Comparing Icebreaker's Merinos Wool T-shirts to Decathlon's

One advice that a friend who traveled around the world gave me was to buy little (to wear little) but of quality. Comfort during the round-the-world trip is essential, and you shouldn’t save money on this point, especially since good gear isn’t to be found everywhere in the world. Even if JB already has a Decathlon backpack, he bought a real Gregory Baltoro 65 pro bag, which changes everything!

Apart from the backpack, there are other items on which one should not be thrifty:

the shoes
merino wool t-shirts
winter clothes: the lighter, the better, the more expensive it is

Today, I will compare several merino wool T-shirts/tops I bought from Icebreaker and Decathlon.

Note This year, for my trip to Iceland, and my mountain trek in Colombia, instead of superimposing my two merino wool T-shirts, I offered myself a 100% merino wool sweater, the LUXURY RIB PULLOVER HOODY model at Icebreaker (in purple). It isn’t a tee-shirt, but as this sweater is also made of merino wool, I will compare it to others.

Why merino wool for the world tour?

Even if you like cotton a lot (like me, I have a lot of cotton clothes with me during the world tour), you will need at least a merino wool top – for days of extreme heat, or when you have to walk a long way, or on days when you know, you can’t take a shower.

Merino wool comes from merino sheep, capable of withstanding the harshest winters and hottest summers. They give very fine and tear-resistant wool. The finer the fiber, the less it itches. That’s precisely why we can wear merino wool in summer. Moreover, the wool insulates well, it wicks away moisture, it has no smell, it is antistatic, light, dries quickly, and keeps its shape without wrinkling => Everything you need for a trip around the world.

There aren’t many brands (about ten) offering high technical merino wool. We can mention Icebreaker, Ortovox, Patagonia… they have their own sheep farms to ensure the best possible merino wool production.

Complete reference & Price

Icebreaker: TECH LITE SHORT SLEEVE SCOOP WOMAN (Amazon link, cheaper than the official website) – from 35€ to 60€
Decathlon: TEE-SHIRT LONG SLEEVE TREKKING TRAVEL500 WOOL MERINOS WOMEN GREY – 20€
Decathlon: T-SHIRT LONG SLEEVES WOOL SHOES MOUNTAIN TREK – TREK 500 WOMEN’S GREY – 30€
Icebreaker: LUXURY RIB PULLOVER HOODY (Amazon Link) – 100€

Composition

Icebreaker (short sleeves): 87% Merino Wool, 13% Nylon corespun. The presence of Nylon allows for a more pleasant touch, in addition to ensuring a regular weave (wool that surrounds the nylon, creating mini “holes” to evacuate heat and sweat).
Decathlon (travel500): 70.00% Merino Wool, 30.00% Acrylic
Decathlon (trek500): 100% Merino Wool
Icebreaker (sweater over hoody): 100% Merino Wool

Touch

Icebreaker (short sleeves): it does not feel like touching wool. But the touch is a little rougher than cotton, for example, but it does not itch at all.
Decathlon (travel500): the touch is softer than Icebreaker. It doesn’t itch at all.
Decathlon (trek500): the touch is a little rougher than cotton, for example, but it doesn’t itch at all
Icebreaker (sweater over hoody): the touch is super soft. It doesn’t itch at all.

Transparency

Icebreaker (short sleeves)	Decathlon (travel500)	Decathlon (trek500)	Icebreaker (pull over hoody)
Rather transparent but OK with a dark color => it is absolutely necessary to wear with underwear	Less transparent than Icebreaker	Grey color: too transparent => must be worn with underwear	Transparent and too tight => it is absolutely necessary to wear with underwear

