As runners, we rarely avoid uncomfortable conditions, so we must have good clothing. For many of us, it means having the best wool running apparel in our closets. As the saying goes, “There’s no bad weather, only bad clothing.” One material that can be counted on to keep you comfortable from wet to dry, cold to hot, and everything in between is wool. While wool is often considered for cold-weather comfort, it is much more versatile than just being used for a cozy sweater. Companies make all sorts of running clothing from wool, including shirts, shorts, socks, neck gaiters, hats, and gloves.
We took an array of wool running items in different weather conditions, from heat to rain to snow to chilly mornings, to test their warmth, breathability, durability, and comfort. Our testing took place from the deserts of Utah to the mountains of Colorado to the home of merino wool in New Zealand to find as many environmental conditions as possible.
This guide shares our favorite wool items to keep you moving in the best and worst conditions Mother Nature can create. You can read more about why iRunFar team members choose wool, our testing methodology, and frequently asked questions about wool below.
Best Wool Running Apparel
- Best Wool Lightweight Long-Sleeve Shirt: Smartwool Classic All-Season Merino Base Layer Long-Sleeve
- Best Wool Midlayer Long-Sleeve Shirt: Smartwool Classic Thermal Merino Base Layer Crew
- Best Wool Short-Sleeve Shirt: Icebreaker ZoneKnit Merino Short Sleeve T-Shirt
- Best Wool Shorts: Ibex Springbok Short
- Best Wool Sports Bra: Smartwool Intraknit Racerback Bra
- Best Wool Socks: Darn Tough Stride Micro Crew Ultra-Lightweight Sock
- Best Wool Socks: Smartwool Athlete Edition Run Crew Socks
- Best Wool Neck Gaiter: Buff Merino Lightweight Neckwear
- Best Wool Gloves: REI Co-op Merino Wool Liner Gloves 2.0
- Best Wool Beanie: Smartwool Active Beanie
- Best Wool Hat: Buff Pack Merino Fleece Cap
Best Wool Lightweight Long-Sleeve Shirt: Smartwool Classic All-Season Merino Base Layer Long Sleeve ($90)
Formerly called the Merino 150 Base Layer, the Smartwool Classic All-Season Merino Base Layer is a versatile layer that many on the iRunFar team have considered the best merino wool base layer for running for years. This lightweight long-sleeve shirt works great as a standalone shirt, over a short-sleeve shirt for added warmth, or as a layering piece on cold days. The material is 88% merino wool fiber wrapped around a nylon core to increase durability while maintaining its softness and temperature- and moisture-regulating properties.
This top is available as a crew neck and quarter-zip, the latter of which was a top pick in our best cold-weather running gear guide. With multiple colors available, having several of these long-sleeve shirts in your closet is easy. They were a favorite top for our testers’ chilly runs, casual wear, and travel. We found it performs exceptionally well on cold and wet days as a layer under a vest or rain jacket to maintain dryness and warmth without overheating. It has also remained stink-free on some long running and hiking days.
Check out our in-depth Smartwool Classic All-Season Merino Base Layer Long Sleeve review.
Shop the Men's Smartwool Classic All-Season Merino Base Layer Long SleeveShop the Women's Smartwool Classic All-Season Merino Base Layer Long Sleeve
Best Wool Midlayer Long-Sleeve Shirt: Smartwool Classic Thermal Merino Base Layer Crew ($115)
The Smartwool Classic Thermal Merino Base Layer Crew, formerly called the Merino 250 Base Layer, is a 100% merino wool long-sleeve shirt designed to keep you toasty warm in cold conditions. Available in a crew neck and quarter-zip, this thermal merino base layer is designed for a slim fit for next-to-body warmth and ease of movement. The flatlock seams and shoulder panels reduce pressure points under a pack and prevent chafing.
This layer is not for people who run hot — it is significantly warmer than the Smartwool Classic All-Season Merino Base Layer we reviewed above. For those who need the added warmth, this versatile piece can be worn as an outer layer on its own or under a jacket or shell in wet or snowy weather. This base layer is also great as a travel or camping shirt in chilly weather as it is nice and soft and resists odor, though we recommend sizing up for more casual wear.
