Icebreaker Touchlab Bethesda

I have no comment about the quality of their merchandise (everybody else seems to like it) or the friendliness or knowledgability of their staff. But I am still pissed off about being told I could only have one bottle of water and I could not use their restroom. They do not allow anyone not employed by the store to use their restroom. They no longer provide ANY water for ANYBODY, despite hosting a run club.

So I love Icebreaker products… I used to live in New Zealand and the quality of these pure merino wool products is second to none… fabulous for both summer and winter and everything in between.
I am now living back in DC and ordered two skirts and a dress online… when they arrived, none of them fit properly so I called the store in Bethesda and asked if I could return in person and they said of course and to bring in my packing slip and/​or receipt.
When I arrived at the store the staff helped me right away to return the three items, however, there was a glitch in the computer system and they could not get the return to go through properly… this should have only taken a few minutes and after more than 30 minutes of different staff trying to get it to work, I had to leave as I had to be somewhere. The manager on duty apologized profusely and photocopied and signed the packing slip with an IOU. She also stated that I would be mailed a gift card with the amount owed to me that day when they had sorted it out.
The store manager indeed mailed me the gift card with the missing amount and also wrote me a personal note and sent a complimentary pair of socks– very much appreciated! I was super happy with the result in the end– great customer service and fabulous products. I will certainly come back again.

I was first introduced to Icebreaker about 5 years ago when my father in law came back from a trip to New Zealand, stuck his chest in my face, and told me to smell him… because he hadn’t changed his shirt all week and he didn’t smell. After my initial freak out from being accosted as such, I let him give me his merino/​icebreaker t-​shirt sales pitch and I was definitely hooked. I mean who doesn’t love a shirt that’s softer and lighter than cotton AND you can wear up to 40 times before you have to wash it?!? Can we say life changing? I freakin hate doing laundry. It also has natural spf 30, fire resistance, and is so light it feels like your naked. I like that, it makes me feel like living kinda dangerously.
So imagine my excitement when I saw that an actual Icebreaker store was opening in Bethesda. I’d been scrounging through outdoorsy type stores for the base layers which was the only clothing pieces I thought they made. This store is amazing! Not only do they carry there famous base layers but also everyday clothes for travel and hanging out AND some super freakin’ sexy workout wear as well. You can safely assume that I then went home and tossed out all my synthetic gym clothing and replaced it with luxe feather weight merino. I’ve been using it at the gym now for about 3 months and literally can not stand to have polyester touch my skin anymore. I really shouldn’t admit this… especially on the internet… but I will wear a running shirt all week before I wash it. I mean I WEAR it… like wring it out, looks like I showered in it, sweat fest. I just hang it up to dry and bam! it’s ready to go the next morning no stink, totally dry. It’s so breathable too I actually prefer it in the humidity versus cotton. Wore it on a recent trip down south and felt much better and dried faster than my cotton blend stuff I brought. They also have these cool outer layers with something they call nano technology that makes the wool water resistant. The manager in the store demo’d it, almost gleefully I might add, by pouring a bottle of water on the front of this zip up. The water just kind of pearled on the surface and you could brush and shake it off like a weird little amoeba bubble. I took a picture of this and am posting it below. If only I could get all clothing treated like this. The staff was friendly and fun, great personalities– a really cheerful group of people with a fun sense of humor. Definitely a vibe you don’t get much in retail. I had an hour long shopping trip there where I had more fun than I’ve had at most cocktail parties in DC. If you’re in the area shopping stop by and let them persuade you to join their, «merino movement» as the manager called it.

I know that I am being lazy and redundant, but the four previous reviews essentially sum up my opinion on this incredibly great store, friendly and knowledgeable staff, and incredible product that they sell.
Do not be turned off by the price, as this is definitely a case of you get what you pay for.
I highly recommend visiting the store and trying on anything that you plan on buying, as sizing varies by article.

