7 Day Ice Breaker Stink Free Thermal Challenge
Is it possible to spend 7 days at the snow in the same thermals stink free? That’s the Icebreaker thermal challenge, and would certainly be a challenge for most of us in any thermals – an hour or two and you want to be skiing upwind is the usual story.
SnowAction’s Dave Windsor took up the challenge in a 100% Merino 200 Oasis Long Sleeve Crew Neck Thermal and the results are in:
I’m a long-time fan of Icebreaker and anything merino. It’s comfy, warm and simply works. However, I’m not that fond to have ever worn the same thermal for 7 days straight. In fact, I was dubious it’d be possible – fully expecting it to walk out the lodge after a couple of days. However, much to my surprise I got away with it. I know because my wife didn’t say a word – and she’s tough!
Like any good scientist I maintained a meticulous record. Importantly, I showered daily, liberally applied deodorant, and hung the thermal to air each night.
Day 1: A pretty easy day long journey from Melbourne to Mt Hotham. A mid-morning departure, lunch at Sam Miranda Winery, evening check-in at Arrabri Ski Club Hotham followed by hot buttered whiskies at Jack Frost Restaurant.
Day 2: Fresh snow overnight, cold cold cold temperatures and a great first day on snow. Skied easy, cruised the blues and found my ski legs. Stayed warm, dry and toasty.
Day 3: Sun shining, shed my mid layer after dropping my son Jack at Kid’s Club and stayed warm all day.
Day 4: Repeat. More sun, lost the mid layer, and skied hard all day. Worked up a sweat and thought for sure the missus would start to smell a rat. Or rather, me. But nothing.
Day 5: Blue skies, family skiing, great lunch at Zirky’s and a brilliant private lesson with Canadian Mike. Happiness 10/10, odour 0/10.
Day 6: A massive last day on snow, first tracks at 730 with my mate Richie from Snow Monkey, skied hard all day, 5 minute lunch at The Hoff Hut and a couple of beer stops. Later, took a 1.5km sunset snowshoe walk with Traverse Hotham wearing my Icebreaker, a flannel and puffer. Stayed warm despite rapidly falling evening temps and stiffening breeze.
Day 7: Time to head home. Popped into the newly constructed Biathlon Australia centre, grabbed a coffee at The Hub in Dinner Plain and enjoyed dinner at the excellent King River Café. Again, not a peep out of my wife.
In short, challenge complete and Icebreaker passed the 7-day odour free test.
I still haven’t shared this experiment with my wife, she’ll have some choice words for me when she reads this – but the science compelled me to do it. If they ask me to do an undies test I think I’ll give it a miss..
Icebreaker is now available in over 40 countries, having come a long way since Jeremy Moon founded it in 1996, after discovering the difference superfine merino wool could make when give a t-shirt to try.
“It wasn’t what I expected at all – it felt soft and silky and incredibly comfortable – nothing like the itchy, heavy wool I wore as a kid. It was knitted from superfine merino wool shorn off the backs of the merino sheep at Pohenui Island. I wore it through lunch and didn’t give it back.”
Dave hasn’t given his back either!
Check the full range at Icebreaker
