When you're moving fast in the mountains, your layers have to keep up. The best clothes are the ones you don’t think about at all once you put them on in the morning.
On big mountain days, weight matters too. Thin, packable, high-performance layers are a must. Your gear has to be easy to shed and stow, and it needs to breathe well when you can’t stop. Odor resistance matters too so you can keep the fun going without a wardrobe change.
This dream of a fast and light kit inspired our spring and summer collection. There’s plenty of lightweight and ultralight clothing out there, but most of it is synthetic. Here at Ridge Merino, we prioritize natural fibers—both for the health and performance benefits. So we built our own fast and light kit for your longest days outside, whether you’re in the mountains or the flatlands.
The First Layer: a Pursuit Ultralight Shirt
A runner wearing a Pursuit Tee stuffs her Windshifter Jacket into its stash pocket as the temperatures warm up.
The core of our fast and light kit is our Pursuit Ultralight Collection. First released in 2024, we’ve expanded this collection and refined the fit in recent years.
The Pursuit Collection is powered by Axio technology—a patented Japanese yarn spinning technique that pairs all the natural benefits of Merino wool with the strength of polyester while keeping the Merino wool percentage incredibly high.
A polyester filament is spiraled inside super soft 18.5 micron Merino wool, which results in yarn that’s twice as durable and abrasion-resistant than 100% Merino wool yarn.
This technology allows us to craft super thin (135 GSM) 84% Merino wool tees, hoodies and long sleeve shirts that are perfect for long mountain days.
You can get this ultralight fabric in a men’s hoodie, women’s hoodie, men’s tee, women’s tee, men’s long sleeve shirt and women’s long sleeve shirt. For even more breathability, the men’s Pursuit Air Hoodie and limited edition men’s Pursuit Air Tee pair breathable Merino mesh panels with this ultralight Axio fabric.
The Mid Layer: a Convict Canyon Hoodie
A hiker putting on his Convict Canyon Hoodie hood on a crispy morning.
The Convict Canyon Hoodie has long been a team favorite. If you’ve had one, you know the magic of its lightweight grid fleece to provide warmth but pack as small as a t-shirt so you can toss it in a small backpack or your pocket as you heat up.
Made with our new LT Grid Fleece, these hoodies manage the start-and-stop cycle of backcountry skiing, trail running, mountain biking and hiking better than anything else we’ve tried. This fleece fabric is a Merino-polyester-lycra blend, but it has super soft 100% Merino wool fleece on the interior against your skin, so you get all the comfort and performance benefits of natural fibers.
The Outer Layer: a Windshifter Windbreaker
If you’re on a quick mission or not bringing a backpack, it’s tempting to leave your outer layer at home. Our new Windshifter Ultralight Wind Shell Jacket is our answer to that. There’s no reason to leave it behind.
This jacket packs into its pocket so you can clip it onto a belt loop or into your pocket. Made with 55% Merino wool and 45% nylon, it’s one of the lightest Merino pieces on the market. It shields you from the wind, provides a bit of warmth, and resists odor thanks to the high Merino content. It won’t keep you dry in a downpour, but for brief or light rain, its water resistance will keep you comfortable for longer.
People who’ve tested it have been loving it for running, cycling, bike touring and day hiking. It’s the perfect layer over a Pursuit tee or long sleeve shirt on a warmer day and over a Convict Canyon Hoodie on a colder one.
For Your Feet: Minaret Hiking Socks
Our Minaret Hiking Socks have been restocked this spring in black, gray and (coming soon) a new navy colorway. They’re incredibly versatile with light cushion and a ¾ crew height, and they’re what we always grab for summer days outside, whether running, hiking, backpacking or biking.
They wick moisture, resist odor and dry quickly, so they keep you comfortable no matter how many miles are on your agenda. Save when you buy three.
Merino layers are the secret to going farther and staying out longer all summer long. Explore the whole summer collection.
