The folks at Ibex approached us with their ‘mud season’ line of apparel just in time for the spring thaw. I got to test the Indie hoodie and the Indie quick link neck gaiter.
Ibex is the original gangster of Merino Wool in my book. There are dozens of Merino brands out there now, and Ibex has always been the brand that exemplifies being dedicated to the quality of its apparel. It shows in the look feel and fit of their garments.
Indie Quick Link Neck Gaiter $42
I’ve been on the hunt for a Merino neck gator over the last year. I’ve used synthetic neck tubes for a few years but they don’t handle moisture, as well as merino. I ordered one from Woolx last winter but it has a two-layer construction and I was really looking for something with a similar thickness to the single-layer synthetic neck tubes that I had been wearing. The Ibex neck gaiter checks those boxes. I tend to run fairly warm, so the lighter single-layer Indie provides enough warmth for even winter riding and certainly would cover the collar seasons for most peeps. This is the kind of piece that I keep packed with my ‘go bag’ all year round. The merino material used in the Indie feels nice and soft. It has the right level of stretchiness to keep it in place yet allows freedom of movement. I feel like Ibex nailed this one. The wool feels cozy against my skin even after it’s wet compared to the synthetic neck tubes that I’ve run in the past. This is a really nice gift item for the person that has everything or the grungy veteran outdoorsman that seems impossible to buy a gift for.
Indie Hoodie $170
The Indie hoodie is a lightweight base layer that features a snorkel hood. The top also has a zipper at the neckline. If this were a shell I’d call it an anorak. The Indie also has innovative flat-seam thumb holes at the wrist (photo below).
The snorkel hood is form-fitting to slide under a helmet and provides a nice wind seal between a jacket and your helmet. Worn as a base layer, you could add a middle layer and breathable shell for temps down to the 20s Fahrenheit. Worn alone in temps as high as the low 60s Fahrenheit, (depending on how hot or cold that you run). I look at the Indie as a year-round base layer, that is 60/40 function over fashion. It’s something that I’ll bring into the backcountry. where the full coverage hood will provide warmth along with bug and sun protection. I think that the Indy paired with a breathable shell would get you through Hell and Highwater.
For more information about ibex Merino wool visit https://ibex.com/products/mens-indie-hoody
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