Hi everyone. Im thinking of buying some merino wool clothes for travel and work and keep seeing unbound merino as one of the go to places. Is it worth the high cost? Im always worried im going to ruin it since wool can be delicate.

  • Straight answer: no. They’re good (soft, not itchy, odor resistant etc etc ) but really not worth the price. Instead I’d highly recommend the ones from Quince. Almost half the price and even softer than Unbound.

    Just be aware that 100% merino wool, due to the very nature of the fiber, will fall apart after prolonged use, no matter what price you pay.

    For me, Unbound Merino fills a niche with their tall shirts. I ordered both Quince merino wool shirts and Unbound Merino wool shirts from their tall line. I returned Quince's. Unbound Merino's tall line sold out over the last month. https://unboundmerino.com/collections/tall-collection

    In a perfect world, Quince would have a tall line and I would order those.

    Lower cost lines don’t do XXL and they don’t do tall. Because they are cutting corners. I buy pants and tights for 6’. Years ago someone told me the only pantyhose and tights that are long enough for me are the expensive ones because they don’t stint on material. A couple of experiments proved her right. Same is true of shirts, sweaters and jackets, to have long enough sleeves.

    Yes, I can only imagine it's much worse for a tall woman. The amount by which prices are inflated, above the cost of production, increases with less competition. Then you add the pink tax!

    I had a capsule wardrobe before it was a thing because I bought a few good pieces.

    How tall are you? Will i have issues at 6'1?

    *looks at hole in shirt

    dang, how did you know? (insert surprised pikachu)

    Also op, how messy are you at eating soup?

    Do you know anything about alpaca wool? I've wondered about that for a long time

    I’d add that they are lovely and soft but require careful handling. They don’t hold their shape as well as merino.

    IMO alpaca is merino turned up to 11. It's softer, more comfortable, but even more delicate than merino.

    Delicate is a good word to describe alpaca as well as cashmere. I've had good luck with yak wool sweaters from https://www.oliver-charles.com/collections/winter-sweaters. They don't make base layers but their winter weight sweaters are all I need as a mid layer under my anorak, even when it's quite cold.

    Oh yes I have their all-season sweater. They’re great. I love that they’re seamless because they’re 3D knit so I can get away with wearing it inside-out after I remove the tags. #UnintentionalReversible FTW

    How clever! I have their cable winter weight sweater and it would look pretty silly inside-out.

    They’re…ok. I have a long sleeve T from Arms of Andes. It’s a slim fit by the way. Similar properties and not bad on the ski, as in not particularly itchy, but they don’t drape as smoothly as merino.

    I’m loving the alpaca! Truly temperature regulating. I like a brand called Paka. And some great pants , tops and underwear. All of them are in great condition after two years

    Btw if you’re in the EU then buy from JoeMerino. Free shipping and returns within the EU! Sorry UK.

    I had 100% merino from Patagonia that this happened to. Such a disappointment.

    While unbound is for sure much more expensive, I find them softer and more durable than the quince alternative. I'm not convinced quince is actually 100% Merino.

    To each his/her own. Quince has performed well for me. They feel so much softer to me I wear the same top 5 days/week. No odor.

    Quince is such a solid budget alternative! It's nice to know you can get the same soft perks for way less. And that note about merino wearing out over time is good to keep in mind too.

    I ordered both Quince and Unbound Merino. Quince is just as good for a third of the price. I really like the Unbound Merino sweatpants though.

  • Yes and No…

    I prefer Aviator USA merino wool shirts (use code GIFT30 for 30% off), BUT…. You really need to try Merino Wool first before jumping into paying for brand new Merino Wool prices.

    I recommend you buy something to try off of an auction site (Ebay or something like that) at a 50% discount off new prices. Some people can’t stand the feel of wearing wool and some people don’t like the smell of wool when it rains (spoiler, it smells like sheep!). I highly recommend you buy used to try first before you buy new.

  • I’ve found unbound merino to be the best at not looking “techy” (more every day wear and you can dress them up a bit) and they’re very soft and not itchy. For me, because they fit that niche in my daily and travel wardrobe, they’re very worth it.

  • For me yes. I do wear it EVERYDAY, not just when traveling. However, it requires extra care. It needs to be hand washed or washed in cold water using the delicate cycle and hung to dry

    Don't hang up knits; the weight of the garment will stretch out the stitches at the top over time.

  • I have an unbound merino T shirt. Honestly it's my least favourite. I prefer the blends. They're silky smooth and more comfortable in hot weather. The nylon content also makes them more durable. I rate Wool& (wool&prince male version). They survive the tumble dryer although I don't routinely do this. The icebreaker blends are good too. The other merino I rate is Decathlon. All these brands are from non mulesed sheep. Important if you care the slightest about animal welfare. Many brands are not.

  • I decided to give merino wool a shot earlier this year and picked up t-shirts from several different brands during Memorial Day sales. My favorite was the cheapest: a $30 shirt from a no-name brand on Amazon that seems to have gone out of business. My second favorite was Smarwool which are just over twice as exepensive.

