School Me On Wool

[43.6N]

I grew up using wool, as that was the only option for cold weather. These days my base layers are always different thickness according to the temps. There are so many good companies these days, both hunting and non. The one company I would check out and recommend is Duckworth, specifically the powder hoody. It will block the wind very well, is very dense, durable and very warm with not a huge weight penalty. I ended up wearing it this month over my down coat in the high country.

I will be checking out that hoody.
You wore it over your down coat? Or instead of your down coat?

 

[Ross]

I wore it over my kuiu super down pro on a windy day chasing muleys at 5800 in the 20s while moving and sitting.

 

[43.6N]

I wore it over my kuiu super down pro on a windy day chasing muleys at 5800 in the 20s while moving and sitting.

Epic hahah. Thanks for clarifying.
Bet you looked like Jeremiah Johnson to those deer

 

[Maverick1]

Is Brynje the only option with these? Feels strange paying $100 for a bunch of air holes, but I can’t seem to find any alternatives.

Aclima is another option.

 

[Scoutfan]

Not what you asked but if I had to choose I would trade all my wool for a quality down puffy suit for a cold weather hunt. For base layers alpaca is expensive but awesome. Too soon to know about it's durability.

 

[43.6N]

Not what you asked but if I had to choose I would trade all my wool for a quality down puffy suit for a cold weather hunt. For base layers alpaca is expensive but awesome. Too soon to know about it's durability.

Haha not on topic, but I’ll allow it.
So what would you consider a “quality” puffy suit given the current market offerings?

 

[Scoutfan]

Anything with 800+ down. My hunting buddy picked up a set of kuiu during there sale and couldn't be happier. I use black ovis and have no complaints. Lot of folks seem to like stone glacier

 

[Beagle1]

For me if XC skiing and snowshoeing it would be fishnet wool baselayers with another wool baselayer over that. That would be the extent of my wool clothes. I wore KOM and Sleeping Indian for many years deer hunting but now it sits in totes in my basement. It wears like iron and is warm and quiet. But the big downsides are even the best weaves do not block the wind and it gets very heavy in the rain or wet snow.

 

[beachbunny]

I bought two loose knit, but thick wool sweaters at a Goodwill for around $10.

One is big enough I use it as a mid layer, usually between merino and a puffy.
If it's REALLY cold, the other sweater is a size to large so I cut the sleeves off and add it over the top of the other sweater.
The loose knit adds loft between layers and is amazingly warm under a wind layer.

Thats the way brodude

 

[hibernation]

Thanks for the recommendation.
My experience with the lighter summer weight wool pieces from first lite and Kuiu has been mixed.

They breathe well, and keep the bugs and sun off. But there seems to be no durability. I have holes that spontaneously pop up under any friction point.

That's been my experience with all the lighter weight merino base layers, multiple brands. It's not a durable material. I view it more like "high performance" gear that serves a purpose, like how ultralight rain gear isn't durable either but it still fits a need.

Some people get sucked into the marketing and seem to think anything that expensive must be "better" or "buy once cry once" and that's totally not the case here.

 

[Beagle1]

Agree on the lightweight wool baselayers. The expensive priced stuff doesn’t last, buy the cheaper ones. For the heavier weight ones, 300 g. and 400 g., I have used Woolpower for many years and have been extremely happy with it. The problem now is with the tariffs it is stupid expensive.

 

[43.6N]

You guys have just about convinced me to try some wool fishnets.

 

[glock233]

The only wool items I would recommend at this point are merino fishnet baselayers.

Wouldn’t use it for an insulating / mid layer since the CLO value is so low.

Wouldn’t use it as an outer layer because while is it quiet it absorbs moisture, is heavy, has a low CLO value, has no wind breaking capability, and is a burr magnet.

This is 100% spot on. Use light or medium merino wool as a base layer. Then layer on quality synthetics. Firstlight and Kuiu are top quality and accessible.


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[Ross]

wool fishnet. Two things come to mind. 1. Anyone old enough to remember Cheryl Tiegs from the 70s made a stir. 2. My father Army Ranger fishnet issued top circa 1988 elk camp. I can laugh now, as he has passed.
Can’t say I saw him wear it much, but must have worked if he wore it. Wool is the bomb in the right setting and one reason it is a staple of some type on my day afield. Further pic circa 1986 heavyyyyy wool gear, warm and stinky when wet. Good times

 

[casey36]

My wool usage is just about opposite of everyone else here. Wool socks with silk liners, poly bottoms, Merino turtleneck, Woolrich heavy wool shirt, Johnson Woolen Mills pants or L.L. Bean wool bibs, Filson dbl. Macinaw cruiser, and a Stormy Komer hat. Because of health problems, I sit in my blind the majority of the time. With my layers I can add a sweater or remove a shirt as needed. I also have a Buddy heater though. No wind, snow or rain. For those reasons wool works great for me. I'm comfortable from 40° down to -20 with no problems. If it's going to be warmer, I wear lighter synthetics, both inner and outer layers.

 

[Fujicon]

Wool is a bit down the list. Far and away the best natural fabric is vicuna (vicuña), but damned expensive. Next would be alpaca. Not cheap, but far more reasonable. Alpaca is fantastic wearing material. Merino wool ain't bad (or lambswool if it contacts skin), but not as good as the other two.

 

[mtnbound]

After reading through the current posts on hard use wool clothing, I have many questions.

First, I’m doing an extended January cow hunt on the Wyoming/Idaho border. This has given me an opportunity to reflect on my current cold weather system, and it has been found wanting.

So, for all the true dyed-in-the-wool purists out there, please school me (and others) on wool.

-How do I know if a wool piece is “quality” or not?
-What types of wool should I be considering?
-Would you ever consider buying used wool?
-Are there some reputable brands you would recommend?
-How do I take care of my wool?
-Shrinkage?
-Merino vs Alpaca vs camel?

Socks, I like Yak the best.
Big Bill pants are my favorite ones for colder temps. First Lite pants are nice for cool weather, but I prefer BB when it gets cold.

 

[Pony Soldier]

I'm old style. I'm still wearing woolrich or big bill wool pants. They are heavy enough for snow and although expensive, I get 15-20 years out of a pair of pants. The legs are big enough to allow you to step over logs all day long.

I wear a buffalo plaid wool shirt. I get 10-15 years out of them with steady mending from the wear of tree branches. I hunt heavy timber on steep slopes. Duofold union suits provide the liner under the wool.

Nearly every day is freezing weather with snow. I have no interest in the noisy synthetics. I watched a couple Minnesota hunters freezing to death on top of a ridge wearing the modern stuff.

 

[43.6N]

Wool is a bit down the list. Far and away the best natural fabric is vicuna (vicuña), but damned expensive. Next would be alpaca. Not cheap, but far more reasonable. Alpaca is fantastic wearing material. Merino wool ain't bad (or lambswool if it contacts skin), but not as good as the other two.

I would love to find a heavy duty vicuña or alpaca sweater. But struggling to see how any of the fashion brands that specialize in these yarns would benefit me. Especially when this is how they market:

 

[ZAK13]

Merino wool base, mid layers and socks a must. As some others have posted synthetic wind proof outer layers is what I use.