For me, nothing seems to work better than wool for base layers. I've been slowly replacing all my cotton shirts and boxers with wool ones.
For the last few months I've been wearing the wool boxers that Riv. sells. They're great but to be honest they've always felt a little on the thin side for me. I bought a few pairs to put into rotation so I wouldn't stress them too much, but alas, one of them is in serious need of darning.
So, I began searching for another source for wool boxers. Both Ibex and Icebreaker sell wool boxers and they all hover around that $30-$35 range, which for boxers seems a little spendy.
Well, I discovered Justin Charles recently. It's a man's man outdoor store. None of this wussy Eddie Bauer crap or hipster Ambercrombie :) That said, it's also a rich man's man store. Some of the stuff is spendy, however their Merino Thermal Underwear section is on par with others.
A particularly good deal is their 6 inch Merino Boxer at $19 (save me some guys). I just received a few pairs yesterday and they are NICE! The wool feels a bit thicker than the Riv ones, so I'm hoping they'll wear a little better. There are a few more seams and I haven't taken it on a super long ride yet to see if that will be a problem. However, my first reaction is that they're a steal given the quality and the price.
So if you're looking for some Man-gere, check out Justin Charles.
Strafe for Apres Cycling
5 days ago
3 comments:
Thanks for the heads-up Russ. I'm found of my Ibex Balance Runner Shorts that I picked up on sale for ~35$ around the holidays (Backcountry.com). However, in searching for a wool balaclava, I stumbled upon minus 33 wool. The have a wool boxer brief for $25 + free shipping on amazon (see link). The balaclava I bought ($15 + free shipping) has a VERY nice feel to it. Not as nice as Ibex but a bit better than the Icebreaker stuff I have. Since their prices are competitive, and the feel is nice... I plan on trying some other stuff. Also, they have a larger selection on their corporate site, including a full zip heavy merino hoody. I haven't looked to see if it's free shipping, though.
Check out mec.ca for very reasonable merino in their store brand. MEC is the Canadian REI/EMS.
I LOVE Minus33 woolies. I've got a zip-top and bottom layer and just got my wife a top for Christmas. Sized a little large but warm, inexpensive, and VERY soft (and I have sensitive skin). One of the cheapest places I've found to get them is from The Outfitters at Harpers Ferry (http://tinyurl.com/96gq87).
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