I've been collecting more merino wool clothing. I've always had Smartwool socks. I searched for sales and I got a Hot Toddies longsleeve wool top from Campmor ($30), and then got a Smartwool longsleeve top on sale too ($35). I'll live in those most of the winter now.

Two of my biggest yard sale scores this year were Icebreaker longsleeve tops. One for me for $3, one for my bf for $1. Mine is a little big for me, works nice as a pullover over a thin baselayer.

There was a organized cycling event in town recently. SOS was there selling bins and bins of cycling socks, 3/$10. Digging through I found some wool ones. Score!

Thanks! I made them myself. :) If you feel the urge, knitting socks isn't too hard for a determined beginner, and these were only the 3rd pair I knitted. (I now have almost 20 pair)

That... is so not true..

I ride everyday, rain or shine and wool is better than any synthetic fabric I ever tried. If you say it's not true I won't challenge you on your own experience but in my case it's quite warm even when wet.

I agree with ben4345
Wool doesn't stay warm when soaked. It loose its insulation properties like any material but not as much as most. Water act as a thermal bridge on wool as on other materials like a hole made in a piece of wood.

I own some merino gears that I like and is pretty happy with but the gear i found exceptional among all the gears I have (bike, clothing etc) happen to be a base layer not a merino one but a synthetic one which happen to be smell resistant too

That..

Yes, wool is much nicer than any synthetic material I've tried. It's softer, breathes better, doesn't chafe, insulates better and blocks wind. But if it gets wet with cold water, you are going to be cold.

Definately dont hang the lighter weight stuff, it'll take the shape of the hanger in the shoulders. I just drape my stuff over the shower curtain bars or lay some towels out over the couch.

That's exactly what happened to me with the merino and that's why I prefer my synthetic gear during winter time.
I spent last winter comparing both gear doing exactly the same travel with the same breathable outerlayer during cold windy days.

I went to the same shop at about 1h from home and got cold with the merino not with the synthetic carbon base layer.
What happened is that i arrived at the shop wet in both case but because the synthetic layer dry faster my travel back was much more bearable with the synthetic layer on.
The problem was the cold wind going trough the breathable outerwear and reaching the wet merino. The synthetic base layer being already dry I wasn't cold any more. The merino stay wet when the carbon base layer pull moisture away.

Regarding the softness and chafe i find the merino better for that too. Regarding the smell, this synthetic is as good as the merino as it doesn't let moisture stay
But for everything else the synthetic carbon base layer does a better job. It insulates better, pull moisture away better, dry better

Try getting merino wool base layer and waterproof outer (gortex or equivalent). It works wonders.
Me and polyester thermals don't mix. It just gives me the worst BO ever, yes, it is one of the antimicrobial/ anti oder protection in it too. However, I am the only person that I know that has this problem.

I agree merino and goretex works wonders.
I have been using this system for more than 10 years. With only 3 layers (merino, polar fleece, goretex) I was able to withstand easily -30F but was sweating most of the time due to the lack of breathability of goretex and polar fleece.
But I decided to change not because of that but because I realized that I had been wearing the same goretex paclite jacket for more than 10 years during winter time.
So I went breathable to increase comfort temp range. And with breathability into account a synthetic base layer is better against cold wind for me but the new system requires more (but lighter) layers than with goretex/polar fleece/merino to achieve the same result against cold

Got some poly for the summer but now i have to get on the wool base layer, today we had the first rain.

I love merino wool.

I don't understand, however, those who claim it will keep you just as warm wet as it will dry. I do agree that when wet it is better than anything else, but if my feet get wet in merino wool socks when it's cold enough I will have cold feet.

I wash mine fairly frequently, usually once a week for base layers. Maybe that's more often than I need to. But I do so because I have to think that the accumulation of the residue from sweat needs to be cleaned out of the fabric. But that's just my hunch.

When I do wash, it is on cold and I use plain detergent -- no whiteners, softeners, scents, etc. I hang dry mine.

My only knock on merino wool is that I sometimes get holes in the thinner garments. Once a hole starts, the garment is not long for this world.

