When it comes to first layers, I'm still not a complete believer in merino wool in all situations. The skin feel, especially on hot, sweat-intensive days, is simply not quite as supple and the drying and associated cooling effect is often better for me with synthetics. However, I do have one or two merino items that I like to wear a lot. My Icebreaker BodyFit 200+ longsleeve is the main candidate.
And for several reasons. I find it relatively itch-free to wear, even if it can't be described as silky soft. It warms extremely well for its thickness, provided there is no breeze. And this is another plus point: as soon as there is a slight draught, the body is well ventilated and the heat build-up disappears. For extremely exothermic people like me, this is a real relief in many situations. Drying is good and can be further improved by wearing a synthetic T-shirt over it. And apart from that, merino makes clever use of its warm-even-wet advantage.
One of the main reasons why I like wearing the longsleeve is simply the look. Anthracite with stylized mountain lines is a timeless classic! And that's why the shirt hasn't been replaced yet, because all that monochrome crap doesn't lure me out from behind the stove. That is why I think it is a shame that Icebreaker has given up printing beautiful designs on the shirts. But once again, the fashion-conscious internet skier is running away with me.
