Merino Wool… 100 percent vs Blends

[Buckhorn 70]

Interested in opinions regarding Merino Wool vs the blends.

I see there are some different blends out….

100% Merino
95 merino / 5 synthetic blend
65 merino / 35 synthetic blends
50 merino / 50 synthetic blends

At what point does the blend of synthetic cancel out the advantages of the 100% merino? Especially the lack of odor retention properties of the merino. What is the best blend or is 100% the best?

 

[WesCAtoll]

Not a stinky guy really so can't comment on that part, however I like a 75-95% blend for longevity and "bounce back" to the merino. A good nylon/Cordura mix keeps the garment from stretching and shrinking too much.
I'm wearing an 85/15 currently and it's springy

 

[sneaky]

One thing for certain, blends outlast pure merino many times over in durability. Not even a close comparison.

Sent from my SM-G955U using Tapatalk

 

[Bump79]

I wrote this the other day based on research I was doing. I'd say there is a place for down to 25% merino depending on the person and hunt. For example: a high exertion hunt in high humidity.

Especially with the odor treatments new polyester products get. They don't stink like they used too. But merino still is better for longer at keeping odor at bay.

Baselayer Research and Applications

Intro: I've done a lot of research into materials lately and learned a lot. Big one is why I haven't been as satisfied with my merino as I used to be. This is largely due to moving from the Rockies to the South. I still do a lot of hunting out west but I've noticed that whitetail hunting here...

www.rokslide.com

 

[Drenalin]

Of the merino I've tried, my favorite is Minus33 based on feel, durability, ease of care, lack of stink, and ability to hold it's shape. The ones I've got are 85% merino, 13% nylon, and 2% spandex. So if I were shopping for more today, I'd be looking for something close to that.

 

[sndmn11]

I personally avoid anything with polyester in it. I think that nylon and spandex both have a functional benefit and one can see this by looking at the top end sock manufacturers blends for different purposes.

 

[Mike Islander]

Socks with down to 50% wool have worked just fine for me. I'm betting up to 30% synthetic blend work for most folks, and cost up to 50% less.

 

[dreamingWest]

I find the newer blends (Kuiu's 90/10 and Pro, First Lite's Wick and Fuse) work well for odor resistance and hold up much better than any of the 100% Merino.

Outdoor Research use to offer a 'drimerino' that was only about 15% Merino. They get about two to three days before they stink. Not as good as 100%, but some of the underwear have held up for nearly a decade of daily wear.

 

[Buckhorn 70]

Of the merino I've tried, my favorite is Minus33 based on feel, durability, ease of care, lack of stink, and ability to hold it's shape. The ones I've got are 85% merino, 13% nylon, and 2% spandex. So if I were shopping for more today, I'd be looking for something close to that.

Is This tops or bottoms?

 

[Drenalin]

Is This tops or bottoms?

Both

 

[Jeff_74]

I prefer the blends for their durability also.

 

[gosailthesea]

I usually only go with blends for my socks. Knock on wood, but I've had no durability issues with my Icebreaker baselayers or midlayers over the past few years. Can't speak for non-baselayer bottoms though - I do have some Icebreaker joggers, but I tend to baby them and use them for loungewear instead because they're so damn comfy.

 

[Dented]

Following. All of my socks are merino blend. Durability is a concern.

 

[AKjon]

I picked up the Black Ovis merino blend (50/50 merino/poly) last year and it is currently my favorite base. wore it for a week straight on two different occasions and it performed well. wicked moisture and stayed odor free as you would expect from wool, but dried much faster that 100% merino and was more comfortable against the skin... seemed to be the best of both worlds to me.

 

[Maverick1]

Depends on activity level, how many days the garment will be worn, and the conditions.
Treestand hunting, for a single day in cold weather: irrelevant.
Hiking in the mountains, multiple days in a row, how weather in September, prefer as close to 100% merino as possible.

 

[LASTINLINE]

ive had a few different brand shirt blends. probly individual body chemistry thing but anything less than 70-80% wool gets just as stinky as wearing full synthetic.

 

[kayvon]

I'm using a pair of Balega Blister Resist socks for my marathon training. I ran 14 miles on Sunday, 4 on Thursday, and 5 earlier today. I never washed them and they still smell fresh as daisies! I might just use these instead of "hunter" socks