Best Merino Wool Clothing (2025): Base Layers, Hoodies, Jackets & More Leave a comment

Merino wool is an excellent fiber. The most effective merino wool clothes someway manages to be snug in 95-degree-Fahrenheit warmth, and merino base layers preserve you heat properly beneath freezing. In contrast to artificial fibers derived from petroleum, merino wool is pure and renewable.

Merino wool’s versatility means there’s a bewildering array of blends and choices to select from. Listed here are our favourite merino wool merchandise that we have examined by sporting and washing (often in chilly water, and hung to dry) over the course of months and even years in some circumstances. When you’re finished right here, remember to take a look at the remainder of our attire guides, just like the Finest Puffer Jackets, the Finest Hoodies, and the Finest Climbing Boots.

Up to date March 2025: We’ve added new base layers and T-shirts, and we’ve up to date hyperlinks and costs all through.

Base Layers

To actually see how exceptional merino wool is, begin on the backside, with the garments subsequent to your pores and skin. Merino actually shines as a base layer . I’s hotter for the burden, wicks moisture higher, and in contrast to artificial materials, merino stays stink-free for days of wear and tear. These are the perfect merino wool base layer tops and bottoms that we have examined. Be sure you learn our layering information for extra on the way to put all of it collectively and keep snug in any climate.

Ibex Woolies Professional Tech base layer crew is the perfect light-weight merino base layer we have examined. If you would like a hard-wearing shirt, this it it. Woolies are Nuyarn (see above), which is 85 p.c merino wool and 15 p.c nylon—the merino wool is wrapped round a nylon core, which will increase the heat whereas being lighter (5 oz for the boys’s giant) and extra sturdy. That is my prime choose for all issues technical. It is what I carry climbing, backpacking, and it is evaluations editor Adrienne So’s choose for operating, climbing and different high-aerobic actions when it’s chilly. I additionally love the Woolies Pro Tech Bottoms ($115), that are what I carry backpacking in all however the warmest of climate. There’s additionally a quarter zip version of the shirt for those who desire.

Other than consolation and heat, a bit a part of the rationale we advocate Woolies is that they final. Ibex is what passes for a heritage firm on this area; the corporate was based in 1997 and has been cranking out merino garment for a very long time. Adrienne’s dad and mom purchased her two units of Ibex base layers in 2001 that she nonetheless wears at this time, within the yr of our Lord 2025. Correctly cared for, Woolies will preserve you snug heat for years to come back.

Once I need one thing a bit hotter than the light-weight Woolies above, I attain for Smartwool’s Basic lengthy sleeve base layer. These could also be the most well-liked merino shirts round, and for good motive: They’re very snug, tending to the looser aspect, characteristic heavy-duty seams (learn: sturdier, longer lasting) that do not rub, and sit off the shoulder for extra consolation when sporting a pack. At 87 p.c merino wool (blended with nylon), these are additionally very sturdy whereas remaining light-weight (10.3 oz for a males’s giant). This Smartwool shirt, together with the matching pants ($115), have been my fixed companions via a cold Wisconsin winter.

If you are going to be in critical chilly, Minus33 is the corporate to buy. It calls this a midweight, however I discover it the right heavyweight base layer for snowy days. It is good and delicate, and paired with the Minus33 Expedition weight hoodie beneath, it is a lot heat sufficient for winter climbing and snowshoeing. The seams do not rub, even with a heavy pack on, and the lower is roomy with out being too saggy. I have been testing this shirt for over a yr now and it nonetheless appears to be like prefer it did the day I acquired it—virtually no pilling and no fraying. Notice that the ladies’s model is named the Ossipee, but it surely’s functionally the identical shirt.

The picks above all have what my spouse calls “that sporty look,” which the trade refers to as “technical.” This 100% merino shirt from Unbound is the alternative: it simply appears to be like like an extended sleeve shirt. It is extremely delicate and whereas it does tablet a bit for those who run it via the dryer (do not), it is proved itself a lot sturdy—I have been sporting it consistently for over a yr now and it nonetheless appears to be like prefer it did once I acquired it. It is the long-sleeve, base layer twin to our favourite T-shirt (see beneath). It is on the skinny aspect for a base layer, which makes it good for these cool climate mornings within the shoulder seasons. It is versatile too; it may be used as a base layer, but it surely additionally works as a T-shirt when it is not too chilly. Match runs true to measurement, and if the one you need is offered out, be affected person; Unbound often updates its inventory.

