 Poster: A snowHead
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Anybody use it - is it better than Merino wool?
I own a pair of Bamboo black socks but only wear them for work. This doesn't expose them to extreme conditions or activity.
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Bamboo vs Merino
1.It’s tougher. The sleeves on my Icebreaker top frayed and ripped within a couple of years’ occasional use. My TrekMates top (pictured above) has no such issues.
2.It’s softer. Merino feels much nicer than synthetic tops but it can be itchy and it’s just not as soft and comfortable as bamboo.
3.It wicks better. Merino is better than cotton for wicking but it’s not very good for intensive exercise and/or under less breathable outer layers. Other disagree but, from my experience, bamboo seems to be better (nothing beats the good old Helly Hansen Lifa though).
4.It’s closer fitting. Bamboo garments tend to be mixed with elastane which means they are stretchy. That results in a closer fit and thus better warmth and wicking performance. In contrast, the woolen merino tops I’ve had don’t hold their shape as well.
5.It still smells good. OK, perhaps not quite as miraculous as merino but still very good.
6.It’s cheaper. Merino tends to cost a fortune (Icebreaker merino t-shirt = £49) but bamboo’s not much more than synthetics (TrekMates t-shirt = £23). |
http://thenextchallenge.org/bamboo-better-merino/
http://www.bambooclothing.co.uk/
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I find it quite hard and itchy.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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Just to clarify - I do mean the bamboo fabric and not the stuff Pandas eat.
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You need to Login to know who's really who.
You need to Login to know who's really who.
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I won a bamboo top in the Snowheads raffle a few years ago, and chose one for the missus. She says its the best thermal top she owns and wore it on a nighttime walking marathon she did last year and was perfectly warm throughout while others were wearing multiple layers to stay warm.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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Love my Bridgedale bamboo walking socks. They are soft as anything, warm but not prone to getting sweaty at the same time. I used them last summer hiking in the alps on hot days, and they felt much cooler than woollen socks. I have a drawer full of "technical" walking socks, but always choose the bamboo ones. I never thought I could get geeky about socks..... 
Really want to find some bamboo ski socks.
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You'll need to Register first of course.
You'll need to Register first of course.
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Richard_Sideways, Did she notice any odour from the bamboo afterwards? I imagine it would be nigh on impossible to beat merino in that respect.
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| DB wrote: |
| Just to clarify - I do mean the bamboo fabric and not the stuff Pandas eat. |
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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Its just viscose (or rayon, if you prefer). There's quite a lot of mechanical and chemical processing done between the plant and the fabric... what you end up with is an extruded polymer filament, not a plant fibre.
It doesn't have the nice natural properties of merino; it is pretty much like any other synthetic (though I think it is rather less prone to long term smell buildup, compared to polypropylene, for example). The original feedstock is at least renewable, and the end product biodegradeable. I still prefer powerdry 
(oh, and it'll often be mixed with stretchy stuff and cotton, so it'll fit and feel nice but there may be issues with it getting wet and staying that way, which is not so good for skiing)
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ALQ, Not that she (or I) noticed, although most niffs are overpowered by the wifes ski boots.
One of the nice things about Bamboo as a base layer is that because you can mix it with other materials, its stretches and holds its shape better than Merino, and a good close fit is good for base layers.
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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I love bamboo so much, its soft, breathable and great to wash. Got my stuff from bambooclothing.co.uk, good service and some deals to be had.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Had a bamboo hat, it was supposed to be a ski hat, didn't last very long - maybe 2 or 3 days and it lost it's shape and stretched to being unusable - the material couldn't cope with being frozen and then heated on my sweaty noodle, then frozen again.
After it was washed I think it got thrown out as it was completely useless
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Have some bamboo t shirts and they do feel soft and easy wearing, more breathable than cotton too in warm weather. They don't hold their shape too well as they don't have anything else in them to help this.
They were however reasonably priced - about £7 ea. so nothing to worry about. I do prefer the material to cotton but its not as hard wearing but doesn't stink either. I wouldn't want to trade them for my merino baselayers when skiing, as performance wise they don't seem a decent substitute.
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You know it makes sense.
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My skis are bamboo (from Forktree). They are soft and easy to wash too 
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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Just love these bamboo tee shirts, nearly threw the catalogue in the recycling with all the other 100's we get sent but saw the sports T's, bought a couple and they are brilliant and from a girlie point, great to wash and iron.
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Poster: A snowHead
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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I just bought a Bam long sleeve T shirt. Wow. This is nice - like silk, but cosy and light too. Not had a chance to do any heavy exercise in it yet, but first impressions are great
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