The Greatest Merino Wool Shirts of 2023

Why You Should Trust Us

Us folks at GearJunkie have been dyed-in-the-wool fans of merino since well, forever. Merino wool has been the premium activewear textile of choice for many GearJunkie testers, and we’ve used shirts made from the material for years. In order to find the best merino wool shirts, we raided our closets, pulled out our most trusted tops, and put them to work.

On top of that, we also surveyed the market for the latest and greatest merino wool options — finding new technologies like Nuyarn — and added them into the mix.

Our testers included outdoors folk from across the country, who hit the hills and trails decked out in merino in order to test fit, comfort, style, and durability. We paid special attention to finding layers that had a perfect balance of the softness of merino while still maintaining some strength over the long run.

Buyer’s Guide: How to Choose a Merino Wool Shirt

100% Merino or Merino Blend?

This one is a personal preference. That said, there are certain things that 100% merino wool is hands-down good at. First, 100% merino wool provides a more next-to-skin feel than a merino blend, especially those that have a higher synthetic content. Second, merino wool offers natural antibacterial, UV protection, and moisture-wicking properties that synthetics don’t naturally have.

However, when it comes to a merino blend, there are certain beneficial features, such as tending to be cheaper and easily outlasting their more fragile counterparts.

If you want a merino layer for hiking, hunting, or just spending time outside, consider all the uses 100% merino wool has to offer. And if you’re investing in a merino shirt for, say, a rugged backpacking trip or rock climbing, or if durability is of high importance, then go for a merino blend.

Also, if you are brand new to merino and just want to try it out and see what all the fuss is about, a merino blend can be a bit more wallet-friendly the first time around.

Polyester: Polyester is a manmade material that has much better dry times than merino wool and resists shrinking in the wash — something merino wool struggles with. A blend can offer a textile with components that complement each other so you end up with a garment that works for many situations.

Most merino wool shirts tend to use as high of a percentage of merino wool as they can get away with while still receiving the benefits of polyester. We prefer at least 75% merino wool in our blended fabrics. In our testing, it was no surprise the 100% merino shirts were the softest of the bunch.

Nylon: Another manmade fiber, nylon can add impressive durability to fabric blends. Garments like the Ridge Merino Journey Merino Wool Shirt incorporate a percentage of nylon into their weave and gain strength in return.

Technologies like the Nuyarn used in the KUIU ULTRA Merino 120 LT SS Crew-T draft merino wool around a nylon core in order to offer the benefits of nylon while avoiding compressing the merino wool.

TENCEL Lyocell: A branded fiber that comes from the pulp of eucalyptus trees, Lyocell is similar to rayon in construction but offers a highly sustainable process where both solvent and water are recycled during the weaving.

Garments that use Lyocell in their blends have high-strength properties due to the high tenacity of the fabric.

Thickness and Weight

Another important aspect to consider when shopping for a merino wool layer is thickness and weight.

When it comes to weight, you’ll come across something written as GSM or g/m² — the weight of the material. Simply, the lower the number, the thinner the material. For all-year-round layers, you’ll want something on the lower side, like around 120 to 180 g/m². And for extra warmth, you’ll want to go higher.

As for thickness, it’s all about the microns — the diameter of a single wool fiber. The lower the number, the thinner it is. It also means it’s softer and more expensive. In our opinion, the lower the micron, the more you’ll want to live in it, but you’ll need to take extra precautions due to its delicateness.

Fit and Styles

We included a variety of shirts on this list: tees, long-sleeve tops, and even a hoodie. Each has advantages, depending on the type of activity you intend to engage in.

For those who need something for primarily cold temperatures, a layer that is tighter-fitting with loads of mobility that won’t feel restrictive under an extra one or two layers is recommended. Others who want something that can be worn all year, like our staffers, should go for something looser with a more relaxed fit.

