Suggestion for Merino Wool Long Sleeve Base Layer with Half Zip

[Tony Wong]

Time to replace my worn out, threadbare merino wool top that is full of holes from the shoulder strap from my backpack.

Ideally, I am looking for a thin/light base layer that can be used in hot weather of up to 85 degrees F/29 degrees C and has a half zip for ventilation.

However, I am open to not having the half zip if the top is good at ventilating heat.

Looking at icebreaker merino wool tops I have two options:

BodyfitZone 150 Long Sleeve Half Zip at 7.68 oz

https://www.icebreaker.com/en-us/bodyfitzone-150-zone-long-sleeve-half-zip/104348001S.html

Men’s 175 Everyday Long Sleeve Half Zip at 10.2 oz

https://www.icebreaker.com/en-us/175-everyday-long-sleeve-half-zip/104484002XXL.html

Note: I am concerned that the 175 fabric might be too heavy/hot for warm temps.

Any other pieces that I should be considering from Icebreaker or any other companies?

My backpacking it in the Sierra….however, I am taking a trip to Nepal in October that will range from lowlands that are a bit tropical to almost 17,000 ft. (Manaslu Trek)

Any advice would be much appreciated from the community.

Note: I do have an Ibex Merino Wool Hoodie with half zip with thumb loops for cooler weather trips. (I will be taking this piece on my Nepal trip)

Thank you for your advice.

Tony

[Five Star]

Check out Voormi’s River Run Hoodie.  No zip but quite thin and durable.  I’ve used it in humid and warm conditions on the AT and it’s great.

[Edward John M]

Do you have an ALDI store near you?

ALDI merino base layers are the best and this is speaking as somebody who never wears woollen base layers

[David P]

Hi tony-

i know this isn’t a Merino Wool garment (I don’t use wool much) but  just figure I throw something out there.  At 85 degrees the only long sleeve shirt I find tolerable is Patagonia Capilene Lightweight Half Zip. Mine in a size Large weighs 4 oz. It dries Incredibly fast compared to merino.

https://www.backcountry.com/patagonia-capilene-lightweight-zip-neck-top-mens?CMP_SKU=PAT01IN&MER=0406&skid=PAT01IN-FORGRE-M&mr:trackingCode=346A21E9-7C4E-E611-80F6-005056944E17&mr:referralID=NA&mr:device=m&mr:adType=plaonline&iv_=__iv_p_1_g_20467850917_c_92885921677_w_aud-404601369045:pla-642169394106_n_g_d_m_v__l__t__r_1o1_x_pla_y_7811_f_online_o_PAT01IN-FORGRE-M_z_US_i_en_j_642169394106_s__e__h_9002710_ii__vi__&CMP_ID=PLA_GMm001&utm_source=Google&utm_medium=PLA&k_clickid=_k_Cj0KCQjwyLDpBRCxARIsAEENsrJONjdELkz9iXEd8oCcMKPcA1f_WtFRPB0y5U4fPY1wZcu7OfSFWnMaAqPHEALw_wcB_k_&gclid=Cj0KCQjwyLDpBRCxARIsAEENsrJONjdELkz9iXEd8oCcMKPcA1f_WtFRPB0y5U4fPY1wZcu7OfSFWnMaAqPHEALw_wcB

[Diane Pinkers]

Here’s a newer company I ran into, see if their  offerings suit.

https://www.woolx.com/

 

[Jacob]

I can’t wear 140 weight wool in temps over 70f. I think the 175 weight will be extremely hot in temps over 70f.

I enjoy Duckworth’s vapor wool (130 weight wool/polyester/modal blend) in hot sunny weather, but I think they only have quarter zips. I have and recommend their long sleeve henley (I use a hat). Their snorkel hoodies might be worth a look.

[Tony Wong]

@ David

Thanks for the great alternative suggestion and a link with a great price.
Just placed an order to give it a shot…reviews are great for hot weather.
Appreciate your suggestion!

@Jacob…thanks for confirming what I was thinking, that the 175 Merino wool would be just too hot.

@ everyone….thanks for the suggestions for all these other companies that I have never heard of….love the community here for the collective wisdom.

Any other suggestions?

Curiously, I did not find anything that seemed to work from IBEX and Smartwool.

Was I missing something that they were offering??

