Is anybody really wearing merino wool days on end?

[Redington]

Hello everyone,,
I've found claims about merino wool and lack of smell to be overblown. Maybe it's just me. Overall, I can wear a piece of merino wool for about two days before I think it needs to be washed. What about you?
For example, with a 100% merino wool shirt, it will smell fine everywhere after two days except for the armpit region. Now, while you have to really get in close and sniff in order to smell that particularly area, the smell is still there, so I wash/dry the shirt and it goes away. I also don't have tons of BO, so I don't think I'm a hard case.
Do you think claims about merino wool being smell proof are overblown? How often are you washing your merino wool shirts? Is anybody in here really wearing merino wool shirts for over a week without washing in non-frigid climates?Kids Ethnic Wear Lehenga Cholis

 

[PMcGee]

I wore mine for 15 days in Alaska and 10/14 days in Colorado/Idaho. I don’t think they smell that bad for the amount of time worn.


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[jspradley]

I wore 2 pieces for 8 days in a row, I still reeked but my merino wasnt nearly as bad as it would have been had it been synthetic.

It's not gonna stop you from making body odors but it does cut down a good bit on the funk growing inside the fabric.

I have heard good things about the polygeine treated synthetics but I havent tried them yet

 

[manitou1]

I wouldn't wear it to church, unwashed for 15 days... but for in the field, it is a game changer. I usually change out every 3-4 days with no noticeable smell.

 

[Backyard]

Its not "smell proof", wool is naturally antimicrobial and helps to reduce the growth of bacteria that creates BO.
I wear it for days on back country hunts without change also.

 

[Tufrthnails]

Yep 10 days at camp last year. Same top same bottom. It was absolutely funky by the end but my alternate got reallocated to my brother who was freezing his butt off.

 

[Catahoula]

It’s worth wearing for days and days over synthetics.

 

[ODB]

I think you have to look at the claims as a relative measure. Also, if you can, take the shirt off, turn it inside out and lay in the sun for a bit.

 

[String&stick]

Typically give it 4 days before my base layers get a drink in the creek. But even if I can't they aren't putrid or anything!

 

[street]

I hear the word synthetic a lot and wonder if people are speaking about different types of material since it's a general term. What material are people referring to?

 

[jd65]

I wore my merino base layer for 9 days straight last year and they weren't too bad by the end. I like the merino wool and to me it is very comfortable.

 

[jspradley]

Untreated synthetic boxers reek of crack and balls after a day and a half in the field unwashed for me. I have a few pair of bamboo fiber boxers that do really well, I can usually get 3 or 4 days out of them before they run me out of my own tent

 

[backcountryshaffer]

I do wear lightweight merino base layers for days on end, even at my indoors job. What I find is that they get crusty from sweat, etc. but if left unworn the smell dissipates. I generally pack an extra t-shirt, and undies and switch em out or rinse them and hang dry. I carry 2 pairs of socks (Altera Alpaca) and switch nightly.

 

[5MilesBack]

I wear lightweight merino base layers 24/7 while elk hunting and my tops get soaked with sweat every day. After a week of that I've worn them home and my wife and kids are amazed that I don't smell. But I've also been known to wear the same cotton t-shirt at home for a few days at a time and not smell either, even without deodorant.

 

[T28w]

I can go days without merino getting to funky but I swear a half a day in a plain polyester running shirt and I just plain start to stink.

 

[toadmeister]

I hear the word synthetic a lot and wonder if people are speaking about different types of material since it's a general term. What material are people referring to?

Synthetics are a wide range of plastic textiles from recycled PET soda bottles (cheapest stuff) to Nylon and spandex. Several variations, trade names, and polymer blends used.

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[jmden]

I go with a synthetic that has silver in it. Way less BO, prob on par with merino for me, and it dries fast, which is my major concern. Wool is a hydrophilic fiber, like cotton, and it's fibers soak to the core as opposed to synthetic where the moisture is just running along the outside of the fiber and is considered hydrophobic. Have tried merino wool in a couple of different hobbies and been quite unhappy with the dry time. On a recent trip, a buddy just put his merino wool layer away after trying to dry it out for days.

 

[Shrek]

All things are relative but I can go indefinitely with merino. Some tricks are to smoke wash your merino , have a second set to rotate on long trips , and I pack a tiny microfiber washcloth and a little bit of liquid antibacterial body wash. At the cost of a half liter of water or so I give myself a French bath. A bath and freshly smoked undies makes a big difference in how I feel.

 

[H2PVon]

I carry an extra set, switch out every few days and hang the worn one in a tree. It really hasn't been necessary but I like switching out and for the little bit of weight it's worth it to me to carry the extra set.

 

[5MilesBack]

On a recent trip, a buddy just put his merino wool layer away after trying to dry it out for days.

I hear this a lot, but my merino shirts get soaked every day with sweat, yet I've never gone to bed with a wet merino shirt. So they dry pretty quickly for me for whatever reason.