As a digital nomad, I basically live in two Icebreaker Tech T Lite t-​shirts. There’s no better value for the money; at $ 60 – 75, two shirts generally last me 1 – 2 years before inevitable holes render them socially unwearable.
With my base in nearby Silver Spring, my only yearly recourse was to buy online on Black Friday and hope the colors were good and the fit hadn’t changed. (Which, by the way, it did a few years back)
Hence the brilliance of this store.
Now when I’m back at Christmas I can physically walk in and try out everything. Which is exactly how I ended up with a new long-​sleeve base layer that has friggin’ NANOTECH that makes it repel water! It’s freaky. You can dump water on me and it just rolls right off. I am literally a warlock in this shirt.
To bring this ramble about, the staff (and two managers I’ve met) are all super friendly and helpful. There’s only a couple IB stores in the states, and I feel like they’re being staffed by true believers who live and breath this stuff like I do.
I mean, how else can you explain a 20 minute conversation about the pros-​and-​cons of 150g vs. 200g weight and whether the trade-​off is worth the increase in temperatures they can be worn in?
IB staff; a bunch of travel nerds. My kind of people.

High performance outdoor wear, and the most unbelievably friendly and helpful staff. Pricey but well made. Seasonal sales are not to be missed.
I was all excited about new high-​tech synthetics on the market that wick (true) and are supposed to resist odor (not so true). Particularly for base-​layers on multi-​day backpacking trips I’m back to wool: it’s wicking is more moderate so you don’t get chilled during stops, and it can go four days easy without washing whereas my best synthetics stink after a day or two. I have pretty sensitive skin, and merino is perfectly comfortable even as a base layer.
Check out their water resistant outerwear too… pour some water on it and it rolls around like a marble. Looks like a magic trick!

What a cool little shop!
The staff are so friendly. I spoke with Heather (bubbly and all smiles) and Jamel (the jacked guy who looks like he could eat another person, but strikes me as the friendly-​teddy-​bear-​type). They showed me around the store and told me about Icebreaker’s philosophy. One thing that I found tremendously neat was that each article of clothing is tagged with a BAACODE (
). So you (and the company) can trace every garment’s origin. What a creative and compelling way to uphold sustainability and ethics. For anyone who wants to learn more, check out their website (
). I found it really refreshing.
Wool, especially merino, IS a fantastic natural fabric. It doesn’t burn easily like most synthetics (
), resists odors very well, insulates heat even when wet, and it’s more ecologically friendly (by the sheer fact that it’s natural). I’ve experienced the benefits of wool (vs. cotton that doesn’t insulate well or dry quickly, or synthetics that melt/​burn very easily) personally via a 70-​day expedition with NOLS (
) and a 28-​day one with BOSS (
). From a performance and durability standpoint, wool is fantastic. But there is one major downside — cost. It’s expensive in general; and I get the sense that Icebreaker is at the higher end of that already pricey spectrum. [The one one long sleeve shirt I bought was $ 99!] But as they say, you get what you pay for. I’ve worn it a couple times and it’s super lightweight, but excellent quality. If you’re near Bethesda Ave, check it out!
PS. I think it’s hilarious that men’s boxer briefs is their #1 selling item. Whodathunkit.

I loooooooove Icebreaker! Sleek enough for street wear, yet designed for active pursuits. I practically live in their gear throughout the cold months, so I was elated when I found out they were opening a store nearby. (I wear my Icebreaker stuff in the cold, but also for working out or for travel — on a recent trip it handled the transition from 30-​degree weather here to 80 – 90 degrees in the tropics, no sweat :)).
The staff is very friendly and knowledgeable about all the technical aspects of their clothes; also great with style questions. Gear is upscale — I’d say comparable to North Face, Lululemon, or Athleta — but worth it (yes they do have sales from time to time). It’s great to have a chance to compare items/​features in person and try things on. Be sure to ask about sizes, many items are stored in boxes on the shelf rather than hanging on the racks.
I took one star off because I’m tempted to take ALLLLL the Icebreaker home with me, but other than that, ewe won’t be disappointed if you stop in here. :)