I love Merino Wool: Smartwool Baselayers

Photo: Smartwool

Wool is an amazing product. It insulates when wet, wicks moisture away from the skin, and naturally prevents odor from building up in the fibers.

I recently got my hands on the Smartwool NTS Midweight Crew made from 100% Merino wool, and took it out on a day hike up to Mt. Tamalpais, just north of San Francisco this past holiday weekend. The wind was steadily blowing and chilling the air up a bit.

On the 10 mile loop up to Mt. Tamalpais, I began to see the wonderful properties of merino wool. It is soft right out of the box and is ready to stand up to your adventures.

One of the most important aspects of wool is its ability to manage body temperature. It kept the moisture off my back from the heat of my backpack and kept my upper body warm from gusting wind. Even though it was wet from the sweaty hike, it allowed me to hike comfortably even when the wind was blowing.

I wore my Smartwool NTS Midweight for five days straight, finally taking it off after the hike. It stayed odor free and dried quickly from my morning bike rides around the city.

Best of all, none of my friends knew I was wearing the same shirt five days in a row.

Tip: Don’t forget about your feet: Try a pair of the 4-degree fit Smartwool PhD Socks with wool-on-wool technology to reduce abrasion and shock.

Your feet will thank you.

Cost: $75 | Where to buy: Smartwool