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REI Co-op Merino Wool Base Layer Crew vs Smartwool Merino 250 Crew

Weight and specs compared for 2026 — and which one to choose.

REI Co-op Merino Wool Base Layer Crew is the lighter option — 80 g lighter than the Smartwool Merino 250 Crew (30% less weight). If grams matter to you, that is the one to beat.
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Spec REI Co-op Merino Wool Base Layer Crew Smartwool Merino 250 Crew
Weight 190 g · 0.190 kg · 0.42 lb 270 g · 0.270 kg · 0.60 lb
Brand REI Co-op Smartwool
Category Clothing - Base Layer Clothing - Base Layer
REI Co-op Merino Wool Base Layer Crew
190 g

Budget-friendly merino wool base layer for backpacking.

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Smartwool Merino 250 Crew
270 g

Midweight merino base layer for cold-weather hiking.

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REI Co-op Merino Wool Base Layer Crew vs Smartwool Merino 250 Crew: which should you buy?

If saving weight is your priority, the REI Co-op Merino Wool Base Layer Crew wins — at 190 g it is 80 g (30%) lighter than the Smartwool Merino 250 Crew (270 g). That said, the heavier option may justify the extra grams with more capacity, durability or comfort, so weigh the trade-off against how you'll use it.

See where both rank against everything else in this category on the lightest clothing - base layer page, or browse the full gear weight database.

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