All that considered, I love merino wool.

So couldn't the extra layers be merino wool?

I too use polar fleece on top when the wool alone isn't enough. But I've never been down to -30F like you have.

I may get there now that I live in a climate where it's more likely than where I used to live. My plan has been to put my rain jacket as the outer layer to keep the wind out, then the polar fleece under that, and then however many layers of merino wool I need.

Am I kidding myself?

I use wool extensively, mostly merino, both in winter and summer. In my experience, nothing beats a wool layer with a windproof shell for XC skiing for example. Waterproof shells are useless in the dead of our winter, they don't breath nearly enough and there's no use for waterproofness anyway in those temps.

None of my synthetic clothes smelled clean after a couple of years of wash-use cycles, even straight out of washing machine. Not so with wool. I air the wool clothes a lot, and wash only when needed (e.g. when my baby boy spits milk on them).

--J

Like I've said before this system works wonders and merino is the right choice against cold but this system doesn't breath so much.
So against sweat it's not as efficient as a breathable system but against cold it is usually better.
If for instance you increase your effort or the weather get warmer you will probably sweat because the comfort range of a goretex/polar fleece/merino is pretty narrow

It always amazes me that I can get merino wool sweaters for as little as $25. But of I look for short sleeve merino jerseys /tshirt I pay 4 times as much.

I have a number of wool cycling jerseys and a few pair of shorts. These use to be the preferred garb because of the excellent performance. Wool is much better than cotton in the summer heat. I reckon the aerodynamic properties of lycra caused it to fall out of favor; however it could have just been a fashion manipulation or a profit margin thing. I bet that there is much more profit in lycra clothing.

-G

Speaking of Campmor, I got a couple of those Terramar Thermawool (merino/silk) jerseys last season and they've been fantastic; verrry comfortable. If I recall correctly, they were only $35 on sale; I think they're normally around $45.

As far as heavier jerseys go, I've got my eye on a Wabi.

True enough- wool retains about 50% of its insulating value even when sopping wet; cotton looses fully 80%, hence the old hunters' adage, "cotton kills."

Or my old adage, "Wear cotton, you'll feel rotten".

My apologies to Madison Ave.

Sugoi Wallaroo (short sleeve) on clearance at REI with additional 20% discount. Free ship over $50.

Grey: http://www.rei.com/product/814492/su...2010-overstock
Black: http://www.rei.com/product/824940/su...-2010-closeout

Discount code: AF20PERCENT

I just bought 2 more for $63 shipped.

Why does it have to some big fugly logo on the front of it?

My favorite commuting garment for cool weather (35-50 degrees) is a SmartWool midweight quarter zip top that I purchased from REI. I like it for it's insulating properties, casual fit, breathability, and the feel of the fabric. I generally where a synthetic base layer, then the midweight wool top and a very breathable softshell on the outside if it's below 45. At 45-50... I skip the outer shell. I'm sure that I wear this wool top 3-4 days per week on my commute between mid-october through mid-march.

It was a pricey purchase... but, I have never regretted it. It has been so durable that I will absolutely by another when this one wears out (I don't know that it ever will.)

here is the link:

http://www.rei.com/product/834630/sm...-top-wool-mens

I have other merino wool tops/sweater... nothing comes close to this SmartWool top from REI.

Stellar! Ordered straightaway.

Public Bikes (ad down the side of the forum page at the moment) is also selling-out Rapha Merino base layers - medium size only - for $42.50

Wool is an amazing material and as of yet, man has not been able to copy it's rather unique abilities which evolved to allow sheep to handle temperature extremes.

The nature of the fibre is that it is a hygroscopic insulator in that, it retains it's ability to trap air and heat even when it has been fairly saturated... cotton fibres lose all their insulating ability when they get wet.

Wool also reacts to water on a chemical level in that it releases heat energy when it gets wet and the wicking nature of the fibre and insulation value will continue to keep you feeling dry.

Wool also resists bacteria, is a fibre stronger than steel, and can resist bending (wear) like few other materials so a quality sweater is something one might use for a lifetime when other garments wear out.