Make & Model - Rab Merino+ 160 LS Crew & Pants
Fabric - 160 Merino+, 65% wool / 35% polyester
Weight - 6.4/5.9 ounces (medium)
Colors - Amazon, Ebony, Gray, Red
MSRP - $85/$110
URL - http://www.rab.equipment

Rab's 160 Merino+ Fabric is a blend of merino wool and Cocona 37.5 polyester. Similar to First Lite's Aerowool mentioned above, the Fabric takes advantage of wool's strengths and adds polyester fibers infused with absorbent material that increases the surface area of the fibers by 800 percent. The result is a Fabric that acts like wool, but dries faster and wears a bit harder. On the down side, it's a bit warmer than a similar Weight of 100-percent merino.

The top's seams are all located away from friction points, with none running on top of the shoulder. The crew neck has held up over two months of wear without relaxing, and the rear neck seam is thoughtfully padded for comfort. The pants have a single leg seam, a gusseted crotch, and a pee slot. The waistband is made by folding the base Fabric over an elastic band. This extends the benefits of the 160+ material as far north as possible.

The Fabric is very thin, breathing well, but it does feel warmer than similar Weights of pure merino. Rab replaced the crew neck with a 1?4-zip version of the 160 Merino+ Model this season, so you might find this one at a steep discount.

Pros:
– No funky smell after four days straight of use
– Intelligent seam placement
– LightWeight and very strong

Cons:
– Surface pilling occurred within a few weeks of wear
– Polyester increases moisture transport, but the material still feels less breathable than wool.