What is merino wool? 【Comfortable Socks】 Recommended socks for mountain climbing and outdoor activities

I was looking for a pair of socks for the fall and winter season, and I decided to buy a pair of socks made of a certain material that seemed to be high quality and warm.

After I received the product, I asked myself, "What kind of material is this?" So here's my review of the product.

I'd like to talk about merino wool, a material that I've been hearing a lot about over the past few years, and its characteristics.

About the product

Manufacturer: DANISH ENDURANCE

Composition: 38% Merino wool, 35% Polyamide, 24% Polypropylene, 3% Elastane

Size range: 22.0 cm - 24.5 cm / 25 cm - 28 cm / 28.5 cm - 30.5 cm

What is Merino Wool?

Merino wool is the highest quality wool from the Merino sheep breed.

Merino sheep are mainly raised in Australia, New Zealand, and France.

You would think that they would be very rare, but there are about 3,000 species of sheep, and about 40% of them are Merino.

About 75% of the production in Australia, the largest wool producing country, is Merino, and about 80% of the wool imported to Japan is also Merino.

Isn't it a surprisingly common material?

Isn't this going to lead to an explosion of products claiming to be made of merino wool?

Just like Harris Tweed.

Well, no matter what the trend is, it's always good to be able to choose something you're happy with, so I'm going to study it properly here.

Merits and demerits

Disadvantages

　-Tends to pilling (hairball)

　-Felts (shrinks and hardens when felted with water)

　-Beware of insect infestation as it is a natural material.

Advantages

　-High warmth retention and elasticity (wool is frizzy and interlocking, which makes it very warm and elastic)

　-Moderate moisture absorption (repels water, but absorbs moisture well)

　

　-Anti-odor properties (natural anti-bacterial properties prevent the growth of bacteria)

Impressions

It seems to be very useful, especially in the mountaineering community, and there are a variety of products from various manufacturers.

Merino wool is also popular as a material for high-end clothing due to its pleasant texture.

Merino wool can be ranked as follows.

1. Super extra fine merino: 16.5-17.5㎛

2．Extra fine merino：18.5-19.5㎛

3．Fine merino：20-22㎛

4．Strong merino：23-25㎛

Summary

I think the performance of the material is quite high.

That said, there are some things to keep in mind, and I think the interesting thing about natural materials is that they are not perfect.

The actual wearing comfort is very comfortable.

They are different from the usual cotton socks in that they keep you warm but not stuffy, and they have cushioning, so I can understand why they are used in mountain climbing.

However, after just one day of wearing them, I found that they were covered in pilling, so I think I'll use them more as a pair of socks that I'll be competing with.

However, I think it's a good idea to have these socks because they're definitely good enough to keep your feet safe in important situations.