I will start by saying I have sensitive skin. I have never liked wool because it is itchy and scratchy. This goes for suits, sweaters, and base layers. For camping, this is not ideal since wool is a great material for a lot of reasons. I have tried Smartwool base layers a few times over the years and have always returned them because they are itchy to me. I try them on for 10-15 minutes and it is not comfortable. I have never stuck with a merino wool base and use synthetics instead, which I find better (Patagonia Capilene and REI Midweight). I would like to use merino (same/little bit better performance and better smelling) but cannot get past the texture itch.
I just tried a Smartwool beanie and gaiter on a 20-minute walk. The gaiter I took off, too itchy on my neck and face. The beanie was okay since it sits on hair, but I could feel it on my forehead. Don’t think I would do it for an entire day of camping.
So here is the question: has anyone else who found merino wool itchy felt it got better/to a comfortable place after washing/multiple washings? I am thinking about testing this with the gaiter to see if it can solve the itch factor and open up a lot of options, material-wise. I know this is a ME thing; every review and people I know describe them as so soft and comfortable, just to me it is not.
You are not going to get more wool tolerant with time, nor is it going to get better with washing. Smartwool is the least itchy wool there is, so if you can’t stand it, you’re not going to like anything else either.
There are polyester/wool blends you could try. Lifa makes wool with polypropylene on the inside, which wicks great and is very warm, but that doesn’t solve the stink problem.
@Noor
I think it actually can get better with washing if your issue is lanolin. Lanolin can cause an allergic reaction (itchy rash generally) and it is present in wool but does wash away. I find my merino is the most itchy when I get it and it gets better over time and I do seem to react to lanolin. I don’t think it works 100% of the time, and if it’s a sensory issue instead of a lanolin issue, washing wouldn’t do anything, but it could help some people.
@Lyric
The usual source of wool itch is microscopic scales on the wool fibers. The Superwash process (Smartwool and similar) removes the scales and coats the fiber with a polymer.
I’m with you. Wool is itchy as fuck on me, and Smartwool is no exception.
However, I’ve found Icebreaker to be far more comfortable. Smartwool is the default go-to for Americans because it’s an American brand, but Icebreaker has been consistently less itchy for me and generally been higher quality too.
If Icebreaker is still too itchy for you, which it can be for me in the warmer months, look into Le Bent. They do merino/bamboo blends. Their thermals/base layers are every bit as good as the best Smartwool and Icebreaker have to offer, but they are incredibly soft and comfortable. Despite their high merino content, I’ve never felt a second of itch in them.
@Nico
Agreed, Le Bent is less itchy because of the bamboo. IME it’s less warm, and their customer service is horrendous - I would own a lot more Le Bent if it were not for their CS.
I’ve managed to get used to wool socks, of all things, but nothing else. The beanie I find gets even itchier when I get hot and my forehead is a little sweaty, and the gaiter when the back of my neck is hot.
I hate that I’m adding to the microplastics of the world by using synthetics, but I just cannot do wool. If I could afford it I would try alpaca wool though; it seems so soft!
I kind of don’t like wool for sensory reasons, but no merino product that I’ve tried has ever been itchy. It has always been the softest of soft, softer than a fairy’s fart.
I have a slight intolerance to wool, and I personally cannot wear it around my face. No wool hats, and no wool neck gaiters or scarves. I can wear it for everything else though. I find mittens and socks totally fine, and shirt and pants sometimes I find a little itchy, but it does get better for me over time and with washing. I’ve personally had the best luck with Smartwool socks, but Icebreaker shirts and long underwear.
Hmm… try other wools? Like alpaca? It might just be the texture, but consider that low-level allergies can also result in skin irritation without many other symptoms. I am allergic to sheep’s wool, and people kept telling me ‘it’s just texture that makes it itchy, try merino,’ but nope. Turns out, allergic.
Sorry to hear that. If you find something that works, a brand or different fabric, come back and let us know. You aren’t the only one and this is an issue that hasn’t been solved a hundred times. The answer would add to the collective knowledge.
I used to hate merino wool, but over the last few years have purchased a few things from Smartwool and Icebreaker, and both are soft and not even remotely itchy.
