WoolWeenies Club

[DebW]

I have a new love: Ibex Woolies Sleeveless top. Just got it from TE at 25% off. I love my Woolies long-sleeved top too, but this one I can wear under something else without overheating indoors, or alone in the summer. The Ibex site doesn't have these any more, so maybe I should order a 2nd one from TE?

[OakLeaf]

maybe I should order a 2nd one from TE?

Of course you should. If you only have one, what do you wear when it's drying?

Behold the power of wool:

It was between 35-40°F for yesterday's ride, so I wore my SmartWool crew as a base layer, a synthetic jersey over that, and my PI Vagabond II jacket on the outside. This morning the jerseys were dry enough to throw in the laundry pile, so I gave them a sniff before tossing them down the chute.

The jersey I had on over the wool positively reeks. I'm sure the jacket could use a washing too. I'd already worn the SW once for hanging around the house, but even though it was the closest layer to my skin, it still doesn't smell. Amazing.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

The jersey I had on over the wool positively reeks. I'm sure the jacket could use a washing too. I'd already worn the SW once for hanging around the house, but even though it was the closest layer to my skin, it still doesn't smell. Amazing.

I notice this all the time! If I wear just polyester jersey...it smells afterwards.
If I wear a merino wool base layer and a polyester jersey over it...the wool base layer doesn't smell at all but the poly jersey still smells!
Apparently the teeny bacteria that multiply and cause underarm sweat to smell just don't like the environment of wool- they don't breed and multiply in it much. But when they get into other fabrics they have a field day and multiply like mad....and then smell. Armpit bacteria does not multiply easily in wool- that's why wool can be worn quite a few times before it gets any odor under the arms.

[Biciclista]

poor raleighdon loves wool but can't wear it next to his skin. so he wears these capilene things that stink upon contact underneath the wool.
phew!

[Cataboo]

I really don't get all that much smell with wool or with capilene (although, I do have vast quantities of capilene underwear and I always wonder if a fabric that is supposed to hold scents is really the best thing for me to be wearing for underwear.... but I digress)...

But how does the new capilene or the synthetics that have silver impregnated in them to stop microbial growth do in comparison to the old stuff? It's been a while since I've bought nonwool to try.