Merino functional underwear for cold winter days

When the enchanting winter landscape awaits outside, it’s time to get out of the warm room and into the snow! With the right clothes, no problem. One item of clothing that accompanies you in winter, subtly and almost invisibly, is your underwear. Foundation of your winter sports equipment and just as important as the outer shells. But what materials are there and what do you have to look for when buying?

functional underwear directly on the skin

What you wear underneath for winter sports should keep you warm. This is true when you are active in the snow, but also when you are relaxing, for example when you are waiting at the ski lift or taking a short breather on the mountain. The functional underwear should also be breathable and absorb moisture during sweaty activities.

The bottom layer of clothing (baselayer) is in direct contact with your skin. You should feel comfortable in it, because it hugs your body like a second skin. It is important to consider what activity you want to use the functional underwear for. You also need to consider the outside temperature and your individual warmth sensation.

Merino: The material

A commonly used material for underwear is merino wool. The natural fibre is softer than human hair and feels very comfortable compared to virgin wool. The secret to merino lies in the performance of the fibre itself, which is a true master at regulating moisture: it absorbs up to 35% of its own weight in moisture without it feeling wet. The surface of the fibre itself stays dry while the moisture moves into the core of the fibre, keeping you dry and warm. How do you do that? In the many air chambers, the fibre stores your body heat in the wool and provides optimal thermal insulation.

Merino wool underwear will help you make do with a few clothes on mountain tours that last several days, because the wool fibre has an antibacterial effect: odour-forming bacteria are easily broken down by a protein molecule. No unpleasant odours are produced, so you won’t smell even after strenuous activities in the snow. Another plus: pure merino wool is biodegradable. There are also mixed fabrics, which combine the positive properties of wool with the advantages of synthetic fibres: thanks to the synthetic fibres, the underwear stays in its shape longer than pure wool fabrics and dries even faster.