Different Nice Base Layers:

• REI Merino 185 Base Layers for $80 (Men’s): Our favourite price range merino base layers, these REI tops and bottoms are snug, heat, and significantly cheaper than a few of our different favorites. We additionally love the bottoms and leggings (Men’s/Women’s), that are likewise moderately priced
• Ridge Merino Aspect Midweight Base Layer for $75 (Men’s): This is likely one of the uncommon base layers that you could really the place as only a T-shirt round city and you will not appear to be you simply drove in from the trailhead, which makes it a bit extra versatile then among the others right here. If you would like one thing multi-use, this can be a good choice.
• Bombas Merino Wool Blend Long-Sleeve Shirts for $74: If you would like a softer shirt, we like these, that are 50 p.c wool and 50 p.c Tencel, a light-weight eucalyptus fiber. Tencel may be very silky to the contact, which makes this shirt significantly versatile—it’s heat whenever you want it and gives UPF 50 safety if you wish to put on it within the solar.
• Kari Rose Base Layer Bottoms for $110: I’m 5’2″ and wrestle to seek out clothes choices that may match—particularly ones that should match subsequent to the pores and skin. As high-quality as a base layer could also be, it will not preserve you heat if it rucks up round your waist or sags beneath your hips. Kari Traa’s leggings have a really excessive waist that helps preserve them up. The patterns are additionally fairly, for these of you who object to parading across the lodge in what appears to be like like pajamas. —Adrienne So
• Artilect Boulder 125 Leggings for $120 (Men’s): These base layer pants had been my introduction to Nuyarn and so they’re a superb alternative for something lively—they’ve a ton of stretch and suppleness due to the numerous cloth panels and sew strains that truly make sense. They’re fairly skinny and fairly tight, however I actually like these for operating on cool mornings.
• Ridge Aspect Midweight Merino High Rise Bottoms: These are one other nice choice fro girls on the lookout for one thing that may be worn round city in addition to on the path. My daughter has even worn them beneath shorts for no-gi juijitsu and so they’ve held up nice, which is a testomony to their sturdiness.

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Merino Mid Layers

Fleece has its place, however I hardly ever put on it today. I desire merino for my mid layers. It is higher at serving to your physique regulate its temperature. The one place fleece nonetheless wins for me is backpacking, it is virtually all the time lighter for comparable heat, no less than in mid layers.

An Icebreaker hoodie was my introduction to merino wool, and it stays my favourite jacket I’ve ever owned. Alas, after about 10 years, mine had a run-in with moths (see our care information) and needed to be retired. Mine was not the precise type pictured, however very near it. This jacket is 100% merino and extremely heat, regardless of not being all that thick. That makes it a fantastic choice for days when the climate could fluctuate significantly–it is heat sufficient for a chilly morning however will not be a burden in your pack the remainder of the day. That is on the tight-fitting aspect, so if that is not your factor (and it is not mine), get the subsequent measurement up.

Finest Heavyweight Hoodie

Just like the Northern Lights or the McRib, the thickest Ibex wool hoodie seems irregularly and with some fanfare. The Mammoth Hoodie is certainly a giant, furry beast of a garment—it is principally the burden of the traditional American Large hoodie however made from 85% wool lower with 15% nylon for added heat and stretch. Ibex says it is the warmest hooie they’ve ever made, and in my week of testing, I’ve used it rather than a jacket in mid-30s temps. It has an athletic lower with zippered pockets and thumb holes. I do put on a stocking hat with it within the chilly as a result of the scuba hood is supposed to suit beneath a helmet which suggests it is too small to offer sufficient heat for my giant shaved head by itself. —Martin Cizmar

Different Nice Hoodies:

• Ibex Men’s Indie Hoodie ($170): WIRED’s commerce director, Martin Cizmar, examined this midweight wool hoodie and says it is now one among his “absolute favourite items of clothes.” See what good wool does for you? Makes you a fan. The lower on this one is sporty however not too tight that you could’t layer beneath it. The thumb loops, zippable tall neck, and hood make it much more versatile than a typical wool long-sleeve shirt. Cizmar says it is good for common winter use, whether or not you are doing yardwork, biking, or tossing a soccer round within the park.
• Ridge Merino Hyde Hoodie ($150): This 100% merino wool hoodie makes use of a 275 GSM terry weave merino that does not really feel like wool. Just like the Icebreaker, it is a midweight hoodie, good for these cool days in autumn and spring. It includes a full size zipper, thumb holes within the sleeves and zipper on the pocket. I actually like this hoodie, apart from that indisputable fact that it’s lower on the longer aspect, which makes it look somewhat giant, regardless that it is not. There is a women’s version as properly.

