Not Your Grandma’s Wool: A Merino Giveaway From Icebreaker

Last weekend, I spent three days in the Sierra foothills, camping and kayaking on the Kings River. Ahead of the trip, Icebreaker sent me their merino wool Quantum Hood to try on, and it ended up being the only layer I brought with me.

I wore my Quantum hoodie day and night… pre-breakfast, post-kayaking, around the campfire and on a hike. I wore it as a layer over a tee, a cover-up over a bikini, and even as a top by itself.

This isn’t your grandma’s wool, the kind that looked like a rug and made you itch like crazy. This is your kind of wool — sustainable, soft and stylish, the kind of wool you can wear even when it’s not winter. The kind of wool that will become one of your favorite fleeces. The kind of wool that Icebreaker and I are teaming up to give away!

Icebreaker merino comes from the wool of merino sheep in New Zealand, which are known for having the softest and finest wool of any sheep.

With their unique Baacode system, you can even trace the origin of your merino wool, right down to the exact sheep station (out of Icebreaker’s 120 sheep stations in New Zealand) where your fiber was grown. Meet the farmers and their families, learn about their flocks and farms, and locate them all on a map. How’s that for sustainable?

The thing I like most about Icebreaker merino is that it’s got balls. Literally.

Unlike regular sheep who chomp on grasses in the lowlands, the Icebreaker sheep live in the extremes of New Zealand’s Southern Alps. They’re impressively hardy in an environment where other sheep would freeze to death. So when you’re out in the extremes, whether it’s backpacking the entire length of the Appalachian Trail or post-holing to a backcountry peak in Utah, you know that your Icebreaker merino can hang. Their full line of baselayers, tops and bottoms, jackets, and accessories is breathable in the summer, insulating in the winter, and won’t stink up a storm. (I’m going on two weeks and it still smells fresh. I swear.)

The Quantum hood was surprisingly toasty for being deceptively thin. It kept me warm through cool nights on the river, and stayed warm even when worn over a cold and wet bathing suit.

Want to win your own Quantum hoodie? Whether you’re a kayaker, climber, hiker, biker, skier, snowboarder, or just a lover all things outdoors, this versatile layer will take you from the warmest days of spring through the coldest nights of winter.

For one lucky winner, Icebreaker will be giving away a Men’s or Women’s Quantum Hood (retail value $180), in your choice of color!

How to enter: Simply leave a comment below and tell me where you would rock your Icebreaker merino. Climbing up Half Dome? Sailing to the Keys? Or just gardening on a dewy morning? To receive an additional entry, follow @gardenbetty on Twitter, and leave a second comment below indicating your Twitter username. You have two chances to win!

The giveaway will end at 11:59 PM Pacific Standard Time on Friday, May 18, 2012. Winner will be drawn at random and announced the following week. Good luck!

Giveaway Rules

1. Giveaway begins May 14, 2012 and ends May 18, 2012.
2. No purchase is necessary. To enter, leave a comment on this blog post.
3. Only US residents ages 18 and older are eligible to enter.
4. Two entries allowed per person.
5. Odds of winning are based on number of entries received.
6. Winner will be drawn at random.
7. If winner does not respond within 48 hours after time of contact, that entry will be forfeited and a new winner will be drawn.

This post is brought to you by Icebreaker. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that support Garden Betty.

Update: A big thanks to everyone who entered!
This giveaway is now closed. The winner has been announced here.