    I've since discovered Uniqlo Heattech and am obsessed. Their t-shirts are like $20, extremely comfortable, and easy to care for so that’s who I landed on.

  • I’m surprised at some of these responses. I love my 100% merino tshirts. They’re soft, they breathe, and have mostly held up to a LOT of wear. I have a lot of Merino Protect. They’re half the price of unbound and wool&. The solid colors have been fantastic. I will say that the striped shirts- which I love- have a looser weave and are much more delicate. I’ve had several get holes but I keep buying them because they’re cute and comfortable. But I haven’t had that problem with any solid colors, and I have short and long sleeve shirts. Even at half the price they’re more expensive than most tshirts, but to me it’s worth it. My price per wear is small change for how much wear i have gotten out of them.

  • The other replies in here are weird. Yes, starting to wear merino takes an adjustment, but buying cheap/crappy/coarse merino will just suck and will make you think all merino sucks.

    I started years ago with Outlier's end-capped 16.5 micron shirts and it still felt a bit itchy the first day or two. I've never had that issue since in 8 years despite having bought coarser shirts since.

    I'm a big fan these days of Unbound and Wool&Prince. I think anyone who prefers blends is crazy, as you end up with too many drawbacks in my opinion (I've tried them all, 50/50, 80/20, etc)

    Yes, 100% merino is definitely more delicate than blends, cotton, or synthetics. That being said, the benefits are immense: feels amazing, temp regulation is fantastic, you can re-wear the shirt up to like a week (don't try that with a blend!).

    Just be careful about wearing a belt with pointed edges or something that rubs on it, or it will wear holes.

    FYI, if you're worried, GoRuck also makes a merino shirt that they guarantee for life- though I will say I don't care for the shoulder panels.

    Happy to answer any other questions about brands/merino/whatever.

    What are the drawbacks of blends? I would have thought you don’t notice much if a difference in performance but gain a lot of durability from a 80% merino blend for example?

    Personally, I only buy blends. Mainly because I can throw them in the washer/dryer just like any other ordinary piece of clothing. I have some merino blend t-shirts that I've been wearing for years and I never give them any special care. My t-shirts exist to serve me, not the other way around :)

    There is definitely a difference in terms of odor fighting. I can wear a 50/50 blend for about 2 days, an 80/20 blend caps out around 3, a 100% can do like 7 days.

    Also, the feel is different- the higher the synthetic content, the "slipperier" it feels. Some people prefer that sensation, but I don't. I find that pure wool feels more flannel-y versus blends (especially 50/50) have a very smooth, satin-y sensation that feels more plastic-like. Also the temperature regulation isn't as good.

    I've still had holes develop even in blends, though they are a bit harder. I find that you just lose too many of the wool benefits.

    Additionally, washing wool doesn't have to be hard. Just do a separate load, do a super delicate cycle with a soak, and you can use Soak (brand) soap with it, and hang dry or lay flat. It dries quickly naturally. If that's too burdensome, then I guess you'll find it annoying, but particularly when traveling it's been pretty easy especially since I usually only have a maximum of two spare shirts.

    That being said, I daily wear the merino even at home. Once you're used to it, everything else feels terrible. Even ringspun cotton doesn't bring joy the way it used to 😂

  • Get the zip up hoodie on EBay for $100. It’s absolutely worth it. Can’t spark to their other offerings but I love the hoodie. 

  • No. Get holes easily. Not worth the cost.

  • My favorite have been Wool&, and I've had great luck with my two recent pants from WoolX. So soft! I love merino wool!

    If you search Merino Wool on Sierra's website, you get tons of options for at least half-price of normal stores. Smartwool is my favorite there, and I have every layer you could want for great prices. I highly recommend their socks. I've worn six pair every day for the past four years, and they still look brand-new with no wear and tear. I liked the width better than Darn Tough socks, which weren't wide enough for me. Smartwool makes excellent mid-layers, too, that I wear over my Wool& Morgan V-neck t-shirts. 

    It's easy to make a capsule wardrobe that works well together, and then you don't need quantity but quality! It's so nice for travel. We did a 20-day trip in a personal-item size bag. I packed four Wool& Morgan V-neck T-shirts and wore one. I rotated through them every five days, so I wore each one four times without needing to wash them. That sounds gross, but just hanging them up at night airs them out, and they smell and feel great by morning! Merino is worth every penny because of how light we can travel. And they look nice, too!

  • I managed to buy some long and short sleeves some years ago at a great discount. They are my favorite merino pieces. I always hand wash them. So far they have been holding very well. However, I would not buy at the current listed prices. Way too expensive

  • If you find something that fits and drapes nicely merino wool is amazing, I did not like the drape of Unbound. Don't worry about running it, you probably will at some point.

  • I would personally just get wool mid layers instead of base. Wear your usual base layer, and add a wool or cashmere crew neck over the top. I have a grey 100% cashmere crew neck that moths got at, so it’s now my beater sweater and gets a ton of use. Despite it being super delicate and having holes, it’s still held up incredibly well. Tbf, it’s a Zegna Barrufa yarn, so it’s a very high quality yarn and will last forever if I take decent care of it. Good wool won’t just disintegrate like everyone on here is claiming.

