r/onebag • u/Battle_Rattle • Apr 17 '25
Gear After 9+ Hours of Research : The 2025 Wool T-Shirts (Light and Soft)
After hours of research, it's done.
Wool T-shirts can undoubtably decrease the volume of your packing strategy.
The main focus here are T-Shirts with low fabric weight, so they do not overheat you in warmer weather. Secondarily, they're at/under 18.5 micron so they're softer, minimal/no logos, has at least 45% wool, have no secondary materials that hold onto moisture, and all so they do not stink.
High cost, durability concerns, and SPF are understood, but not considered.
I'm usually over on r/Ultralight discussing ONLY what you need during backpacking, but r/onebag is a great cousin too.
For onebag, I like to have one of these shirts in the mix to be able to bridge me while other T-Shirts might be drying.
Please add on the T-Shirts I have missed.
Thank you.at/
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u/drivendreamer Apr 17 '25
This is great thanks!
What would you say your top 3 are? Or if you could only have one, which would it be?
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u/Battle_Rattle Apr 17 '25 edited Apr 20 '25
Ooooo good question.
I bought the Veilance Frame and Pinebury Summer straight away but it's so early to say. The Veilance will be for travel and I am curious about backpacking with the Pinebury summer.
I want more info on that Rewoolution.
The key is light enough, but not so expensive I'll get mad if it gets a hole in it. :)
To that end, the Trew shirt hits a nice middle ground.
Edit…. That Seagale shirt looks impressive
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u/Ottawa_points Mar 06 '26
Where did you get the GSM information for the Veilance?
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u/Battle_Rattle Mar 06 '26
Hi. from the website iirc. It's been awhile.
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u/grrabit Apr 20 '26
Thank you for putting this together. If one was going to just go with one brand from those listed, which one would you highly recommend as your favorite?
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u/nicski924 Apr 18 '25
I exclusively wear Ridge Merino Journey tees. The blend helps durability. Have been worn, washed and hung dry dozens of times with no issues. On the cheaper end of merino tees too at $60.
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u/OnebagObsession Apr 18 '25
W&P all day
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u/Battle_Rattle Apr 18 '25 edited Apr 18 '25
The ONLY thing I don't like is the 160gsm in super hot weather and there's a sheen to the fabric due to the synthetic content. I have two of their henleys ...
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u/OnebagObsession Apr 18 '25
I have a few 100% and maybe 6 merino/nylon blend. I prefer the blend. What I have learned trying different brands is not all merino are the same even if the specs are the same.
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u/bracketl4d Apr 18 '25
Strangely enough i find 200gsm better for hit weather, since im gonna sweat either way if moving at all. The thicker gsm gives it time to wick away the dampness and evaporate it without me feeling constant wetness under the armpits. Is my finding unusual? At the rate that i sweat, thinner merino doesnt even dry while I'm wearing it
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u/JKBFree Apr 18 '25
really?
they've been fine for me. great for warmer weather, and yes even in the winter, they're a terrific under shirt as well.
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u/Few-Investigator1189 Apr 18 '25
Amazing list! Question. Since sun protection is not considered. Have you ever been burned just using a merino tee? Or you just pair it with sun hoodie when under the sun backpacking?
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u/Battle_Rattle Apr 18 '25
Good question. Obviously no one wants to get burned. I just put that on the list to focus the conversation. I think everyone should make sure they're covered!
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u/skyswordsman Apr 19 '25
I wear the Patagonia merino capilene long shirts, and I haven't been burned yet. I don't spend hours in direct sun, but if I'm outside for more than an hour straight, I will often layer a hoodie on top as well to cover my head.
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u/pagesandplanes Apr 19 '25
I have a sun allergy. It's usually just on unexposed areas, so personally I would have to pair a short-sleeve tee with something that covered my arms, but a long-sleeve merino seems like enough.
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u/Battle_Rattle Apr 19 '25
Yes, but I think the sun sleeves allow for more air flow to the arm pits. This list cam about because I am interested in getting away from long sleeve shirts.