Tony

[Brad Rogers]

I have the Duckworth Snorkel hoody and it’s a pretty nice piece.  Size up.

The Voormi looks nice too, though I don’t have one.  I think one of the hunting companies (Kuiu?) has one as well, but only in dark colors.

 

[Gary Dunckel]

Tony, Ibex is no longer in business. I recall that they sold their name to another company.

[Tony Wong]

@ Gary

Oh, God….I am turning 50 in a few days….and I did not know about IBEX being gone!

Is this the start of senility and poor fashion…well, okay, I never really learned how to dress myself.

I feel “older”……

Tony

[Gary Dunckel]

Tony, the only reason that I knew about Ibex’s bankruptcy was  that I was googling a source for the Ibex Indie hoody a year ago as a birthday present for a friend. I doubt that it made the evening news. So I don’t think you are getting senile. Probably a bit older, but not yet senile.

Now aging – I first learned that I was probably getting older when the young 20-something ladies working at REI started calling me “Sir.” For years I had considered that I was the oldest young guy in Boulder, but I had to grumpily accept the fact that I had become the youngest old guy.

I think the key to all this is just to just keep having birthdays. We don’t have to number them, but to keep having them until they turn out the lights. And having a bunch of fun before that happens. Nobody at your funeral will remember how ratty your merino base layers were.

[Tony Wong]

@ David

Just did a 6 mile hike in 80-90F weather today.

The Patagonia top with the half zip really did well in the heat while I was dripping in sweat.

Winner!

Thanks again for the suggestion as an alternative to merino wool.

@ Gary

Sorry for not replying back to you immediately.

Yeah….I just turned 50 few weeks ago…gotta have some fun while the number of birthdays keeps rolling on.

I might be heal slower, might not be the fastest, or lightest, but I keep moving down the trail like the mule….just keeps going slowly and steadily.

A friend of mine put is this way, “I no longer worry about being the fastest or strongest guy. I just want to be the oldest guy in the room still doing what I am doing.”

Here is to embracing being older and still moving on!

Tony

[Duane Hall]

Just a heads up: I received an email the other day from Ibex informing me that they will be back in the next few month..  Apparently they been “going back to the drawing board”, whatever that means.  I look forward to the reincarnation as I liked their products, although I have to say there were bloody expensive.  We’ll see.

[David P]

Tony- glad to hear the shirt works for you !! I have stocked up on shirts (and bottoms) made with this fabric.

Cons- 1) durability- I’ve found hand washing in tub with a little soap and hang drying to be the most effective for maintaining the integrity of this fabric and the stitching.  2) the white color is nearly see through

Pros- 1)great in heat for sun protection(as you now know!) 2) dries Very quickly, 3) lightweight, 4) nice solution for sleeping layers 5) excellent active insulation for winter 6) the white color is nearly see through :)

Hope you get a lot more chances to get out this season!

 

[Gary Dunckel]

Duane, was that e-mail actually from Ibex, or was it from the company that bought them? I thought I’d read that some company had bought the rights to the name “Ibex.” We’ll have to see what the new company is all about, in terms of innovation, product quality, and all that stuff.

[Ken Thompson]

Ibex was to return fall of last year. Now they say fall of this year,

https://www.ibex.com

[Jeff McWilliams]

I was going to add a recommendation for the Rab Merino 120 Hoody or similar non-hoody version, but it seems they’ve discontinued the line.   I have an earlier version I bought on MassDrop (now Drop.com) a few years ago and I really like it.  Before that, I purchased a similar merino/synthetic blended hoody from Mountain Hardwear that has long since been discontinued as well.

Rab’s new Pulse line appears to be all synthetic with polygiene treatment.  I really like the merino/synthetic blends for their combination of durability, wicking, decent drying time, and natural odor resistance.  Don’t get me wrong, I love my Patagonia Cap 4 gridded hoody for colder months, but eventually the polygiene treatment is gonna wear out and it’s going to get stinky.

 

[Tony Wong]

@David

Thanks for the tips for the care and washing of the shirt….I do like to take care of my gear, so definitely good to know that hand washing will be the best.

Going to take the shirt with me to Nepal in October for the warmer weather in the lowlands and as a base layer in the snow.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ks6w83813Nc&t=146s

Just a weird trip in that there is a wide range of temperatures to deal with.

Thanks again….with any luck, will post some photos of the trip when I return.

Tony

 

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