Any wool experts out there?

[danski26]

I'm trying to figure out what kind of wool hunting clothes i should get. Why is some of the wool camo out there $500+ for a jacket and then some are $99? Mostly I am looking at the expensive Sleeping Indian and King of the Mountain stuff and the cheaper Cabelas or Columbia stuff. Whats the difference.....besides lots of money. I don't mind spending the money if it's worth it.

Are there differrent types of wool? Marino wool? Rag wool? Casmier??

Are their good wool types and bad?

What should i be looking for?

[MT Gianni]

It has something to do with the fibers. As best I know the more $$ you spend the less that you should itch. I generally go cheaper and layer it on the outside or just under the waterproof layer depending on activities.

[mooman76]

I'm no expert but some wool is virgin wool and hasn't been recycled like other and some is also wool blend so it's not 100%.

[JeffinNZ]

For under garments go for Merino. It is super fine and will not itch. Just wonderful stuff to wear and I live in it over the winter. The finer the wool the more expensive.

[P.K.]

The only system you'll ever need. I started reading Backwoodsman and it was mentioned a few times, took a look and never looked back.

http://www.hycreek.com/default.asp

[P.K.]

I'm trying to figure out what kind of wool hunting clothes i should get. Why is some of the wool camo out there $500+ for a jacket and then some are $99? Mostly I am looking at the expensive Sleeping Indian and King of the Mountain stuff and the cheaper Cabelas or Columbia stuff. Whats the difference.....besides lots of money. I don't mind spending the money if it's worth it.

Are there differrent types of wool? Marino wool? Rag wool? Casmier??

Are their good wool types and bad?

What should i be looking for?

When shopping for cold weather gear it's about layers and in between those layers. You want air. You want sweat to be able to wick and evaporate. Wool is the BEST natural fiber out there because it allows moisture to evaporate with the best heat retention. Meaning it's fibers are far enough apart while close enough to retain heat. Bottom line you don't need to spend a 1000.00 to feel like a million. ;-)

Start out with a base layer of poly-pro (Poly-propalyne [sp]) under wear from any mil-surp dealer. No undies...Cotton kills. Next, depending on temps, another layer, known as a bear suit. A fluffier poly layer. Then a Gore-Tex shell to top off with. I wore this exact system down to -40degrees. If I jogged for 50 meters I was sweating in it. :grin:

[waksupi]

I agree merino is the best. Virgin, for sure, the reprocessed stuff is not nearly as warm.

[JeffinNZ]

Now if you really want WARM what you want is NZ possum/merino. We are plagued by Australian brush tail possums (cute, cuddling, eat everything in sight). Their fur is hollow fibre not unlike a polar bear though the yeild per critter is a lot less..... It is combined with Merino wool and oooohhhh, lala, it is nice.

The possum fur is plucked from the 'donor' with a duck plucker/wire brush rotating flat out. I was at a field day once and there was a video playing of some burly bushman plucking the fur from a possum. There is this woman beside me gazing at the video and then she says "doesn't the possum mind?" As God is my witness I didn't know whether to laugh out loud or slap her.

[Bret4207]

It also depends on what you are shopping for. I hit Ebays used clothing areas quite often as I'm trying to get newer versions of clothes I've destroyed. The more recognized the brand name, Bean, Woolrich, Filson, etc., the higher the price. An older Montgomery Wards, Sears, Pennys, Dux Bak, Forestry Duck, Norm Thompson, etc will run less and an off brand or one out of business long enough to be forgotten will be less. No one remembers when Woods Bag and Canvas of Ogdensburg NY was top of the line. So often you can find their stuff at a discount.

As far as new, can't help you. If it doesn't come from the surplus store or Sportsmans Guide clearance, Ebay, yard sales, I'm not buying much wool. My dream is to one day own a couple of real old fashioned Pendelton shirts. Told my wife that and he got me a modern Pendelton. Just not the same.

[Three-Fifty-Seven]

I agree older stuff is good, but ... Check for wear and moth holes!

Here is new http://www.johnsonwoolenmills.com/ a Vermont company making good products!

[Shepherd2]

Are there good wool types and bad? Sure are. There's long wool, short wool, fine wool, super fine wool, coarse wool and wool best suited for mulch. It's basically a breed thing. Different breeds of sheep have different wool characteristics.

Like Jeff in NZ said "The finer the wool the more expensive". Many of the higher priced wool garments are made with Merino or similar wools. You get what you pay for in wool so I'd shy away from the bargin priced wool clothing.

I don't hunt anymore but back in the day I usually wore a Woolrich wool jacket. I well remember once we hunted all day in a cold pouring rain. I was soaked to the skin but since I had a wool cap, jacket and socks on I was warm. My companions were not so lucky.

