Patagonia’s Merino Air Crew

In typical Patagonia fashion, they didn’t stop at making a merino wool top. No, they designed a seamless top that minimizes waste and maximizes performance in a base layer that moves with you, allowing you to stay comfortable while it does what a base layer is meant to do.

Let’s take a look at the features and then talk about our 3 month review of Patagonia‘s Merino Air crew.

Features

• Sustainably farmed Merino Wool
• Merino / Capilene polyester blend
• Seamless whole garment knitting design
• Proprietary spinning method to maximize loft and insulation
• Zig-Zag Knit for greater air flow
• $129 USD ($149 CAD)

Testing

Our tester (Mrs. Adventure… not misadventure) has been putting the Merino Air Crew to the test in all her outdoor activities (backpacking, hiking, cycling, canoeing) and she plans to continue taking it out this winter skiing, skating and snowshoeing as well.

Sustainability

We have to comment first on Patagonia’s approach to sustainability. Aside from producing quality gear, Patagonia prides itself on sustainability. It’s a brand that wants to keep the outdoors green and alive so you can enjoy it. It wants your layers to last you so they don’t end up in the landfill. They teamed up with farmers in Argentina with a goal to minimize the impact of farming by using regenerative farming practices (avoiding long term impacts like overgrazing). The whole-garment knit approach saves the waste associated with cut and stitch methods utilized in typical base layer construction.

What do we think?

First off, our reviewer loves the fit. “I hate to use the cliche, but it fits like a second skin. It stretches and moves with you without pulling, puckering or wrinkling. Instead of having to pull at it to get it back into place, or adjusting it, it just stays there.” Mrs. Adventure says: “It’s a very flattering shape that is close fitting, giving you a smooth silhouette. It doesn’t ride up either, which is a huge plus.” – important when you’re wearing it by itself in warmer weather and when you’re active. “The wool does a great job of trapping air and keeping heat in. It’s surprisingly warm for how thin and light weight it is.”

The loft of the Merino Air wool and knit make this an incredibly comfortable layer for your activities, perfect as a part of your layering system.

The one thing to be aware of is that the knit can snag on velcro. We count only 2 snags after 3 months, but it’s something to be aware of.

Conclusion

Mrs, Adventure wears this base layer more often than any of her other base layers… and she has a lot of base layers. Not only does it perform incredibly well insulating and wicking moisture, but it looks great on it’s own. “You can take your vest off and wear it by itself and it looks good.”

If you’re in the market for a great loking, functional and sustainable baselayer then Check out the Merino Air Layers at Patagonia. They come as a crew, hoody and of course baselayer pants.