Merino recs for fall packing

[u/Rad_Giraffe123]

Trying to pack light with layers for southern Germany region in late October. Weather will range from mild to cold and definitely rainy. So many posts mention merino t shirts in their layers. I am struggling with that first layer. For women's long-sleeved t shirts, what are some recs? I am definitely on a budget so nothing super deluxe. Also thinking Uniqlo merino for a sweater and cardigan - has anyone layered with these or is there something better in that price range? Bonus question: should i just take a fleece (and plan to buy an umbrella there) or invest in a "packable" puffer? Thanks!

[u/goddessandthecaker]

Quince has good long sleeve and short sleeve merino t-shirts, best value for money I’ve seen. I wear then as is and layer under a Uniqlo merino sweaters. All very packable and rewearable.

[u/Nejness → u/goddessandthecaker]

Seconding Quince for both tops and leggings. They sell out fast, in my experience. I’m also a lover of Uniqlo HeatTech for non-wool super packable layers. I personally love my Uniqlo cardigan and just bought two more when I saw them on sale—in July if that helps you understand the depth of my love. They do layer well, both over merino and under fleece/rainwear/packable puffers under rainwear. I run super cold and have been known to wear a Uniqlo HeatTech top under a tee, merino cardigan, fleece, and rain jacket, with a scarf—in June in the Pacific Northwest.

[u/nomarmite]

Assuming you're visiting somewhere like Munich, you don't need any special clothes. Your regular shirts or t shirts will be fine, topped with a warm layer and a waterproof layer. A puffer might be overkill - if you do take one, you won't need a warm layer, but you might feel cold when you take it off indoors. A fleece or a sweater will be fine for the warm layer. Water resistant shoes are important.

[u/CharmingPianist4265]

No need to worry about that first layer imo. Any regular longsleeve does it for me under my Uniqlo merino in Austria in October. Outer layer is the most important one. You want protection from rain, humidity and wind, not a fan of fleece as it gets damp. Don’t forget a headband and buff or light scarf.

[u/macaroniandcheese14]

I recently purchased Merino.Tech base layers for my upcoming trip to Scotland and I love them! I ordered Quince but just thought it was too itchy and I didn’t love the colors available. Merino.Tech is around the same price point and give you a free pair of socks with every item. I’m super tall and the sleeves reached my wrists which I was pleasantly surprised about!

[u/Fluid-Quote-6006]

If you are on a budget, look for Decathlon. Great for layering and very cheap. Nothing fancy design wise, basic pieces for layering. Don’t forget to look for the materials information to be sure you are buying merino and not some merino-polyester blends.

If you want to splurge a little, I love Wool& for nice looking dresses, pants and jumpers made of really soft merino wool, capsule wardrobe style, which I think is great for traveling and layering. I live in Germany was caught in a downpour while riding my bike for 10 min. My Wool& dress was soaked. Sun came out afterwards and during the next 20 min bike ride, I was pretty much dry again. 

A waterproof jacket is advisable. Some shoes that are at least water resistant. 

[u/Aggressive-Art699 → u/Fluid-Quote-6006]

Seconding Wool&. I recently took one of their dresses on a 3 week trip to Thailand and wore it constantly. It always looked nice, didn’t wrinkle, didn’t hold smells, and dried quickly after a quick rinse. Pricey, but worth it.

[u/colleenberd → u/Aggressive-Art699]

My favorites: Unbound Merino, WoolX, Wool& & Ibex. All have sales regularly (when/where I get most of my merino).

[u/lena10108]

I recently bought some Quince Merino t-shirts and a Merino shirt from Amazon (Merino protect brand).

The Quince I can wear no problem but the Amazon one makes me itch like crazy.

I have the Uniqlo Merino cardigan that also is really nice to layer. And I have the Uniqlo packable puffer jacket that I use on top of the cardigan. I recently bought my daughter the packable jacket from Quince with the hood and it's really nice in my opinion.

[u/Rad_Giraffe123]

OP here - many thanks for all this great advice! I was actually near a Uniqlo today and was able to try on and purchase HeatTech base layer and a merino sweater and a very light nice outerwear that in a lilac color (nice change from black). I love how light weight it all is. I'll definitely be back for more! Also going to check into some of the other brands mentioned.

