Part of the thrill of travel is that it’s unpredictable. To pack light when you don’t know what to expect, turn to icebreaker, a performance clothing brand with the perfect solution—a merino wool layering system. Its collection is stylish, versatile, and full of layers designed to handle travel’s ever-shifting conditions while taking up minimal precious space in your suitcase.
Using New Zealand merino wool fiber, icebreaker makes apparel that’s simultaneously lightweight and warm, yet breathable to keep you cool when temperatures fluctuate. The material is naturally odor-resistant and might become your go-to for everything from yoga to airplane wear. It’s also naturally renewable making it an eco-friendly choice.
The merino fabric lets one layer cover a dozen scenarios. Whether you’re planning for a long flight, a snowy adventure weekend, or an everyday city break, check out some of our favorite icebreaker items that make every journey more streamlined and comfortable.
Wear breathable layers on long-haul flights
Hikers wearing items from icebreaker’s Oasis 200 collection
Courtesy of icebreaker
The Oasis 200 collection by icebreaker is perhaps the best airport outfit in any scenario. When you’re staring down a red-eye flight with chilly cabins, dry air, and cramped seats, 100 percent merino wool jersey will help regulate your body temperature and keep you feeling cozy and fresh for the entire flight. Details, including flatlock and offset seams to reduce friction, along with drop-tail hems (for added coverage, such as when reaching up to store luggage in overhead bins), are the kind of technical features that set the brand apart.
Not too heavy and not too light, Oasis 200 products also manage moisture and are soft enough to sleep in, making them the perfect choice for a long-haul flight. The collection spans tops, bottoms, and accessories for men, women, and kids, and comes in a variety of colors and prints, so everyone in the family can fly in cabin-ready comfort.
In-flight essentials include the long-sleeve merino crewneck tops for men, women, and kids. Add leggings to complete the high-performance look.
Day-to-night layering
Men’s Merino Blend 300 RealFleece Descender Long Sleeve Zip Hoodie
Courtesy of icebreaker
To pack for trips that involve brisk mornings outdoors and sophisticated evenings, check out icebreaker’s 300 RealFleece™ Descender line, made with brushed merino wool. You can stay warm on the slopes (or wherever your adventures take you) with plenty of room leftover in your bag thanks to its innovative design. Built for performance and movement, these technical light jackets regulate body temperature without adding weight, making them perfect for keeping you warm without requiring extra luggage.
While these pieces perform technically, understated styling makes them work as well on the way to dinner as they did on the mountain with pieces like the women’s jacket and vest. Men can stay cozy in the zip-up hoodie and jogger pants.
Versatile clothing for year-round travel (and life)
The beauty of icebreaker’s merino wool fabric and design lies in its versatility. It’s not just for frigid flights and snow days—these pieces transition seamlessly from family getaways to business trips. A stylish standout that deserves consideration for your travel capsule wardrobe is the V-neck Merino 200 Granary Sleeveless Dress, which you can wear on its own or layered as a tunic. The Men’s Merino Blend 200 Shifter Pants look like streetwear, but offer the practical comfort of performance gear.
For foundation layers, the brand’s next-to-skin basics are breathable and durable enough to wear on repeat (another key in preventing excess baggage fees). And because they use natural fibers, you’ll feel good about putting them on your kids, too. Underwear is perhaps one of the most unexpected items that benefits from merino wool, thanks to its softness that’s also naturally odor-resistant and helps regulate body temperature, as seen in the Siren Bikini and 150 Anatomica Boxers. Try icebreaker socks for every day, and you may never go back.
For many, travel is about freedom—the ability to move easily while welcoming the unexpected. icebreaker’s merino layers reflect that. They’re versatile enough to handle changing conditions, lightweight enough to keep your luggage manageable, and durable enough to last trip after trip.
