Are merino undies that good

[wildernesswanderer]

Who wears merino underwear, Macpac has some in the clearance store and I was thinking maybe I may get some, I usually wear Mitch Dowd Green, which are Bamboo there spiel is

Bamboo

We have replaced polyester, a man-man cellulose fibre, with Bamboo. This minimises environmental damage by replacing a petro-chemical based product with a naturally occurring material.

Bamboo fibre is produced from the raw material of Bamboo pulp. It grows abundantly, degrades naturally in the soil, and is less harmful to the environment than the production of man-made fibres. Bamboo is a sustainable resource which is produced without the use of pesticides, herbicides, and other chemicals.

Bamboo fabric's natural antibacterial and hypoallergenic properties make it perfect for clothes which fit close to your body such as underwear, and best of all it is luxuriously soft and comfortable.

Just wondering

[nq111]

Nope, sorry - bamboo rayon is identical to rayon made from other cellulose sources. Raw material source is different but same properties and same biodegradability. Check the stern warnings the US Consumer Department gave to a few dozen companies (including outdoor brands) a couple of years ago about this (misleading advertising).

I believe because the bamboo rayon marketing was so successful there has been work to try to come up with some slightly different fibres from bamboo to get around the warning. But i would approach any claims with sceptism - given these guys form in misleading promotion of bamboo rayon.

[dancier]

I had some Mountian Design boxers on for seven days a few weeks back, they proved a valuable piece of clothing because It's a bit hard finding privacy in small huts with twenty other people hanging around. I repeated the clothing change process for day and night while leaving the boxers on all the time.

[wildernesswanderer]

Well just ordered 4 pairs from Macpac so see how they go

[wayno]

yeah use merino in the cold weather.
no problems with it, as you'd expect, warmer than cotton and dries faster,..
cotton is cellulose....

[rogo]

I just read that bamboo does not block uv. So apply sunscreen under your bamboo clothes. Maybe not under your undies tho

Merino undies, well I had a pair but whilst they were warm, I don't think I'd bother again.

[Webguy]

I just read that bamboo does not block uv. So apply sunscreen under your bamboo clothes. Maybe not under your undies tho

Merino undies, well I had a pair but whilst they were warm, I don't think I'd bother again.

Did you have a baaaaaaad experience?

hey, someone had to say it! LOL

[justacouch]

Are merino undies that good

Yes.

[Wolfix]

I wear Icebreaker undies exclusively. I couldn't wear synthetic or cotton underwear now. They're not made for warmth though they will provide some in winter. They are the coolest undies in summer and you'll never experience sweaty undies again. Normal undies on me get sweaty and chafe. Merino doesn't ever, even when I'm at the gym. They are worth every cent.

[Wolfix]

The Icebreaker Anatomica range is made from 150 weight merino with 3% Lycra which makes them more comfy than purely merino underwear. I have also worn the old IB Beast undies and these aren't as comfy as the Anatomica. Highly recommend. Yes, I wear men's underwear. They are more comfortable on me than the women's skimpy undies.

[wildernesswanderer]

Well can't wait for them to arrive, and at the clearance price Macpac had I had to get a few pairs.

[roysta]

I found the Icebreaker Beast undies to be a waste of money.
Tend to just wear the good old Bonds these days.

[quicky]

My jocks/underwear are simply the lightest and most comfy pair of lined running shorts.

They're great if you need....shorts, or work well as undies also without becoming too hot and trapping heat in.

[slparker]

I'm not a huge fan of merino as I find it too heavy and cold when wet, but I am a huge fan of merino boxers. The only pair of underdacks for multi day outdoor activities IMHO. The only drawback is the disturbing amount o black fluff that comes from my nether regions when showering upon arrival home.... Not that you needed to know that.

[Strider]

I'm not a huge fan of merino as I find it too heavy and cold when wet, but I am a huge fan of merino boxers. The only pair of underdacks for multi day outdoor activities IMHO. The only drawback is the disturbing amount o black fluff that comes from my nether regions when showering upon arrival home.... Not that you needed to know that.

Black fluff is better than brown fluff...

[slparker]

Yep.. That is a truism.

[north-north-west]

*Looks down*
*sigh* But grey fluff is the worst.

[slparker]

There's thing called Grecian 2000.... Maybe that's a new thread..

[Hallu]

I've just noticed Quechua are selling merino baselayers (including undies : http://store.quechua.com/fr/searchProce ... iewIndex=0 ) for affordable prices, anybody tried them ? Probably not because they don't ship to Australia, but in case you have a European friend who has some, please let us know... Some French guys tested one here : http://www.expemag.com/vetements/veteme ... rinos.html , they say it's 18.5 micron fiber, not as soft as more expensive merino products, but that the properties of the product haven't diminished, it's still warm and breathable, not to mention cheap.