There is a dearth of merino wool for teenagers. Maybe the worth for one thing that children could outgrow in a couple of months makes the economics unappealing for producers. Regardless of the case, only a few firms supply kids-size merino (see beneath for extra). Actually, this Minus33 hoodie is not obtainable in youngsters’ sizes, however the extra-small girls’s match my 10-year-old completely and continues to suit her as an 11-year-old. You will wish to verify the match chart on Minus33 in your personal youngsters, but when they do match, this can be a implausible hoodie. It is a lot heat (and my daughter is all the time chilly) and sturdy sufficient to face as much as child life, climbing timber, and operating via the woods, and the hand heaters pair properly with mittens on chilly days. Better of all when youngsters are concerned, this one could be machine-washed and tumble-dried. It will not shrink or lose its form, and the colours will not bleed.

Minus33 calls this an expedition-weight base layer, however for these of us not climbing Mt. Washington at daybreak in a windstorm, it is actually extra of a mid-layer, a pullover sweatshirt—an insanely heat, comfortable pullover sweatshirt. My testing time was restricted. After a month, my spouse stole it and now refers to it as a safety blanket and has mentioned it is the one merchandise of clothes she can’t reside with out.

I did handle to strive it in every single place from the seashore on cool mornings to across the campfire on winter evenings, and whilst a base layer beneath a puffer jacket when the temps dropped beneath freezing final winter. In all these conditions I stayed a lot heat. The looser match means it may possibly go over a base layer, however is not so cumbersome you may’t put a jacket over it.

A rising variety of research have proven that there are PFAs—hormone-disrupting chemical substances which can be generally utilized in numerous plastics—in ordinary sportswear, like leggings and sports activities bras. In the event you, like me, are on a quest to interchange your polyester clothes with pure fibers, then Ibex’s 100% merino wool Shak Jacket is the pure candidate to interchange your (my) worn-out Patagonia Better Sweater ($159).

I took this jacket on a visit this spring to Eire. It’s surprisingly dense and delicate to the contact. It stored me heat on blustery 30-degree days, layered simply beneath my rain jacket and over my tank prime, and regarded smooth sufficient to exit to dinner. In western Eire, no less than (“I like your jumper!” mentioned many an Irishman). It does not pack down fairly as compactly as an artificial layer would possibly, neither is it as gentle, but it surely appears to be like a lot nicer and it will not really feel like slime in your pores and skin when it will get moist. —Adrienne So

If in case you have issues about utilizing goose down jackets as an insulation layer, merino wool can also be a good substitute for artificial insulation. Vests are just like the cheat code of layering for those who wish to preserve your core heat however your arms cell, otherwise you wish to get an additional soupçon of heat with out including an excessive amount of bulk. I wish to layer Ibex’s Wool Aire Vest beneath my common wool coat or rain shell, if I am going out for the evening or on a long term. —Adrienne So

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The Finest Merino Wool T-Shirts

Wool won’t appear to be a good selection for a summer time T-shirt, however merino is surprisingly snug even when it is heat. To a degree anyway. On humid days over about 90 levels Fahrenheit, I often go along with cotton or linen, however something beneath 90 and I am sporting merino. There are way more merino T-shirt choices on the market than we will cowl, however listed below are a few of our favorites. Notice that whereas I’m a fan of crew neck kinds, most of those are additionally obtainable as V neck shirts.

These are my absolute favourite T-shirts. They’re the softest, best-made, best-fitting T-shirts I’ve ever worn, merino or in any other case. Sure, they’re that good. They’re extremely versatile. I’ve worn them doing every thing from backpacking in the summertime warmth to rolling jiujitsu to sitting across the fireplace on cool autumn evenings. They’re by no means something however comfortable. I additionally like that they haven’t any brand. Unbound’s Active Merino T-shirt ($95), aimed particularly at figuring out, can also be fairly good, but it surely’s a tighter lower than the common T-shirt.

Once I’m heading out climbing, backpacking, paddleboarding, absolutely anything outdoor, that is the T-shirt I attain for first. It is light-weight (84 p.c 145 GSM merino, 16 p.c artificial) jersey knit is delicate and cozy—not too scorching within the solar (it is also UPF Ranking 20), heat sufficient when it is cool. It is also sturdy (I have been rolling jiu jitsu on this shirt for years and it is tremendous) and mechanically cleanable. You may even throw it within the dryer, no have to child this T-shirt.

