Casey Recommends: Draping Yourself in Merino Wool

A friend of mine is heading out on a rafting trip in the Grand Canyon this June, and I’m thrilled for her on a bunch of levels. One, this trip sounds amazing! And two, I love that she immediately asked me what I’d specifically pack for an adventure like this.

I live for being the go-to packing advice person! (Note that this probably would not apply to vacations to Monte Carlo or anywhere James Bond likely hangs out at the baccarat table.)

In addition to the tiniest toiletry items, copious sunscreen and Picaridin insect repellent lotion, and hiking essentials like a well-fitted pack with a water reservoir, trekking poles, and a sleep mask…

My wardrobe base for any trip — and basically any day of my life, even if I don’t leave the house — is merino wool clothing.

I touched on this briefly in my Gen X Taste road trip essentials story, but to quote myself in that piece, I’m the George Costanza of merino, draping myself head to toe. Every season is a wool season.

Yes, every season. Especially summer.

On a humid 90-degree day, I’d much rather be wearing a wool t-shirt or tank than any other type of shirt. And my stinky feet feel so much better when they have merino socks inside their clown Hokas.

Here’s why I love merino wool.

Disclosure: I am never sponsored by any company to provide any recommendations, ever. If I’m telling you I love something, it’s because I spent my own money on it and honestly enjoy using it.

Wool doesn’t stink.

You know when you wear a synthetic performance fabric shirt for running or working out or what have you and it starts to smell a little grody after a while, even if it’s fresh from the washing machine?

Yeah, that doesn’t happen with merino wool.

It wicks moisture just like performance fabric, and I personally might stink underneath the shirt, but it’s so much more comfortable, soft, and breathable than cotton or synthetics.

It’s that breathability that I cherish on swampy summer days. Humidity and I are NOT friends. We aren’t even frenemies. We are in fact mortal enemies, and I curse climate change for bringing it to my previously breezy corner of the Northeast.

So I might still be grumpy about life, but at least the wool is helping pull the sweat away from me.

Wool helps me sleep better.

Three words: night sweat management. If you also wake up in the middle of the night completely drenched in sweat and then have to suffer through the uncomfortable feeling of damp cotton on skin for the rest of the night… have I recommended merino wool to you yet?

In colder months, my wool PJs help create a cocoon of cozy warmth when I get into bed shivering, then keep me from overheating when I inevitably jolt awake sweating somewhere between 1:30-3:00 am.

When it’s hot, I shower just before bed, then throw on my wool PJ shorts and shirt set to maintain the temperature equilibrium even when the bedroom feels it’s stuck in the equatorial doldrums.

Like I said, wool won’t stop you from sweating. But it will pull that sweat away from you and dry it quickly so you can go on doing whatever you’re doing.

Wool holds up.

Speaking of sweat, I can say with certainty after sweating through my wool shirts on many hikes and wearing them every single day on a 3-week campervan cross-country trip, that wool will hold up for multiple days.

There is seriously no reason to bring a fresh ‘fit for each day of your trip when merino wool exists.

My strategy is to bring two basic groups of clothing: one gets worn while the other airs out for the day, then you switch and do it again.

This is enough to get me through a five- or six-day trip! (With, of course, extra layers for cool nights and a few extra pairs of undies unless I’m in a very minimalist situation.) Granted, after the fourth or fifth wear, your merino will benefit from a wash.

Wool is super easy to care for.

Just don’t throw it in the dryer!

I hand-wash mine with a few drops of Castile soap (one of my toiletry essentials) in the sink when I’m traveling, or in the delicate cycle of the washing machine at home.

Every six months or so, or after a particularly long/active trip, I’ll give my most-used pieces a good soak with The Laundress’ wool and cashmere shampoo for a deeper clean.

No matter which method I’m using to wash them, the lightweight pieces dry so quickly that by the next day, my wool is ready to go again.

And finally, so important for traveling…

Wool is so packable!

It rolls up into teeny weeny bundles and can squish into packing cubes, but any wrinkles from packing smooth out easily once you start wearing it.

So what do you recommend?

Back in 2019 when I was researching and strategizing our packing list for the Route 66 camper van trip, I landed on the brand Woolx as one of the softest and most quality merino purveyors out there. And we were not disappointed in the least.

Yes, there are other brands: Icebreaker is very soft too, Darn Tough makes miraculous socks, and I’ve heard great things about Woolly. But I keep getting discounts on Woolx so I keep sticking with them!

Overall, my recommendations are to wear lightweight merino (usually about 150g on the warmth rating scale) year-round — on its own in the summer and as a base layer underneath sweaters and sweatshirts in the winter.

But be warned: lighter colors tend to be a little see-through in this weight, so invest in good undergarments or stick to the darker end of the color spectrum.

For the winter, I’ve invested in higher-weight (220g) pieces like long-sleeve shirts, turtlenecks, and leggings.

Hey, I have a discount for you!

For once, I actually have an affiliate link for something.

Click here to get $20 off a purchase of $50 or more at Woolx.

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Oh, you want me to be specific?

OK, this could get embarrassing, but this is what I own, and which I mix and match depending on the situation.

• 4 lightweight crew tees
• 2 lightweight v-neck tees
• 2 tank tops
• 5 lightweight long-sleeve tees
• 2 midweight long-sleeve tees
• 2 midweight turtlenecks
• 2 pairs summer PJs (shorts and crew tee)
• 2 pairs winter PJs
• 4 pairs leggings
• 1 extra pair pajama lounge pants
• hella socks. like, so many socks. I have replaced all of my cotton socks with merino now et je ne regrette rien
• and even 2 dresses!

What don’t I recommend?

There’s a very popular wool clothing brand whose name rhymes with FartDrool and I’m not saying they’re bad, but they are not my favorite in terms of fit or durability.

You’ll also notice I didn’t specifically mention undergarments on my list. Honestly, this has been a bit of a struggle.

I’ve tried a number of merino bras and have felt kind of Goldilocks about the way they all lacked in support in various ways. And the bras I loved the best are now discontinued, so I should have hoarded them when I had the chance!

Historically, I haven’t switched to merino underwear yet because I was so happy with my ExOfficio pairs, but a bunch of those are now reaching the end of their lifespan (TMI?). So it may be time to investigate further.

And I’ll report back with my findings!

How I Make Travel Packing So Much Easier

No matter how short the trip, I always consult my Travel Packing Dashboard in Notion to make sure I have all the travel essentials I need.

Every item I travel with is easily categorized and can be added to a packing list by clicking a checkbox. Undies, socks, PJs, hiking boots, raincoats, motion sickness bands, even my camp skillet — if it has ever come with me on a trip, it’s in the database so I can quickly and easily compile my list again.

I even have space to note which toiletry items I’m running low on so I can do a Target run before we leave. (Note to self: gotta restock the floss.)

You can get your own copy of the Travel Packing Dashboard Notion Template and make your pre-trip planning that much simpler.