Best place to buy Merino wool base layer. And a couple other questions.

[Doodle30]

Hey Guys and gals

My wife really minds the cold. She wanted an adult Onesie for Xmas but I thought I would try to find something the could be used in a wider variety of situations. For instance wife and I plan to hit the ski hills again after a few years away. Reading one of the threads recently on Merino and thought I might by her a head to toe set-up in merino.

We have quite a bit of base layer stuff already somewhat hesitate to add to it but will look around. I have search around some websites but thought I would check to see where you all buy from. Also what's a good weight to buy for an active use base layer and make shift onesie for camping?

Last question, do I need to buy 100% merino to get the true benefits of merino?

Thanks all

[blgoodbrand1]

Costco has some. For the price it is hard to beat. Quite light weight but I really like it.

[AdverseCity]

I wear the T-Max brand from Mark's, it's a 36% merino blend. 100% is warmer but wears out quicker at work in my experience. I wear 2 layers of it, tops and bottoms at $50 each, there's a one piece suit too which I'd assume is $100. Add a sweater and fire retardant pants/shirt and I'm good to -30

Another benefit is the anti-odor and anti-microbial properties, I'll wear these for 2-3 days and they stink less than cotton ones after 1 day.

[CaberTosser]

I've got a fair number of merino pieces somewhere in excess of a dozen, including the Costco ones. The gold standard is IceBreaker, with Smartwool nearly tied; they are scary expensive, but I have about 5 of their pieces and I've got Mrs Caber a couple as well. I think its both the grade of wool they use combined with the weaving, but its absolutely itch-free. The Costco and other less expensive ones like RedRam are just a little itchy. I've found IceBreaker at Campers Village and Atmosphere, but forget where I've found the Smartwool ones I've got.

I have some blend pieces and they work well too. The one wool feature that certainly doesn't disappear with merino compared to regular wool is the static electricity. Also as you would expect, keep it out of your dryer and hang it up straight out of the washing machine.

[Matt L.]

Check out Camper's Village. They may have what you're looking for too.

[CanadianPsycho]

Icebreaker, amazing stuff, you pay for it, but its worth every penny.

I run 260 weight in the winter, and 150 in the summer. If you look for it on sale, you can get it for a decent price.

[Big Bull]

Originally Posted by CanadianPsycho

Icebreaker, amazing stuff, you pay for it, but its worth every penny.

I run 260 weight in the winter, and 150 in the summer. If you look for it on sale, you can get it for a decent price.

Icebreaker is the best and most comfortable that I have found. Campers Village carries it and offer 10% discount to AFGA members! I have some from Work Warehouse, but the tops are too short in the body and arms, haven't tried any from Costco yet. By far the best under garment, and sock material that I have owned.

[Nester]

Go to Vallhall Pure and track down some Kuhl gear. Head off to MEC and you will probably have what you need.

[thumper]

I've got Icebreaker 100% Merino, and while soft and very warm, I found that it's quickly become thread-bare and is 'unweaving' around the cuffs and neck. I also have a heavy-weight 100% Merino by Minus 33 - bought at Cabelas USA - it too is unravelling badly. Both were $100 +

My go-to, walk-the-dog, walk & stalk hunting base layer is now Costco's 100% Merino ! It's light weight, but only $19.95 and so far, is holding up far better than the expensive stuff! I don't find it itchy at all.

[dty]

I'd recommend Ice breaker. I've had several weights tops and bottoms for 6 years + with no problems. The Costco tops are OK. Columbia sporting goods came out with a really nice heavy weight zip neck sweater the cost about half of any other brands. Campers Village will carry Ice Breaker but at full retail, you may want to try sizing and look online. I've heard good things about the Swedish made WoolPower, anyone have any?

I prefer Merino blended with a stretch fabric. The mix being predominantly Wool. The benefit is machine washability and better wear.

[mustard73]

Helly Hansen is 100% Merino I do believe. Check Mark's.

[kaleh01]

Love my Filson merino wool base layers.

[Ceilidh69]

Icebreaker is the way to go. I have about 10 pieces (vest, jackets, t- shirts, boxers) and 15 pairs of their socks. All have worn very well with no thinning or unravelling. Kuiu also sells very high quality Merino base layer pieces and these can be bought online. I was wearing Kuiu all weekend at the hockey rink and wear it skiing and hunting. Ibex also makes high quality Merino clothes that can be found online.

