Merino Wool or synthetics as a base layer?

I've been climbing for over 30 years now and have seen product fads and new technology come and go...but wool and synthetics are a staple here in the Northeast. Just wanted to toss this question out to my fellow climbers and winter outdoor enthusiasts:

Which is your winter baselayer preference, Merino wool or synthetics?

I like both for different conditions. Wool for when it's below 25 and/or I'm camping. I like that wool doesn't stink and stays warm when wet. I wear Synthetic shirts and pants when it's warm out. I feel less clammy in something like Pat's cap 1.

I do the same as Bill. A light synthetic shirt for hot summer days when I'm going to be generating a lot of sweat, and thin merino wool for everything else.

Merino.

Tim Lutz wrote:synthetic for sweat merino for non-sweat

Frigging love your Profile pic!!! lmao

Hands down Merino Wool....

I used to hike in in a cotton tee shirt to routes, winter or summer then put the soaked tee shirt into my pack and put on a different top.

Now I just hike in in the merino wool tee shirt and in our dry environment inn the west it dries out in no time and remains mostly my base layer

Tim Lutz wrote:thanks. Trying to keep up with Killis Howard, but haven't seen a post from her in a long time.

I'm pretty sure Killis posts all the time - new "anonymous" user name.

Tim Lutz wrote:synthetic for sweat merino for non-sweat

Nailed it. I use both, but while we all know "wool is warm when it's wet" I find it equally true that "wool is wet when it's wet" i.e. it takes hours to dry on me. Wicking polyester is dry before I'm done with the next pitch. So if the approach is long and steep, the wool stays home.

IMO wool baselayers are overrated.

Synthetics generally dry faster, wick better, are much more durable, and are a lot cheaper. Even for this gear whore it's tough to spend $100+ on a merino baselayer that tears fairly easily.

I can't imagine an activity where you're not sweating at some point during the day (climbing, biking, running, BC skiing etc). Unless you're looking for a base layer to watch football, moisture management is a priority. You can't change layers every 10 minutes so at some point during the day you'll be a little hot and and some point you'll be a bit cold. The sweat/non-sweat thing doesn't make much sense to me.

The only advantage I can see to wool is that it smells less. I honestly could care less (maybe my partners would disagree). For day use it's a non-issue. I've used synthetic baselayers for plenty of week long skiing hut trips. You smell a bit during the day. Big deal. Change at the hut. Everyone is in the same boat. If you're camping and can't afford the weight of a change of clothes, I can assure you you won't be the only stinky member of the party.

Jim Amidon wrote: I used to hike in in a cotton tee shirt to routes, winter or summer then put the soaked tee shirt into my pack and put on a different top.

The OP might be the only one to get the humor but... Lucky Luke?

I agree with Mike McL. I have a few Merino tees. My wife prefers that I climb in them because they don't smell, but they are filled with holes! Once while belaying, I got a sunburn through the giant hole in my merino.

I've had synthetic tees that look way better despite being much older. For climbing (especially full body trad) I think synthetic is the way to go.

Wool for sure. Synthetics just itch for some reason. Bleccch.

Wool for sitting at home by a cozy fire cannot beat the comfort of wool, but outdoors always synthetic for the fast drying which equals warmth in my book.

Synthetic-fast drying is paramount and at least in my own experience, wool doesn't do well on that score.

Sometimes I'll wear a synthetic t-shirt under my wool top, it's really helpful for wicking. For multi day trips hands down wool, unless I'm wearing my pataguci R1, nothing beats that thing

I prefer wool at all times even if it dries slower. It is comfier. On multi day trips, wool for sure as synthetics stink!

Wool always. I wear wool year round for everything. Must be my body chemistry or something, but anything synthetic will instantly stink on me. And I've found that 150 weight wool dries out reasonably fast. I've done the synthetic thing - I'll never go back.

Edit - funny - I'm sitting in front of the fire right now after splitting and stacking wood all afternoon. Reading Kor's book and what am I wearing? Merino. And what does my shirt have in it? Holes.

Always wool.

Not sure where this idea that wool doesn't manage moisture well comes from. I frequently wear a wool baselayer in the *summer*, and wool socks 365.

Overweight or old person or not much of a sweater: wool

Otherwise: synthetic

Wool doesn't dry fast, but doesn't stink. Synthetics dry fast but stink. I wear a really thin wool t-shirt as a base layer and put synthetics over it as needed, usually my piton hoody if its cold. The thin wool shirt is enough to keep the true stink down and still dries fairly fast since the thin layer cant asborb much sweat in the first place.

The thing to remember here is dont wear THICK wool when you will sweat, which is pretty much every trip as a climber. Thick wool sucks, dont use it for insulation.

I have been using both, main problem I have with wool is when rock climbing the arms get full of holes. So save the smart wool for alpine and use more tough synth. for rock.