  • They’re probably overpriced, but I’m not aware of any cheaper brands that fill the same niche. Like yeah you can get tshirts or base layers for less elsewhere, but if you want clothing that looks like regular-ass clothing like a person would wear you’re not getting that from Quince or Smartwool. Unbound’s mens range is crazy, there’s no one on the market doing that for less. 

  • I have Unbound Merino t-shirts that I really love. I didn't pay full-price, I bought them on Poshmark gently used, but they looked brand new. I just couldn't bring myself to pull the trigger on them at the full-price. But, after many months of wearing them, I believe they are worth the price if I had bought them new. The cost-to-wear ratio is going to offset their cost. My t-shirts show no visible wear and tear, despite repeated wearings and washings. (I machine wash and air-dry them.) I wear them at home and traveling. They are super comfortable, dress up better than my other merino (Icebreakers, Ibex), and they have a wide range of colors that you can't find in other brands.

    eta: I am often wearing a backpack and I have not noticed any adverse effects on the t-shirts.

  • I have the Unbound Merino ultralight packable hoodie and traveled with it for the past 4 years. While not the softest it is the best hoodie ever. Lightweight and can cram in any pocket. I wish more hoodies came with a kangaroo pocket. I was excited to see they had a transition hoodie and long sleeve merino shirts. I ordered 5 items during Black Friday. 2 items were the incorrect items including transit hoodie (they sent me a compact travel hoodie instead which sucked) and the other 3 items were ill fitting and scratchy. I retuned everything.

    I also traveled the world with 3 Outlier NYC merino tees. They are expensive but truly the best Merino shirts available. I’ve accidentally over dried them a few times and able to stretch them back. I burned a hole in one and was able to get it patched up. If they make a lightweight hoodie with a kangaroo pocket it would definitely replace the Unbound Merino one I’ve worn probably close to 1000 times.

  • No but my W&P has been great

  • They are good when brand new, but very delicate and won’t last for a long time

  • It's a solution looking for a problem... Merino is a great material, but it's not the miracle material they market it as. Wool tends to shrink after washing, looses it's shape. Much of the modern products made from Marino are washed in polymers, so basically are coated in plastic, therefore they don't really do the job they are supposed to.

    I've never had an issue with just using cotton. I tend to buy supima cotton because it doesn't shrink as easily as others and holds it's fit well. Important for taller individuals who don't want to end up wearing belly tops.

    Cotton, even supima, takes forever to dry, like days, when I'm traveling. It's also heavier. (I watch the grams and the kilos take care of themselves.) I enjoy wearing cotton when I'm home and I travel with wool and tech fabrics.

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  • Lots of clothing brands have merino items - maybe try a less expensive brand and see how you go with it. I really like Uniqlo’s merino. I use them for work and they wash and dry really nicely. They’re about £30-£35 for a jumper. I clean all of my clothes the same way - wash on a 30° everyday wash with my normal detergent, then dry on a clothes maiden. For jumpers I often dry them hanging on a coat hanger. I really like their cashmere too - it’s held up better than much more expensive brands.

  • I’ve found and bought Merino wool at the thrift stores. A lot of sweaters and tees. Just inspect and check the near the armpit areas where a lot of fraying is at.

  • Question: most of the merino wool brands I’ve seen in this sub are crazy $$$ and I’m wondering why ppl here don’t buy merino wool from cheaper places like banana republic or JCrew? Is there something I don’t know?

    I’m starting to get into the onebag lifestyle and would appreciate some insight.

    Thanks!

    Edit: I copied and pasted this question from a different post of mine earlier and just edit it for clarity and to avoid redundancies

  • No. Terrible compared to others in that space like Outlier, W&P, and Western Rise.

    Their stuff does not last, doesn’t hold structure, and pulls real quick.

  • Is it worth the high cost?

    Not me laughing with my Outlier Ultrafine Merino Cut 2s...

    Jkjkjk, but in all seriousness, I've gotten most of my Outlier stuff second-hand. So far, it's one of the best shirts I've ever owned.

  • The best T-shirt in the world is Bluffworks threshold T-shirt.

    The only problem is they’re always out of stock and they have like three colors.

    I’ve been searching for a replacement brand, but have had no luck. The softness of the shirt is amazing.

  • They spend too much on ads and sponsoring travel youtubers. So no...

  • I’m not gonna lie, I tried merino products from different companies and though they are nice in their own way, in my opinion they’re not worth the cost or cleaning hassle, and I have found other clothing that is not merino that does the same things merino is famed for (odor resistance, no smell for many wear, keeping clean, regulating body temp) for sometimes a fraction of the cost (and which don’t require the specific washing needs that merino does). If the big merino brands I personally prefer Icebreaker, but that’s just me.

    I’m not gonna lie, my $13 under armor vortex tshirts outperform my merino ones I n every area, and my vuori athletic pants are the same (but costs me more at $55 on sale, $120msrp, I would pay full price for them they’re that good).

  • No. The’re nice garments but overpriced and they start to stink just as fast as my other clothes, thus I still need to launder them as frequently.