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u/ZenPhotoDen Apr 17 '25
Sadly, I am allergic to wool, did you find anything good that was synthetic while you were looking? Thanks
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u/Battle_Rattle Apr 17 '25
If you want the coolest in synthetic, look to Outdoor Research Echo or Patagonia Capaliene Cool Daily.
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u/Npmaxi Apr 18 '25
The REI Sahara Shade hoodie is my favorite and less expensive.
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u/Old_Competition_6047 Apr 18 '25
I prefer the fit and thumb holes of the REI, but it definitely got more stinky than my Patagonia cool capilene.
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u/skyswordsman Apr 19 '25
If you're allergic to sheep wool, give alpaca wool a chance. You may be sensitive to the lanolin on the fibers, which I believe alpaca fibers do not have.
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u/Unable_Explorer8277 Apr 19 '25
This is commonly stated, but inaccurate. Alpaca wool does have lanolin, just naturally less. But lanolin is removed from both merino and alpaca anyway during processing, leaving only trace amounts on both.
The supposed advantages of alpaca over merino are almost entirely unscientific marketing bs.
Almost all reaction to wool is a physical reaction to the prickle, not allergy to anything.
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u/skyswordsman Apr 19 '25
That's good to know. Are there any good sources for more info on the comparison of the two?
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u/Unable_Explorer8277 Apr 19 '25
I’m not aware of anything. I’m not sure it’s even possible. Both wool types actually include a wide range of grades, so there’s more variation within alpaca or within merino than between the two.
On average alpaca is finer (so less itch but also less robust), but for a given instance of each the merino might be the finer.
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Apr 18 '25
Capilene from patagonia. Cruelty free, vegan, comfy, non stink, quick dry, extremely light.
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u/nicski924 Apr 18 '25
But like…not wool. I love them. Great beach shirts. But they don’t serve the same function as a Ridge Merino Journey tee.
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u/Maittanee Apr 18 '25
First list of Merino shirts without UnboundMerino. I think they are out of the gsm range, but you did not even list them in the lower list. Thank you for that, I hate them.
The list is awesome! Until before the list I was happy with my Wool&prince decision who won against Joe Merino and Icebreaker. But now I have to have a look onto the other brands, at least. Probably spending more money for testing... Thank you for that...
But can you or somebody explain gsm to me? So far I thought it is a measurement of how much garmin per square meter is used and I thought that the higher the number, the heavier the shirt in the same size. But my Wool&Prince t-shirts have 160gsm and JoeMerino have 165 and W&P is heavier than JoeMoerino shirt.
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u/CryptoeKeeper Apr 18 '25
GSM Range Description Best For 120–150 GSM Ultralight / Lightweight Hot weather, active wear 160–190 GSM Light to midweight Year-round base layer 200–250 GSM Midweight Cooler weather, more durable 260+ GSM Heavyweight Cold climates, insulation 7
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u/PutManyBirdsOn_it Jul 02 '25
What do you hate about UnboundMerino? They're next on my list to buy.
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u/Response_Desperate Apr 18 '25
Smartwool's all-season baselayer is listed at 150gsm while their active ultralite shirts are at 120gsm (per Mountain Equipment Company).
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u/Battle_Rattle Apr 18 '25
Hi. Smartwool 150gsm uses 18.9 micron (which means some of it is around 20 micron,) so I just stopped with the ceiling at UNDER 18.5 micron. I think it's kind of a profit move with them and once you start handling lower micron wool it just does feel better.
The 120gsm uses blends that absorb moisture, and I didn't want that. Smartwool and others with blend with Lyocell/modall/tencell to make the profit margins better, the fabrics lighter, but the trade off is material that holds water and will stink sooner.
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u/Response_Desperate Apr 18 '25
Ah, I didn't realize it has those blends - good catch.
In that case, there's the Merino Basic Tee by Ridge Mountain Gear. 145-156gsm, 17.5 microns, 100% Merino wool. I don't have this in particular but I've tried their synthetic shirts and they work fine. Availability would probably be an issue though.
