How to Choose Base Layers

Made from a lightweight merino wool-blend jersey, the men's Smartwool Classic All-Season Merino T-shirt is built for year-round exploration and consistent comfort—even when wearing a pack.
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Imported.
View the Smartwool Classic All Season Product LineView all Smartwool Men's Base Layer TopsBest Use | Multisport |
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Shirt Type | T-shirt |
Fabric | 88% merino wool/12% nylon |
Moisture Wicking | Yes |
Underwear Weight | Lightweight |
Sleeve Length | Short Sleeve |
Gender | Men's |
Sustainability | Contains ZQ merino wool |
S | M | L | XL | XXL | |
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Chest | 36 - 38 | 39 - 41 | 42 - 44 | 45 - 48 | 49 - 51 |
Sleeve Length | 31 - 32 | 32 - 33 | 33 - 34 | 34 - 35 | 35 - 36 |
Waist | 29 - 31 | 32 - 34 | 34 - 37 | 38 - 40 | 41 - 44 |
Hip | 36 - 38 | 39 - 41 | 42 - 44 | 45 - 48 | 49 - 51 |
Inseam | 30 - 31 | 31 - 32 | 32 - 33 | 33 - 34 | 34 - 35 |
Measurements are stated in inches.
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I want to love these shirts, but it's not possible. While they're a good weight and good color (and the orange is a great color!) I just can't with my belly button hanging out. They're at least 3 if not 4" shorter than all my other t-shirts, so tucked in they're okay. Good luck keeping them tucked in though if you're active, and if you're not active, why buy in the first place. And this "way too short" is not just true with my t-shirts from other brands, it's also true of my other Smartwool shirts -- the comparison photo is with a long sleeve wool Smartwool! This is just way too much to pay for a shirt that shorts you.
Fantastic Merino Wool T-Shirt! → Not sure how these do this... However - They keep you Cool when it Warm & Warm you up when it's Cool. I've never been sure how this works. However... It doesn't a Great Job at Temp Regulating! -- If you're new to Merino Wool, as I was not long ago, These shirts aren't Itchy, you can wear each of these shirts a few times between washes & These shirts are a Great Cut... They have a Nice Look to them. They can be your Hiking/Camping Shirt or a Great Everyday Shirt to wear to wherever you're going. --- Not Cheap, But, you get what you pay for & will Last a long time!
Weirdest sizing trend (as shown in videos) is the slim/athletic fitment with a hem length that extends well below your hips. It's bizarre and has put me off a number of shirt brands that I previously loved. Many are so long that you can cover your butt entirely, which of course then the back of the shirt catches on when you bend over, pulling it tight. It also covers up side and rear pockets entirely, so you have to move the shirt out of the way to get a hand in. I don't know where or why this has happened but I'd like it to stop.
My brother turned me to merino wool 15 years ago, as we do long treks and staying dry and not smell while staying light are important. This shirt in particular is my all time favorite - I have 8 or 9, 5 of them black. They're comfortable, look good, the color stays. and they wick that sweat out efficiently. And yes, they're expensive but are typically on sale a few times a year.
This review is premature since I've only worn the shirt a couple of time since buying it, but REI is asking me to review it, so here goes. I've been wearing Smartwool long underwear in cold weather for years, and have always been pleased with it, so I thought I'd try a lightweight Merino wool shirt for warm weather. So far, I'm pleased. When the shirt gets wet from sweat, it does seem to dry faster than cotton, and it is as comfortable to wear as cotton. I haven't worn it in hot humid weather yet, so don't know if it will keep me drier than cotton under those conditions. I prefer wool to synthetic because it's a natural fiber that will eventually biodegrade (though this shirt is 12% nylon), and it doesn't retain body odors as much as polyester. Long-term durability is also unknown since the shirt is still new.
I travel with 1 carry-on luggage and a small back pack. My traveling clothes need to pack up tight, show minimal wrinkles, clean easily, dry fast and have longer wears between washing. The long sleeve version worked well so I decided to purchase a short sleeve version. It is 88% merino wool with 12% nylon, so itching is not an issue. I purchased the Fox Brown color and blends in well with my other clothes.
I had the same experience as many other reviewers - I tried this shirt on in the store (medium). I'm 5'11, 165 lbs. It fitted perfectly. I got home and washed it in regular temp (not hot) and it shrunk a size and a half down to an extra small. Fortunately REI's return policy allowed me to return it. Initially I thought it was my mistake to have washed it in anything other than cold water / hand-washed, but when I saw all these other reviews complaining about the shrinkage I know my experience was not unique. Perhaps the solution is to order a size larger, but why risk it for $80? Sadly, I will pass. I've owned other Smart Wool products and have been happy with them. This is not one of them.
Very comfortable shirt. However, it is very fragile. It's made very thin, but this seems to be at the expense of durability. The shirt has developed 9 runs. It seems like if a single fiber is damaged, it propagates into a bigger run. I was fine dealing with what seemed like minor damage... but the runs are getting worse.
I really love these shirts. They are expensive. You can sweat in them all day and not scare everyone away when you go out to dinner later. They are the perfect travel shirts. As others have mentioned, the fit is kind of strange. I have a 'long torso' and the three smartwool tops I own are just on the borderline of being too short. I recommend sizing up for a comfortable fit. Also most know, but some may not; Don't dry these shirts on high. You will ruin them. Read the care directions on the tag and these shirts will last you a long time.
The shirt is lightweight and comfortable--usable in the summer by itself and in other seasons as a base layer. I prefer the men's cut to the women's because the sleeves are a little longer and larger. Glad they usually go on sale once or twice a year, because I went down a size.