Shop the Men's Smartwool Classic Thermal Merino Base Layer CrewShop the Women's Smartwool Classic Thermal Merino Base Layer
Best Wool Short-Sleeve Shirt: Icebreaker ZoneKnit Merino Short Sleeve T-Shirt ($90)
The Icebreaker ZoneKnit Merino Short Sleeve T-Shirt stood out from other wool-blend shirts due to its fit cut and incredibly thin material that kept us cool during hot runs. The shirt is made from two wool knits, with a front mesh panel to increase ventilation and breathability. In some of the colorways, this mesh panel is a different color from the rest of the shirt, adding some style to it. The rest of the shirt is made from the brand’s Cool-Lite fabric, which we’ve found to be one of the thinnest wool-blend options out there. Made of 60% Lyocell and 40% merino wool, it’s an ideal blend for taking advantage of all the advantages of wool while still staying stretchy and durable. We tested this shir on plenty of overgrown trails and have yet to find an issue with its durability. The offset shoulder seams can help to reduce friction if you’re wearing a pack.
As with most wool products, we could wear this shirt multiple times without it picking up a stink, and it dried quickly after quick rinses in creeks.
Our female testers appreciated the fit of this shirt. While many other shirt options have a more boxy cut, this one was more form-fitting without being tight. It’s an excellent option for a base layer, as it’s easy to add additional layers on top for more warmth. With only black and bright pink colorways for women, we would have appreciated more color options.
Shop the Men's Icebreaker ZoneKnit Merino Short-Sleeve T-ShirtShop the Women's Icebreaker ZoneKnit Merino Short-Sleeve T-Shirt
Best Wool Shorts: Ibex Springbok Short ($100)
Wool aficionados will love the soft and comfortable wool liner of the Ibex Springbok Short. It’s not just the liner that made us fall in love with these shorts; the complete package of a stylish cut, a 3.5-inch inseam, and breathable material set it apart from other options. These quickly became one of our tester’s favorite shorts, and not just in the wool category.
The wool liner is made of a blend of merino wool and Tencel and is incredibly soft against the skin. Tencel is derived from eucalyptus and, when blended with wool and wrapped around a nylon core, creates a stretchy and durable material. We had no issues with chafing, even after hours of running in hot and humid conditions. True to wool, these shorts got a lot less stinky than their non-wool counterparts. The cut is relatively tight for a loose-fitting pair of shorts, and while Ibex recommends sizing up for a looser fit, we found them to fit relatively true to size.
The shorts have a small internal pocket, but it doesn’t have a zipper and is small enough that we wouldn’t necessarily trust it with an item we really didn’t want to lose, like a set of keys.
Shop the Men's Ibex Springbok ShortShop the Women's Ibex Springbok Short
Best Wool Sports Bra: Smartwool Intraknit Racerback Bra ($65)
While heavier than nearly any other bra we’ve tested and slow to dry, the Smartwool Intraknit Racerback Bra has enough going for it to make it the bra we generally turn to for either cold-weather or multiday outings and one that often is at the top of the pile for more normal runs as well. The material is no doubt thick and covers a lot of the upper body, but it provides a high level of support, and we haven’t had any issues with chafing. This bra runs warm, so it’s not an excellent option for hot weather runs unless you plan on running without a shirt.
The racerback style distributes weight evenly around your back, and the straps don’t dig into your shoulders at all. While Smartwool markets this bra for low-impact activities, we found it provides enough support for running, even after multiple days of continuous wear. Our tester took it on multiple week-long fastpacking trips and didn’t experience any significant stretch over that period. The bra comes with removable cups so you can adjust the level of support provided. There is also a small back pocket that could be used to store small items like a key or a gel, but it’s too small for much else.
This bra is made of several materials, including Tencel, nylon, and merino wool. While the Tencel theoretically speeds up drying time, this bra took much longer to dry than nearly any other piece of our running wardrobe. It’s also incredibly heavy when wet. While the drying time is a mark against this bra, the damp wool didn’t feel cold against our skin. Because of the thickness and warmth of this bra, we named it our top choice in our best cold-weather running gear guide.
Smartwool recommends sizing up with this bra if you’re on the fence between sizes.
Shop the Smartwool Intraknit Racerback BraBest Wool Socks: Darn Tough Stride Micro Crew Ultra-Lightweight Sock ($20)
The Darn Tough Stride Micro Crew Ultra-Lightweight Sock is a fan favorite due to its low-bulk seamless fit. We found them to be the best wool running socks due to their merino wool blend material that keeps feet dry, comfortable, and blister-free mile after mile. Light arch support eliminates bunching and shifting as you move. These running socks are reinforced at the heel and sides to improve durability for long-lasting comfort. With a six-inch cuff, this sock can protect your ankles from trailside vegetation and rocks.
Darn Tough is a family-owned company you can feel good about shopping with. Their merino wool is 100% Responsible Wool Standard certified, and all Darn Tough socks are made in the USA in their mill in Vermont. If any durability problems arise, Darn Tough socks are guaranteed for life — simply return the socks in question, and they will replace them under warranty.