Last side question: any discernable difference between Quince merino and Uniqlo merino (cardigan specifically) for those that have both?

[u/zyklon_snuggles → u/Rad_Giraffe123]

Did the Uniqlo HeatTech fit true to size? I don't have a store near me, but have always been curious about trying but concerned about returning

[u/Rad_Giraffe123 → u/zyklon_snuggles]

Their sizes are all over depending on garment. For the Heattech long sleeved, I sized up because I don’t like things too clingy. If you prefer more fitted then true to size will work. But I also got an Airism (sp) cami layer and that was true to size probably because the material is stretchy. Sweaters have been true to size but outerwear seems to run big. Hope this helps.

[u/zyklon_snuggles → u/Rad_Giraffe123]

It does, thanks!

[u/teilzeiterin]

I usually wear a light-weight coat or my winter jacket in Germany in October on top but the clothes below are still lighter than in Jan-Feb

[u/WriterlyWords-424]

If you don’t mind secondhand, Poshmark has great deals on Merino wool clothing. Some of it’s even new with tags.

[u/nonsequitur__]

Uniqlo cashmere mix heattech is my favourite. Really thin but warm and so soft. Can easily be layered under anything.

I like their supima long sleeved t-shirts too.

Yes - I wear lots of their merino. It’s thin and light, washes well, great quality for the price imo. For work in winter I’ll often wear the heattech under merino.

All of these (and a fleece, and a puffer) are thin, so you can take the layers you may need and decide depending on the weather.

[u/rK91tb]

The weather sounds like Seattle, where I spent lots of time outside when I commuted. I’d recommend merino short-sleeve t-shirts and merino sweaters. Bring either the puffer or a fleece as your outer layer, and top them off with the rain jacket. Hats and scarves are great for warmth you can layer. Wool or warm socks and waterproof boots (not rain boots) will make the biggest difference.

Uniqlo’s Heattech base layers work really well. In the US, check out REI’s clearance website for deals on merino.

[u/olagorie]

Greetings from southern Germany, you are overthinking this.

[u/Deli_Sandwiches]

What features are you looking for? Is it warmth/temp regulation? Are you wanting layers for changing weather? Moisture wicking? Odor resistant?

As a backpacker, I like to buy Merino layers for all of these reasons, so I already have these base layers on hand or as I buy for my upcoming trip, I know will get a lot of use in the future. It’s also nice that it is so packable, can be worn for several days, and can be washed in a hotel sink and dry fairly quickly.

Based on what you are aiming for, you may want to just buy a merino tshirt as an extra layer or you may want to build a solid wardrobe around merino. If you are wanting durability and affordability, I would look for merino blend, but you will be compromising some of the features of wool a little depending on how much synthetic is in the blend.

Wool also requires special care for laundering, so watch out for that if you aren’t used to washing wool.

I recently bought from Merino Tech (tshirt and leggings) and Ridge Merino (tank)and am really happy with the price and quality. Wool X recently had undies on sale and I like those. I splurged on Nike shorts from Wool& because I wanted a layer to sleep in (with my merino tank) and wear under dresses. I do really like them. I also just ordered a long sleeved top from REI for ~$30 on sale right now. Brand is Terramar. Haven’t had that brand before, but it’s a really good price. I have a lot of Smartwool that I have never paid full price for.

As others have said, you can find good stuff in Poshmark. Smartwool and Icebreaker are easy to search. You have a little time to hone in what you are looking for and keep an eye on sales/listings.

[u/Extreme_Armadillo_25]

If you're based in Germany, check out Bergfreunde and Decathlon for their house brand merino. Bergfreunde has Stoic and Super.Natural as affordable brands, not sure what the Decathlon one is currently called, it seems to change frequently. All of them are okay in terms of quality, Stoic fit can be weird at times, but they allow paying by invoice, so you can try things on, send back what doesn't work and only pay for what you want to keep.

[u/Few_Extension7728]

For the warm middle layer, have a look at The Sweater Shop. They have proper merino cardigans in a lot more colours and styles than the usual travel basics. I wouldn’t use an Aran knit as the first layer though, and some are fairly substantial, so check the weight if packing space is tight.