When we first heard about merino wool, we had the feeling that this would just be one of those gimmicks. "This honestly is the best thing since sliced bread and the wheel together and you can't live without it!" Read between the lines, "We've just changed the colour and given it wings" (remember those ads for sanitary towels that changed every 2-3 months, just enough to be "new"?).

At first you couldn't find merino wool in anything but t-shirts from Howies in the UK, and they were just a tad too expensive to give it a go and see if it really was the next best thing.

Then the New Zealand mountain bike clothing company, Ground Effect, made base layers with around 40% merino and the pound sterling was very favourable against the Kiwi dollar. So we gave it ago.

In the back of my mind I couldn't forget the thick, but very warm, comfy and woolly jumpers that I wore back in the 70s in Denmark, that we called "Islander trøjer". These would itch like buggery if you didn't have anything underneath, and even then it would still itch a bit. They are now made famous by Lund in the TV-series Forbrydelsen/The Killing. So, even at 40% wool and with the promise that they would be so much softer than anything thing else made of wool, I was still expecting The Itch from Hell.

Actually, the Ground Effect itched for a little while, but nothing terrible, and after a few washes the dreaded itch disappeared completely. Plus, even at only 40% wool it really didn't need to be washed that often, and was warmer and dried faster than any other synthetic sportswear base layers I had. I liked the Ground Effect so much that when mine eventually wore out after heavy use, I ordered a new base layer and was pleased to learn that they have managed to make the new model even softer.

Then Aldi, of all places, had a sale and Peli's mum got us some 100% Merino wool base layers and leggings for next to nothing. OK, the cut was't the best and after a few washes it was hard to tell the back from the front. But they were brilliant as night gowns in the tent - warm, soft and could be used quite a few times before they needed a wash. Great for cycle tourers! Over the years the design and cut of their tops have become much better. The quality of the merino wool is bang on, soft and comfy to wear. You can't knock it especially at nearly a third of the price of what other companies charge for a simple t-shirt.

This turned us into true merino wool believers. Merino wool is the next big thing for the discerning cycle tourer. It was the Spork, but not anymore!

We now own a fair bit of clothing made from merino wool and on that rare occasion when we need new stuff we double check to see if it's available in merino wool first. I even got my mum to knit a thick woolly jumper out of merino wool. Tak mor!, and boy is it comfy and warm to wear.

Icebreaker probably has the market when it comes to merino wool, there are stores all over the place, and it is also asking for its fair share of your hard-earned cash. But it is well worth it. We are now owners of a few Icebreaker tops, socks, T-shirts and base layers in 120, 260, 320 weights - you name it! Warm as anything, dry very fast and honestly don't need to be washed after every use. Just try out their merino socks and you will be converted. We have used ours constantly on our big tour and they are still good as gold. Mine are a little battered, but still working well, while Peli's look absolutely brand new - I don't know how she does it! I'm very tempted by the merino wool cycling shorts that Icebreaker has introduced. They look like they'll be great for cycling in winter.

Ibis is another maker of merino clothing, but apart from a few dresses Peli has been ogling on minx-girl.co.uk, we haven't really come across anything that we liked the look of, sorry Ibis.

SmartWool is a little cheaper than the other two, but their gear doesn't have the best reputation for being durable. I did get a brilliant offer on a baselayer at REI a few years back. The long-sleeved mid-weight top is a great cut, very soft and fits me well, as well as being a lovely dark green colour (Peli's mum will approve). I have now worn through the elbows on this, but that is after heavy use and other long sleeved base layers (cotton/mixed/wool) I have done the same to. I don't know why I suddenly do that, haven't sharped my elbows at all.

And so I could go on, plenty of companies who do merino wool now of days and I will for sure be trying more out over time. Just one word of warning, don't wash your new and expensive Icebreaker top in lavender scented washing up powder. Then hang them low in raccoon country, as we ended up with three tops with more airing holes than planned.