Battle of the Base layers
5 ways Merino beats cotton
As the weather starts cooling down, and we start planning our Autumn adventures, outdoor-lovers everywhere face a conundrum as old as time: Cotton or Merino base layers? Get it right, and you’re free to run, jump, and frolic with woolly abandon. Get it wrong, and you’re in for a sweat-soaked slog.
Thankfully, for Autumn (and Winter, and Spring, and, to a certain extent, Summer) outdoors time there’s only right answer.
Here are 5 reasons why Merino is #1 for adventuring under the sun (and rain, dawn til dusk):
1. Merino stays warm when wet
Because: chemistry. When Merino fibres absorb moisture, the water molecules react with the chemical structure of the wool, releasing a tiny amount of heat in the process. Merino also stores moisture inside the fibre, so the layer next to your skin stays dry. So you can pack light and still stay warm, without wasting pack weight on an umbrella.
2. Merino wicks away sweat
While cotton can soak up more than 20x its weight in water, merino draws moisture away from your skin, and releases it into the air. First, the fibres capture vapour from your skin, so it stops you sweating for longer. Then, once you have a proper sweat on, the fibres expel moisture into the air gaps of your base layer. Like magic, but scientifically proven.
3. Merino helps regulate your core temperature
Tiny air pockets next to your skin trap heat when it’s cold, then breathe when the temperature rises, so you’re comfortable all day. This creates a type of climate control for your body, more technically advanced than anything humans can create.
4. Merino packs down smaller
Finer than human hair, Merino fibres are knitted into incredibly lightweight fabrics (150—200 grams per square metre). Plus, the natural crimp of the fibres makes Merino highly compressible, so it requires limited pack space.
5. Merino always passes the sniff test
Merino fibres capture moisture from your body, waaaaay before it creates the perfect warm, wet environment that bacteria loves. Bacteria is what makes sweat smell bad, so your Merino’s starving it out, before you stink the place out. This means your Merino garments stay odour-resistant, even after several days of non-stop wear, and you’re still smelling good during your post-hike brew.
