Merino wool clothes

[flocsy]

Hi,

do you have any experience with merino wool clothing? Is it worth? Is it just a hype?

[WorldTourer]

Definitely worth it. But get the expensive stuff from brands like Icebreaker or Smartwool, because the cheap merino from some budget labels is sourced from Chinese sheep that are bred more for food than quality wool. And then when you have spent that much money, be sure to wash the garment in special wool liquid. You can even buy solid blocks of soap with lanolin from boutique soapmakers, in order to avoid carrying liquid.

Besides its great breathability and comfort in temperatures up to 30°C, the key feature of merino is that it doesn’t stink even after days of riding. When it is wet with sweat it has a little of that wet-wool smell, but it never reeks of human body odour.

[JohnR]

I've got several merino items. One useful feature is that the wool contains a natural biocide so sweaty clothes don't get smelly. Mine might get washed in the spring (there's special merino wash) after several months of use. In general, wool is meant to be warmer than artificial fibres when wet.

[PH]

Is it worth? Is it just a hype?

It can be both, the attributes are as stated, anti-bacterial, reasonable breathability, warm when wet and if you buy the best stuff very comfortable next to the skin, looked after it's also very long lasting.  However, it isn't a miracle material, it's slower to dry than most synthetics, it prefers to be washed in soap rather than detergent, it doesn't like being force dried and of course it's very expensive to produce and manufacture.  You also have to get the right weight for the intended usage.
I've had:
Baselayers - The really nice ones from Howies and Ground Effect I pretty much lived in for a few years.  The mid priced ones were OK, a bargain one wasn't, it only got worn a couple of times, too itchy.
Mid layers - Even an expensive Howies one wasn't a significant improvement over anything else.  An Endura blend of merino and polyester* is one of my favorites.
Jersey - I have a club one, but I think it really could have been made out of anything, looks nice in wool, though I don't think I get any other benefit.
Undies and socks - Nice and soft, but no other advantage and there's plenty of other soft materials available.

Merino seemed to be at the height of popularity 10 - 15 years ago and has declined a bit.  That's not only fashion, other options have become available, mainly cellulose materials  Sold as bamboo, coconut, hemp... doesn't really matter what the pulp is made from (Other than for advertising purposes) it's the process that gives the properties, which in some ways are a match for merino, whilst being easier to care for, more robust and cheaper to produce.  Though possibly not as environmentally as friendly as wool.
Other synthetics have also come on, I've become a bit of a Uniqlo fan, I have several items and none have disappointed, all of them get chucked in the general wash, dry really quick, warm wen wet, though not anti-bacterial (When stuff dries so quickly that isn't so important)

* Sportswool, as recommended by WorldTourer, is also a blend with polyester, at least those items I've looked at.  Nothing wrong with that IME, it just demonstrates that being 100% merino might not be the most important criteria.

 

[PH]

be sure to wash the garment in special wool liquid. You can even buy solid blocks of soap with lanolin from boutique soapmakers, in order to avoid carrying liquid.

Doesn't have to be that special, just a pure soap, I use this one for lots of applications (I take some on camping tours where it gets used for everything)
 https://www.dri-pak.co.uk/cleaning-products/liquid-soap-750ml/

[WorldTourer]

* Sportswool, as recommended by WorldTourer, is also a blend with polyester, at least those items I've looked at.

I recommended Smartwool. No polyester there. The tag on my merino microweight shirt (the standard touring base layer in warm climates) is 87% merino, 13% nylon, presumably at the stitches. My Smartwool light trail socks are merino wool with various synthetics for the sake of stretchability and durability. You’re right that there’s nothing wrong with some admixture of other fabrics, and a 100% merino-wool garment probably wouldn’t be very satisfying.

Doesn't have to be that special, just a pure soap, I use this one for lots of applications (I take some on camping tours where it gets used for everything)
https://www.dri-pak.co.uk/cleaning-products/liquid-soap-750ml/

That looks rather heavy to carry on tour. If you shop carefully for boutique soapmakers, you can get for only about 10€ a solid bar of lanolin soap that will last approximately four months on the road, weighs almost nothing, and takes up almost no space in one’s bag.

[Moronic]

I purchased several pure Merino tops for motorcycling, long and short sleeves, some with zip-up high necks, in various weights.

What the others say. It's great stuff to have. Huge improvement on the synthetics I'd used previously - warmer, more comfortable and much better smelling - but that was a fair while ago and synthetics and blends will have improved.

I use the Merino for cycling too. Because it's close to the skin, you get a lot of warmth from a garment that doesn't weigh much or take up much space. And you can adjust temps by wearing them in layers, with a windproof and/or waterproof shell on top.

A serious downside is susceptibility to moth degradation. You'll likely be okay on tour but best to store them in cotton bags at home cos moth larvae love them. Don't have moths? Didn't think I had them either.

[PH]

* Sportswool, as recommended by WorldTourer, is also a blend with polyester, at least those items I've looked at.

I recommended Smartwool. No polyester there. The tag on my merino microweight shirt (the standard touring base layer in warm climates) is 87% merino, 13% nylon, presumably at the stitches.

Oops! Should have gone to Specsavers 
The point made remains and that fabric will be a blend, 13% won't just be the stitching.
I've just had a look at their website and they offer a range of fabrics, including a Merino/Polyester blend, of which they say:
This mild to warm weather fabric blends Merino and polyester to create the ultimate training gear. The unique blend boosts the benefits of Merino with better stretch and recovery, better shape retention and a faster dry time that Merino alone. Primed for sweaty workouts, apparel made from this fabric includes sports tanks, tees and long sleeves.  They’re ideal for warmer weather training and easily transition across seasons.
https://www.smartwool.com/discover/smartwool-difference/fabric-construction.html

I don't disagree that this is likely to be the case, more that those advertising 100% Merino as if anything else was inferior are not necessarily correct.

[PH]

A serious downside is susceptibility to moth degradation.

I'd forgotten the moths, they killed a nice, and expensive, Icebreaker polo shirt that I hadn't had for long!

[tyreon]

FWIW A selection of sizes and models from M and S seems to work just as well,dependant upon what sort of cycling you have in mind: thrashing about or moderated touring. Prices maybe around £35. I have never found them itchy. Available all over the UK and sometimes even less in the sale.

If you are near Matlock Derbyshire you could visit John Smedly's factory shop. Its been established since 1776(I think). It sells specialist cotton and wollen apparel. I think its by appointment to the royals,so doesnt sell tatt. A top here can cost from £35 but in its London shop it sells for £130 -150. They can be slight seconds. Sometimes they have cycle purpose designed polos or long sleeved polos. Once upon a time they had twice yearly sales where they had long queues. People used to fly in from Japan to buy up stuff to take back to Tokyo to sell. You still see Japanese up there: they dont buy tatt. Still family owned business. Still making stuff on site. You could even apply for a job there!

[spoof]

Quote "all of the wool and hair-producing animals produce a keratin fibre, which has various attributes and is virtually identical in chemical terms to the hair of humans"

On cycle tour it makes life easy washing the merino garments in sink or what not, just use your regular shampoo from your toiletry bag 

https://www.thenaturalfibre.co.uk/blog-wool-journey-part-1-what-wool/#:~:text=Generally%2C%20wool%20is%20from%20sheep,to%20the%20hair%20of%20humans.

[Matt2matt2002]

I wore my set for longer than I'm willing to share here, for my Pamir Highway trip a few years ago..