My goodness, I've been pleasantly awestruck at reading about these nigh-unbelievable qualities of merino wool! "Magical" really seems to describe its abilities. I'd learned of wool's great thermal and moisture-wicking properties through these forums but didn't know about the ridiculous resistance to odor. When looking into merino wool base layers, I was planning on eventually getting quite a few of the same type to switch throughout the week like I do with T-shirts. Now it looks to me like I can just wear one for the whole week then wash it once. Now the higher prices on merino wool base layers don't seem bad, considering I'll probably do fine with just one! So as long as I follow the fabric's care instructions, it should be fine to wear for a week straight and wash it once, right?

I completely agree, and I'm sure most here do also.

I completely agree, and I'm sure most here do also.

CornyBum, yes, merino wool ends up being a good value, even after paying the high price.

In case you didn't know, merino wool comes from an animal called the merino sheep, which originated in Spain.

Thanks for all the information, guys. If you're interested, I'm eyeing something from Minus 33 over at Amazon.com. They seem well-priced, include free shipping, and are machine washable and machine dry-able for most items.

All wool can be washed in a machine and tumble dried but it has to be gentle and cold wash cycle with mild detergents, and low heat drying. Hot water and hot drying will destroy wool. Strong detergents or over-saturation in detergent will also harm wool and often make it smell funny and itch your skin as the detergent doesn't get rinsed properly. It's best to put them in net-bags to avoid stretching in wash. I wash my stuff once a week at a laundromat.

Adam

Just realize that unless you have a pre-shrunk garment, wool is affected by heat and agitation. Microscopically, the overlapping "plate" or "shingle" structure of the fiber will retract and lock when heated and agitated; so if you use a washing machine you're best off if it has a handwash cycle, not just a delicates/low cycle. Tumble drying further agitates the fibers, increasing the chance at fiber retratction; lay the garment flat on a beach towel, lightly stretch it to the point of some resistance (don't pull/over-stretch it), and roll the whole thing up in the towel. Press it to remove excess water, and dry it on a rack if you really want the garment to keep its fit.

I am not an expert, but the Minus33 stuff seems excessively expensive. I have now some regular sweaters with 100% merino, which I got for around 20-25 dollars. It looks similar to the Minus33 base layer for $60 at amazon.

No, I think those Minus 33 prices are decent. $25 is an unusually good deal.

I saw where the New Zealand wool industry developed a process that removed the locking parts of the fibers, so their wool no longer shrinks when washed or dried.

fyi - this is pretty much what I have: https://www.overstock.com/Clothing-Sh...i_sku=12303902

I am posting this, just to make sure we're talking about the same thing. Or does Minus33 offer a different, better product, do you think?

There is a chemical de-scaling wash that some manufacturers use. Look for a garmet label which says "SUPER WASH" to find wool which has been de-scaled, as opposed to just undergoing a water/clapper fulling process to partially shrink the fabric. (SUPER WASH is an American Wool Assoc. label, so may not be applicable to imported woolen garments.)

That term Super Wash is a blast from the past for me. Protogs had that in the early 80's and before, I think. Wonderful stuff.

Thanks for that link. The difference seems to be that the Minus33 stuff tends to be machine washable and dry-able. AdamDZ recently wrote that all wool can be cleaned by machine as long as it's very gentle, but the manufacturer's approval gives it some reassurance. Other than that, that product seems like a good buy for those that like those colors and the V-neck design. It's available with more colors and sizes at lower prices at Amazon.com.

Thanks for that link. The difference seems to be that the Minus33 stuff tends to be machine washable and dry-able. AdamDZ recently wrote that all wool can be cleaned by machine as long as it's very gentle, but the manufacturer's approval gives it some reassurance. Other than that, that product seems like a good buy for those that like those colors and the V-neck design. It's available with more colors and sizes at lower prices at Amazon.com.

Damn, now I know of some great places to get this stuff next time I'm shopping. $23 is outstanding.

Right, mine (same sweater, also Calvin Klein), says Dry Cleaning only. I did meanwhile handwash it according to advice on this thread and so far so good.

I got a 30% merino, 70% polyester base layer for Christmas, and even that doesn't smell after wearing it for a week, surprisingly.

wish they had crew neck for $23. I get a bit chilled with air coming down the "v".

100% Merino wool L. Garneau jersey is on crazy sale at Performance right now. If you're a Team Performance member, it's only $60. (And they still have 2XL and XL, not just the usual Performance sale because all they have left is XXS.)

The base layers I got from Overstock. com here are made of that pre-treated wool according to the packaging and are safe to wash and dry.

Adam

Ok, something weird happened this morning. I expected snow/rain so I didn't put on my regular windbreaker but a more rainproof jacket. Merino wool sweater as base layer and dress shirt above it as always. Once I got to work the sleeves of my dress shirt were moist at the top of my arms (not under the arms). So I guess what happened was the merino wool did what it was supposed to do, transfer all the moisture up, through a dress shirt and it hit the inner side of my rain jacket, where it stopped and didn't transfer the moisture out but returned it back to my dress shirt. No big deal, but at first I had no idea what happened. (and it wasn't snow or rain, because there wasn't any after all).

You live and learn, I guess.

And your skin was dry, right?

I wouldn't say that my skin is perfectly dry after a ride, but it feels warm... until I take the merino top off.

Just got back from a 2 hour ride in the rain. I wore a thin merino baselayer and a thicker merino jersey over the top. It's true: it keeps you warm while you're wet. Amazing stuff.