A LOVE LETTER TO MY ICEBREAKER TRAVEL T-SHIRT
By: Sheryl Lee
It was time to end things with my Icebreaker merino wool shirt.
For 10 days, I’d been wearing the same shirt (without washing), doing everything under the sun (and rain) from trekking to attending dinner parties.
I was searching for the perfect clothing material for outdoor travelling – something I could wear for absolutely any activity, not have to wash, and still stay fresh and comfortable in.
In search of the 1 shirt to rule them all.
Legend has it that a woman once wore the same Icebreaker underwear for 49 days straight due to its antibacterial properties. I decided I would verify this through a #10DayShirtChallenge.
After the challenge, my friends congratulated me. “Good for you!” “Can finally change an outfit!” “I bet you never wanna see this shirt again!” the way people do after a breakup. Good for you, you’re moving on to better things now.
“Yeah!” “I know right!” “Totally!” I said, but I found myself secretly disagreeing. It had been a long and trying 10 days, but the shirt and I had weathered it together, and it had not let me down. It’s not you, shirt, it’s me.
This is the shirt.
As I took it off and tossed it in the hamper (instead of hanging it to air-dry), I felt a sense of loss. So I’m writing this not only for your benefit but also my closure.
Here are 5 things that made the Icebreaker shirt the perfect travel shirt:
1. It is sooooo comfortable.
Unlike regular wool, merino wool from merino sheep is made of finer fibres. It felt soft and smooth against my skin and wasn’t itchy or scratchy. If I weren’t dressing up for a specific look, I would wear this shirt over any other in my closet.
Bonus: It barely wrinkled!
2. It’s naturally antibacterial
Which makes this shirt almost invincible. Going for a multi-day trip where you might sweat and won’t be able to change your clothes? Speaking from personal experience, no problem.
Throughout my 10 days wearing this shirt I ran, did HIIT exercises, kickboxed, and cycled. The shirt recovered well every time, staying fresh without detectable odors after air-drying.
That’s because merino wool, like all wools, has lanolin in it. Lanolin is a wax produced by sheep’s glands that helps prevent bacteria (which causes bad smells in our clothes) from growing.
That also meant that even after 10 days of intense activity and everyday wear, it wasn’t itchy or sticky, and I never got a rash.
3. It’s breathable and moisture-wicking
So it’s comfortable even when you sweat a lot, especially when outdoor traveling. It wicks perspiration away from our skin, draws it to the surface, and allows it to evaporate quickly.
I’ve exercised and sweated in cotton shirts, and they’ve been drenched and clung to my skin. Merino wool kept me dry and ventilated.
Perfect for outdoor adventures! Our team wore Icebreaker thermals to Mongolia last December for a charity expedition.
4. It collects food smells, but they don’t linger.
When we travel, we don’t always plan our meals. Sometimes we want a barbeque feast or hotpot but worry that the smell may stay on our clothes.
This shirt collected food smells with each meal but when I aired it, the smells always went away.
5. It self-regulates to keep you comfortable based on fluctuations in temperature.
In an air-conditioned room it feels like a warm hug, without being overly warm. Walking about in the afternoon heat was no problem either, it kept me at a suitable temperature throughout.
You would’ve thought after wearing it for 10 days straight, I’d throw the shirt to the back of my closet, never to see the light of day again. But no.
On the 11th day, after washing it, I put it on. Is it habit? A severely lacking closet? Or am I just overly attached?
I don’t know. But I think it goes beyond fashion choices.
I love my Icebreaker shirt. I think everyone should have one in their luggage, or even their closets. You just feel safe and free in it. Like you can explore the world, do absolutely anything, and still look, smell, and feel fresh in it.
Riding off into the sunset with the shirt.
When we travel, all sorts of things can happen. Plans change. We do things on the fly. We sweat, we crumple, we get barbeque smoke on our clothes.
Happily, normal limits don’t apply to this shirt. If you’re down to just one, you can rely on this one. I know I did - for 10 days.
