• Garment Weight-XL 184 grams
  • Sizes S, M, L, XL, XXL
  • Colours Rainforest, Red Earth, Black
  •  
  • Cost $120.00

Wilderness Wear MerinoFusion Light 160 Long Sleeve Tee Top

Mens

Rating

Rating: 8.5 / 10
Value for Money 2.1 / 2.5
Comfort 2.1 / 2.5
Weight 2.0 / 2.5
Durability 2.3 / 2.5

Wilderness Wear MerinoFusion Light 160 Long Sleeve Tee Top Review

For the past three years I have almost exclusively worn long sleep tops on my hikes. I prefer the extra sun protection when hiking in general and on the NSW south coast, I prefer the protection from Ticks. Over recent months I have had the opportunity to wear the Wilderness Wear MerinoFusion Light 160 Long Sleeve Tee Top.

As always let’s start with the negatives. Most people I pass on the trail tend to wear short sleeve tops unless the weather is cold. That means many people may not like wearing this top during the warmer months. I must admit I do prefer a lighter weight top for most of the year. Having said that, the only real negative tends to be the neck sizing which is a bit strange as it’s also a positive. Many tops have overly small necks but a broader neck opening means more sun exposure so if you wear this top in the hotter months, sunburn can be an issue if you don’t also wear a buff or bandana.

A negative from a washing perspective is that this top isn’t drier friendly. In fairness to Wilderness Wear this isn’t just an issue with their products but with all wool based garments. Typically I tend to ignore this advice on my clothing labels but to ensure the long life of this product, air drying is the way to go.

Now for the plusses. Firstly Wilderness Wear is an Australian owned Company that also manufactures in Australia. While I like to support local companies, I’ll only do so if the product stands the wear test. As is the case with previous Wilderness Wear products I have reviewed, this top has stood up to the wear.

The Wilderness Wear MerinoFusion 190 Long Sleeve Tee is made from a blend of Merino Wool (50%) and Polypropylene (50%), hence the name ‘MerionoFusion’. The idea here is that this hybrid material provides the best of both worlds eliminating the smell often associated with wearing synthetic garments over long periods. The garment stays soft to the touch and feels very comfortable on, and continues to keep you warm even when wet because it wicks moisture away from your body on those days when you start to sweat. In addition, the use of a synthetic hybrid material means that it’s cheaper than garments made from 100% wool. A good indication here is that even after wearing this top for multiple days, it still doesn’t smell ‘stinky’.  In fact it smells less than the pure Merino Wilderness Wear  Cumulo 150 Long sleeve Tee Top which is my current top of choice.

While this top is classed as a ‘lightweight’ top, it isn’t as cool as the Wilderness Wear  Cumulo 150 Long sleeve Tee Top.

The fit is classed as athletic and the large size top (Red Earth) shown in the images in this review, is nice and snug. I must admit I prefer the longer sleeves of the XL size top including in the Wilderness Wear MerinoFusion 190 Long Sleeved Zip Neck Top. Like all the Wilderness Wear tops I have worn they are generous in the length of the torso. So many other manufacturers skimp on the body length which then tend to come untucked and this is annoying on long hikes.

The stitching is a greyish in colour and is ‘flat locked’ so it doesn’t chafe. I also love the pattern on this top which is created by the manufacturing process rather than being a print. The colour is unique, not that its going to impact what it does, but that’s a bonus.

For me this top is a bit on the warm side but as I have a high tolerance to cold, most people will find it comfortable for temperatures below around 20° celsius.

Wilderness Wear MerinoFusion 160 Long Sleeve fusion Red earth colour

Mens MerinoFusion Light 160 Long Sleeve Tee Top Fusion Rainforest colour

Wilderness Wear MerinoFusion 160 Long Sleeve Black colour

Wilderness Wear MerinoFusion Light 160 LS Tee Top front view. Note the generous torso length

MerinoFusion Light 160 LS Tee Top side view

Wilderness Wear MerinoFusion Light 160 LS Tee Top rear view

Wilderness Wear MerinoFusion Light 160 LS Tee Top under the arm

MerinoFusion Light 160 LS Tee Top close up of fabric

Wilderness Wear MerinoFusion 160 LS Top rear neck view – not a lot of sun protection

Wilderness Wear MerinoFusion 160 LS Top front neck view

We Like

  • High quality merino blend fabric that just feels so comfortable to wear
  • Double sewn flat seams prevents chaffing and keeps this garment comfortable no matter how heavy your pack or how many layers you wear
  • Excellent length in the torso of the garment which is great for those of us with a bit of extra height
  • Australian wool blend, Australian owned, Australian made

We Don't Like

  • I’d prefer more neck protection for the back of my neck particularly during the hotter months
  • While the thickness of this top will suit most people, I prefer my tops a bit on the cooler side

Best Uses

  • For those of you who prefer long sleeved tops
  • A great top for the cooler months of the year

Buy One

You can purchase the Wilderness Wear MerinoFusion Light 160 Long Sleeve Tee Top from Wild Earth or from Wilderness Wear 

Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our gear reviewsDisclosure:  We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through and make a purchase.

Investment

AUD $120.00 RRP

Other Versions

Wilderness Wear produces a large range of tops in both short and long sleeves, as well as thin to thick materials. Depending on your tolerance for cold and your layering system, there is a garment to suit your needs

 

Disclaimer

This review was done with product provided by Wilderness Wear

Last updated

24/11/23

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