[bsmitty27]

Costco 100% merino 20.00. I have about 6 of them.

[CheeseBurger]

Icebreaker is what you want. I managed to buy some on sale about five years ago, regret not buying more. I was wearing my mid-weight sweater today as the girlfriend and I went out for a quick hike in Banff today. I also got an awesome lighter long sleeve shirt at MEC last year and it is great too. I wore it on it's own underneath my hardshell on the hike up today and threw the Icebreaker on over top on the way down.

[Erik]

Originally Posted by mustard73

Helly Hansen is 100% Merino I do believe. Check Mark's.

Do they have Merino stuff? The Helly I wear is 100% polypropylene. Great stuff, BTW, but not Merino, unless they brought out a new line.

[7 REM MAG]

a company called airblaster makes "ninja suits" aka onsies and they offer them in merino wool for about $200. i have a couple of their non merino suits and theyre very warm and comfortable. instead of the traditional buttom up hatch in the back they zip almost all the way around the waist band with about 4" left right at your belt buckle so if you have to sit down to go to the bathroom things are well away from the splash zone.

[GREENGUN]

http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/47346...yer-union-suit

I love LL Bean products. I have their Maine Park Ranger Parka, merino wool rough knit henley and some other stuff. Their sizing chart has always been spot on and they have a great womens selection too!

This "Union Suit" comes in men and womens. Has a soft comfortable cotton layer* inside and "merinoplus"** exterior layer which uses a combination of 3 materials for warmth and wicking!!!

* cotton wicks pretty well but shouldn't be subject to liquid for loss of insulation properties

** Merino/cotton/nylon blend is designed to give the best of all worlds

[tchammer]

Craigs in Vermilion, they have been dealing with stanfield, and some of their suppliers for over 100 years, very good people!

[creeky]

Originally Posted by Doodle30

Hey Guys and gals

My wife really minds the cold. She wanted an adult Onesie for Xmas but I thought I would try to find something the could be used in a wider variety of situations. For instance wife and I plan to hit the ski hills again after a few years away. Reading one of the threads recently on Merino and thought I might by her a head to toe set-up in merino.

We have quite a bit of base layer stuff already somewhat hesitate to add to it but will look around. I have search around some websites but thought I would check to see where you all buy from. Also what's a good weight to buy for an active use base layer and make shift onesie for camping?

Last question, do I need to buy 100% merino to get the true benefits of merino?

Thanks all

If you want the best bomber durable warmth for base layers u need HH Pro Wool. Period.

Our daughter was on the Olympic torch relay cross the country & they supplied the team with "Ice Breaker". When we hooked up with the team in Banff, my kid "appropriated" Dad's set

Long story short, top of the line "Ice Breaker" fell far way short in comparison to HH Pro Wool.

[Okotokian]

Originally Posted by Nester

Head off to MEC and you will probably have what you need.

x2 MEC always has a fair bit of it, at reasonble prices.

[Takmaster]

My wife and I have used merino for years. We have hiked and travelled in it exclusively. We found that IceBreaker is comfortable but no more durable than any of the other 100% merino you get out there. You can pay a lot less for 100% and it will last just as long with proper care. Look at Kuiu for good merino clothes for reasonable prices not much selection for your wife though. Macpac out of NZ is another place with a large range and reasonable shipping. MEC has good merino garments but I don't like supporting anti-hunters. Backcountry.com has some really good deals on Stoic and Ibex merino. camofire.com and blackovis.com have great pricing on core4element merino and first lite stuff. I have found that Smartwool has really gone downhill now compared to their stuff 5+ years ago. Point 6 socks if you can find them are guaranteed and just as good as Smartwool used to be. If you know someone who is going to NZ and they can bring you some SOMA merino... those things are bombproof! They are the original sewing house for IB before they went to China. I still have t-shirts from them 3 years after we were there and the IB I bought on that trip is long gone. Hope you find what you are looking for. Wonderful fabric for backpacking as it travels well and makes for a lighter pack than cotton and synthetics. 150-200wt for active baselayer. 230+ for cold weather activities.

[ÜberFly]

If you get a ~ 90% Merino/10% Lycra it will last much longer then 100% Merino.

All I'll say is, you get what you pay for!

P

[Hooter]

Icebreaker stuff is pricey but really nice. I also have some 100% merino wool products from FirstLite that I really like as well. They specialize in merino wool for hunting and the quality is excellent.