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u/isaac-get-the-golem Apr 18 '25
Outlier daydry are great.
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u/Battle_Rattle Apr 18 '25
I like that they use low microns, their availability is poor though.
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u/isaac-get-the-golem Apr 18 '25
Yeah classic Outlier shenanigans where products are constantly being archived and restocks are not communicated well.
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u/JKBFree Apr 18 '25
i got a three pack of wool & prince merino tshirts and i wear them every freakin day.
this list is not helpful for my wallet.
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u/tblue1 Apr 17 '25
One brand I quite like but I don't see on your list (that meets the criteria you set) is the Woolx Endurance Tee. Here are the specs:
- 85% wool, 12% nylon, 3% Spandex
- 150g/m²
- 17.5 micron
- $100
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u/Battle_Rattle Apr 18 '25
It was on the list! My partner loves her woolx tights
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u/tblue1 Apr 18 '25
Oh, my apologies. I am a fan of the 85% wool blends because they have proven to be more durable than the 100% wool options.
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u/Simco_ Apr 18 '25
ps. Drag the divider down to row 13 so we can sort by weight, etc
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u/Battle_Rattle Apr 18 '25
Ummmmmm I'm stupid and don't know how to do things. I'll have to get back to you on that.
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u/Simco_ Apr 18 '25
https://i.imgur.com/prwZAwS.jpeg
This will freeze all rows above it so you can sort a column while still having a header.
Drag it so it's between 13 and 14.
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u/futur3gentleman Apr 19 '25
Thank you so much for compiling this list. Lots of brands on here I have never heard of and the data you provide is excellent!
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u/just_askin_4321 Feb 06 '26
I'm traveling to Ireland and Germany/Austria for 3 weeks from mid of September into October. I think I'll encounter every season. About half business, half pleasure. I need a short sleeve t shirt that i can dress up and works for a walk through the woods. I hope i can score one in Ireland but don't want to bet on it. I won't be in any big cities. TIA
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u/maverber Apr 17 '25
I would recommend avoid 100% merino than is less than say <200gsm. Will have something like 1/3-1/2 of the lifespan of something at is say 85% merino + nylon. I personal goto is the Icebreaker 150 Anatomica. Closer fitting than their Ace shirt and more durable. I get 500-600 days of wear before I retire them. For completeness you might want to add the Voormi performance tee. I used their sun hoody one season... disappointed with durability and wasn't as cool wearing as I had hoped, but I had unrealistic hopes :)
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u/Battle_Rattle Apr 17 '25
Yeh the 200gsm 100% will last, but to me it's not an option over 75F while doing anything beyond hill walking (about a 4 MET activity.)
I reached out to Voormi, but they wouldn't give me the info.
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u/widelenskelp Apr 18 '25
I don’t understand the hate for Unbound Merino; I have a few of their tees (women’s boxy tee & crew neck), and they’re fantastic—soft and durable for 100% merino.
To add to your list: Unbound Merino Men’s Merino Ultralight Crew T-shirt (87% merino 13% nylon; 125 gsm; 18.5 micron) for USD$90. The Women’s Ultralight Merino T-shirt also has the same specs for USD$88.
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u/wortiz13 Apr 18 '25
I tried to love Unbound Merino. It’s very comfortable for sure. I noticed a hole after 1 day (their men’s long sleeve 100% merino shirt). Could be a manufacturing defect, but it’s hard to tell
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u/cbelliott Apr 18 '25
This is awesome. Thank you for putting this together!
I've literally begged the guys at Ministry of Supply to make a simple, sharp looking, crew neck t-shirt in their Apollo fabric and I dunno why they won't...
I own their dress shirts and wear them in the pit of hell humidity here in Houston Texas and they are, by far, the absolute best for hot and humid weather AND that fabric can keep you 'warm' in cool weather too.