Efficiency

Icebreaker (short sleeves): I had to wear the same shirt in Cuba without washing it for 3 days, under 36 degrees. Well, it doesn’t smell at all. The sweat is quickly evacuated (whereas I sweat a lot when it’s too hot). During winter, I wear it under several layers (fleece, down jacket, parka), and it keeps me warm. This high technique regulates the temperature well. The touch isn’t as pleasant as the one at Decathlon. When I use them as pajamas, I wear them inside out because the texture is more pleasant on the outside than on the inside.
Decathlon (travel 500): I only wear it in winter (normal, considering the long sleeves), and after 2 days, it already smells bad even though I don’t sweat much in winter. The sweat isn’t at all absorbed by the fabric or evacuated. It runs on the skin. It’s very unpleasant. It keeps me warm though, the touch is so pleasant that I can wear it as pajamas. I therefore strongly advise against this reference for the round-the-world tour.
- Note March 2019: Following your comments, I would like to specify that for purely urban use, you won’t have any unpleasant smell. The unpleasant smell I’m talking about comes from my trip: a bit of walking/visiting/trekking during the world tour.
Decathlon (trek 500): the composition is better (100% merino wool). In terms of smell, it is much better than the Travel 500 model. I tested it in Amazonia (wet and warm), and even if it became all wet after 30 minutes, no unpleasant smell is to be reported. Its defect is the sweat-wicking: the fabric, woven too densely, tends to absorb all the sweat and becomes wet, rather than wicking it away. In case of very intense sport and extreme sweat, you risk getting soaked. The chosen grey color (very transparent) and the design (too long all over + two unsightly seams on the side) make it frankly not pretty to wear alone. I only use it as a 1st layer (and hide it with other layers) when it’s cold (it keeps you warm) and only for a low-intensity sports activity.
Icebreaker (sweater over hoody): it’s a sweater, warmer than all the others here, so it is only worn for trekking in super cold countries like Iceland. I wore it in 1st layer 5 days in a row in Iceland (I couldn’t find a washing machine before), and despite my little treks and my perspiration, it doesn’t smell at all. It is very long, covers up to the buttocks. There is a hood (which covers the neck well) and integrated mittens – it is an essential garment for cold travelers like me.

Sustainability

Icebreaker (short sleeves): the fabric is quite thin, and after many washes during the 11 months of the world tour, some holes appeared. The brand recommends a wash in warm water and drying on a rope (it dries in one afternoon)
Decathlon (travel 500): no holes to report. The brand recommends a wash with warm water and drying on a rope (it dries overnight)
Decathlon (trek 500): no holes to report. On the other hand, the drying takes all day. It is painful. It really has a hard time evacuating sweat and drying quickly.
Icebreaker (sweater): extremely durable, does not lint, has no holes. It dries overnight.

Conclusion

Icebreaker is an outstanding brand. I recommend that you buy merino wool tops from them, especially for summer use, or a hike of several days where you don’t have a shower. It’s a brand that’s hard to find during the world tour, so buy it before you go: TECH LITE SHORT SLEEVE SCOOP FOR WOMAN.

For those who want an even softer touch, you can opt for a reference that contains less wool (52% wool instead of 87% like me). The 35% difference will be replaced by wood fiber, which also neutralizes odors and brings much more softness. The reference in question is ICEBREAKER COOL-LITE™ SPHERE SHORT SLEEVE SCOOP WOMAN, but in my opinion, it is better to aim for the 87% wool version (or more).

For the summer, JB has an Icebreaker and an Ortovox. And he has only high tech merino wool (see the contents of his bag here). Comfort and efficiency are pretty much the same for both brands, but Ortovox also offers UV protection (up to SPF 50), which is appreciated when you spend too much time in the sun.

I do not recommend Decathlon’s high technical fabrics in summer (especially the Travel500 models with 30% acrylic). In summer, you will be hot and smelly in a very short time. However, for moderate use in winter, and if you don’t want to look great, it’s perfect and not too expensive.

By the way, in order not to ruin themselves, JB and I both have at least one Icebreaker short sleeve technical top for the summer and a Decathlon long sleeve top for the winter.

For more information about washing & caring for Icebreaker, I leave you with a full explanation of the brand:

More tips for light traveling around here