SmartWool Brand Info

SmartWool call themselves wool geeks, and wool geeks they are. Over 17 years of innovation and design in the field of one of natures finest natural materials. Smartwool have combined a passion for the outdoors with mountain sports and have come up with an extremely special product range including wool socks, base layer, underwear, tops, headwear, gloves and more.

Smartwool are an American born company who deal in the innovation, design, production of merino wool clothing and accessories. These guys have secured a substantial chunk of the American baselayer market over the past few years and have been growing from strength to strength with their ever growing ranges of merino baselayer, merino socks, gloves and headwear. Here at Webtogs we're really happy to have Smartwool as part of out brand portfolio and to start off with are stocking men's and women's base layer tops & bottoms which includes the Smartwool NTS range. We also have taken a great selection of Smartwool merino socks, ranging from Mountaineering socks to liner socks.

The NTS range is their Next to Skin collection which unlike either base layer brands is not skin tight but it gives a slightly loose fit which is perfect for those wanting a more relaxed style. The NTS collection also benefits from what Smartwool call a contoured fit. This is where the seams, which are flatlocked for comfort, follow the contours of your body instead of being vertical. The contoured design reduces bulk, friction and makes you feel like you're not wearing a base layer.

The technical reasons why wearing wool can be more beneficial than other fabrics have been answered by research labs in New Zealand. They found that wearing wool helps to regulate your bodies temperature during physical exertion by using it's effective moisture management properties to carry away unwanted heat and restore a more stable core body temperature. Research also shows that because of wools efficiency at assisting your body's natural cooling process, you can maintain a lower heart rate when wearing wool next to skin over synthetics. What this means is that you can work harder for longer and achieve more using less energy.

The Sheep. Smartwool owe their success to a particular breed of sheep. The Merino Sheep come from the Southern hemisphere and the reasons for their wool being so successful is that the sheep themselves have to deal with such varied conditions in order to survive. In the summer these sheep deal with sweltering heat and then in the winter have to keep warm from bone chilling cold. In order to cope with the varied climate the Merino sheep have evolved and their wool is whiter, finer, smoother and stronger than other breeds. Smartwool have recognised this and have created their collection of merino wool products spanning from incredibly warm and comfortable baselayers to merino socks.

Fabric & Construction

Smartwool make Merino wool more comfortable through innovative fabric creation and smart construction. Through specialised knitting technologies, they've created fabrics that maximise the benefits of Merino wool. Smart garment construction creates products that offer the right amount of wool for maximum comfort and performance; more wool in areas where the body tends to chill and less where the body tends to run hot. The Smartwool Baselayer come as: Microweight 150 g/m2 which is their lighter weight wool used for cool weather garments with superior moisture management. Lightweight 195 g/m2 a slightly heavier knit product for colder weather but still with great moisture management. Lastly there's the Midweight 250 g/m2 which is Smartwool's heaviest and warmest collection. The Midweight baselayers come as a range of leggings and long sleeved base layers perfect for cold weather activities. There's also the Smartwool HyFi which is a bi-component fabric. The synthetic outer face offers improved performance benefits. Some examples might include wind, water and abrasion resistance. The interior offers all the inherent benefits of Merino wool next to skin. This fabric has the outward appearance of a synthetic fabric.