ABOUT THE MERINO BLEND SHIRT OFFERINGS FROM PATAGONIA
Patagonia’s Merino Blend ¾ Sleeve Bike Jersey and the Capilene Cool Merino Blend Shirt are essentially the same shirt, but with different designs. The Capilene Cool Merino is a classic T-shirt, while the ¾ jersey cuts off just past the mid-forearm. The T-shirt weighs roughly 111 grams, and the ¾ jersey, with a bit of extra material at the sleeves, comes in at 156 grams.
Patagonia uses Control Union-certified Responsible Wool Standard (RWS) wool. RWS wool ensures more responsible land management practices and higher standards for animal welfare during wool harvesting. The shirts are a wool-blend, consisting of 65% Merino and 35% recycled polyester, and are made in a certified Fair Trade factory, where employees receive fair pay for their labor.
The Merino-poly blend wicks sweat and moisture away from the body, dries quickly, and remains ultra-soft against the skin. The shirts are designed and cut with mountain biking in mind, with a bit of extra length in the back for coverage when sitting and to keep the shirt from riding up when wearing a hip pack.
Patagonia’s Merino Blend ¾ Sleeve Bike Jersey is available in three colorways and six sizes (XS–XXL), retailing for $99. The Capilene Cool Merino Blend Shirt comes in one additional size (3XL) and features six color options, retailing for $79.
THE DIRT
Merino wool offerings are relatively new to Patagonia’s MTB lineup, featuring two shirt options. And, as far as performance goes, I don’t want to wear anything other than these two shirts.
And, truth be told, aside from one occasion, I haven’t. I received these Merino Patagonia shirts at the end of winter last year and wore them on rides ranging from 35°F through to 90°F this summer. Rotating between the two for each ride (roughly four rides a week), I simply never wished for more. To say I’m impressed is a bit of an understatement.
While regular polyester/nylon shirts wick water well, they don’t dry as quickly and tend to get cold during the winter. I’ve stopped on many occasions at the top of a winter climb to catch my breath and started to get chilly because of a poly/nylon top. Even when these Patagonia shirts were soaked with sweat, they didn’t get cold like polyester.
But they won’t overheat you on warmer rides, either. My experience with the Patagonia Merino wool shirts has been that they stay just as cool, if not cooler, than any poly/nylon shirt I’ve worn. They also dry much faster, so I didn’t have any heavy, sweat-soaked shirt rides.
Also, neither one of these shirts got stinky. I went five to six rides before washing without any body odor left on the shirts whatsoever. This made them a great option for traveling, as I was able to wear the same shirt multiple days without grossing out my trail buddies.
However, when you do wash them, there are special instructions. Patagonia recommends washing these Merino wool shirts on a delicate cycle with like colors and laying them flat to dry. While I typically avoid extra chores, it is worth it to prolong their life, especially with a price tag that is just shy of $100.
While I was incredibly impressed with the performance of the Merino Blend ¾ Sleeve Bike Jersey and the Capilene Cool Merino Blend Shirt, they are a bit thinner than some other jerseys. After one crash, I put a small hole in the ¾ sleeve jersey. That said, Patagonia takes care of its customers with an incredible repair program. If you’re regularly rolling around on the ground then these might not be for you, but if you can keep it rubber side down then the performance is compelling.
The Wolf’s Last Word
For warm or cold riding, I’ll continue to use the Patagonia Merino Blend ¾ Sleeve Bike Jersey and the Capilene Cool Merino Blend Shirt. Yes, they are a bit more expensive than their poly/nylon counterparts, but they offer performance that other jerseys simply can’t touch. 
Price: $79 & $99
Website: Patagonia.com
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ABOUT THE WOLF
The local boy — Travis was born and raised in Bend, OR. Skateboarding consumed his life until his high school years (yes, he can still kickflip), but was replaced by mountain biking…then rock climbing, whitewater rafting, and finally back to mountain biking. After a stint in the big city, Travis returned home, trading a teaching career to be an okay mountain biker and above-average journalist. He is an outspoken 90s grunge fan, cornering poor souls in conversations about the meaning behind the lyrics of Alice In Chains’ “Would.” Most days, Travis hopes to be outside, whether that is on an early morning ride or a hike with his family (the best days include both).
Rank: Contributing Writer
Size: 5’8” / 172cm | 195lbs / 88kg
Social: @travis_reill_writes
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