Originally Posted by
mdilthey
Instead, I had my Merino Wool bike pants, my Under Armour t-shirt, and Merino Wool Arm Warmers from Smartwool. Water beaded up on the outside of the wool and eventually soaked in, but warmth was retained and 10 minutes after the rain stopped, I was completely dry. My best rain option has been to use my raincoat when my tent needs adjusting mid-storm, but for actual riding, merino wool is king.
I agree with the concept and do ride in misty/drizzly weather with only my icebreaker top, and water does bead up. The water beads dry quickly, but if the rain continues you never dry out. When camping in the rain the only way to dry the wool is by wearing it. This works OK in mild temps, but in the 40's or lower, riding wet is very uncomfortable, as is wet wool in camp (mid 50's or <), at least for me.