6 days it smelled basically fresh on, by the end it wouldn’t really have passed for fresh but was still totally fine to wear in company.

I only got it a few weeks before that trip so can’t really comment on longevity. A Howies long sleeve merino I’ve had for a good few years and used a lot does have the familiar holes in a couple of places on the lower back, but I think it’s a finer weave than the T-shirt and I’m fairly happy with the use I’ve had out of it.

Sportpursuit has Icebreaker and Smartwool tees for around 25 quid. The 150 weight stuff is brilliant, I’ve found thicker grades are slightly too warm for general use in summer, the lighter stuff though is great.

Synthetics treated with Polygiene are a good bet if you want something that wicks and dries faster than merino btw.

I holed my long sleeve Howie’s merino the first time I washed it, because of some Velcro on a different item of clothing. I also tore some holes in the sleeve when I took off the muddy short sleeved top I had on top, forgetting that I’d pinned a race number through both sleeves. The holes have refused to spread, and the rest of the top is fine. It must be about eight years old now.

A Swobo merino bike Jersey fell apart almost instantly.

My short sleeve Howies Ts are going strong, albeit they smell earlier than they used to. My long sleeve ones however always seem to hole easily, usually where my belt is and I don’t wear one with a buckle. More fragile I’ve found than say Icebreaker or Rapha but love them, I tend to live in the long sleeve NBL ones unless warm/ hot weather. Rapha have some for £30 atm in their sale.

Embers Merino are the best merino product I have ever bought. Feel sorry for the company however as the kit is so good that it has lasted several years and so they have not had much recent custom from me! I make up for it by giving them a mention whenever anyone asks about quality merino.

Sportpursuit has Icebreaker and Smartwool tees for around 25 quid

I like the SuperNatural 140g ones they do. Used to wear the long sleeve for my commutes.

Picked a merino t up at rohan last week for 30 quid. Lovely.

XTM merino baselayers on tkmaxx website at mo £20 XXL only. No idea if any good!

Second shout out for Embers Merino, I have loads of Merino tops and have always found theirs are the best.

Hated Endura BaaBaa

Keep you eye on Aldi. I bought a couple of Merino Tee’s there last year for Fourteen quid each. They’re nice and comfy & appear to lasting really well

Can be hit and miss from one offer to the next – bought a long sleeve ‘merino’ top from there which is actually 70% acrylic (and in fact all the better for it, wear it for most of the winter, just in the workshop rather than on the bike) also at another date bought merino t shirt which is steadily getting shorter and broader with each wash.