Emerging New Zealand brand Mons Royale is trying to bring sexy to the merino wool base layer. Taking on their fellow countrymen over at
Icebreaker
, Mons Royale is hoping to become the underwear and base layer of choice for the those living the edgier, rider lifestyle.
Mons Royale is headquartered in Wanaka, New Zealand, home of the Southern Hemisphere's snowboarding and free skiing scene. With the motto of "First On, Last Off" the company is hoping to shake up the base layer market with a new, more stylish offering.
Mons Royale wants to initially focus on a simple line of underwear and base layers. The men's and women's range includes merino wool briefs, leggings, T-shirts and tank tops. Each garment features vibrant colors, strong styles, and iconic graphics with fashionable cuts for women and more casual cuts for men.
A special Black Edition draws inspiration from New Zealand's sporting roots by using the color black and the iconic silver fern logo. All Mons Royale bottoms feature the signature logo waistband meant to emphasize riding style.
Merino wool has naturally superior attributes over either cotton or synthetics. Super soft and breathable, Mons Merino has natural anti-odor qualities. The merino wool base layer insulates from the cold and cools when hot. Merino is the most hydrophilic of fibers which can absorb and then release 10x more moisture than synthetics, without ever feeling wet to the touch. The merino wool base layer has an SPF rating of 25 to 50, meaning you can ride around showing off your stylish base layer without the worry of sunburn!
As Mons Royale is designed for the rider's lifestyle, they have signed up a team of riders to test their products and help promote the brand. Team members include snowboarders Will Jackways and Abby Lockhart, downhill racer Sam Blenkinsop and freeskier Jossi Wells.
The Mons Royale merino wool base layer line can currently be purchased only at select stores in Australia and New Zealand. The team is headed to ISPO in February though so you might see some global distribution contracts coming out of the show. How about it Backcountry?