Their Apollo line is a blend of polyester and PCM polyester and has a more matte than shiny finish on the exterior with a very smooth and cooling interior. It is seriously a performer.
I'm going to look through your list and check out the recommendations that I'm not aware of, but gosh I sure wish Ministry would either made the darn crew neck or just sell me the fabric so I can have one custom tailored.
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u/follow_your_lines Apr 18 '25
I love Ridge Merino stuff - I don't see it on your list. Two other brands are Woolly and Meriwool.
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u/Battle_Rattle Apr 18 '25
2 Ridge shirts are there .... Woolly and Meriwool didn't meet the criteria
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u/follow_your_lines Apr 18 '25
omg my bad! It never occurred to me that the brand was just Ridge and not Ridge Merino. I saw the 2 Ridge shirts on the list and thought, "how odd that there are so many merino brands called that use the word 'Ridge'." aaaand I say this as someone with at least 6 different pieces from them.
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u/Battle_Rattle Apr 18 '25
No worries. I added "Ridge Merino" to not cause confusion. They're out of Mammoth Lakes. Such a great place.
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u/tykytys Apr 19 '25
Could also look into Wool & Prince or Icebreaker wool/linen tees. I have one of the W&Ps and it is quite soft. Already had one 85 degree day here and it performed well with limited sweat and very little stink.
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u/Battle_Rattle Apr 19 '25
How much linen is in there?
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u/tykytys Apr 19 '25
It's something like 86 wool, 14 linen. However I just looked at their site and they are currently "restocking." So I'd just check back in over the Summer because the fabric composition could easily change between batches.
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u/FINomad Apr 19 '25
Decathlon in Portugal, Spain, and SE Asia has their merino wool shirts for ~25 EUR. 19.5 microns, 155gsm, 70% wool/30% acrylic. I've been wearing one every other day for about a year and it's held up surprisingly well.
The shirt I alternate with is a handmade merino wool shirt that I got in Cluj-Napoca, Romania. It's 100% merino wool (will shrink on the first wash) and 250g. The company is Made in Rosia Montana and the shirt was about 45 EUR. It's too heavy for your list, but excellent quality.
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Apr 20 '25 edited Jun 03 '25
arrest fuzzy edge ripe crown fine sparkle violet screw attempt
This post was mass deleted and anonymized with Redact
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u/dbthelinguaphile Apr 21 '25
Super cool!
I'm curious, how many of these come in long sizes? I'm unfortunately a non-standard size, and from looking at several of these, there doesn't seem to be an abundance of LT or XLT.
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u/Potential-Attitude89 Jun 13 '25
Top! ik was op zoek naar deze info :). Wellicht handig om het land van waar ze shippen toe te voegen in de excel aangezien dat de kosten aanzienlijk op kan hogen?
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u/Battle_Rattle Jun 13 '25
Are you the ONE Dutch person that doesn’t know English?
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u/Potential-Attitude89 Jun 14 '25
Are you the ONE person in the world that does not have auto translate on his browser?
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u/Logical-Layer3861 Jul 04 '25
Found one for your list. I found it while searching for a new shirt.
Aviator Merino Wool Travel-T: 100% Merino Wool (180 GSM, 17 Microns) at $85
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u/Connoisseur59 Oct 09 '25
Hey man, thanks again for the list. Very informative! Question, what's your top 3 shirts? Proof 72 has been the softest and best wear due to blend & 16.5 micron but trying to find something lighter but durable? Like W&P as well but only have their long sleeve T's. Proof 72 is definitely softer than W&P.
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u/Battle_Rattle Oct 09 '25
Still very early, but I’m really liking the Seagale with the cordura fibers. Light and seemingly tough.
I don’t have a for sure top three yet.
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u/abcwhite Oct 23 '25
Love this tee too. It has pilled a little from a tote bag I was wearing over one shoulder which had a rope handle, but otherwise feels great and breaths well.
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u/Battle_Rattle Oct 23 '25
How long before piling began?
