The short answer: when to choose what
Material comparison
| Property | transtex® | Merino | transtex® Merino (Hybrid) |
|---|---|---|---|
| Material |
|
100% merino wool (+ elastane) |
|
| Drying speed | Very fast | Slow | Fast |
| Moisture transport | Excellent | Medium | Very good |
| Warmth when wet | Low | High | Medium – High |
| Oudour | Very low – hardly absorbs odour, without any chemical treatment | Very low – natural odour neutrality | Very low |
| Durability | Very high | Medium | High |
| Weight | ~100 g/m² (light), ~70 g/m² (light+) | ~129 g/m² (Merino Light) | ~200 g/m² (Merino 200) |
| Tempreture | 0 bis +15 °C | −10 bis +5 °C | −5 bis +10 °C |
| Best intensity | High (intervals, racing) | Low–medium (tours, hiking) | Medium (base training, gravel, cross-country skiing) |
| Sustainability | Synthetic, durable | Renewable, mulesing-free (RWS/ZQ certified) | Combination of both |
| Manufacturing | Löffler knitting facility, Ried im Innkreis | Löffler knitting facility, Ried im Innkreis | Löffler knitting facility, Ried im Innkreis |
Full material comparison
How do the materials work? The physics behind them
transtex®: wick sweat away before it becomes a problem
transtex® basiert auf Polypropylen – der leichtesten Textilfaser überhaupt. Polypropylen nimmt selbst keinerlei Feuchtigkeit auf (0 % Wasseraufnahme). Dadurch haften auch Geruchsmoleküle kaum an der Faser – transtex® bleibt geruchshemmend, ganz ohne chemische Behandlung oder umstrittene Silberionen-Ausrüstung. Die von Löffler entwickelte Spezialstrickkonstruktion leitet den Schweiß mechanisch von der Hautoberfläche nach außen, wo er verdunsten kann.
Das ist entscheidend bei hoher Intensität: Wenn du bei einem Anstieg stark schwitzt und dann in die Abfahrt gehst, muss der Schweiß in Sekunden von der Haut weg sein. Bleibt er auf der Haut, entzieht die Verdunstungskälte dem Körper Wärme – der sogenannte Chill-Out-Effekt. transtex® verhindert das, weil die Faser den Schweiß weiterleitet, statt ihn zu speichern.
Löffler bietet transtex® in mehreren Varianten an, die für unterschiedliche Intensitäten optimiert sind:
- transtex® light (~100 g/m²): Der Ganzjahres-Klassiker. Einschichtig, 100 % Polypropylen. Maximaler Feuchtigkeitstransport, minimales Gewicht.
- transtex® light+ (~70 g/m²): Superleichte Netzstruktur für extreme Hitze und höchste Intensität. Die offene Struktur maximiert die Luftzirkulation.
- transtex® light grid (~100 g/m²): Offene Gitterstruktur für erhöhte Luftzirkulation bei anaerober Belastung.
- transtex® warm: Zweischichtig mit angerauter Innenseite. Für kalte Bedingungen bei mittlerer bis hoher Intensität.
Merino: retains warmth even when wet
Merino wool works fundamentally differently from synthetics. The fiber actively absorbs moisture—up to 35% of its own weight—without feeling wet. The moisture is bound within the fiber’s structure, while the surface remains dry. During moisture absorption, merino wool even generates slight warmth (heat of sorption).
This makes merino ideal for situations with low intensity, where the body produces less sweat but insulation is crucial due to low temperatures. Typical scenarios include long winter hikes, ski touring with extended rest phases, or moderate cycling commutes in sub-zero conditions.
Löffler uses exclusively mulesing-free merino wool (RWS or ZQ certified) and offers several variants:
- Merino Light (~129 g/m²): Lightweight, thin knit. Temperature-regulating, soft, and resistant to pilling. Suitable for sport and lifestyle use.
- Merino-Tencel™: Natural fiber blend of merino wool and TENCEL™ (wood-based cellulose). Particularly soft, thermoregulating, and made from renewable raw materials.
transtex® Merino: The best of both worlds
Which material for which sport?
Cycling (road bike, gravel bike)
Cross Country
Ski touring
Ski touring combines extreme fluctuations: sweat-inducing ascents followed by cold descents with little movement. The base layer must be able to handle both.
- Best suited for: Performance-oriented ski touring → transtex® warm. Fast drying for the ascent, light insulation for the descent.
- Best suited for: Leisure ski touring with long breaks at the summit → transtex® Merino 200. The merino wool provides warmth during rest phases, while the polypropylene layer ensures moisture management during the ascent.
Hiking and outdoor
Hiking produces less sweat than cycling or cross-country skiing, but tours are often longer – and multi-day hikes require a base layer that still feels comfortable and fresh even after several days.
- Best suited for: Day hikes in winter → Merino Light. Good thermal performance, low weight, natural odor resistance.
- Best suited for: Multi-day hikes → Merino Light or Merino-Tencel™. Odor resistance becomes the key advantage when wearing the garment for several days without washing.
Entscheidungstabelle: Dein Szenario → Dein Material
Care: How to keep both materials durable
- transtex® (synthetic): Wash at 40 °C on a gentle cycle. Do not use fabric softener – it clogs the fiber structure and reduces moisture transport performance. Air dry. transtex® is dimensionally stable and resistant to pilling, even after many washes.
- Merino: Wash at 30 °C on a wool cycle, ideally with wool detergent. Do not use fabric softener. Do not tumble dry – merino can shrink. Dry flat. Merino products need to be washed much less frequently than synthetics because the fiber is naturally odor-resistant.
- transtex® Merino (hybrid): Care as you would merino – the more delicate material determines the care requirements. 30 °C wool cycle, no fabric softener, dry flat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is synthetic or merino better as a base layer?
Neither is generally better. Synthetic (transtex®) dries faster and is better suited for high-intensity activities with a lot of sweating. Merino keeps you warm even when damp, smells less, and is better for longer activities at lower intensity. The choice depends on intensity, temperature, and duration of the activity.
Why is transtex® better than other synthetic base layers?
transtex® is not an externally sourced fiber, but a special knit construction developed by Löffler and produced in its own knitting facility in Austria. The difference lies in the knitting technique: it transports sweat mechanically away from the skin instead of relying on chemical treatments. As a result, its moisture transport performance remains consistent even after many washes—unlike chemically treated synthetic fibers, whose effectiveness decreases over time.
Can I wear merino in summer?
Yes. Thin merino base layers (e.g. Merino Light, ~129 g/m²) regulate temperature in both directions—they keep you warm in the cold and cool you in heat through evaporative cooling. For very intense summer activities with heavy sweating, however, transtex® light is the better choice because it dries significantly faster.
Does merino wool itch on the skin?
How often do I need to wash a merino base layer?
hat does transtex® Merino mean – is it merino or synthetic?
Both. transtex® Merino is a hybrid made of two layers: the inner layer (next to the skin) is polypropylene, which immediately wicks sweat away from the body. The outer layer is merino wool, which stores warmth and allows moisture to evaporate in a controlled way. This combines fast drying with natural insulation—ideal for changing conditions.
