In my Icebreaker Chakra top
As I’ve written about before, much of my backpacking gear has taken on a noticeable funk. I don’t think it’s a failing on the part of the fabric, after being worn almost every day for two months (and washed infrequently), just about anything would smell. However, I received a gift this year that may make me a little more pleasant to be around on backpacking trips.
For Christmas my mom gave me an Icebreaker Chakra top, and I love it. It’s made out of merino wool, so it’s comfortable and doesn’t itch. And it keeps me warm but not too hot. What really caught my eye, though, was the “no stink” tag attached to the shirt. I’m not sure I believe it. Not having smelly clothes would be great, but this seems too good to be true.
So I’ve decided to put the “no stink” guarantee to the test. For the next month, I will be wearing my Icebreaker Chakra top everyday.
Mom: I don’t think the point of wearing odor-resistant clothes is to never change or wash your clothes. You do that already.
Addy: Yes, but now I am not changing or doing laundry for a reason, that’s better, right?
I’ll definitely be sweating in it. I’m a pretty active person, I bike around town, go snowshoeing, and play sports At this point, I’ve already been wearing my shirt for a week (ok, I opened my present before Christmas, I’m not very good at waiting), and so far so good. I thought it was getting stinky after I wore it for an Ultimate Frisbee game, but it turns out that I was the one who smelled and not the shirt (which should come as no huge surprise, I suppose).
I’ll be checking in more throughout the month for updates on how the shirt is doing (and smelling).
Related posts:
{ 7 comments… read them below or add one }
Who’s going to sit on the judge’s panel?
Good luck with this one – merino is awesome, and I can hardly believe how many days I can get away with wearing smartwool socks before they start to smell . . . but eventually they need a wash. I think the safer assumption is that it won’t RETAIN the smell when you wash it like some other things.
I can tell you first hand that these shirts do work – they’re really incredible. I traveled for three months this summer with only two icebreaker tshirts, and they never smelled (almost true, for some reason they smell when wet, like when you have been out in the rain, or they just come out of the wash – but it isn’t a completely bad smell). One anecdote stands out in particular:
The group I was traveling with was one too many to fit in a sedan to bring us around Houston, so I rode in the trunk. The trunk on this sedan didn’t get any of the wonderful cold air from the cabin, and it was really really hot. When I got out, I was literally drenched in sweat – I could have just jumped in a pool. Inside I took a shower while I let my shirt dry off. When I came out, I gave it a whiff, and you would never know that it didn’t just come out of the wash.
I’m totally in love with these shirts, but I only wear them when I need them now, since I’ve gotten a few oil stains on one that won’t come out.
Wow. Way to take one for the team and ride in the trunk! (Especially since Houston can be murderous without AC)
I’m glad you mentioned the smell of the wet wool. I noticed it too. My friend told me that I smelled a little like a wet sheep, but not in a bad way, which I guess that’s a good thing. Or, at least, a half good thing.
I got a bamboo base layer for the same reason – it promised no odor.
Now, either I stink more than most and that’s why the shirt did, or the claims are wrong. I think it might be the former rather than the latter.
Will be interested to know if the merino works better.
*sniff* time for a bath!
I’ve been wondering how well bamboo work. The merino seems to be doing fine, depending on who does the smelling. My college roommate (who used to make me keep my running shoes in the hallway of our dorm) says that it smells a little, but my outdoorsy friends say they don’t notice anything. So I may have to be choosy about who I wear the shirt around.
Speaking of baths, I’m due for one myself, too.
Interestingly enough, the bamboo doesn’t hold the nasty pong of trail pits after washing as cotton does. A good things – I was getting sick of turning T-shirts into dishcloths.
Me, too. We only need so many rags in our house.