Check out our best running socks article for some of our favorite running socks.
Shop the Women's Darn Tough Stride Micro Crew Ultra-Lightweight SockShop the Men's Darn Tough Stride Micro Crew Ultra-Lightweight Sock
Best Wool Socks: Smartwool Athlete Edition Run Crew Socks ($27)
The Smartwool Athlete Edition Run Crew Socks are lightly cushioned merino wool-blend socks that really stand up to the distances and terrain trail runners subject them to. The design combines areas of extra durability and cushion with mesh zones to enhance breathability, keeping feet dry and happy. The higher crew-length cuff protects ankles and lower legs from sticks, rocks, and other trail debris that would otherwise leave us scraped and scratched.
They were featured as the runner-up in our best running socks guide, and our team found them to perform well in a variety of weather and terrain conditions. As one tester said, their feet felt “cradled and comfortable” by these socks. These socks come in a variety of fun designs that change regularly.
Shop the Women's Smartwool Athlete Edition Run Crew SocksShop the Men's Smartwool Athlete Edition Run Crew Socks
Best Wool Neck Gaiter: Buff Merino Lightweight Neckwear ($30)
The name Buff has become nearly synonymous with neck gaiters, so it’s no surprise our favorite neck gaiter is from the company that has kept many a runner’s neck warm for years. The Buff Merino Lightweight Neckwear is soft, wind resistant, semi-seamless, and 100% merino wool.
This light yet toasty layer is breathable and dries quickly, using wool’s ability to maintain warmth and help with temperature regulation even when damp. You can also use this neck gaiter as a hat, headband, face cover, and ear warmer.
Shop the Buff Merino Lightweight NeckwearBest Wool Gloves: REI Co-op Merino Wool Liner Gloves 2.0 ($30)
The REI Co-op Merino Wool Liner Gloves 2.0 are a great lightweight pair of gloves for chilly but not cold runs. They are more loose fitting than many other options, making them easy to get on and off. A bit of spandex under the wrist keeps the warmth in, and the gloves secure on the hand. We loved them as a standalone layer for cool mornings and as a liner glove under a waterproof mitt for colder conditions. They are made of 50% merino wool and 50% recycled polyester, so they retain all of the positive qualities of wool while still being stretchy and durable. During testing, these gloves came along on plenty of runs that involved scrambling, and they’ve held up to repeated contact with sharp rock.
To help keep track of your gloves, a small clip will keep them together when not worn, and a small loop makes them easy to attach to a pack. While no gloves have truly impressed us with their touch-screen compatibility, these are relatively functional. We could get most phone functions to work without taking them off.
These gloves are relatively thin, so you’ll want another layer to put on top of them when temperatures really dive.
REI Co-op Merino Wool Liner Gloves 2.0Best Wool Beanie: Smartwool Active Beanie ($25)
The Smartwool Active Beanie, formerly known as the Merino Sport 150 Beanie, is a sleek, lightweight beanie that provides extra warmth and protection on chilly runs without being itchy or bulky. The beanie’s combination of merino wool and polyester provides the temperature and moisture management of wool with some stretch and fast drying times.
You can easily wear this beanie under a helmet, and it is easy to carry in a pack or pocket as a just-in-case layer. The Smartwool Active Beanie was also a top pick in our best cold weather running gear guide.
Shop the Smartwool Active BeanieBest Wool Hat: Buff Pack Merino Fleece Cap ($42)
If you want visor protection, lightweight warmth, and a built-in ear band, the Buff Pack Merino Fleece Cap is for you! Another pick in our best cold weather running gear guide, this hat has a unique design that checks many boxes for cold weather running. Say goodbye to an ear band or beanie piled on top of your brimmed hat — this hat does it all and stuffs away in your pocket when you don’t need it.
This lightweight, packable running hat has a baseball hat-style brim with a merino wool cap to combine face and eye protection from the sun with breathable warmth. The earband can be pulled down for added warmth and coverage in colder conditions.
Shop the Buff Pack Merino Fleece CapWhy the iRunFar Team Chooses Wool for Running
Benefits of Wool Apparel for Running
Wool is a hugely popular material for running clothing. It’s known for having outstanding temperature- and moisture-regulating capabilities with its unique ability to transport moisture from your skin as a vapor instead of allowing it to turn into droplets. In addition, merino wool has several other features that make it a top choice among performance fabrics. Merino wool is inherently odor-resistant, making it a perfect choice for multiday adventures, fastpacking, travel, or just skipping a laundry day here and there. We found that we could wear the Icebreaker ZoneKnit Merino Short Sleeve T-Shirt seemingly indefinitely without it picking up a smell. It is also a great layering material, with many companies making items of varying weights to accommodate a range of temperature conditions. Wool also has the benefit of being warm when wet. While cotton and other materials can lead to a dangerous situation if they get wet when it’s cold out, wool will continue to provide insulation even if you’ve sweat heavily or gotten caught out in a storm without a rain jacket.
