Do you love spending time in the great outdoors—and being comfortable while you do it? It’s not a trick question; of course you do. If you prefer to be comfy, dry, and at an ideal temperature while you’re following your outdoor passion, you likely have some merino wool in your wardrobe. And you might just have the makings of a Merinoholic.
Merinoholics are Minus33’s team of passionate outdoor enthusiasts. They cover all the outdoorsy bases: They’re avid sportsmen and women, from skiers to hikers to runners and everything in between. They’re travelers. They’re explorers. This hardy crew tests out Minus33 products in the field during their myriad outdoor adventures, so they know their stuff. While they share valuable insights on Minus33 products, they also inspire others to explore new places. Looking for the lowdown on high-quality, hardworking outdoor clothing that goes the distance in any adventure—as well as inspiration to embark on an adventure of your own? Here, meet five members of the incredible Merinoholics crew.
Trevor Bockstahler
Trevor Bockstahler is always looking for the next big adventure. Born in Colorado, Bockstahler has a lifelong passion for mountains. But he grew up in Houston, where it was difficult to access mountain recreation, so he was more than ready to make up for lost time once he returned to Colorado. Bockstahler dabbles in just about every outdoor activity you can think of—mostly, he says, “with an aim to test myself and push my limits.” He’ll go for a hike or ski, sure, but he’s also into more hardcore pursuits like BASE jumping and mountaineering. “I find that each new activity comes with new dangers, fears, lessons, and challenges,” he says.
Sometimes those come on the Great Himalayan Trail’s High Route in Nepal; other times, Bockstahler is testing himself by hiking, biking, and paddling from Steamboat Springs to Prudhoe Bay, Alaska. Along the way, he’s always wearing Minus33—he brought a merino wool piece on his first-ever outdoor adventure, and the brand has been with him ever since.
Nyki Delorme
Lifelong Pacific Northwesterner Nyki Delorme has, as she puts it, “moss for hair and mud in her veins.” Like many who hail from the Pacific Northwest, she’s made coffee into a lifestyle—Delorme works for a coffee roaster, which means she gets to talk about java as much as she drinks it. Once she’s fully caffeinated, you’ll find Delorme on a bike.
Delorme competes in cross-country and enduro mountain bike races as well as cyclocross events. She also leads monthly women’s social rides, designed to more women out on the trails and learn biking basics. All that time on two wheels means she tends to get muddy, but that’s okay, given her preferred clothing choice. “Minus33 definitely has the best basics out there,” she says. “It works perfectly to keep me fresh, warm, cool, and dry.”
Dave Canterbury
Have you ever been lost in the backcountry? Or been painfully hungry or thirsty after packing poorly for a hike? Chances are, you could learn a thing or two from Dave Canterbury. He’s the co-owner and supervising instructor at the Pathfinder School, one of the top survival schools in the country. That's just one of the many adventurous jobs he’s held, including stints as a commercial fisherman and a diver. He’s also worked on a reptile farm and served in the military.
Plus, Canterbury is a TV star. He was on the first two seasons of Discovery Channel's Dual Survival, where two survival experts weigh in on all kinds of incredibly challenging scenarios, as well as on National Geographic's Dirty Rotten Survival. A man of many talents, Dave has also written about survival skills and bushcraft for all kinds of publications, and his book, Bushcraft 101, is a two-time New York Times bestseller
Canterbury is certified in advanced search-and-rescue techniques and is an expert in wilderness first aid. He’s also a fur trapper and sportsman. “In my line of work, survival is paramount—and clothing I can trust and recommend to students is what my integrity relies on,” he says. “Minus33 gives me that confidence.”
Jonny Green
Jonny Green has been playing outside since his days as a Boy Scout, when he rode his bike down Washington’s Crystal Mountain, backpacked the Yukon Territory’s Chilkoot Trail, and sea kayaked in the San Juans. These days, Green’s passion for the outdoors is still as strong as it was then—and he’s even busier these days, as the owner of a small design company.
In 2017, weary of spending so much time staring at a screen, Green and some friends took on the 52 Hike Challenge. That works out to a hike each week over a year, but Green did it in just eight months and has been unstoppable ever since—with Minus33 gear along for every step. “Minus33 has been a crucial component in getting me to remote locations warm and dry,” he says.
Stephen Jabaut
Southern Californian Stephen Jabaut hasn’t always been a West Coaster. He grew up in Adirondack Park in New York, where he trekked through the mountains, rode horses, and sailed on the lakes. After finishing his degree in behavioral neuroscience at Lehigh University, Jabaut took his sailing skills to the next level aboard a 112-foot schooner in the Caribbean. That led to a life of working on boats to see the world.
Today, Jabaut is a charter captain on 50-foot yachts, and he also makes time for skiing, surfing, tennis, rock climbing, and plenty of yoga. Staying warm and dry is particularly important to someone in his line of work, so it’s ideal that wool insulates even when it gets wet. He loves being a face of Minus33 because, he says, “I quite literally owe my life to the fabric!”, referring to a winter cross-country skiing mishap that he attributes wearing wool as a main reason for his survival.
Written by Emma Walker for Matcha in partnership with Minus33.