Durability
Durability was a major concern for me about wool baselayers in general: I don’t want to pay a lot for a delicate piece that I’ll destroy.
But after a year of use, I am 100% happy with how well the Midweight Crew has held up. There is a little bit of pilling that you can see if you squint, which I’ve literally never even noticed before writing this. There’s a little pilling. It’s not a big deal. But you know what is a big deal?
Washability / Care Instructions
You can throw this shirt in the washer and dryer.
Life is busy these days, so I’m lucky to get laundry done once every 3-4 weeks. And by the time I do get around to it, there are too many items to worry about which ones can and can’t be dried. I don’t hand wash anything. If it’s delicate, I’ll destroy it.
In more than a year, I’ve washed this shirt about 20 times. It hasn’t shrunk. There are no holes. It’s not fraying. Simple as that.
Other companies discourage you from putting wool products in the dryer because they’re likely to shrink. SmartWool points to the natural scales on Merino wool fibers as the reason for this (when agitated, they can catch and pull on each other) so they treat their merino wool prior to spinning to smooth out the scales.
They also coat the fibers with a soft resin to prevent them from interlocking. Once treated, the garments are safe to throw in the dryer (though they do recommend always checking the care label on each particular item for specific instructions).
The dryer-friendly thing may not be a big deal to you, but it is to me.
Looks / Après Score
There’s a weird thing happening in the world of baselayers: many of them look like they were stolen from the set of Star Trek. I guess the designers think that if they’re going to get people to spend a chunk of money on a baselayer shirt, they better make that shirt look like it’s from the future.
Cool if that’s your thing, but I would much rather just have a long-sleeve shirt that works well when you’re on the mountain and looks good when you’re not.
(Can’t we all agree on this? Manufacturers, are you listening?)
The SmartWool Crew looks good and fits well. You won’t look like Spock at the bar. You’ll look like a normal person in a long-sleeve shirt that fits well. Done.
What Would I Change?
Nothing.
Bottom Line
If you’re criteria matches up to mine, then meet your next baselayer.
Wear it anywhere, anytime. Wash it if you want, or wear it again if you don’t have time. It doesn’t matter. And that’s why it’s worth every penny.