However, we did not include all of the merino wool layers under the sun. We focused on shirts because they are versatile for a variety of weather conditions and activities. Some of the layers we tested are a little more sporty, while others, like the Unbound Merino Crew Neck, have a classic cut that’s a bit more versatile. If you are looking for winter-specific merino base layer sets, zip-up merino layers, or merino underwear (yes, it’s a thing!), we’ve got separate coverage on that, too.

Color

Layers that come in an assortment of colors are always welcome — they mix things up from the monotonous black and gray we often see. However, while we love mixing things up, our testers have routinely noticed layers that come in pastel colors tend to be sheerer than navy, black, and dark gray.

Keep this in mind if you don’t want your undergarments showing through, unless you strictly use them as a base layer and will always be covered.

Price

When you buy a merino wool shirt or garment, you aren’t just buying, you are investing. Investing in a higher-quality, naturally odor-wicking, and hopefully much longer-lasting layer. Synthetics are great, and there can be high-quality synthetic blends that have the same properties, but many folks swear by merino.

If you know you want a natural fabric that comes with all the soft, cooling, and wicking properties that merino has, keep the price in mind ($80 for a tee?!). It sounds ridiculous at first, but the price does truly reflect the quality of merino wool fabric.

Why the higher price in the first place? Merino wool is a more expensive fabric — more time-intensive to produce, expensive to import, and more fragile to work with compared to thicker synthetic yarns. So, we always weigh that factor when purchasing anything made with merino.

FAQ

Merino wool is a natural material, meaning it doesn’t come from manmade plastics or synthetics. It’s lightweight and soft to the touch. It wicks away moisture and odors, and it helps regulate body temperature. All of that wrapped into a single fabric. No wonder humans have been using and wearing wool since 10,000 BCE.

However, because of merino’s great properties, it is in high demand and usually more expensive than other fabrics. The narrow sourcing and supply chain of merino wool also contributes to its market value. The majority of the wool on the market is produced in Australia, Argentina, and New Zealand.

In simple terms, yes. When it comes to exercising or spending lots of time in the outdoor elements, double yes. Merino is better in the sense that it is a natural and porous fiber. So, if you are sweating, that sweat can escape — this is what makes merino a natural at regulating moisture and body temp, wicking away odor, and cooling.

Cotton is an especially thick synthetic fabric, much different than lightweight or nano-spun synthetics, and much different than merino wool.

Heavy wool blankets or wool-lined slippers might evoke ideas of itchy, coarse fabric, but put those thoughts aside — merino wool is different. Merino wool is notoriously fine — with fine, fragile, and soft fibers.

Merino garments are even measured by the tiny diameters of the fibers, called microns. Most merino wool shirts we tested used merino wool that measured between 17.5 and 20 microns.

And the smaller the microns, the finer the fabric. If you are looking for the softest merino layer money can buy, you’ll want to look somewhere in the 15- to 17-micron fabric range.

Merino wool (wool from a sheep) naturally retains heat to keep you warm. But, thanks again to its porous fiber nature, it’s still breathable at the same time.

The fact that merino wool both retains heat and wicks away sweat — it works to both warm you up and cool you down — is one of its best properties. Wool keeps you cool by letting sweat escape through the fibers and away from your skin and body. This means you won’t get clammy or chills, and it also helps with wicking body odor.

Other fibers — synthetics or plant-based fabrics — are not as fine, porous, or breathable. They’ll do the job, but not as good a job. (That being said, our staff has a great time testing the latest in bio-based fabrics — unique layers sewn with everything from bamboo to hemp to corn.)

You’ll want to treat your merino shirts and layers with care. Because merino is a natural fiber, you also don’t want to use bleach, scents, or fabric softeners that can clog up the wool and prevent merino from doing all the things it does naturally.

Washing every few wears — sometimes even just once or twice a month — with cold or warm water and a mild soap is all you need. Even when we wear a lot of merino wool when outdoors, we try to wash sparingly. And we always air dry or hang it to dry.