merino wool

[mick skinner]

after being told how good merino wool is i got to pairs of socks made with it an they're looovely . i fancy a long slevved base layer made of merino wool now. i've seen the helly hansen ones but i'd like one without the zip up neck (drafty) and i wonder if there's a more inexpensive brand. can anyone point me in the right direction please?.....

[meic]

Merino wool is quite commonly used outside of cycling circles.
I just bought Merino socks £1/pair from our local seconds shop (M&S rejects).
Also got an excelent thin merino wool jumper from them under £10.
It has a cosy warm polar neck too.

[Bob S]

Try WEB TOGS

[Beakyboy]

Merino wool is fantastic! I wear it all the time, its not cheap though.

[Edwards]

M+S sell Merino wool cycling undershirts at around £40. Only had white or black.
The shop I was in had a limited range.

[Beakyboy]

Talking of merino wool, are there any merino wool glove liners other than the sealskin ones as they don't last very long?

[james01]

Is it smelly?

[AndyB]

Talking of merino wool, are there any merino wool glove liners other than the sealskin ones as they don't last very long?

Icebreaker make some. Try Needle Sports. They also make great tops - I have a t-shirt and a long-sleeved thermal , both of which are fantastic for cycle touring (among many other things!).

[toontra]

NZO sell brilliant long-sleeve merino base layer t-shirts - http://www.nzoactive.com.au/products/NXTW61792

About £28 each, cheap postage and no import duty/VAT to pay. I've just bought two long-sleeve and two short-sleeve and they are the best items of clothing I've ever bought (not only cycling!).

They have quite high necks and long sleeves, are quite a tight fit (making them excellent as a base layer), and look good enough to wear casually as a top. Amazingly warm yet not stuffy and the thing about them not smelling is absolutely true!

[rualexander]

Merino is indeed superb. I have been wearing it for years and have a ten year old Icebreaker top that is still in great condition. Hard to beat Icebreaker (the original merino brand) for range of products, get them from New Zealand as they don't sell the full range in the UK and tends to be cheaper to buy from NZ anyway.

NZO are a New Zealand company and their NZ website is :
http://www.nzoactive.co.nz/products/NXTW51792
(cheaper than the Australian site mentioned above , £1 = $NZ2.7 = $A2.2)

Outdoor Sports are a good company to deal with :
http://www.outsidesports.co.nz/Information/11

Good sale on at Bivouac just now :
http://www.bivouac.co.nz/Discount.htm

Ground Effect are good for cycle specific stuff but their merino is usually combined with polyester or something :
http://www.groundeffect.co.nz/products-MER.htm

An NZ company with a UK outlet is Kathmandu :
http://www.kathmandu.co.uk/Catalogue/

[mick skinner]

awesome

[Manx Cat]

Is it itchy? Merino wool I mean.

As a rule I avoid woollen garments cos they itch like mad, but its been a good while since good ol' sheep were providing me with clothing, so maybe a bit of r&d has been done to make it less irritating.


Mary

[cyclepete]

i have a long sleve marks n spencer underwear merino top its sub zero stuff

think it was only 15 pound

[emergency_pants]

Is it itchy? Merino wool I mean.

As a rule I avoid woollen garments cos they itch like mad, but its been a good while since good ol' sheep were providing me with clothing, so maybe a bit of r&d has been done to make it less irritating.


Mary

I have a merino wool jumper which is soft against the skin. Not like standard wool at all.

[mick skinner]

manx cat, the merino wool socks i mentioned above arn't ichy, whereas normal wool would be on me. i think merino wool i specially processed to make it softer and less allergenic, as well as all the other benifits......