There’s no doubt merino excels in cold weather base layers. But did you know it works pretty darn well in the heat, too?
I love merino wool for its comfort, softness, weight-to-insulation ratio, breathability, and odor-repellency. A lightweight merino T-shirt is a seriously versatile piece of clothing. And all the extraordinary attributes that make wool great in the cold also apply in the heat.
Whether I’m hiking, biking, or out for a run, merino keeps me cool in a broad range of temperatures. If you’re on the go, I recommend bringing at least one merino T-shirt along. And there are plenty of great high-quality options on the market.
Here’s our rundown of five top-notch shirts—all of which are made from 100 percent merino wool.
Ibex OD Heather T ($88)
100 percent Zque-certified New Zealand merino
18.5 micron/150gm
Known for its excellent base and midlayers, Ibex, headquartered in Vermont, uses a lot of 100 percent merino in its line. Take the . The shirt is overdyed in rich, heathery tones, making it both good-looking and high performance. Available in a crew or V-neck for men and a scoop neck for women, this shirt is made right here in the U.S.
Icebreaker Tech T Lite ($70)
100 percent New Zealand merino
Ultralight 150gm
This 20-year-old New Zealand company was the first outfitter to launch a . And it has sourced the merino directly from growers since 1997. (Icebreaker is so connected to its sheep, you can actually trace your garment to its woolly origins with a “baacode.”) Choose from a large selection of 100 percent merino T-shirt styles for both men and women.
Minus33 Algonquin Men’s Lightweight Crew ($55)
100 percent Australian merino
17.5 micron/170gm
Based in New Hampshire and owned by L.W. Packard, Minus33 boasts a wool-making lineage that goes back to 1916. In fact, the company still uses the old Packard mill for its offices and warehouse. The company’s compared with other merino products out there.
Smartwool NTS Micro 150 Pattern Tee ($75)
100 percent Zque-certified New Zealand merino
17.5 micron/150gm
The Steamboat Springs, Colorado, company Smartwool has dominated the market for merino socks since 1994—something that’s kept it highly visible in most stores nationwide (as well as in my own sock drawer). The is a lot less clunky than its name might suggest. Ultrasoft and deceptively durable, this is a sharp-looking shirt.
Outlier Ultrafine Merino T-Shirt ($98)
100 percent New Zealand merino
17.5 micron/200gm
Brooklyn-based Outlier, founded in 2008, is a relative newcomer to the scene. Inspired by bike commuting and an urban-outdoors aesthetic, the company makes high-performance clothing with a sleek, clean design. The , in cool, muted colors, has a slightly heavier weight than some of the other products on this list. Outlier makes all its apparel in the U.S.
