Icebreaker Pinnacle Sweater

I have a scarred relationship with wool. For some reason, whenever I think of it, my mind conjures up an itchy pair of pants my mom made me wear to church one Sunday morning when I was about eight years old. I swear, that wool was fresh off the lamb and itchier than sitting in a patch of poison ivy—I kid you not, I'm twitching right now just thinking of them. Needless to say, that experience (thanks mom) prevented me from really appreciating the merits of wool, even merino wool. Yes, I know, I'm behind the curve on this one, but I finally gave in by trying the Icebeaker's Pinnacle sweater. Not only is the fabric some of the softest I've ever worn but it's pretty much my go-to shirt for any occasion—outdoors or in—and it's one of the most utilitarian pieces I've ever had: breathable, warm, and, in my experience, the ultimate mid- (and sometimes base) layer.

One problem I've had with a lot of clothing that comes out of the outdoor universe is that more often than not, you have to sacrifice look for utility. I'm on a budget, and I want one item that does it all, rather than two pieces for two different things. You know, like trail runners that I can wear to Christmas dinner. The Pinnnacle comes pretty damn close. I threw it on while skiing in Park City and kept it on when I headed out to a swank sushi dinner during the Sundance Film Festival. A month later, I wore it during an entire day in the blazing sun of the Arizona desert—shocked at every minute that went by that I didn't have to peel it off because of over-heating (I was even pulling the sleeves down so I wouldn't get sunburnt). I've also paired it with a sport coat out to dinner in Santa Fe and in Frisco, Colorado, worn it in temperatures in the teens paired with a thin outer layer… you get the idea.

Fit-wise, the Pinnacle succeeds where most other performance clothing has failed me. While other layers I've worn have fit like fabric boxes, the Pinnacle's got a trim fit with a drop tail that prevents bunching around the waist and gives you just enough fabric to be able to tuck it in comfortably and not risk it pulling out during a particularly unimpressive skiing wipeout (I was that guy). Plus, the standup collar is great for a little extra warmth when needed.

In general, the beauty is the breathability combined with insulation, letting just enough air in—and out—to keep my body regulated just right. That said, depending on the cold, I have paired it with one of Icebreaker's Contour Crewe ($55) base layer wool undershirts with the same pleasant lack of itch and a great, close fit without generating that bunching feeling when I combined it with the Pinnacle. One word of caution—just don't throw either of these pieces in the drier or you'll be handing them off to you nieces and nephews, albeit begrudgingly. Needless to say, call me converted. I may even spring for a pair of wool pants but I can tell you this much—I'm sticking with merino. I'll just have to beat my mom to the punch. $149; Icebreaker.com

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