They're not called "merino" but "techwool" products on the Quechua website, Techwool seems to be an Aussie company, and Quechua claim their products are all 100% merino. Tees are between 25 and 35 € (during sales they're half this), undies 20 € or less.

[Strider]

I saw a strange definition recently claiming "Merino" was a measure of fibre diameter. Surely it's not lawful to sell non-merino wool as merino branded product?

[Hallu]

It depends on the law... Maybe there's a juridic loophole that allows them to create a new brand called Merino to fool customers... After all merino is a breed of sheep, not a brand, it's different from Gore-Tex, eVent, Aztec etc...

[Wolfix]

Kühl has a synthetic fleece called Alfpaca. It's very misleading though its clearly not alpaca wool. I have had to explain to customers and some have felt very cheated, though I don't know where you'd buy an alpaca wool hoodie that's fluffy like sheepskin inside for $90... Some people just have an inflated sense of injustice to them I think!

[Hallu]

Is it wool made from this :

?

By the way I don't think I'd call 90$ cheap for a synthetic sweater.

[Strider]

By the way I don't think I'd call 90$ cheap for a synthetic sweater.

I think that is the point...

[blacksheep]

Well just ordered 4 pairs from Macpac so see how they go

So what is the answer to your original question?

[ULWalkingPhil]

The Icebreaker Anatomica range is made from 150 weight merino with 3% Lycra which makes them more comfy than purely merino underwear. I have also worn the old IB Beast undies and these aren't as comfy as the Anatomica. Highly recommend. Yes, I wear men's underwear. They are more comfortable on me than the women's skimpy undies.

I have the same Anotomica. there so great, I keep them just for hiking long distances as I'm in fear of wearing them out.

[ULWalkingPhil]

I'm not a huge fan of merino as I find it too heavy and cold when wet, but I am a huge fan of merino boxers. The only pair of underdacks for multi day outdoor activities IMHO. The only drawback is the disturbing amount o black fluff that comes from my nether regions when showering upon arrival home.... Not that you needed to know that.

I've found the opposite to you. Merino wool is a lot warmer when wet than any of the other tops I own, and I own some supposedly top quality top of the range gear. Nothing beats the Merino for me.

[wildernesswanderer]

Well just ordered 4 pairs from Macpac so see how they go

So what is the answer to your original question?

Well............ They are comfortable and feel good, but I haven't tried them hiking yet, but so far so good, will be around the Bogong Plains this weekend and the temps are supposed to be from about 1 -11so will see how they go after a couple of days hiking

[SurferShane]

YES, so good that I would wear them whenever practicable or possible. In bush walking the biggest advantage is the lack of odour retention. Synthetics smell as much in a day as wool does in over a week.

With good brands of merino I have never had a problem with itching. They are about the most comfortable things I have worn.

[Onestepmore]

I'm not a huge fan of merino as I find it too heavy and cold when wet, but I am a huge fan of merino boxers. The only pair of underdacks for multi day outdoor activities IMHO. The only drawback is the disturbing amount o black fluff that comes from my nether regions when showering upon arrival home.... Not that you needed to know that.

Black fluff is better than brown fluff...

My hubby's belly button fluff is always grey, no matter what colour clothes he wears - as Prof Julius Sumner MIller used to say - 'Why is it so?'

I have some icebreaker merino undies, and I remain fluffless, so I don't think the undies can be put to blame

Addendum

Dr Karl Kruszelnicki was the recipient of the Ig Nobel Prize in 2002 for his part in a research project on belly button fluff (yes I am still a JJJ listner - from when it was called 2JJ)
Even Wikepedia gives it some air(cyber?)space:

Navel lint

Navel lint (also known by names such as navel fluff, belly button lint, belly button fluff, and dip lint) is an accumulation of fluffy fibers in the navel cavity. Many people find that, at the beginning and end of the day, a small lump of fluff has appeared in the navel cavity. This lint is an accumulation of cloth fibers that are scraped by body hair. The reasons for its accumulation in the navel are a subject of speculation. A likely hypothesis is that rubbing of navel hairs and clothing contributes to a build-up of static electricity resulting in the collection of clothing fibers and to a lesser extent, dead skin cells.

Georg Steinhauser, a chemist writing in the journal Medical Hypotheses said that small pieces of fluff first form in the hair and then end up in the navel at the end of the day. He further said that abdominal hair often seems to grow in concentric circles around the navel, the scaly structure of the hair enhances the abrasion of minuscule fibres from the shirt and directs the lint towards the belly button.[4] Steinhauser established that shaving one's belly will result in a fluff-free navel but only until the hairs grow back. His other suggestions include wearing old clothes, as they tend to shed less lint than newer garments, which can lose up to one thousandth of their weight to the belly button over the course of a year. A body piercing can also be used, with belly button rings particularly effective at sweeping away fibres before they lodge.[4]

And

http://www.thenakedscientists.com/forum ... pic=2099.0
Warning: some images are graphic and may upset young viewers

I think I should go to bed