When companies ask me if I’ll write up their travel/outdoors clothing, I pretty much put it through the same drill. I never write about the stuff at first blush because while it might be pretty out of the box, it’s got to hold up to my patented test cycle before I come to any conclusions. Okay, there’s no patented test cycle, but typically, I’m not going to tell you that something is awesome before I’ve worn and washed it several times (it’s GOT to be washable), got it plenty sweaty to see if it passes the weird smell test (polypro owners know exactly what I’m talking about), and been stuck in it with nothing else to wear for a long haul flight, stressful meeting, or camping weekend.
By putting the clothing through these paces, I find out a few specific things:
- Is the stuff comfortable in a variety of conditions?
- Does it hold up in the wash?
- Are there any weird characteristics to the material?
I’ll have to be honest and tell you that I’ve yet to meet anything made from Merino wool that I didn’t like. I absolutely think that a set of Merino wool long underwear should be in every travelers bag, regardless of where you’re going. I’ve frozen my butt off in enough supposedly tropical places to not leave home without it.
Joneswares focuses primarily on cycling gear, though cycling gear does great double duty for hiking, camping, and shuffling about the planet. I’m sitting here in their long sleeved base layer top. Their socks are drying on the laundry rack downstairs. The only thing that I’m not getting a lot of use out of is the arm warmers – the weight is just a little too heavy and the wool a little too itchy for me – they need a few more cycles in the wash.
I like arm warmers not just for sports – they are great for photographers because you can get at the controls of your camera and still keep the backs of your hands covered. I also wear them at the keyboard when the mornings are cold. I traded a little email with Jonesware about these – I’d like them to come with thumb loops. The nice folks at Joneswares tells me that they have mixed feedback on that – cyclists don’t want the thumb loops, but others have requested them. I’d get more use out of them with the loops – like I said, I like them for photography in colder weather.
The big thing that sets Joneswares apart is that they do custom work for not that much dough. If you’re short, like I am, it can be hard to find outdoor gear that fits well. Send in your measurements, talk with them, they’ll fix you up but good. This is a real bonus, nothing is quite as annoying as those pants that fit your generous hips but button up right around your solar plexus. Dorktastic!
I’ve gone on and on about the wonders of Merino before. I used to be of the silk base layer school, but it doesn’t last quite as long and isn’t nearly as versatile as Merino wool. Folks who don’t know the material tend to think it’s hot and itchy, but the natural fiber means that it’s rarely too hot (unless you’re in a grounded airplane with broken air conditioning so the vents are blowing hot air) and I’ve never found the base layers itchy after the second or third washing.
I wish I could tell you which brand to buy if you’re shopping for Merino, but honestly, I’m not brand loyal just yet. Ibex and Smart Wool both make terrific Merino gear though the Joneswares gear I’ve been trying out is easily as nice (especially those socks, they are yummy). Joneswares is a small, US based company run by women, if that sort of thing matters to you. I guess what I’m saying is you should get some Merino long underwear for your travel kit (or for the travelers you love). I love the Joneswares Merino gear as much as I love the other brands I’ve tried. If you decide to get your gear through Joneswares, hey, tell them I sent you.
Funny little side story: The folks from Joneswares sent the goods my way, but they stubbornly refused to arrive. Seems our mailman misdelivered the package and the home where it arrived blithely ignored the address and tore right in, possibliy thinking, “Woo hoo, awesome! New Merino wool gear!” It took a while to straighten things out, though now I’m eyeing my neighbors with suspicion whenever a package I’m expecting is delayed.
you know I love merino wool as a baselayer as well. I don’t mind silk for in-the city or even for hiking, for the top, but the bottoms are just not stretchy enough and strong enough to stand up to what I dish out. Maybe I should take more mincing, ladylike steps as I climb up an active volcano, for example?
I have shirts with and without thumbloops. I also have a jacket with internal sleevecuffs that have thumb-slots that can be flipped out. (the cuffs, not the slots), and I find this is a great feature (northland). I don’t know if it would work on the armwarmers though. Keep up the interesting gear reports! I know I’ll check out Joneswares’ stuff.