I bike 30 minutes each way to work. In the three weeks I've had this top, temperatures in Chicago have ranged from the low 40s to the low 80s. I've worn the Minus 33 LightWeight shirt throughout all of it, and it's been great in both extremes. When it's been cooler I've worn it as a base layer under a long sleeve shirt or light jacket. When it's been warmer I've worn it by itself. It kept me warm when it was cool out, and when it was warm and I worked up a good sweat it breathed well and wicked sweat away very effectively. I'm confident it will perform well in hotter temperatures too.
Another reviewer said he felt the shirt ran a size small because it wasn't loose like a Hanes t-shirt. I'd say it's a more "athletic" fit, and you don't really want a top like this to fit too loosely because then it won't insulate or wick sweat away. The fine gauge merino wool used in this shirt is soft, so you won't mind it fitting close to the skin.
What they say about merino wool's natural odor fighting abilities is spot on; it just works. I have synthetic tops which do a great job wicking away sweat, but after my morning commute they smell bad. After my evening commute, they smell toxic. I've been able to wear the Minus 33 top for my rides five days in a row without it ever smelling badly enough that you'd be uncomfortable riding in an elevator with me. Just let it hang in a closet to air out and you're good to go.
The shirt washes easily too, just turn it inside out and throw it in the washing machine. I've washed it three times and it doesn't seem to have shrunk or stretched out or anything uncool.
Bottom line, I've been stoked on this shirt and will likely add some more Minus 33 items to my collection.
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I'm sure this wool shirt will make for an excellent base layer, but I was very surprised to see that it also comes with the minus 33 logo embossed on its chest, which is definitely left out of the picture. I wouldn't have gotten it if I had known this. Shame on the seller for misrepresenting their product like that.Best Deals for Minus33 Merino Wool Men's Algonquin Lightweight Short Sleeve Crew
I was skeptical about trying a wool t-shirt for traveling. I'm so used to polyester or other synthetics that going to wool seemed like it'd be torture. I wore this on two trips: One to Singapore and one to Rome (in January) and the shirt performed great.In Singapore, I had anticipated sweating profusely with this shirt and actually, it wasn't that bad. It was Singapore and thus, hot and humid, and the shirt did better than expected. It washed and hung dry quickly enough that I'd be ok with adding another shirt into my travel clothes without a problem.
In Rome it was in the 40's, and I used this as a base layer tshirt and it kept me warmer than my polyester shirts. It also breathed more, so I didn't feel like I the polyester shirt just absorbed my sweat and stayed there.
The size is a bit generous. I'm a XL plus lunch, and it seemed loose, which is nice and makes you feel better.
I'd gladly buy another shirt or two. At $40, I was initially hesitant, but I'm glad I did it.
Honest reviews on Minus33 Merino Wool Men's Algonquin Lightweight Short Sleeve Crew
I like the fact that it does breathe well and insulate well when its a bit cold. I live on Guam which is very humid and I found this shirt to be breathable and cool when it's really hot. I do have some issues with the tags. There are two of them and they are leather. They irritate my neck and I'm surprised that nobody here has mentioned them. I thought about removing them but the stitching looks so small and tight that I would probably damage the shirt if I tried to. I found my shirt to be sized a little smaller than I would like. They should mention that it's fitted.One other thing that annoyed me was that the shirt came in so much packaging. It actually came in a box. I don't just mean the box from Amazon or the seller I mean the shirt is individually packaged in its own box. I will update my review as needed while I do continue to wear it.
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After being recently put on the deployment list at my company, I was advised that we shouldn't wear UnderArmour or other poly-based microfiber clothing over to Iraq or Afghanistan due the risk of being shrink-wrapped in case of an IED or other combustion situation.Following some research and trepidation about wool base layer (I've been wearing UnderArmour for the last several years; UA's wicking is nice on the humid East Coast) I decided to try -33 as more price competitive compared to the Smartwool options. Note: -33 are at least 50% more expensive than UA and over double the price of a fruit of the loom 4-pack. Smartwool is even more expensive.
After several days wearing them around town, as well as the -33 underwear, I can report that they are remarkably comfortable. The fabric is smooth, almost like a very high quality jersey sheet. No itching at all.
Compared to UA, they do retain heat at the early stages of exertion, but the wicking effect kicks in and equalizes the heat. On the other hand, my office is pretty cold and the -33's do feel warmer compared to the UA, even after hiking from one end of the building to the other and back. I have not tried them during gym workouts or bike rides so that will have to wait for later experimentation. Washing them is easy in cold water, and they dry quickly on the rack. The instructions say they can be tossed in the dryer on low however I am dreading what happens when the KBR laundry in the sandbox gets hold of them.
Two things that I would improve, were I in charge of -33 for a day: 1. get rid of or minimize the absurdly large tag, and 2. make them so they can stand at least medium dryer heat without shrinking.
Overall a pretty good foray into wool baselayer. Your results may vary
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