Unbound Merino Women’s V-Neck Review: A Shirt You Rarely Have to Wash

One solution to an over-stuffed suitcase is to pack clothes that let you do more with less. Unbound Merino makes clothing out of merino wool, which dries quickly and doesn’t absorb odors the way cotton and other fibers do—which means you can wear the same clothes multiple times during a trip without doing laundry. The company recently introduced its first garment for women: a black V-neck T-shirt. I gave it a try on a recent trip.

Unbound Merino Women’s V-Neck Review:

Price and Where to Buy: $65 on the Unbound Merino website.

How the Unbound Merino Women’s V-Neck Rates:

• Usefulness: 8/10. As advertised, the shirt continued to smell fresh even after I wore it multiple days in a row. However, I found that when I sweated in the shirt it gave off a faint “wet sheep” odor; I also noticed this when I took the damp shirt out of the washing machine after my trip. The smell went away as soon as the shirt dried, and Unbound Merino cofounder Dan Demsky says that certain detergents can help take it away after a wash or two. “Once you get rid of the smell, it won’t return,” says Demsky. He also recommends laying the shirt on a towel to dry and even rolling it in the towel to get rid of excess water.
• Value: 8/10. As T-shirts go, this one is expensive—but the fact that it can take the place of multiple shirts in your travel wardrobe makes it a decent value.
• Portability: 10/10. The shirt doesn’t wrinkle easily and will fold or roll up small in your suitcase.
• Durability: 9/10. The shirt feels sturdy enough, but you need to handle it properly: You should never tumble-dry the T-shirt. Fortunately, it air-dries pretty quickly.
• Cool Factor: 9/10. The shirt is attractive and flattering, and having to pack less is pretty cool.

Final Verdict: The Unbound Merino Women’s V-Neck can help you pack less by taking the place of multiple T-shirts on a trip.

More from SmarterTravel:

• A Traveler’s Guide to Minimalist Packing
• 5 Travel Wear Pieces That Help You Go from Day to Night
• The Carry-on Challenge: How to Pack Light Every Time

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Editor’s Note: Reviews are based on usefulness, portability, durability, value, and “cool factor.” Some review products are sent to us free of charge and with no incentive to offer a favorable review. We offer our unbiased opinions, positive and negative, and will never accept compensation to review a product. If you have any questions or comments concerning our reviews, or would like to suggest a product for review, please email us at [email protected].