Wool clothing is an excellent option for both warm- and cold-weather running. In the heat, wool will quickly wick moisture away from your skin and cool your body as the moisture evaporates. In the cold, wool provides a high level of insulation. Wool clothing can come in various thicknesses and is an excellent option for adding and subtracting layers as a run effort or the ambient temperature changes. Our favorite wool bra, the Smartwool Intraknit Racerback Bra, is ideal for cold-weather running.
Moisture-Wicking Properties of Wool
Merino clothing works its magic by trapping air to provide insulation while transporting moisture away from your skin, keeping your body at a stable temperature. Unlike synthetic fibers that wick large moisture droplets away from your body, merino wool is porous and allows moisture vapor from sweat to escape before it turns into liquid droplets, eliminating the wet, clammy, soaked-in-sweat feeling during and after a run. Wool can absorb a third of its weight in moisture, removing it from your skin and allowing it to evaporate before the material will even start to feel damp. The lightweight material of the Smartwool Classic All-Season Merino Base Layer will keep you warm and comfortable even if you start to sweat through it.
Advances in Wool Clothing
Modern-day wool clothing is nothing like the thick and itchy sweaters that many associate with Ugly Sweater Parties and the wool turtlenecks of the past. Wool running apparel is made almost exclusively of merino wool, sourced from merino sheep that are adapted to live in both very hot and very cold temperatures. Their fibers are much softer and can be made into lighter pieces of clothing than other types of wool. While in the past, wool has been exclusively associated with cold-weather runs, many companies are making shirts, shirts, sports bras, and underwear that can be worn throughout a huge temperature range, including in extreme heat. And for those winter runs when you need to stay warm, modern wool clothing, like the Smartwool Classic Thermal Merino Base Layer Crew, will also keep you warm and dry.
Wool Blends
When choosing between the best merino wool running shirts, you need to consider the material blend of a piece of apparel. Clothing items geared toward warm weather activities will generally blend merino wool with another material, such as Tencel, nylon, or polyester, to make them lighter and dry quicker. Most lighter pieces of wool clothing will have lower percentages of wool than those designed to be insulating layers. The lightweight Smartwool Classic All-Season Merino Base Layer, which can be worn comfortably in warmer temperatures, is made of 88% merino wool, while the Smartwool Classic Thermal Merino Base Layer Crew, which is a much warmer layer that we often use as an extra layer, is 100% merino wool. The higher the wool percentage in a blend, the more insulating the material will be.
Wool Sources
When we talk about wool for athletic performance clothing, we are talking about merino wool. Merino wool is a fiber grown by merino sheep, which are a rugged breed that evolved to withstand extreme temperatures in mountainous terrain. Merino sheep are most commonly raised in Australia and New Zealand, where they can withstand temperatures from five to 90 degrees Fahrenheit with their warm yet lightweight and breathable fleece. This fleece creates a fine, lightweight fiber that is much softer and more breathable than traditional wool — so you won’t feel like you are running around in an itchy turtleneck.
Merino wool is a biodegradable and environmentally friendly material. All the companies featured in this guide source their wool from humanely raised, ethically sourced, non-mulesed sheep — so you can feel comfortable about investing in products that are good for the environment, good for the animals, and good for you!
Why You Should Trust Us
The iRunFar team has been running in different types of clothing for decades. We’ve run in everything from cotton socks to shirts made from fully synthetic materials, and the material many of us keep coming back to is wool. Some of our testers, especially those prone to partaking in multiday fastpacking trips or long road trips where laundry doesn’t get done regularly, will turn their noses up at anything not made of wool and have assembled running wardrobes consisting entirely of wool or wool-blend pieces of clothing.
Some items in this guide have been in our testers’ wardrobes for years, getting replaced repeatedly as shirts and socks get worn out, and some items were new to everyone. We took a variety of wool pieces out in the deserts and mountains of the American West, the mountains of Oregon, and the varied and often wet terrain of New Zealand to test them for comfort, durability, breathability, and potentially, most importantly, the stink factor. Many items that made it into this guide have been used on several multiday outings to observe how to perform after multiple days of continuous wear. One of the biggest draws of wool clothing is its ability to ward off smells, and we wanted to make sure we could wear any items we recommend multiple times without them developing a stench.
