Here’s the Smartwool gear that’s saved our summer

In case you hadn’t noticed, it’s hot. It’s been hot for what feels like forever here in Baltimore, and it looks like it’s going to stay hot for the next several weeks. Hooray.

The thing is, though, you’re not going to stop us from going outside. We crave the sunlight, the breeze, and even the sweat running down our faces because we remember just how bitterly cold it was last winter – and will be again in a few months.

So, to find a way to make the great outdoors, well, great, we’ve been experimenting. We’ve tried everything from ice bandanas to painfully expensive sweat-wicking fabrics, but we’ve settled on a sweet (and maybe unexpected) spot right in the middle. Wool has totally changed our summer… Smartwool, that is. Smartwool’s Active collection has come in clutch for everything from casual days at the beach to the hottest miles of our summer, covering us from head to toe in comfort.

Here’s what we’ve been wearing for the last several weeks. Spoiler alert: It’s a lot of Merino. Like, a lot a lot.

Wait, Merino wool in the middle of summer?

Yes, really. We’re wearing Smartwool’s wool even as the thermostat shows triple digits outside. The difference here is that we’re not wearing your grandma’s wool sweater, cute though it may be. We might ask her for it once the holidays roll around, but until then, it’s Merino season.

And, if you still think our obsession with wool is a joke, it’s time to listen up. Merino wool is the stuff. Robbe wrote about it as a solution to cold in the middle of winter, yet it’s just as good in the heat of summer; how cool is that (pun intended)? So, because that sounds almost impossible, let’s talk about why Smartwool’s Merino wool works so well.

For starters, it’s natural. Sheep grow it year-round, and it’s kept them both warm and cool since before your grandma’s grandma was born (I’m still fixated on sweaters). It works just the same way when transferred from one of those sheep into a t-shirt. Smartwool’s fibers wick sweat off your skin as vapor but remain porous so what they pull in evaporates into the air rather than waiting pooling on your skin.

Oh, and did we mention that Merino wool is odor-resistant? If you’ve been to a summer run with Believe Run Club, you’ll know why that matters. A confined office full of hot, sweaty runners is enough to bring back some of the harshest memories of high school gym class – back when cotton tees were all we had. The same porous nature that helps Smartwool’s fibers wick sweat also traps those unwanted odors, letting them disappear over time rather than all at once while you work out.

By the way, the soft, biodegradable Merino material that Smartwool uses is also fire-resistant, but, like, maybe don’t put that bit of information to the test? Just trust us on this one.

Anyway, let’s get to some practical examples of how we’ve been wearing the Smartwool Active collection.

The Smartwool gear we swear by

As runners and gear aficionados, there’s nothing we like more than trying something on as soon as it gets to us. Smartwool’s summer capsule is no exception. We got our big box of goodies, opened it, and grabbed the first t-shirt we saw. That shirt just so happened to be the Active Ultralite Short Sleeve.

Honestly, there’s no better way to describe the shirt. It’s light, it’s soft, and it makes you want to go out and do something. Maybe that’s a hike, maybe it’s a run, or maybe it’s a weekend trip to the beach with your family. Actually, we’ve done all three. The shirt, which is made from 100% natural fibers (in a 53/47 Merino-Tencel ratio), just seems to rise to every occasion.

As Smartwool describes it, this is their lightest, softest material, which is perfect for high aerobic activities in warm weather. We’d tend to agree, as the odor resistance and moisture wicking made this such an easy shirt to slip on before heading out for a sunny day at the beach.

It comes in six colors, too, making it easy to have one for every day of the week – though the Mineral Blue is a fast favorite.

This time, we’re going to combine two pieces of Smartwool apparel into one entry. Why? Because they use the same clever mix of Merino and mesh to add even more durability to the mix. And yes, that means somehow, Smartwool has convinced us that it’s alright to wear a hoodie in the middle of summer.

Actually, we’d say the hoodie more than earned its place in our closets. We figured it might be the perfect sun layer for an early morning deep-sea fishing trip, and we were right. The front panel is made from the same Merino and Tencel material as the Ultralite Short Sleeve, while the sleeves, back, and hood are made from a lightweight, incredibly breathable mesh that adds recycled polyester to the mix.

The result is all-over protection from the early morning sun, with quick-dry technology that probably could have dried as quickly as the ocean spray splashed us. Joke’s on the ocean; we were too busy hiding inside so that we didn’t get seasick. When the boat stopped and we ventured out, though, the Active Mesh Hoodie more than did its job, keeping us unburnt for several hours at sea.

The Active Mesh Short Sleeve is excellent, too, stepping in as our go-to shirt for riding bikes on the boardwalk and running along the seawall before the sun got too high. It uses the same split of materials, with breathable mesh on the shoulders and back to let the sweat escape.

Alright, so although a Merino wool hoodie in the middle of summer may have caught you off guard, don’t expect the same as we move down. We might like protection for our arms, but we’ll be wearing shorts for as long as we possibly can before it’s time to switch out our wardrobe.

And no, Smartwool’s shorts aren’t just Merino from top to bottom. In fact, you won’t actually see the wool from the outside. Instead, it’s in the liner to keep you cool from the inside out. The outside of the Active Lined Short is a stretch-woven fabric that’s as quick-drying as it is flexible, wicking sweat away as you move. And, whether you choose the 5-inch or the 7-inch inseam, you’ll get a secure zippered pocket at the back to stash your keys.

Honestly, though, we’ve been leaning on the 7-inch shorts more heavily this summer. Why? Well, they have drop-in pockets, of course. Do you know how hard it is to find a good pair of shorts with drop-in pockets? It’s almost unthinkable. Most of our short shorts, though breathable, treat pockets like an afterthought, making it tough to travel with more than the basics.

Also, if you hurry, you might be able to catch a few patterns of the Active Lined Short on sale, which is all the excuse you need to revamp your running lineup.

Last, there are the socks. When it comes to running, Smartwool offers something of a choose-your-own-adventure approach. All three of the socks we were sent use the same technologies, blending Indestructawool durability in high-impact zones with the brand’s 4 Degree Elite Fit System for peak comfort.

So, the whole choosing part comes into play when it’s time to pick your favorite fit. We were sent No-Show, Ankle, and Crew cuts, and we’ve spent the last few weeks of summer finding the perfect use for each one. Yes, there are definitely differences, and a lot of our preferences come back to old habits.

For example, it takes a lot to get us to run in a No-Show sock. We’ve had enough experiences with shoes that rub at our heels or ankles that we don’t always trust the less-is-more approach. However, the 4 Degree Elite Fit System uses stretch zones to keep its thicker coverage in just the right spot, while a little spot of rubber at the heel keeps the sock from slipping into your shoe. Still probably not a great pick for trail running, but an elite match for casual wear.

Smartwool’s Ankle sock uses its padding to a similar extent, though it swaps the rubber security for taller tabs at the front and back. The idea is the same – to keep your sock from slipping or rubbing – there’s just more material to work with. We actually have run our fair share of miles in the Ankle Cut, and whatever Smartwool did to make the sock this plush while remaining blister-free is borderline unfair. It just works, and works really well.

Our favorite cut, however, has to be the Crew Cut sock. We can’t help it; we’re tall-sock people. We love to have one pair that works just as well for road running (when we have to hide our terrible tan lines) as it does on trails (when we need to keep debris and bugs off our still-pale ankles).

That said, we’re not out here playing at the World Cup, so we don’t want something knee-height either, making a Mid-Crew just right. It completely shields our ankles, whether we’re in shoes with traditional uppers or sock-like ones, and you still get the same reliable durability from the Indestructawool Technology.