We’re talking about $80 (or more) t-shirts here, so that’s a valid question. I think the Merino T-shirt is worth investing in. They offer considerable benefits to cotton and other natural fibers as well as synthetic fibers. Merino offers great temperature regulation, excellent moisture chips, and no smells, which means you can wear more and don’t need much. The three Merino T-shirts in your closet will keep you cotton shirts that last for many days, so from a financial standpoint, it’s a cleaning.
Here is a quick summary of some of the benefits of merino wool:
Anti-odor: One of the superpowers of Merino wool is that it is naturally resistant to odors. This means you can wear a Merino T-shirt multiple times before you need to clean it. several times? I would say it depends on where you are and what you are doing, but usually three to seven times. After all, our preferred shirt is called 72 hours because that’s the time you can wear it before you can clean it.
Temperature regulation: Merino wool can stay warm in cold weather and cool in warm weather. Yes, it’s limited – you won’t keep you cool on hot summer days in the tropical areas – but Merino goes far beyond cotton and synthesis.
Moisture chip: This is important for anything you wear while hiking or gym. Merino wool is very good at removing moisture from the skin, through the fabric, and can quickly evaporate. That’s why it makes such a good foundation layer.
Multifunctional: Merino wool shirts are perfect for traveling, hiking, backpacking, and everyday shirts around town. They can also be used year-round and can be used as part of a good stratification system even in the cold.
Packable: Merino wool T-shirts tend to be smaller than cotton and many synthetic materials, meaning they take up space in the bag while traveling. Combine it with the odor resistance above and have the final travel t-shirt.
One place for a cotton and nylon blend T-shirt may be durable. Merino wool isn’t not that durable in my experience, but it can be pills, which is where the wool fiber breaks and tangles with tiny knots, forming small balls on your t-shirt. Some pills aren’t a big deal, but if you know it’s made from very short wool fibers, rather than longer continuous fibers.
Unfortunately, most manufacturers do not advertise the length of their rotating fibers, which is the source of our tests. I hate pills, I have eliminated all my t-shirts except one I like (I don’t like it anyway) (the pills are not bad).
