I would like to take this moment to announce a new sponsor signing on with my adventures around the globe! I/O Merino out of Australia is manufacturer of high end performance apparel made from pure Australian Merino Wool. They have provided me with 2 shirts and a light jacket to assist in my journey.
When doing any kind of travel, the weight of your gear is a major concern. Even more so when you are living out of a backpack for an extended period. For the last 6 months I have been carrying my heavy cotton shirts around and putting a lot of wear and tear on them. Now I will be lightening my load substantially by replacing a few garments with these soft new I/O Merino wool ones.
Men’s Altitude Midweight Longsleeve Zip
Merino wool has been known amongst outdoor enthusiasts for years. It is light weight, breathable, warm and durable. The wool the I/O Merino uses is harvested from sheep that have been selectively breed over the last 200 years to create the softest and most pure wool in the world. Merino wool is a high performance fabric in part because it creates a special vapor barrier that allows moisture to be wicked away, keeping your temperature regulated during even the most strenuous activities. It’s also 100% natural, sustainable and even biodegradable. Purchasing Merino wool products also helps support small communities in Australia where the sheep are raised. Merino wool is also easy to care for. Because it is less prone to static build up, it has stain resistance built in, doesn’t actively attract dust and can be machine washed and tumble dried as opposed to some wool which requires hand washing.
Men’s Elemental Jacket
The biggest benefit for me is of course the weight reduction. While being half the weight of the old cotton shirts, they actually provide better warmth than the cotton does. They are perfect as base layers as well, being so light and thin. Stacking a shirt with the jacket proved perfect in the biting Irish wind that picked up last night while I was out taking a few pictures of myself in these new clothes.
I look forward to using these over the next few weeks and providing I/O Merino with some product reviews for their website and some pictures as well. Never thought I’d be modeling clothes!
Men’s Altitude Lightweight Short sleeve Tee
One more fun bit! If you are interested in purchasing any of I/O Merino’s clothes, use the following coupon code to get 10% off your order! TYSWORLDTREK Enter it at http://www.iomerino.com/ to claim the discount! They are also running a contest on their facebook page HERE. Just “like” the page and answer a few questions to be entered to win $400 worth of products!