Artilect’s mix of merino wool and Tencel (a fiber created from eucalyptus) is shockingly light-weight and versatile. This summer time, the Utili-Tee turned my favourite shirt for climbing and backpacking. It was delicate and cozy once I was within the tree shade, after which magically stayed gentle and breathable once I broke via the tree line and the temperature immediately rose by 15 levels within the daylight. The flat seams didn’t trigger chafing on my shoulders or waist via backpack straps or a harness, and regardless that it’s a flattering slim match, it didn’t constrict the motion of my shoulders or arms in any means. —Adrienne So

Different Nice T-Shirts:

• Icebreaker Tech T-Shirt for $85: These Icebreaker merino wool shirts had been one among my gateways to merino wool. They’re heat, but someway cool, and surprisingly good at stopping the wind. These shirts aren’t nice in humidity; for that, I would most likely go along with a mix. Notice that a few of Icebreaker’s T-shirts are blends, so verify the main points in your favourite design earlier than you make investments.
• Minus33 Algonquin T-Shirt for $70: Minus33 is aware of a factor or two about maintaining you heat. The corporate is in New Hampshire, in spite of everything. This 170-GSM T-shirt is snug, with a unfastened lower that works properly over a base layer on cool mornings or as a T-shirt throughout hotter elements of the day. It is a fantastic all-around alternative for all however warmest of summer time days.
• Paka Tee for $55 (Women’s): This is not merino—it is a mix of natural cotton and Alpaca wool. However it’s such a pleasant, comfortable T-shirt I am together with it right here.
• Arms of Andes Alpaca Wool T-Shirt for $75 (Women’s): This is likely to be a merino wool information, however we additionally characteristic fairly a couple of alpaca objects, together with this T-shirt, which I like for its shocking heat. This isn’t a heavy shirt and but it manages to be fairly heat, particularly worn over a base layer in winter, it does a superb job of insulating and respiratory on the identical time.
• Unbound Merino Tank Top for $70 (Men’s): Desire a cooler choice for warm days? This tank prime is ideal for hotter, humid climates. It is 100% merino (175 GSM) and does not have any brand or tag, which we like. It does go out and in of inventory often, so if it is offered out, verify again later, Unbound often provides extra inventory.

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Socks, Underwear and Bras

You might argue that is the true base layer, however we’ll skip that and simply say that merino wool underwear, socks, and bras are a lot nicer than their artificial counterparts. If you have not tried it but, you are in for a deal with. After testing dozens of every, these are our favorites.

Whereas merino wool may be very delicate, most merchandise on this class are blends, often with some type of nylon. Darn Powerful socks are a WIRED favourite. They’re nice for snowboarding, climbing, climbing, and absolutely anything else you wish to do. These blends fluctuate by weight, however most of them are round 50 p.c nylon and 50 p.c merino, which makes them dry a bit quicker than pure merino whereas remaining a lot heat and cozy. Darn Powerful’s socks additionally final. Mine are happening two years now and not using a worn space or gap in sight.

Minus33 socks are my private favourite merino socks. I’ve a number of pairs of the lighweight and midweight and even one pair of the expedition, although these are so thick and heat I hardly ever put on them (they’re good with the temps drop beneath 0F although). My favourite are the Lightweight Mountain Heritage Boot Wool Socks, that are good for climbing or sporting round city. Minus33 does not publish a mix breakdown for these, however I’d guess they’re about 60/40 wool to nylon, with loads of each softness and stretch to them.

Different Nice Socks:

• Carhartt Midweight Merino Wool Blend Crew Sock for $22: The bizarre factor about socks is that, as a warm-weather lover, properly, I hate socks. Each day with socks is a type of failure. That mentioned, these Carhartts (gifted to me by a pal who was apprehensive that I wandered about in sockless sandals within the snow) are very nice. They’re extremely heat and delicate, and so they by no means odor.

The phrase “wool underwear” would possibly conjure photos of some lumberjack from the 1800s with hair rising via the weaves of his itchy, scorching lengthy johns, however that is not what the merino underwear we have examined is like. Generally these are blends, with some nylon as properly.

Because of WIRED readers for stating Woolly to us. These 100% merino (190 GSM) boxers are implausible and inexpensive. They ventilate properly and alter to altering circumstances to maintain you snug even on days when the climate begins scorching and ends chilly, or as I wish to name it, climbing within the mountains. They’re on the shorter aspect with a 4-inch inseam, however Woolly makes the same thing in a longer cut.

These are the one 100% merino underwear I’ve examined (there’s elastic within the waistband, but it surely’s surrounded by wool), and so they’re additionally a few of my favorites, particularly in chilly climate. These are longer than any of the opposite boxers I’ve tried. These are 170 GSM, making them somewhat lighter, however as a result of they merino content material is larger, these are the warmest I’ve examined. After years of testing merino underwear, these are my favourite on all however the hottest days.

