Australian Hiker

Rating

Wilderness Wear Women's MerinoFusion 190 Long Sleeved Zip Neck Top Review

I love merino outdoor gear and when its combined with hard wearing polypropylene you get the best of both worlds. When its Aussie made, by an Aussie company, it doesn’t get better.

This mix of fibres means that this top is hard wearing, soft to the touch, wicks moisture and is odour resistant. It’s marketed as a base layer but works well as a mid layer and for warmer climates, will be a great outer layer when the temps drop just a little.

This MerinoFusion 190 Long Sleeved Zip Neck Top is super soft and comfy, and quite stylish. With all the challenges of testing hiking gear during Covid lockdowns, this stylish top became a constant companion during my late winter work meetings on Zoom!

Seriously though I did manage to wear this top on a few outdoor adventures and as expected it lived up to my expectations.

My version of this top is Fusion Denim – not really my usual colour – but its a pretty powder blue hue and I was surprised by how much I like the colour. Other colours include include Fusion Merlot and Fusion Pink.

In terms of sizing – I wear a 10 and the fit is great. The fit is ‘slim’ so if you want extra room to move, consider a going up a size. The length is very generous but for me the sleeve length isn’t ideal. I have longish arms and I found the position of the cuffs made the thumb holes in the sleeve cuffs just a bit too short for comfort. A minor negative which only impacts those who have extra long arms for their size.

It does remind me of my high school days where the length of your school uniform was dictated by where your finger tips sat on your thighs. I still remember lifting my shoulders so my skirt could be positioned higher than knee length – oh the things you do!

One of the things that divides people with zip neck tops is the fit around the neck. I don’t feel comfortable wearing clothing that is tight around my neck. I was surprised with this zip neck top – while I’m conscious that the zip is up, I don’t feel too constricted.

The other feature worth mentioning is the additional underarm panel. Rather than having a seam that runs straight up under the armpit, this additional panelling makes this top very comfortable even on long days.

I tend to ignore the garment care instructions when washing my garments as I did in this case. I put it through the dryer despite advice from Wilderness Wear not to! I’ll accept the blame for this but I’m happy to report that this top is holding up very well.

The Wilderness Wear MerinoFusion 190 Long Sleeved Zip Neck Top has surpassed all my expectations. It is now part of my layering system and I’m very happy to encourage others to give this one a go.

Wilderness Wear Women’s MerinoFusion 190 Long Sleeve Zip Neck Top – Fusion Denim colour

Wilderness Wear Women’s MerinoFusion 190 Long Sleeve Zip Neck Top – Fusion Merlot

Wilderness Wear Women’s MerinoFusion 190 Long Sleeve Zip Neck Top – Fusion Pink

Wilderness Wear Women’s MerinoFusion 190 Long Sleeved Zip Neck Top – front view

Wilderness Wear Women’s MerinoFusion 190 Long Sleeve Zip Neck Top – rear view

Wilderness Wear Women’s MerinoFusion 190 Long Sleeve Zip Neck Top – side view showing paneling construction and the sleeve length when reaching

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 the pack or how many layers you wear
• Good range of colours
• Excellent length in both the body of the garment which is great for those of you with a bit of extra height
• Australian wool blend that keep you warm and minimises smell
• Australian owned, Australian made

We Don't Like

• I have long arms so the sleeve is Ok but not generous enough for me to comfortably use the thumb holes in the sleeve cuffs

Best Uses

As a standalone layer in cool weather or as a second layer in your layering system

Buy One

You can purchase the Wilderness Wear Women’s MerinoFusion 190 Long Sleeved Zip Neck Top from Wilderness Wear

Disclosure:  We may earn a small commission, at no additional expense to you, if you click through and make a purchase. Please note that our affiliations do not influence, in any way, the independence of our reviews. If we don’t like a product, you’ll hear about it from us!

If you have worn the Wilderness Wear Women’s MerinoFusion 190 Long Sleeved Zip Neck Top or if you have questions, we’d like to hear from you. Post your comment or question below

Investment

AUD $135.00 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 for testing

Shares