Montbell Merino T-Shirt?

One place you might watch for cheap but 100% merino layers (by icebreaker, i/o bio etc) is steepandcheap.com (and related websites like tramdock.com)

From what I've seen, they have periods when a lot of merino layers come up (usually midweight layers are around $30 – $35 and lightweight layers in the $20s).. but then they have a period when there aren't many merino layers.

I only know about icebreaker and i/o bio merino layers — they are great. my girlfriend wear the silkweight / lightweight ones even for warm weather hiking.. my body runs really hot though and so don't really use it too much for summer hiking. I'd think it'd be comfortable for most people though.. (unless you are hiking in the 90s)

I've heard people say polyesters like Capilene dries faster than merino.. might want to keep in mind if you are going to sweat into it. But the merino seems reasonably good at thermal regulation..

Hi Dont. Thanks for the reply! Those sites look like a great place to get a deal. Anyone know of others like this?

Also, I had heard that most synthetics would start to smell from body odor more quickly than merino. Is this generally true and does that apply to capilene?

Thanks again!

Michael, Yes, synthetics start to stink very quickly and merino doesn't. The tradeoff is that merino has to be carefully washed and air-dried; you can't just toss it in the washer and dryer. Steepandcheap.com and its sister site, tramdock.com do occasionally have high end merino pieces at great prices. You might also sign up for emails with Icebreaker, which has clearance sales once or twice a year. Many of the overstock warehouses like sierratradingpost.com often have bargains.

I just finished testing MontBell's new SUPER MERINO mid-weights for BackpackingLight and was very impressed. I see that MB has just started with a lighter-weight version.

I use merino year-round; the only substitute is cotton when it's 90+ and bone dry (Texas in summer).

I picked up my favorite hiking on Giltman for only $20. The Icebreaker Technical T (150 but I have some 140's as well.) i like the IceBreaker technical T for winter and summer hiking. I prefer Ibex however for long sleeve and pant base layers (seems to be a smoother material than IceBreaker or Smartwool).

I've been tossing in my merino shirts and underwear with the rest of my laundry on the regular warm cycle and warm dryer settings for years. They're totally fine. Not sure what the fuss is about them being too delicate for machine wash/dry. Even the super-lightweight very thin summer layers.

I've been tossing in my merino shirts and underwear with the rest of my laundry on the regular warm cycle and warm dryer settings for years. They're totally fine. Not sure what the fuss is about them being too delicate for machine wash/dry. Even the super-lightweight very thin summer layers.

We have hot and very humid summers. I own a handful of synthetic tops and wool tops. I always reach for my wool – 60 70, 80, 90s+ and its still been comfortable at the lightest of weights. You really cannot go wrong with it during the summer when it has a quarter zip too. Also my lightweight merino dries real fast when I'm wearing it.

During late spring, summer, early fall, I ditch my rain gear in favor of a light wool shirt and synthetic convertible pants. The pants are necessary to fend off ticks and the zippered portion at the knee vents real well. If the rain is cold, being on the move with the wool will keep you nice and warm.

Jack

Thanks for all the advice on merino shirts. I will have to try them out for sure.

I saw you mentioned synthetic pants with ventilation zippers for summer. Does anyone have a particular recommendation on summer synthetic pants? It does get very hot and humid here.

Thanks again!
Mike

I've worn a single pair of Columbia Challenger zip off pants on every backpacking trip for the last four years. I've ran them through cactus in Big Bend, TX, painful bush on Mt Arkansas, CO, and on countless bushwhacking adventures here in Arkansas.

While just venting with them they've been snagged on every size obstacle you can imagine. They only have one tear that refuses to get any bigger. If I were a gambling fellow, I'd wager I'll have these pants for atleast a decade.

At 352 grams, they're a bit heavy, though.

Jack

Yeah, I toss all my merino stuff in, and I always wash everything in cold water.

The main issue with wool is the felting factor if washed in hot water, also, drying care is smart, but I personally have never had an issue washing most wool in the washer.

I use Columbia Silver ridge convertible 9and regular) pants here in Arizona all year round. I also like the MH Mesa convertible pants. and the North face peak pants. i especially like the Silver ridge and Horizon peak pants, since they double as Boy Scout uniforms :)