Frequently Asked Questions about Wool Apparel for Running
Is wool better than synthetic materials?
While wool and synthetic materials can do an exceptional job wicking moisture from the skin, wool has the added benefit of not getting smelly as fast. We’ve all experienced the stench of a synthetic shirt after a hot run, and wool can keep the smell to a minimum. Wool apparel is an excellent option for road trips where you want to be able to re-wear the same shirt multiple times between laundry sessions, long travel days, and fastpacking trips where you don’t want to drive your partner out of the tent with the smell of your clothing.
Because of the unique moisture-wicking properties of wool, it stays dryer than many synthetic options. Because of its material properties, it removes moisture from the skin as a vapor instead of allowing it to form into droplets before being wicked away. This inherently keeps the material dryer, and it’s rare to feel clammy in a wool shirt after a run. Wool is an excellent option for socks because of this as well. The best wool running socks, like the Darn Tough Stride Micro Crew Ultra-Lightweight Sock, can keep your feet dry and comfortable in both the heat and the cold. Wool can also provide insulation, even if it’s wet, which is critical if you’ve sweat through your clothing or run through a rain storm.
Is wool an environmentally friendly material?
In many ways, wool is a renewable and environmentally friendly material. Since it grows on sheep continuously and can be harvested regularly, it can be considered sustainable in many ways since it doesn’t directly use non-renewable materials. Still, raising sheep on land has environmental impacts, including environmental degradation and animal waste. Animal rights also need to be considered. All the items in this guide are made from wool that comes from humanely raised, ethically sourced, non-mulesed sheep, so you can feel good about wearing them. Several items, like the REI Co-op Merino Wool Liner Gloves 2.0, also have recycled polyester in them.
Is wool running apparel durable?
If there is a major downside to wool apparel, it lies in its durability. Wool tends to be less durable than synthetic materials, including polyester and nylon and can be prone to tears and rips that run.
Several factors can affect the durability of a piece of apparel. Wool clothing can come in various weights, and their thickness affects their durability. The fabric density of a piece of clothing also affects its durability, with thicker and, thus, warmer merino clothing being significantly more durable than thinner pieces. To help with the durability issue, many companies use wool blends instead of pure wool. This can help reduce the chances of tears from abrasions or snags on the trail. Most of the gear in this guide, including the Icebreaker ZoneKnit Merino Short Sleeve T-Shirt, is made of a wool-blend material to increase its durability and stretchiness.
To extend the lifespan of wool clothing, it’s important to wash them in cold water and let them dry on a line instead of putting them in a dryer. A properly cared-for piece of wool clothing can last for a long time and is well worth the investment.
Is wool clothing good for hot-weather running?
Because of its unique moisture-wicking properties, wool is an excellent option for running in the heat. Wool transfers sweat from the skin before it can coalesce into droplets that get your shirt wet. This can help keep you cool and dry in the heat. By using wool blends for material, companies can create extremely thin garments that still maintain all of the advantages of wool without being heavy or warm. The Icebreaker ZoneKnit Merino Short Sleeve T-Shirt is incredibly light and perfect for hot-weather outings.
Is wool clothing good for cold-weather running?
Wool is one of the original cold-weather clothing materials because of its insulating properties, and the Smartwool Intraknit Racerback Bra is an excellent option for when the temperatures drop. Merino wool fibers are evolutionarily adapted to keep merino sheep warm in cold climates and provide an outstanding amount of insulation for their weight. Most wool garments designed for insulation are made of pure wool instead of a blend. Wool can keep you warm even if it’s wet. This can be useful if you sweat a lot during a running effort or get caught in a rain or snowstorm. While other materials, namely cotton, can get extremely cold and thus dangerous when wet, you can trust wool to provide warmth under any conditions.
Can I layer with wool apparel?
Wool is an excellent option for nearly any layer of your running kit. As a base layer, wool can wick moisture from the skin and move it outwards so your skin doesn’t get clammy. Thicker wool shirts, like the Smartwool Classic All-Season Merino Base Layer, are an excellent option for adding layers as it gets colder. The percentage of wool in a piece of clothing will determine how insulating it is, with pure wool shirts being the warmest. Many shirts designed to function in warm weather as a standalone or base layer in the cold are made from a wool blend. By blending wool with other materials, companies can make clothing more durable and quicker drying.
Many companies make both top and bottom wool baselayers, an excellent foundation for a running kit in cold weather.
Call for Comments
- Do you run in wool clothing? Which items or brands are your favorites?
- What weather or temperatures do you find wool the most comfortable?