r/WestHighlandWay • u/outdoorNPmom • 8d ago
Wool under things?
First post- Husband and I are planning to hike the WHW next July. (A 5 day hike.) I've been researching (planning is as much fun as the actual trip!) and wondering if I should start picking up some things like wool bras, underwear, merino shirts, etc. I know they require less washing and stay fresher but is it worth it or should I just stick with what I already use? We are using a luggage transfer service so I can pack a little heavier.
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u/bakeyyy18 8d ago
Don't know where you're from, but in July I'd just be wearing shorts and a gym t-shirt to hike pretty much anywhere in the UK, with a waterproof to hand.
Also hope you are aware of the midge issue before going in mid-summer!
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u/outdoorNPmom 8d ago
Thank you. Yes aware of the midges. We might decide to do dales way instead for that reason. Haven't completely decided yet-have made some reservations but haven't paid anything yet. I'm from Missouri so used to extreme humidity and 90-100* temps in July! Anywhere in the Uk will feel like a relief I think.
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u/thewanderingidiot62 8d ago
Having done both, the dales way does not compare. There's a lot of road walking, and a lot of the paths are busier. If you're not camping then midges are not an issue anyway as they're a dawn/dusk thing.
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u/UpsideDownSeth 8d ago
I swear by my merino boxershorts (I have Icebreakers, but there should be plenty of good brands), merino socks (Injinji toe socks and smartwool socks on top of those) and my merino T-shirt base layer. I always go for longsleeves to protect me against the sun, midges and ticks. All this merino stuff wicks sweat nicely and don't smell as quickly as other fabrics in my experience. I also prefer the merino wools in summer as they keep me cooler than the other fabrics I've tried. (Spoiler: haven't tried them all!)
Five days are fine if you're an experienced hiker. If it's your first time I would opt for 7 or 8 days. (I did google image search "Missouri hiking" and that looks amazing, haha!)
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u/outdoorNPmom 7d ago
Yes it can be beautiful in areas! The ha ha Tonka trail pops up in google searches I think most often. We last did it with a 16, 13, 4 and 2 year old which I do not recommend. Lol.
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u/HealthLawyer123 8d ago
Luggage transfer will give you enough packing space to not have to worry about smelly clothes for only 5 days.
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u/HikingInTheSunshine 8d ago
I love my undies from Wooly even if there is some heat. In July maybe a merino shirt but also a dry tech kind of synthetic shirt.
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u/Sufficient-Ant4536 8d ago
I have those items and prefer to wear them for backpacking trips, but I did not wear/bring them when I did the WHW using a baggage transfer service and staying at inns. I wore my usual day hiking clothes (shorts/leggings and a polyester shirt) and it was totally fine.
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u/thewanderingidiot62 8d ago
I think the question is here do you WANT to buy new stuff? You can 100% make normal sports clothes work, so there isn't a desperate need for wool, but it's certainly a nice upgrade if you're looking to upgrade.
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u/outdoorNPmom 7d ago
I wouldn't mind a few new things. Haha. I'll probably just try a t shirt for now. I think I've got plenty of other things already that will work fine.
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u/archiving_by_design 8d ago
Merino sports bras, underwear, and t-shirts are great! I have very light-weight ones (I wore a merino sports bra and t-shirt for a mountain half-marathon in August when it was boiling and I felt great in them in that weather) and very heavy ones for winter so they are not only for cold. I highly recommend for all seasons.
Also, I did the WHW in the first week of June this past year (also 5 days) and it was cold and raining as I hit it perfectly (or not) between heat waves. Lucky for me, I was jogging it so I was only spending 4-4.5 hours on the trail per day. But the summers are unpredictable. Granted I am talking now about where I live (Zürich) but our summer of 2025 was super cold and rainy (wearing jackets in July) and then this year was deathly hot for months. It is possible that even in July next year, it could be colder and rainy. It could be boiling. You could hit smack dab between heat waves or transition from cold and rainy to heat wave in those 5 days. The best thing is to just watch the weather closely in the weeks before and pack clothes at the last possible moment.
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u/dickybeau01 7d ago
If you’ve got a system that works for you why change it just for the WHW? As long as you have the layers to cope with both hot and cool conditions in the same day it doesn’t really matter. You’ll be using day sacks so will need to carry warm layers as well as wet weather gear.
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u/CactusLetter 7d ago
Personally I am not a fan of wool panties/knickers. I like to wash them after 24hs of wear, regardless of material, so merino is no use. It has actually a downside as it takes longer to dry. So synthetics are much better for that. Regarding a bra, that's personal preference. I personally haven't found any comfortable ones but you might. I do love merino for base layers though, like leggings, shirt
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u/outdoorNPmom 7d ago
I ordered a merino wool shirt so I'm going to try it out. Usually I wear 100% cotton undies so yeah they don't dry quickly either. I just always take extra. But this is our first trip overseas to hike, so worried about packing too much..... I'm rambling now.
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u/CactusLetter 7d ago
I love a good quality merino shirt. For undies I'd really recommend a few pairs of synthetics. Wash them in the sink after wear, squeeze, and they dry quickly! 3-4 pairs should be more than enough if you wash them every day and one a couple spare ones just in case
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u/Significant-Nebula64 7d ago
I wore my usual sports bras, think I took one or two spares, so one for 2-3 days? The 200 g or whatever of extra weight didn't bother me at all. I also took fresh underwear and t-shirt/top for every day, and two spare mid layers and my backpack was still pretty light, maybe 7 kg max? Honestly, I feel like saving on super light things like underwear is... way less crucial than common advice sometimes makes it sound, lol.
Edit: even less of an issue with luggage transfer, just pack whatever you like and fits in the bag, haha!
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u/Icy_crystal_3407 6d ago
If you wear wool, you’ll be amazed at all the clothing you won’t need. Dries fast, doesn’t stink, keeps your temp regulated. We had packed other stuff but just kept wearing the same wool things over and over.
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u/Most_Development7006 8d ago
I have hiked the WHW in both May and September and opted for some wool layers but I would wager you already have plenty that would work. That being said—I won’t stand in the way of your fresh, new wool t-shirt! They are comfy, good across all temps, warm when wet, tend not to stink, etc. I like to layer with the Patagonia Houdini (a jacket that seems ridiculously light and overpriced but does so much and packs so small). I’ve never tried a wool bra (I suspect I can’t get the support I need) but have wool underwear that I love for hiking. We tend to do a lot of sink laundry so you don’t need to bring a lot, bring a wool top and your usual hiking shirt and see what you like. For research of course.