Looking for a quick drying, moisture wicking, non-stinking short sleeve and long sleeve shirt….

merino wool. but it isn't cheap.

I find that synthetics usually don't stink so bad if they are hanging loose.

I know a few budget minded backpackers who wear light thrift store polyester dress shirts, modified for the particular climate they'll be hiking.

I find that the wally world polyester "starter" brand tshirts (long sleeve or short sleeve) work well for me but do not stink so much. Every thing will stink after a while though.

Thanks for your responses.

I've tried the cheap Champion synthetics I bought at Target. They dry quickly but retain a ferocious odor after even a day hike….

I know Merino is said to be good for this. The smartwool shirts are too expensive. I wonder if there's another brand which is also good but cheaper….

Thanks again.

I love merino wool for this reason, but they are heavier.
There are no cheap merino wool products that I am aware of?

Stoic merino shirts (Backcountry.com's house brand) are often on Steep and Cheap for a decent price. And Sierra Trading Post sometimes has Terramar merino baselayers on closeout, also decently priced.

That reminds me, my wife directed me to a place that was selling name brand merino wool products.
I don't remember the brand, Teramar maybe?
I read the label and saw that the stuff contained very small percentage of merino wool, the rest was synthetic.

So read the specs before buying

Good point, Steven, re: reading the labels.

The Terramar baselayer bottoms I got from STP are labeled 100% Aust. merino–think I paid ~$30. The SS T shirt I got from SAC (with backcountry.com label, before they started the Stoic label) was ~$35, if I remember right. Also 100% merino. I also have a 1/4 zip Patagonia LS merino, bought on closeout in the same sort of price range. So nothing really *cheap* (which would make me suspicious too) just kind of standard closeout-type deals.

If the OP was looking for a brand of merino that is always priced lower than big names, I don't know of any either.

Merino wool. I've worn the same shirt for a week in the summer, no stink at all.

There is no good cheap merino, but then I think it's worth the price.

For me virtually all synthetics stink. Some worse than others, as you point out, but it seems to go with the territory. Wool is the answer. Harder to find, often expensive, but the answer.

I've found Icebreaker merino on sale a couple times but it's still a tad pricey. If you go with Icebreaker's GT line, there's a tiny bit of spandex in the merino wool, making the shirt a lot more durable and with superb wicking for merino.

Remember, however, that wool still holds more moisture than most synthetics so you get damp on hot days the way you do with cotton. The difference is that it still insulates and I think it feels good when wet. Particularly when a breeze hits you as you crest a ridge.

I agree that a small percentage of synthetic material improves the durability at no appreciable difference in odor prevention.

It's never cheap, but worth what you pay in my opinion. Ibex (ibexwear.com) has good sales at the end of every season – top quality products. Backcountry.com's outlet (departmentofgoods.com) has merino stuff discounted, though nowhere near Steep and Cheap prices. MEC has great merino base layers, usually pretty reasonable. For lowest prices Sierra Trading Post is likely to be your best bet.

… but what about durability? Will a merino shirt survive direct contact with my backpack straps, etc.?

Thanks again.

My Beartooth has about a month of use on it. still in like new shape. Only the 150 weight while bushwacking in heavy brush i've had a few snags.

I have a couple icebreaker 150 tops that I've had for over a year and wear all the time (including some bushwacking) and still no holes or snags. You can usually find tops in the $30 range on sale. check geartrade, ebay, steep and cheep, etc. overstock.com usually has some as well.

Been very happy with durability of my pieces, all about 150 wt. Owned for close to two years, laundered each >50 times, used for backpacking, day hiking, downhill skiing and touring around cities with a day pack. Probably won't think about replacing until next year at earliest.

Just keep in mind that merino is not wicking.

>"Just keep in mind that merino is not wicking."

Eugene, could you elaborate? I switched from synthetics to merino, and haven't yet been in conditions where it seemed synth had advantages. But I haven't been in all conditions, by any means.

So that means that I'm more likely to be drenched (I sweat alot when hiking) in this kind of shirt….

Seems like there's no ideal solution.

polyester + merino like:

Eugene, could you elaborate? I switched from synthetics to merino, and haven’t yet been in conditions where it seemed synth had advantages. But I haven’t been in all conditions, by any means.

First of all, I hate how the clothing industry using the term ‘wicking’. Cotton wicks EXTREMELY well, but that’s not what they mean. What they actually mean is that their fabrics are hydrophobic, which means that the molecules that make up their fabric is not attracted to water molecules. Because water is not attracted to the fabric, it can evaporate without being impeded and water is more likely to drip off. They want us to believe that cotton does not wick, but what they mean is that cotton is hygroscopic, which means that cotton is attracted to water and vice versa. This attraction is so strong that it prevents water from evaporating to some extent, and water from dripping off, which explains why it takes so long to dry. They thing is that wool is also hygroscopic, although I don’t believe it’s as hygroscopic as cotton, but it’s definitely not hydrophobic. The big difference between wool and cotton is that wool can still keep you somewhat warm even when it’s wet.

If I didn’t explain it well, check out this Wikipedia link about wool. I didn’t read it yet. All I did was google “wool hygroscopic”.

Does merino give you bug and sun protection?

Right, that's pretty much my understanding of what "wicking" in synthetics means, and why synthetics are somewhat faster drying than thin wool (and much faster than cotton).

I just don't see a disadvantage to merino in terms of performance–if anything, even while absorbing moisture, my experience is that merino still performs better than synthetics. Merino doesn't wick like synthetic, but it doesn't have to.

I wouldn't say I sweat excessively hiking, but with exertion, synthetics still get wet (when I wore them). Stopping for a break (assuming moderate temps and some wind) I was chilled and needed to add insulation or a wind barrier. Damps synthetics felt cold and clammy beneath until they dried, which happened reasonably quickly.

By contrast, I find wool not just somewhat warm when wet, but *nearly* as warm as when dry. So, adding insulation or wind barrier when taking a break means I'm warm down to the skin, even if not dry. Same with socks–I can wade thru an icy stream wearing merino socks and my feet feel warm very quickly after.

Plus, as someone up-thread pointed out, thin wool when damp has a cooling effect under hot conditions with a light breeze.

Edit: Eugene, I just read the wiki article you linked to. Says there, wool fiber exterior is hydrophobic (thus wicking?) and inner fiber is hydroscopic (thus absorbent). There's several people here with very extensive backgrounds in textiles–maybe they'll weigh in.

In terms of sun and bugs, I've certainly had bites thru thin merino, but I don't think as much as bare skin. And I've burned my forearms, wearing a SS shirt, without burning under the shirt. Can't say how that compares to other fabrics. I'm never tried permethrin–don't know whether or not it works with wool.