By Tracy from ioMerino
With your big adventure not far away, chances are you’re starting to think things like “Holy heck, what have I gotten myself into?” (something I’ve been known to think before some of my big hikes and runs!) and probably “What on earth am I gonna wear?”
Well, I can’t help you with the first one, but I might be able to give you a few clues with the "what to wear" thing. And despite what you might think, I’m not even gonna tell you to buy ioMerino stuff. Instead, I’ll give you a helpful little checklist of things to consider and you can decide which ones are most important to you, and go from there.
Something good for warm or cool weather.
The main thing you want is something that’ll keep you comfortable no matter what mother nature dishes up. And there’s nothing like natural merino for that. It’s why search and rescue teams and all the best adventurers wear it. It keeps you warm when it’s cold, will help keep you warm even if you’re damp from rain or sweat, and also helps prevent you from overheating when it warms up.
Wearing merino means you don’t have to worry so much about different gear for different weather. Merino does it all, and without being bulky. A lightweight top can deliver a ridiculous amount of temperature regulating ‘insulation’ and comfort. Synthetic thermals aren’t bad either and are usually cheaper, but can be a bit sweaty and stinky and are essentially ‘plastic’, so are terrible for the environment.
(HINT: A long sleeve zip merino top is a good option because it gives you even more flexibility! I usually wear my merino T-shirt at a cold start line and then it’s still comfortable later when I warm up so I don’t have to worry about wearing extra things, then taking them off and carrying them!)
Something naturally comfortable.
My skin can be hyper sensitive so this one’s really important to me, and again, natural merino is actually really great for this. Some people think merino will will be itchy, but the good stuff is more like silk than wool. It’s soft, feels amazing next to your skin, is breathable, moisture wicking, and stink-free as well!
Just be aware, not all merino brands use the good stuff, some use lower quality wool or even cheaper blends, so make sure you find out how much merino is in your merino top (don’t go for anything that’s less than 50% merino!) and read the reviews or ask around. Some synthetic tops feel nice when you first touch them, but when you’ve been wearing them for a while can get a bit icky. Good clothes mean one less thing to worry about when you’re out there.
(Obviously ioMerino only uses the best merino and doesn’t ever do cheap blends!)
Something you can send back.
Trying stuff on in a shop is nice for fit, but it doesn’t give you a real feel for what something’s going to be like out in real world conditions. Which is why it’s nice if you can get a no conditions returns guarantee. So you can wear it out and about, really get a feel for it, then still send it back if you decide it’s not suitable for what you want or you simply don’t like it for literally any reason at all.
(Hint: ioMerino let you do that even after you’ve worn it for up to 60 days! if you don’t love it as much as we say you will you can just send it back so you don’t get stuck with something you don’t really like.)
Wear it before the big day.
And one last piece of advice, don’t wait til the last minute to grab something without having had a chance to really put it through its paces before the big day. Buy it, wear it, wash it, wear it again, wear it on a warm day, wear it on a cool day, wear it with your pack, really give it a good test run. Or test hike. The last thing you want is to get in to your hike on the day and find out the seams are digging in to your shoulders with the weight of your pack, or it’s not as comfortable as you might hope.
My personal favourites.
When I do these events I wear the Altitude Undies, Pace Compression Leggings, Pace Sports Bra, no show socks with sneakers or hiking socks with boots, and an Ultra T-shirt if it’s mild and Ultra Zip if it’s cooler. And I’m more than happy to answer any questions personally if you want to email us.
Just so you know, ioMerino is owned by a sixth generation Australian wool family, and makes everything from high performance socks and undies, to merino compression leggings, T-shirts, tops and accessories like gloves, neck warmers and beanies.
ioMerino are a proud supporter of Coastrek.
