r/MerinoWoolGear

Hello!

How durable is Dilling's 100% 210gsm merino comparing to other brand's corespun blend ? I've read a lot about corespun advantages in terms of durability, but also heard about that very old school quality merino clothing, which people claimed they wore for years, and that was 100% pure merino. So what is your long-term experience with Dilling, especially underwear ?

Hi all. About a month ago, I had asked for recs on wool hoodies that I intend to use in preparation for winter travel. I kind of went nuts and got multiple ones with different specs, so I wanted to do a mini review on them.

Just as an aside, I soaked all of them in tepid water with Eucalan wool detergent (unscented) for about 30 minutes each and then had laid them on a drying rack afterwards. Also, I cannot test out the warmth of any of them right now because it's 98 degrees where I am.

1. Ridge Merino Traveler Hoodie
   MSRP at $150, but they always have this first time customer discount, so it ended up being around $130. It took like a week and a half to ship from Utah to California for some reason. This one was the thinnest of the bunch (195gsm). The sizing might not be that accurate because it felt a bit too snug for my tastes. But this was remedied by how stretchy the fabric was. Supposedly, the inner layer is 100% Merino wool while the exterior is a 88% blend. As a mid-layer, this is probably a very strong contender due to how easily it'll fit under any jacket. One thing I didn't like was that my fingers easily snag into the thumbhole on the end of the sleeve. It had metal YKK zippers, and I think this is more of a preference in terms of longevity and potential warping. Coupled with how thin the fabric is, I foresee that this might even cause tears in the future if I'm being careless putting it on. Overall, 6.5/10

2. Dilling Terry Hoodie
   MSRP at $287. But with a sale + first time customer discount, it ended up being like $190. It took exactly two days to ship from Denmark to California. Plus, there were no tariff shenanigans since they shipped via DDP. Fabric supposedly at 245 gsm, and it has plastic YKK zippers. It's noticeably thicker than the Ridge, but it's still more than manageable to be used as a versatile mid-layer. It's extremely soft to the touch and has zero scratchiness despite being 100% Merino wool. As of this moment, it's my favorite of the bunch. Overall, 8/10

3. Petros Gear Untreated Wool Hoodie
   MSRP at $250 but a bundle deal made it $125. It took roughly a week to ship from Ukraine to California. Shipped via DDP also. Fabric rating is unknown, but it feels subjectively like 3 times as thick as the Dilling. Fabric is scratchy on skin. I have relatively sensitive skin, but it didn't get to the point of itchiness. It uses plastic unbranded zippers. There is the option to get metal zippers, but the bundle discount wouldn't apply then. This is not very versatile due to the sheer weight of the fabric. This would function almost exclusively as an outer layer, and although untested as of yet, I think it would be fine even in the negative temperatures. As an aside, when I was soaking it in Eucalan, despite how it was a beige/off-white color, it still bled out a brown color during the soak. Also, it gave off a pretty animalic smell while it was drying. It's supposed to be washing machine safe on low setting, so I'll try that to see if it'll be reduced at all the next time it needs to be cleaned. Overall, 7/10

I intend to keep all of them since they'll all be useful in different temperatures. However, they will be sitting inside an airtight suitcase until this fall/winter. Thanks again to all of the people who gave recommendations previously.

For swimming I usually use my 100% polyester Speedo-lined shorts. They're great for spending all day at the beach or out on a boat. Recently I stumbled across Smartwool lined shorts and picked up a couple of pairs. They're really nice for active use, and I've already done a few hikes in them, so I thought, why not swim in them?

The liner is a lyocell/merino blend brief, which I've found very comfortable, and the shorts themselves look casual enough to wear around town.

I'll be taking them to Malta for a week in September, and I'm thinking of completely ditching dedicated swimwear.

After looking into it, it seems swimming in merino is more common than I thought. Even so, I'm still a little concerned about damaging the fabric through repeated exposure to salt water, strong sun, and pool chemicals.

If you've swum in merino, I'd love to hear about your experience:

* What garment was it?

* Freshwater, sea, or pool?

* Did repeated swimming affect its durability?

I'm also interested in whether people intentionally use merino for swimming, or if it's more something that happens out of convenience.