Is Merino safe in the tumble drier?

tgotb
tgotb Posts: 4,714
edited October 2013 in Commuting chat
I've just bought a bunch of thick Merino socks from Planet X. Anyone know whether it's safe to put them in the tumble drier?
Pannier, 120rpm.

Comments

  • arran77
    arran77 Posts: 9,260
    As long as you're not wearing them then yes if you have a delicate setting on your tumble drier, if in doubt give them to the missus to wash / dry for you :wink:
    "Arran, you are like the Tony Benn of smut. You have never diluted your depravity and always stand by your beliefs. You have my respect sir and your wife my pity" :lol:

    seanoconn
  • t4tomo
    t4tomo Posts: 2,643
    Never put a sheep or any other animal in a tumble drier, its not worth it, not even for You-Tube hero status.


    On a more serious note - its wool so no - wool generally shrinks in a tumble drier
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  • hegyestomi
    hegyestomi Posts: 504
    I wouldn't, merino tend to dry very quickly, just take them out and put them to the top of the dryer and by the time the drying stops they will be good as well.
    How are the Px ones, I bought the altura(?) ba-ba ones and they ultra-thin and badly made (2 out of the 4 already has holes in them).
  • edhornby
    edhornby Posts: 1,780
    I've got both types of the merino ones from one-one, they are great, the thinny ones would do for all but the coldest days

    nothing merino in a tumbledryer ever
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  • rubertoe
    rubertoe Posts: 3,994
    stick em on a rad. They will dry in a few mins.

    and everyone knows that woolie bollies are the best, Shirley.
    "If you always do what you've always done, you'll always get what you've always got."

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  • tetm
    tetm Posts: 564
    I tumble dry my merino base layers and they're fine, just to go against the flow.
  • tgotb
    tgotb Posts: 4,714
    Thanks guys, I'll keep them out of the drier (until at some point I forget!) Missus is now an ex-missus, but she shrank my favourite jumper so I wouldn't have trusted her anyway.

    I really like them so far, nice and thick (and pretty warm). Only had them for a week or so, so no idea how hard-wearing they'll be. Only downside is that they stick very well indeed to velcro, don't say you weren't warned...
    Pannier, 120rpm.
  • msmancunia
    msmancunia Posts: 1,415
    All my merino goes on the radiator or on a clothes airer. If it looks like it's shrunk a bit, if you iron it and then give it a bit of a stretch, it usually goes back to its normal size.

    Or so a friend told me.... :oops:
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  • monkeycowboy
    monkeycowboy Posts: 186
    tetm wrote:
    I tumble dry my merino base layers and they're fine, just to go against the flow.

    And me, Ice Breaker, PX and Endura, base layers and socks all go in the tumble dryer and have done for years, they may have shrunk, but so have I :D
  • Gallywomack
    Gallywomack Posts: 823
    I wear my merino stuff straight from the washing machine, so as to take advantage of its 'warm when wet' qualities.
    Pompino
  • arran77
    arran77 Posts: 9,260
    I stand corrected then, it seems that the consensus from the Bike Radar domestic goddesses on here is not to tumble dry the stuff :lol:
    "Arran, you are like the Tony Benn of smut. You have never diluted your depravity and always stand by your beliefs. You have my respect sir and your wife my pity" :lol:

    seanoconn
  • rjsterry
    rjsterry Posts: 27,667
    If these are the Thickies, then as said, they dry quickly, so no need to ruin them in a dryer. I once tumble dried some wool walking sock - they didn't shrink, but they did almost turn into felt. I got some Thickies last winter with one of P-X's bundles and within a couple of weeks, I'd bought another 3 pairs. Can't really fault them so far.
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  • mtb-idle
    mtb-idle Posts: 2,179
    rubertoe wrote:
    stick em on a rad. They will dry in a few mins.

    and everyone knows that woolie bollies are the best, Shirley.

    I do and don't call me Shirley.

    But sherioushly folks, De Feete Woolie Bullies rock. got myself two pair'n.
    FCN = 4
  • Coach H
    Coach H Posts: 1,092
    Last winter tried a pair of Prendas Thermolite and have not worn Wollie Boolies or PX merinos since.

    Warmer, thinner (therefore warmer in low volume shoes) £15 for two. Slightly less wicking and less 'cosy' feeling than wool but I am a full time convert.
    Coach H. (Dont ask me for training advice - 'It's not about the bike')

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