Skiing/snowboarding puts high demands on our clothing and equipment, as it's not just the temperature in the mountains that can fluctuate, but our activity level too. Our clothes need to keep us warm when we're sitting still in a cold lift on the way up the mountain, and at the same time let the heat out when we run fast down the mountain and start to sweat. At the same time, we need to be able to move freely, be light and flexible, and most importantly, be comfortable all day long. It's not an easy task.
But merino wool can do just that. Read below to the exact reasons why merino wool is so great for skiing.
1. It keeps you warm and dry
The natural temperature-regulating properties of wool really comes in handy on skiing vacation, due to the constant shift between high activity and standstill. Merino wool warms better than synthetic materials In fact, even when damp, wool retains its insulating properties as it can absorb up to 35% of its own weight without feeling damp. That means you won't feel cold and chilled when you're sitting still in the lift, just after you've run fast down the slopes and worked up a sweat.
2. You won't smell
Part of the charm of being on a ski holiday is wearing the same clothes the whole week. But that can sometimes become less of a pleasure at the end of the week, when the smell of sweat start to come of - I think we have all tried to wear synthetic ski underwear that quickly smells like you've run a marathon.
This is where merino wool comes in handy. Merino wool contains lanolin, which is antibacterial and this means you won't start to smell like sweat. You can easily wear the same set of long wool underwear all week long if you just make sure to hang it to dry in the evening so it's ready to use the next morning.
3. It doesn't itch
A lot of your typical ski underwear tends to scratch when it is used as the inner layer directly against the skin. Unlike a lot of wool, our fine merino wool is super soft and very comfortable against the skin and does not itch or irritate.
4. It keeps its shape and form
Ski underwear tend to lose its shape after one or two days of wear, and then it will have loose knees and look scruffy. Merino wool will keep its form and look nice all week long. Which leads us to the last advantage
5. Nice enough to wear to dinner and afterski as well
Another advantage of wearing LOOW instead of typical skiing underwear is that it is nice enough to wear to dinner in the restaurant at night as well, and not to formal for the afterski when you throw off your jacket. This means you can pack less.
Remember, layering is key!
Now that we have established the many great reasons to wear merino wool when skiing, we have to look at how to wear it. The best way to make sure that you'll keep warm, be comfortable and still retain the right functionality is by using the layering technique. Layering your clothing allows for a lot of tempering. You can take layers off and on throughout the day, zip them down the neck or under the sleeves of your shell jacket, and replace inner and mid layers that are too warm with thinner alternatives.
See how to best layer for you skiing vacation right here.
