Whether you’re looking for an all-weather, odor-wicking t-shirt or a base layer to keep you warm and comfortable while on the trail, there’s a merino wool shirt that will work well. The fabric is naturally temperature regulating and odor-wicking, and it’s soft and lightweight too.
The odor-resistant properties of merino wool are great for outdoor adventures and can make a significant difference in how you feel after an extended period outdoors. It also helps keep your body cool, especially when you’re sweating.
It’s often used as a wicking fabric for socks, but it can be used as a t-shirt as well, thanks to the natural antibacterial properties that keep your skin dry and fresh. And it’s also easy to wash, making it a versatile choice for everyday wear.
Smartwool’s Women’s long sleeve merino wool shirt XL Base Layer Tee ($100) is made from a mix of 100% merino wool and polyester (Bluesign approved). It has all of the performance benefits that we love about merino, like fast-drying, odor-wicking and moisture-management.
If you’re looking for a more affordable option, Western Rise’s X Cotton T-Shirt is another good choice, combining cotton with polyester to make it quick-drying and odor-resistant. The fabric is also lightweight and stretches nicely.
Lululemon’s Drysense Tech Fabric is also a great option for travelers, because it’s both quick-drying and sweat-wicking. It features a little loop on the back of the shirt so you can hang it from a hook, and it doesn’t wrinkle much at all.
The fabric is also eco-friendly, as all the recycled polyester in the Drysense series is made from recycled bottles. It’s a bit more expensive than the other options, but it’s worth it for a quality shirt that won’t stink after multiple uses.
Unbound Merino’s Merino Wool Travel T-Shirt is a great option for travelers, because it’s so lightweight that you won’t notice it’s in your pack. It’s also very soft and comfortable, so you’ll want to wear it even when it’s not hot out.
It’s also a very popular choice for hikers, as it absorbs more than 35% of its own weight in moisture and evaporates it quickly, keeping you cool and feeling fresh. The t-shirt has a slim fit, but it’s not too tight.
Ridge Merino’s Journey and Wander shirts are made from 17.5-micron merino wool, which is thin enough to be buttery smooth and still provide all the natural warmth and softness you would expect from a high-quality tee. It’s a very comfortable tee, and it looks nice too.
This tee is also a great choice for gym workouts and training sessions. It’s quick-drying and moisture-wicking, and it has a Polygiene odor-repellant coating to help you re-wear it between washings.
If you’re new to merino wool, it’s best to start with one t-shirt and build your wardrobe from there. This way, you’ll get a sense of how it feels and performs before you spend too much money on a bunch of tees or jackets that you don’t love.