Arcteryx EON Men’s Longsleeve Merino Wool Shirts

I would suggest EBay. I did find one at Goodwill, but the Thrift Gods were cruel and it was one size too small. I have a friend who swears by the Arcteryx merino stuff and reports it lasts forever compared to Smartwool and Ibex. The thrift Eon fit him and he gave me a spare pair of b/c ski bindings for them. All was well that ended well. I do see the Eon stuff on EBay, but never at a steal.

I'm a fan of KUIU merino/poly blends. http://store.kuiu.com/ultra-merino-125-ls-crew-t-p/20015.htm

"http://store.kuiu.com/ultra-merino-125-ls-crew-t-p/20015.htm" When i went to said link, the description outlined a Merino nylon blend. 85/15 more exactly. Interesting concept, but not sure 5x faster drying is accurate, or as compared to what? In your experience does it dry faster than other, high wool percentage baselayers?

"In your experience does it dry faster than other, high wool percentage baselayers?" It dries faster than the all-wool baselayers I once had. Can't compare it to other blends, as this is the first wool blend I've used.

Thank you for the feedback. Thought you have used Rab MeCo? Could of sworn i've seen some posts of your referring to liking MeCo. MeCo for reference is 65% Merino and 35% cocona treated polyester.

"Thought you have used Rab MeCo?" I forgot about the MeCo. Yes, I did once have some Rab MeCo shirts. The 165 was simply too heavy. I think they had a 125 LS as well, and I had one, but ended up getting rid of that too. I like the fit and feel of the KUIU shirt more than I did the MeCos, which I found a bit too loose.

Chris and Just in Time, like Doug, I have really liked the Kuiu nuyarn long sleeve shirts more than any other wool top base layer that I have tried so far. I'm not sure why it has not received more attention on this site. I use the long sleeve 120 weight kuiu shirt as a base layer in the winter and a stand alone shirt in the summer (with layers on top in the evenings etc.). For me, it has proven to be noticeably more durable and quick drying than 100% wool garments and Rab Meco . Plus, it dries faster and it does a better job at keeping the stink away than the Patagonia blend. I found that Rab Meco 120 is a bit too fragile for backpacking use. On my Rab Meco shirts, my shoulder straps and waist belt weakened and caused small holes in the garment after a month heavy backpacking use (nearly every day). The Rab Meco 120 seems to be even less durable than my smartwool wool garments (nearly 100% wool). However, my kuiu shirts have been used for 1-2 years with no noticeable signs of wear or holes. I want to switch to nuyarn for thermal underwear, but I really don't like the idea off the two side zippers that they put on the long underwear……it just seems like unnecessary weight and I'm worried it'll be uncomfortable for sleeping in.

Hi Michael C., I would probably try it out if it had a higher percentage of synthetic. While specific type of weaving or knitting process could affect the strength and to lesser extent–the dry time of wool, the material itself is still wool, which absorbs a lot of moisture and dries pretty slow as compared to synthetics. Wool also wicks more slowly and less efficiently than wicking synthetics. 15% nylon just isn't enough synthetic to appreciably speed up drying time, especially since it's used as a "core" fiber which gets wrapped around, imo. I have and have used the 165 MeCo during more extreme cold temps, and don't find the 35% polyester significantly increase the odor retention/issue. What might be more ideal, is creating a bulkier, loftier, and wicking nylon fiber, and combining it in a higher percentage with the Merino, including the "core" nylon they use. Say 55% Merino and 45% nylon in the blend itself, but not factoring in the percentage of the regular nylon used in the core (which would turn it into more of a 60% nylon to 40% Merino ratio). It would really strengthen the durability and strength of said garment, lighten it up, and speed up drying time a bit. Nylon is also the least stinky of the synthetics that i know of, compared to acrylic, polyester, and especially polypropylene. The only downside is that nylon feels less warm directly on the skin, especially when wet, than wool or polyester because the latter are less conductive. But with a loftier fiber that traps more air, and the combination of plenty of wool on the skin, it probably wouldn't be that noticeable.

Hi Michael C, I would be curious about the fit of the Kuiu nuyarn long sleeve shirts. As I mentioned, I have a slim body type with longish arms, so something with a next-to-skin fit and completely covers my arms would fit the bill. I am looking into Odlo and Hagloefs (Scandinavian manufacturers) as well. By the way, I've had my Arcteryx EON short sleeve shirts since 2011/2012 (yeah, I have two). They are still going strong. Pity they stopped making these as they were really outstanding products.

They will come with the hew Pelion-line, made off 4,4 oz/yd² Nucleix with 86% merino and 14% nylon and with reinforced shoulders of nylon with some spandex.

I bought the Kuiu "zip-off bottom" for a Colorado archery trip about a month ago. http://store.kuiu.com/ultra-merino-145-zip-off-bottom-p/10004.htm Not sure the zippers are necessary – frankly I did not realize they are full-length… But I have to say, they are perfectly functional, very light, and the zippers were in no way uncomfortable. I like the short calf-length cut. For those of us who like calf-height socks, it makes sense. Performed great and will be a regular part of my kit. Will probably buy a few more things from them – raingear looks interesting, though pricey for the good stuff… Cheers.