Merino has long been a favourite fabric among outdoor enthusiasts. There are many things to like about it. Merino wool is naturally breathable, comfortable, warm, odour-resistant and has moisture-wicking properties. It's almost perfect for rigorous activity. But it's always had one significant flaw: It lacks toughness. For years, it's been a trade-off that many people have been willing to make. But for many of our customers, regular merino just didn't cut it. It's been known to catch and tear on thorny scrub and tree branches, wear out under the weight of a heavy pack, and even get damaged in the washing machine. For hunters, multi-day hikers, farmers and even tradies, patience with merino was wearing thin. So in early 2022, the Bushbuck product team decided to try and do something about it. We started the process of developing a fabric that retained all of the natural benefits of merino, but was tough enough for serious bush-bashing and rigorous adventuring. It was clear from the beginning that we'd need to blend merino wool with another, more durable, fabric. But which fabric was up to the task?

We worked with one of our suppliers to get samples made up. We knew we wanted to launch a full Combat Merino range with t-shirts, half-zips, hoods, leggings and even a neck gaiter. Getting the right design, cut and sizing for clothing is a whole other story, but we're really happy with how the Combat Merino range came together. Next, we had to get Combat Merino into the field. We sent samples to some of the Bushbuck Test Team, ambassadors, and shared some with staff, friends and family to get a good range of feedback. We needed to see how Combat Merino performed in the wild with a heavy pack in warm weather and overnight in the cold. The verdict was unanimous. Everyone reported that the new fabric performed like pure merino and even had a faster drying time due to the addition of nylon. The durability difference was obvious. And there was no more worrying about chucking merino clothing in the washing machine. We'd successfully engineered a solution to a major problem in the outdoors industry - Combat Merino was born. We've since had customers say that they were never able to wear merino clothing because it made them itchy, but they have no problem wearing Combat Merino. It's become an incredibly popular product and one that we're particularly proud of. "Good hardwearing knit and good fit as a base layer. Quality seems high and so far it seems very durable great that someone has brought out a hard wearing base layer for NZ conditions." - Paul C. "Absolutely delighted with my Combat Merino 200 thermal top (crew neck and hooded version plus the leggings, too). Cant speak highly enough of them, a pleasure to wear everyday during the winter since I purchased them, nothing better, reluctant to take them off. Great fittings, warm and comfortable, just great products. One other really good thing is that they don't have a build up of static when you put them on or take them off which is great and they don't make me itchy like previous nylon ones. Great value for money. Well done Bushbuck." - David M.