Performance Merino clothing

Do you like the outdoors? If so, choose your clothing so that you can do your favourite sports for a long time. While doing almost any activity, our bodies sweat. If we don’t dress appropriately, the sweat soon starts to make us feel cold, which means we are more susceptible to catching a cold. Whatever physical activity you do, be it hiking, climbing, running, cycling, skiing or just enjoying a winter walk, it is important to think about your health and dress appropriately.

In order to feel comfortable during a few hours of walking or skiing, it is necessary to choose clothing made of suitable materials. Sheep’s wool is the perfect choice as it “has your back” whether you’re walking the dog or climbing Mount Everest.

In the following article, we give you some tips on how to dress well to enjoy your favourite activities and how to choose clothes made of Merino wool. Let's take it from the feet up.

Do your feet get cold on every single walk or hike?

Even if you have good shoes and you are on the move, your toes stay quite still. At times, your feet can sweat quite a bit and even the best cotton socks become damp and make your feet really feel the cold. This is when Merino socks come to the fore. Wool is one of the few materials that can absorb excess moisture while keeping you warm at the same time. At Woolville, you will find socks and knee highs for casual wear as well as for sports, for example, skiing socks.

Keeping nice and comfortable is one of the key ideas of performance clothing. Performance base layers are an excellent choice for hiking, especially when temperatures vary greatly or when it is not possible to use a washing machine. It is one of the most important layers for a human body, as it right next to it and protects it.

The thing you will appreciate most is the fact that wool fibre stops dust and dust mites from penetrating further into the fabric, thus helping to eliminate unpleasant odour. Merino garments are easy to wash and because they are durable, they will last you for many years.

Are you one of those people who often set out for a walk without bothering with “long johns” and then having enough after half an hour in the fresh air because you are cold? Athletes will tell you that their motto is “A Thermal base layer is the key!”.

Thermal base layers and underwear made of sheep’s wool become your second skin that maintains your natural body temperature even when spending time outside. It stops sweat from making you feel cold, as it absorbs moisture and wicks it away from the skin to the surface where it evaporates.

Are you worried about smelling of sweat after a long hike? Don’t be. In this respect, Merino thermal clothing has your back too. This is because compared to other materials, wool fibre has a smooth structure. Bacteria that cause bad odours do not accumulate in the fibre but rather slide off it. That’s why you won’t smell of sweat when wearing Merino clothes even for several days, though it is recommended you always let your clothes air out overnight. If you do need to wash them, just rinse in cold water up to 30 °C and hang on the line to dry.

Recently, we have written an article about how to look after and wash wool garments, so look it up to read more about how to keep wool socks and Merino thermal clothing clean.

We usually dress according to the season, outdoor temperature as well as what activities we intend to do. The clothes we wear should be comfortable, and when engaging in a physical activity, they should also have certain performance properties. That is why we should choose the right type of thermal clothing. It is usually classified by fabric weight, in other words, the density of wool. The higher the weight, the greater the density of the material. This can help us understand whether a particular garment is suitable for winter or extreme sports.

One of the thinnest thermal clothing that you will find in our shop is Merino ONE50. Its fabric weight is 150 gsm or g/m². This thermal clothing is suitable for light physical activities and for warmer days in spring or summer, though it can, of course, be used all year round. It’s great for any activity: camping, traveling, hiking, cycling, winter sports, running and many more.

With fabric weight of 180 gsm, this thermal clothing is slightly thicker. We can say it is a so-called happy medium, because it is suitable for all autumn and winter activities. It is popular with tourists, campers, winter sports enthusiasts, climbers and hikers.

The Xtreme thermal clothing has a density of 220 gsm. It is suitable for colder days or for sports activities in cold conditions. Because of its weight, it tends to cling to the body slightly more and the baselayer pants are usually elasticated. Merino Xtreme clothing is double-layered and is suitable for climbing, running, hiking and skiing.

Saying that, we also have Ortovox clothing on offer, which comes with a lower density of 145 gsm or higher density of 230 gsm.

Where thermal clothing is concerned, one should think of not only the type of activity and the weather conditions, but also bear in mind the individual needs. For example, women tend to be more sensitive to cold than men and often prefer the warmer option. At Woolville, you can also find various types of thermal clothes for children.

If you are thinking of buying thermal clothes or if you already have some, you should also think about the second layer, which is usually a long sleeve top of some kind. The right second layer will maintain the properties of the first layer, such as breathability, providing warmth, moisture wicking and others. Tops by Thermowave are made of performance material as well and will become indispensable during any activity, be it in spring, autumn, winter or in cold mountains.

• Merino is a breed of sheep from Australia. These sheep have the finest wool which has unique properties:
• Natural – wool is an environmentally friendly material. It is renewable because it regrows every year, and is also almost 100 % biodegradable.
• Temperature control – wool offers the perfect insulation for the body. It keeps the body at the ideal temperature, which means you do not have to worry about getting too hot. Wool absorbs moisture, so it keeps you comfortable even when you sweat.
• Breathable – the fact that wool is really warm yet exceptionally breathable is perhaps its best benefit. It absorbs excess moisture and wicks it away to the surface where it evaporates, making it the most breathable material there is. It means your base layer is kept dry regardless of the environment.
• Hypoallergenic – wool doesn’t harbour bacteria and eliminates odours. You can wear Merino wool clothing for a long time without worrying about bad smells.