Different Nice Underwear:

• Unbound Merino Boxers for $45: Unbound’s boxer briefs are very delicate and cozy. These are 84 p.c merino wool, 12 p.c nylon, and 4 p.c Spandex, in order that they do have a little bit of stretch to them. The 180-GSM merino is gentle sufficient for even the warmest of days.
• Icebreaker Merino Anatomica Boxers for $45: One other nice pair of boxers, these Icebreakers are a really comparable mix (83 p.c merino, 12 p.c nylon, 5 p.c elastane) to the Unbound above, however lighter weight at 150 GSM. They match true to measurement and are on the shorter aspect by way of size. Icebreaker additionally makes a long version that I examined as properly. They’re just about the identical, only a bit longer.
• Ridge Merino Wool Boxer Briefs for $35: These Ridge Merino boxers are 83 p.c merino wool (170 GSM), with the rest of the material made from nylon and spandex. The mix provides them a stretchier really feel, and so they’re good and delicate as properly. They typically match true to measurement, and have a 6-inch inseam.

Branwyn makes what they name merino wool efficiency units. I’m a fan of Branwyn’s garments, all of that are Oeko-Tex 100 certified, which suggests each part of the clothes has been independently examined towards a listing of as much as 350 poisonous chemical substances. This is likely one of the most generally recognized and revered labels for client security. These match true to measurement. (I suppose it’s vital to notice right here that I’m a small-busted lady, and that Branwyn makes a Busty Bra ($58) for those who want extra assist.)

Nevertheless, this isn’t fairly supportive sufficient to go operating, which is why Branwyn launched the Racerback Bra ($75). It is fairly spectacular that Branwyn acquired merino wool to be compressive sufficient for medium influence exercise. I like that it presents full protection, with no annoying small and twisty straps and no padding. It precludes the necessity to change from cotton “on a regular basis” underwear to tight nylon “sport” underwear each time I wish to do one thing lively, which is on a regular basis. —Adrienne So

Different Nice Underwear:

• Ibex Natural Briefs for $35: for those who’d desire a thinner choice, Ibex’s pure briefs really feel far more like your fundamental, breathable cotton underwear. I often line dry my merino wool, however these look sufficient like my cotton briefs that I threw them within the dryer and shrank them. If this sounds such as you, you would possibly wish to measurement up. —Adrienne So
• Icebreaker Siren Bra for $35: I solely have one Branwyn bra, however these are the bras that I put on each different day of my life. Like Icebreaker’s males’s underwear, they’re 83 p.c merino, 12 p.c nylon, and 5 p.c elastane, and so they match true to measurement. —Adrienne So
• Wool& Roam Merino Bra for $70: Wool&’s merino cloth is the softest I’ve felt in my complete life, most likely as a result of the mix has a a lot decrease merino content material at 68 p.c merino wool, 25 p.c nylon and seven p.c spandex. I attempted these and Wool&’s underwear. They’re insanely delicate, however overpriced when in comparison with our different choices, and it’s a must to measurement up. —Adrienne So

The Finest On a regular basis Merino Garments

I am going to confess that once I launched this information years in the past I considered merino wool primarily as an outdoor-related cloth. It’s nice for that, however I’ve since found that merino is nice for every thing, particularly journey, since it may be worn a number of occasions with none odors. I’ve tried merino pants, gown shirts, exercise garments, hats, and extra. The most effective stuff I’ve examined is beneath.

Merino wool pants? Sure. Merino wool all of the issues. I used to be skeptical, however I really love these pants. Do not let the identify idiot you, they are not store pants within the sense that Carhartts are. They are much lighter and have a extra fitted lower, however there are a number of leg pockets and a loop you would perhaps connect a instrument to. Principally, although, they’re simply good informal pants—not too heavy, not too gentle. They seem to be a mix of 75 p.c merino wool (450 GSM), 21 p.c bamboo, and 4 p.c elastane, which supplies them only a little bit of flex.

These tremendous comfortable, informal sweatpants from Ridge Merino are among the most snug pants I’ve ever worn. I do not usually work out in them, I’ve by no means really jogged in them (or yogged, it might be a soft j), however they’re nice round the home. These are 100% merino wool (275 GSM) with what Ridge calls a terry cloth (they really feel like sweatpants).

What do you do whenever you’ve acquired good merino wool pants, merino wool underwear, and merino wool socks, however you want one thing nicer than a T-shirt? That is the place this button-down long-sleeve shirt from Woolly is available in. It is somewhat extra formal, what you would possibly name enterprise informal, however nonetheless snug and delicate. The one factor I’m not fairly so keen on is the marginally shimmery look, however that is simply private desire.