Looking for a merino wool bacpacking sweater (or other packable)

Macchina

Macchina

Joined
Apr 7, 2006
Messages
5,213
Hello,
When I backpack I always bring the same light fleece for wearing around the campfire. It's pilled and holy (from the fire) and needs to be retired. I'm looking for a new lightweight long-sleeve shirt that would be good for backpacking with nights in the low 50's. I am very intereted in a merino wool tech sweater, but don't where to start. I like simple designs with a 1/4 zipper. some anti-odor never hurt either. any reccomendations?
 
You can't beat a Swanndri.. Pricey, but real warm and durable. I'm actually not sure if it's merino wool, but wool none the less.

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Wool is awesome, I wouldn't consider any other material. Wool is naturally anti-odor as it wicks nasty excreted fluids, IE sweat, to the surface extremely fast. Wool naturally contains lanolin which is an oil impregnated into the fibers that protects them and prevents them from absorbing nasty odor. Merino wool is most commonly woven with some cotton and or polyester, sometimes just to reduce costs and sometimes to improve wicking etc. The North Face Diablo and Fiarfax sweaters are both very light and use the same weave. They wear like teeshirts on 95 degree days and wear like winter coats on 20 degree days. I am definately comfortable down to 35 degrees in one of these sweaters and while active much colder than that. The king of wool period is Dale of Norway. The wool comes straight from sheep herded at high altitude in the mountains, and it is naturally very thick and durable. I have two of them now and probably will never buy another pullover that isn't Dale. Don't fall for the MSRP, I got both of mine at less than a quarter of what the quoted website costs are (400 dollars +, yikes)
 
+1 on Swanndri

Sierra Trading Post had some sweet deals on some different Swanndri sweaters.
 
What size are you? I have several extra Icebreaker and Ibex new with tags tops that I have bought way too many of over the past year or so.
 
You might also try Smart Wool, located in Vermont. Most of their products are 100% Merino Wool. Great selection.
 
+1 on Filson, if the shirts are of the same quality, as my boots & hats are, you will be very pleased. :thumbup:
 
Thanks for all the responses guys. I woke up to 14 suggestions. This means days of reading through reviews of the different stuff you recommended...
 
mtnfolk mike, now that is the BOMB! I wear a lot of wool but don't have anything like that. I'm ordering the OD Green pullover shirt w/o hood as I type. Thank for posting this!
 
Not really sure why this got moved since the description of Wilderness and Survival skills is:

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I too would like to know the weight and pack-ability of some of these as well. The North Face shirts look very packable. I really like the look/idea of the Asbell Wool Pullovers, but they don't look that packable. I'm looking to replace a fleece that packs down to about the size of a Nalgene. I'm not looking for a jacket, just something to put on over the very light t-shirts I wear while hiking when the sun goes down.
 
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