The Tracksmith Harrier merino long sleeve might be the perfect running long sleeve or winter base layer, in addition to being ideal for long camping trips or hikes, and just as a decent plain shirt for long travel days. With its merino wool makeup, it’s naturally sweat wicking and doesn’t get nearly as smelly as polyester, and bonus, this particular shirt doesn’t shrink when you accidentally put it in the dryer.
Between running in in-between weather and living our best #vanlife on the road, I realized something: The old long sleeve running shirts I had were no longer cutting it. This was for a couple of reasons, but the most pressing was, frankly, they stunk. They were old polyester, and while they’re still part of my at home rotation because you love what you love, I had to admit that on the road/in the van, they were not ideal.
Peter and I are both suckers for a solid long-sleeve merino wool top. For years, he’s been using Rapha’s merino baselayers for winter rides, fall runs, and regular everyday life. But I hadn’t found one that really ticked all the comfort boxes, and that stood up to the wash/dry cycle. (The Rapha ones definitely hold up well to the dryer, though over time—and I mean 7+ years—they do eventually get thinner to the point of being mildly see-through.)
And yes, I know you’re supposed to hang or lay flat to dry merino wool garments. But I know myself, and while I made an effort to only hang dry this shirt as per the instructions, eventually it fell victim to our dryer, just like every other merino wool item that we’ve ever owned. I’ve lost hundreds of dollars worth of clothing thanks to my inability to separate laundry, and I’ve come to terms with that as a character flaw, but I’m also unwilling to give up on merino wool because of it.
Thankfully, my dryer tendencies turned out OK in this case. Even a regular dryer cycle on high heat only shrank the top by maybe five percent—I could tell there was a slight difference, but not a major one. If you’re between sizes, I’d opt to size up to allow for a bit of shrinking. Since that first wash/dry cycle, I’ve just tossed it in with my normal wash and it’s been holding up just fine.
In Tracksmith, I typically wear extra small, but I opted for a small in this top, and I’m glad I did. I have slightly broad shoulders, which means with long sleeves, I tend to feel cramped in the upper part if the lower part is snug. The Small in the Harrier fits just right—fitted enough to look decent, but loose enough that I feel comfortable.
It’s comfortable for long runs, and it feels just as comfortable wearing it on planes, out running errands, or on longer hiking trips. I love it for hectic travel in the van or by plane, since it doesn’t get smelly during normal wear, and a quick wash in a basin and hang drying it makes it smell just fine after a sweaty run. And that’s the beauty of merino, to me: Anything that’s easy to hand wash in a pinch so it feels like a clean piece of clothing? That’s a big win in my book.
Color-wise, as usual, Tracksmith has my number: The shirt is available mainly in neutral tones, and because of that, I bought it first in a neutral sludge green, and eventually got another in dark heather gray. I’m hoping for maroon, deep green or black to be added to the lineup soon.
The price tag is on par with most good merino tops from bike and run brands: It’ll set you back $84, but I’d say it’s well worth the spend for how much use I get out of it!
