Can you explain more about how polyester doesn’t have as much capacity to wick moisture off the skin?For me - the poly blended merino's are the best product. In a 50/50 configuration they feel just like merino against my skin. A pure polyester holds only like .3% water and dries stupid quick but the "wicking" action isn't really there as it doesn't have as much capacity to get it off the skin. With a merino blend 50/50 the merino takes in some moisture at 33% (cotton is like 2300%) but dries faster & still has the next to skin merino feel. Plus they're generally more durable than 100% merino.
My vote goes for something like a Born Privative 150 gsm 1/4 zip hoody.
Men's Ridgeline Half Zip Hoodie (Deep Moss)
The Ridgeline Half Zip Hoodie is a next-to-skin base layer containing a super soft Merino wool blend that will quickly dry and wick moisture, even during high levels of exertion in the field. The premium Merino is also anti-microbial and retains its insulation value, even when wet. A version...bornprimitive.com
I think of wicking as a ratio of absorption to evaporation rates. Picture dipping a garment into water and seeing how far the capillary action pulls the water into the material. Cotton would pull in an incredible amount of water - but the evaporation rate is the same. Meaning you're just wet. Polyester pulls very little water into it's fabric and isn't "wicking" much in my opinion.Can you explain more about how polyester doesn’t have as much capacity to wick moisture off the skin?
This conversation pretty much says what you need to know. I am surprised to hear about this wet dog smell from merino. I’ve bought KUIU merino going back 5-6 years and I never have any odor of any kind from them. I hunt warm and hot weather in merino and only wash them every 3-4 wears. Even soaked with sweat I never smell anything. But synthetics stink up almost immediately on me. No lie about the Peloton 97. That stuff is incredibly warm for the weight.