I knew one thing about Merino wool before testing Icebreaker’s Terra Long Sleeve Women’s Pull Over – it was stank proof. With that in mind, I decided to live in the garment for a month to give it a tried and true test of stink. I wore it up and down the six thousand foot peaks of Western North Carolina, for runs through the Blue Ridge Mountains, a thru hike through cold wet and rainy South Carolina, and out and about most every day. Here are my thoughts, review, and smells from the past month of wooly goodness.

Basic Specifications

Icebreaker Terra Long Sleeve Half Zip Hood

Fabric Weight: 240 Midweight

Fabric Weave: 81% Merino wool 19% Polyester

Weight Tested: (Women’s XS) 8.4 Ounces

Layer: Mid Layer

Price: Between $99 and $150

The Testing Grounds

The Art Loeb Trail | 30 Miles

Elevation rising from 2200 to 6000 feet atop North Carolina’s wind swept balds. Temperature range from just below freezing to fifty five degrees fahrenheit. The Terra performed best in cooler morning temperatures.

Mount LeConte | 16 Miles

Highest Peak in Great Smoky Mountains National Park at 6,594 Feet. Temperature range from just above freezing to the mid forties. On this cold and rainy trip I layered my Terra underneath my Sierra Designs Cloud Airshell for double layer protection against the wind and cold rain.

Foothills Trail

76 Miles

Three Day Thru Hike of the Blue Ridge Mountain Foothills Trail of Western North and South Carolina. The Terra shined on this trip which boasted a wide range of temperatures and hiking conditions. Temperatures ranged from twenty degrees fahrenheit at night to cold, wet, and rainy days in the high thirties. The Terra’s close fitted hood and zippered stash pocket won my heart on this chilly thru hike. The hood kept my ears and head warm in the chilly mornings, and helped regulate my temperature later in the day. I used the stash pocket on the arm to keep my Trail Butter from freezing during early morning snack attacks.

Overall

The Terra is a functional well designed mid-weight layer. From mountain tops to casual wear, I loved the merino synthetic blend which dried quickly but still retained the soft, dry, characteristic of merino wool. The Terra features a 240 mid weight base with 200 weight panels underneath the arms and along the sides. The lighter weight under the arms =’s fast and dry. The Terra performed best over a thin short-sleeve base layer at 25 to 35 degrees fahrenheit. Although the Terra layered well over base layers and underneath puffy down layers, the “slim fit” of the Terra left something to be desired. Overall, the piece has a much more “relaxed” fit then the “slim fit” advertised. The arms are a bit long and more baggy than most mid layers. Curiously, the torso is a bit short and rides up underneath a pack on all day treks. But the warmth to weight ratio is enough to overlook these fit issues. For 8.4 ounces (XS) with a hood, it’s a solid choice among women’s mid layers for late fall and winter outings. And after more than a month and a hundred miles, I still can’t get the thing to stink!

Disclosure: the following product was donated for the purpose of review.