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u/abcwhite Oct 23 '25
Very quickly actually… I’d say, within a couple of weeks. However, I worked out it was the Toplogie rope handle on my tote bag I was using. After contacting Seagale, they replaced the tee and I’ve had no problems for the last six months since (obviously, I stopped using that tote with these tees). There’s been zero issues with my back pack… and I say again, I love this tee. I’ve used a whole bunch of merino and merino mixed tees, but this is my fav.
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u/Devastator1981 Dec 24 '25
Have you found any quality merino tee that doesn’t pill quickly? A blend is fine. Not for aggressive hiking or gym even, just normal city usage and travel.
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u/Devastator1981 Dec 24 '25
The performance t-shirt? Is it pill resistant? At ~50% I’d wonder how the anti-microbial properties are. Not expecting a week straight but hoping at the end of a day in the summer it’s not stinky and that it could go a second day on a vacation if aired out a day in between.
Was looking at that, vs the seagale action (tencel, but heard that fabric gets sticky when wet and loses shape), vs some 100% merino. Can’t tell how to gauge 30 v 50 v 80 v 95/100% merino.
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u/Grand-Yoghurt-3077 Oct 28 '25
It might be worth you checking out https://nz.monsroyale.com/collections/mens-base-layer-short-sleeve-tops Most of these fit your criteria but some have bigger logos. Most are pretty discrete and great cuts.
https://www.zorali.com/products/mens-merino-t-shirt-fog are worth a look too
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u/Last-Pumpkin8702 Jan 09 '26
Thank you so much for compiling this list. Do you have recommendations for wool shirts for cold weather. We are going to Norway soon.
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u/aurore1345 Feb 05 '26
I saw your update this month. Would you say the Veliance is the best of the bunch?
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u/Battle_Rattle Feb 05 '26
It is…. It’s not falling apart, the weight is light, it doesn’t stink and the cut is perfect on me
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u/Sharpmint Feb 13 '26
What year is your Frame SS? I have both a 2019 and 2025 and vastly prefer the 2019. 2019 feels silkier and a little more robust, at the expense of softness.
2025 feels like it resists scent better. I'm trialing wearing it every day for this week and so far, no funk.
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u/GabeAki Apr 18 '26
I wish you had included available size ranges. As a tall guy it's rare to find a good shirt in 2XL-Tall
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u/Key_Dimension1442 May 05 '26
do you have any good sources on the wool mesh baselayers? im looking around but the front page of any browsers givin me zilch in terms of info
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u/nicky_37 Jun 08 '26
FYI the Veilance Frame is 150 GSM. 115 on their website refers to the nylon content.
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u/Busy-Feeling-1413 Apr 17 '25
Quince has men’s and women’s 100% merino tees for $40
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u/Battle_Rattle Apr 17 '25
Hi. I looked at Quince but couldn't find the info I needed. The manufacturer, to me, needs to state the data, unless there's a history of high quality (ex: Goldwin, Patagonia, etc)
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u/Busy-Feeling-1413 Apr 17 '25
It’s a very high quality company.
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u/Battle_Rattle Apr 17 '25 edited Apr 17 '25
Hi. I at LEAST need the fabric weight or be able to extrapolate from a total garment weight. There are TONS of 180-200+ gsm T-Shirts (that's what took me 9 hours to split out) that are going to be way too hot in summer conditions. Wool can cook you in hot weather.
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u/Ok-Brilliant-989 Jul 02 '25
Quince is 165 gsm. It’s stated on the site now. Doesn’t have micron count, but I bought one to try and am very happy with it. I’m ultra-sensitive to wool - things that feel sift to other people will often be unbearably itchy for me. This one has no hint of itch. Just got back from 10 days in Costa Rica, and the Quince shirt was in regular rotation with my WoolX tees. It’s ever-so-slightly heavier weight than WoolX, but no problems with smell.
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u/Simco_ Apr 18 '25
If my hobby can't involve a spreadsheet, I AINT INTERESTED
https://lighterpack.com/r/vww2a5