Poor man's merino - bamboo

I'm sure we'd all like a cupboard full of Rapha merino base layers but if your skint like me that's not happening. Even other cheaper merino could be considered pricey if you have n't got any money.

I've been wearing bamboo fabric t -shirt's all summer. Similar in properties to merino but a fraction of the price.

"bamboo fabric is pretty amazing: it is soft yet stands up to wear, it wicks sweat away from the skin. as a natural insulator it will keep you cool in summer and warm in winter, it naturally resists odder, and it's sustainable."

Some indepth info on bamboo

http://www.bamboo-wear.co.uk/info.asp

Fleabay £8 a t-shirt, you cant go wrong!

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/Continental-Mens-Bamboo-Jersey-T-Shirt-Free-P-P-/290427125896?pt=Men_s_Clothes&var=&hash=item895ed78465

Even though I'm a big fan of bamboo, it's not quite as good as merino. Doesn't keep you as warm in winter as merino although it does a good job (but will keep you as cool in summer) and the antibacterial properites arn't as good. With my one and only icebreaker merino if i wear it for a couple of days then leave it on the side for a couple of days the stink completely goes away. This doesnt really happen with my bamboo t's, although it's antibacterial properties are miles better than cotton or synthetic fabric i've tried.

Bamboo does have a couple of advantages over merino though. If your allergic to wool you probably wont be allergic to bamboo fabric. Bamboo is very soft to the touch almost like silk which i like.

Some of the original forum t-shirts were bamboo. I have a test one at home still.

Yup, I've got one of the airfix Tees in bamboo, super comfy.

Aldi sometimes sell Merino base layers. I have one that was £9.99, nice, not quite as nice as the rapha one, but nice never the less.

Swrve do some nice soft bamboo stuff, I haz OG forum tees too, they're still going strong

Bamboo is a cotton type fabric, just less tendency to hold bacteria that cause bo.

Merino has this property (but better) and much much better wicking.

I would never wear a bamboo t shirt I stead of a merino one for a base layer

Yeah but you're a mouthy cunt poseur and a cad.

Bamboo is a cotton type fabric, just less tendency to hold bacteria that cause bo.

Merino has this property (but better) and much much better wicking.

I would never wear a bamboo t shirt I stead of a merino one for a base layer

Niether would i if i could afford £30 - £45 a pop for a t-shirt. Whilst the wicking on merino is better, bamboo wicking ain't half bad.

It's actually a bit shit in comparison

Buy baselayers in a sale

The colour does not matter as they are under your jersey

Don't buy the white ones - they discolour and go a very unappealing shade of what decorators refer to as* piss yellow*.

Don't buy the white ones - they discolour and go a very unappealing shade of what decorators refer to as* piss yellow*.

I always buy black as I get quite sweaty in the summer and you can't see the sweat quite as much when off the bike with black.

DJ - I would love to be able to afford top of range merino, but sadly for me, that's not an option. Even sale stuff is too expensive (unless you can direct me to somewhere where i can get merino for £8)

I always buy black as I get quite sweaty in the summer and you can't see the sweat quite as much when off the bike with black.

DJ - I would love to be able to afford top of range merino, but sadly for me, that's not an option. Even sale stuff is too expensive (unless you can direct me to somewhere where i can get merino for £8)

Yup, I've got one of the airfix Tees in bamboo, super comfy.

Aldi sometimes sell Merino base layers. I have one that was £9.99, nice, not quite as nice as the rapha one, but nice never the less.

Not quite, but close.

Not quite, but close.

Good option but how do you know when they've got them in unless you go to aldi on a regular basis (which I don't)?

gizmond uses ESP, but you could try a telephone or something if your 6th sense wasn't firing properly on the day of enquiry.

Good option but how do you know when they've got them in unless you go to aldi on a regular basis (which I don't)?

They normally get them in end of October onwards, in time for the ski season.

Check their website. When the ski stuff is in, then they have got them :-)