IN THE 52°C heat, marathon runners Cobus Oosthuizen and Velapi Lumko were comfortable in their woollen tops. They completed last year’s Kalahari Augrabies Extreme Marathon wearing a new breed of performance gear promising sweat-wicking, odour-repelling, temperature-regulating durability, and softness. Wicking fabric draws moisture from the skin to the exterior of the shirt, where it can evaporate more easily."It was a big experiment," says Oosthuizen, who had organised performance-gear sponsorship for the marathon from Cape Wools SA, which gave them a chance to prove wool’s worth."In that weather, nothing will keep you cool; 20 people (out of a field of about 75) dropped out, — one lady went into a coma and had to be helicoptered out. We finished, so we didn’t overheat."The men suffered no chafing after running 250km in six days in their woollen shirts, carrying backpacks filled with supplies."Smell-wise it was amazing," says Oosthuizen. "It’s gross, but you put a shirt on and you w...
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