REVIEW: DNS Alpha Merino Underwear

Underwear is important! Not only because it increases the tension at the crucial moment, you can see that in any porn movie, but also because it is the basis for many things that go over it. At the same time, underwear is what is closest to you. It is directly on the skin and therefore subjected to a durability test when worn. DNS ALPHA is a new manufacturer and it starts with the basics: namely underwear. We have worn the Merino T-Shirt and Jockey Short as well as the Merino LS Shirt and Jockey Tights, the short and the long set from DNS ALPHA.

This is what an outsider usually sees about your underwear. So you probably don't have to invest much if it's just about the aesthetic appearance. But as already mentioned, it's about what you wear on your skin every day. And there, Merino is the luxury that you should treat your luxurious body to. And the professional base layer clothing from DNS ALPHA is something like the peak of evolution that offers you a particularly durable quality.

This is what awaits you for the summer: Merino T-Shirt and Jockey Short from DNS ALPHA. Usually, we associate wool with warmth, but that's only half the story. Nomads from the desert with their wool burnouses know why. Everything has to do with the very special properties of Merino wool.

But let's stick to the external values for now. The Merino T-Shirt fits snugly and has a classic, pleasing cut.

A round neckline is trendy. The seam lines support the close-fitting cut by reducing friction points and ensuring maximum wearing comfort, says the manufacturer, and he is right.

And the details are right: Using flatlock seams, all connection points lie very flat and are elastic.

Just like the shirt in general. It's also important that it's not too short so you can safely tuck it into your pants and nothing slips out.

The DNS ALPHA Jockey Short has a wide waistband, classic fly, and sits about the upper third to middle of your thigh when worn. The material mix is 79% wool, 15% polyamide, and 6% elastane.

What is special about the quality of DNS ALPHA Merino is the quality of the raw material. We all know that Velcro is the natural enemy of such fabrics, and we have seen a few abrasion tragedies. Under protest, we therefore did the Velcro abrasion test with the set. The patch has hard hooks, we press down and run over the fine Merino fabric a few times.

And this result really surprised us. Except for that one lint in front of the finger: nothing. Merino is also very easy to care for and has self-cleaning properties, it does not attract dirt particles. In terms of care, wash at 40 degrees, dryer preferably cool or even better air dry. Absolutely avoid fabric softener, if you love your set, buy a wool detergent. For quick care in between, however, a hair wash can also be used ... 

Merino T-shirt in the summer is also very fine because the material surprisingly has a sun protection factor of up to 40+. So your body stays nice and white and you don't have to smear sunscreen with questionable agents.

30 minutes of bodyweight and the sweat is in the shirt. Merino wool is hygroscopic (moisture-absorbing). It works naturally as it should: moisture is carried away from the body, absorbed into the wool, and stored there. This leads to the desired evaporative cooling, because the warm ambient air ensures a quick drying of the wool. Since wool also has its insulating property here, this is additionally beneficial to us. Overall, wearing the Merino stuff feels simply "dry".

Let's take a break between the sets and do something for your general education: This is the Merino sheep (short form "the Merino"). It is a fine wool sheep breed that originally probably comes from North Africa. In the High Middle Ages, Merino sheep came to Spain, where they gained great economic importance because of their coveted wool. Only in the 19th century did other countries also have large Merino herds. Then it went to Australia and New Zealand, where today the main suppliers for Merino wool are located. Merino is by the way 40 percent of the annual wool produced worldwide.

The Merino LS Shirt from DNS ALPHA is essentially the same as the T-shirt, but with long sleeves.

And you can also easily pull it up and wear the LS shirt as a full top all year round, although the long set is of course intended for the cold season.

Here you have the equally pleasant as well as classic round neck in detail, we had only seen it touched on it above.

The seams at DNS ALPHA are really super flat and excellently made. We got the small stain on the shirt while wearing it.

The seams, as you can see here, are designed so that they do not lie anywhere on the pressure points, where they could really rub if the backpack or plate carrier is resting.

And everything is wonderfully flexible. Stretch yourself!

The sleeves run out normally and close without special cuffs.

Here the long shirt tucked into the underpants. You have to work carefully.

And for completeness: from the back. Fits snugly, but not too tight.

These are the DNS ALPHA Jockey Tights. Long underwear tends to look like long underwear. The long set not only keeps you warm, but also acts as a flame retardant. Merino wool only ignites at 560 degrees. And it does not continue to burn when the flame source is removed, which is why clothing made of Merino wool is not afraid of sparks from a campfire.

Here we have properly stretched the waistband. In case you were ever wondering what the name DNS ALPHA stands for, here all questions are answered.

The access for the little Napoleon. Particularly important in every mission. What is also of great advantage with this material: even if you sweat a lot during the mission, Merino wool does not stink. The wool fat (lanolin) keeps the underwear odor-neutral for days and also protects against bacteria. The advantage of these very special material properties is that you don't have to wash it immediately, airing it out overnight is enough.

The long underwear fits tightly and the knees are not particularly highlighted.

As you can see, we also wear high-quality socks with the Jockey Tights. By the way, wool contains up to 85 percent air, which is exactly why it has such exceptional insulating properties.

Here you can see the end of the legend: no cuff that could squeeze. The underpants' tube runs loosely. And if you ever don't want this super underwear anymore, you can be sure that you've done something good for the planet: bury it, and after 90 days, Merino becomes natural fertilizer.

The most beautiful thing about these items is the packaging. Your girlfriend will receive her underwear from you in a box with a red bow, DNS ALPHA delivers in innocent white.

The material is also something special, it is the same as in the snow camouflage suit of the Bundeswehr. Especially nice to see: the representative DNS ALPHA logo print.

CONCLUSION: Those who value themselves and know what good quality is will only be satisfied with the best. DNS ALPHA aims for high-end and offers two underwear sets that leave nothing to be desired. Top!

The DNS ALPHA Merino underwear consisting of a Merino T-shirt and Jockey shorts as well as a Merino LS shirt and Jockey tights can be found at all retailers that carry DNS ALPHA.

DNS ALPHA on the internet: www.dns-alpha.com