Seems like a lot of the hunting clothes I see the catalogs made from the miracle fibers are just as expensive as wool. Maybe it's the royalty they pay for using a proprietary camo pattern. I doubt they'll wear as long as wool. I've had Gore-tex and the like and I don't like it. It doesn't breath nearly as well as wool. Another good thing about wool is that it's naturally flame retardent.

I'll admit that I'm a little biased toward wool since we raise a fine wool breed of sheep but in my experience it's great stuff.

[MT Gianni]

The damger with used wool is shrinkage. I e-bayed a few shirts years ago that were XL. Sleeves hit me about mid forearm and buttons were not even close.

[BD]

I've been happily wearing green Johnson wool pants with silk long johns under them for many years. The silk wicks the sweat out into the wool wear it evaporates quickly. Warm enough for still hunting, doesn't melt around the fire and no where near as smelly as synthetics after 4 or 5 days in the same clothes. The only downside is that snow sticks to the wool pants, so if you're in deep, cover pants and gaiters are advised. I just spent 5 days above 10,000 ft in the rockies getting by on one pair of Johnson pants and three sets of silk long johns. The silks fold up to about the size of your wallet and weigh next to nothing.
BD

[Bret4207]

Johnson Wool products are good, tough stuff. They started out outfitting loggers and they still provide basically the same product they did back in the 40's and 50's. Good stuff.

I have to 2nd Sheps opinion on a lot of the modern miracle stuff. Most of it just doesn't pan out to be as good as it claims. Some of the nicer things about wool is that it's doesn't melt or catch fire easily, it wears like iron and doesn't tend to rip, a little thread and mostly it can be repaired. You can't say that about a lot of the modern fabrics.

And since Shep is promoting the fibers he produces, could I just mention how nice it is to sit down to a nice meal of lamb while wearing fine woolen clothing?

Lamb, it's what's for dinner!

[Adk Mike]

I'm the only person around that doesn't hunt in Camo. Johnson wool for me pants and coat. I do wear the high tech long underwear and shirts. Mike

[wills]

Where is carpetman?

[clintsfolly]

Look at Beagle ware ( www.beagleware.com) I have the stalker coat and used it every deer hunt going back to 2003. IT is waterproof and take a lot of wind the feel it through it. Still looks like new! You will like it and the price is not bad if you figure it will last a life time Clint

[Southern Son]

Now if you really want WARM what you want is NZ possum/merino. We are plagued by Australian brush tail possums (cute, cuddling, eat everything in sight). Their fur is hollow fibre not unlike a polar bear though the yeild per critter is a lot less..... It is combined with Merino wool and oooohhhh, lala, it is nice.

The possum fur is plucked from the 'donor' with a duck plucker/wire brush rotating flat out. I was at a field day once and there was a video playing of some burly bushman plucking the fur from a possum. There is this woman beside me gazing at the video and then she says "doesn't the possum mind?" As God is my witness I didn't know whether to laugh out loud or slap her.

Of course he doesn't mind. It is hard to much of a stuff about anything WHEN YOUR DEAD!!!! Please tell me she didn't have an Australian accent!:mrgreen:

[danski26]

Chuck...... how do i tell what kind of wool a garment is made of?

Clint.....I tried to go to beagle ware from you link but was directed to a scam. I'll try to google it.

[danski26]

Found it www.beaglewear.com

[danski26]

Clint, the Beagle wear looks very interesting. I hunt in northern Wisconsin, near the WI / MI border. Is the stalker coat warm enough for late november deer season? Or do you think the extreme coat would be better?

[clintsfolly]

I hunt on Bois Blanc Islnad out in the straits. The wind come from Wi over Lake MI under Big Mac down the straits to blast us. I find layering up is warmer and lets you lose layers on the warmer part of the day or season. Clint

[Bret4207]

I'm the only person around that doesn't hunt in Camo. Johnson wool for me pants and coat. I do wear the high tech long underwear and shirts. Mike

Nah, you're aren't alone Mike. Green and black plaid Johnson coat for me. Grew up in the central Adirondacks, maybe that's why!

[Shepherd2]

Danski - Sometimes a manufacturerer or seller will tell you what kind of wool a garment is made of but most of the time they won't. Quite often they will tell you if it's Merino because that is a big selling point. If you are buying good quality stuff I wouldn't be too concerned about what breed of sheep it came from. It's the bargin priced stuff I'd shy away from.

The Beagle Wear clothing looks good to me. The Tracker jacket is similar to the Woolrich jacket I wore for many years. Never did wear it out. It just got too snug for some reason.
That weight jacket is fine down here in southern Ohio if you use layers like I do. I'm also a big fan of the silk long johns that were mentioned earlier.

[Wayne Smith]

Humm... since I lost all that weight I find I'm much more sensitive to the cold. Might have to consider some of these products even here.

[danski26]

Thanks for all the info guys. Clears up a few questions i had.

[BD]

Holy Moly that Beagle wear is some pricy stuff! Over $200 for a pair of pants. I think they'd have to keep me warm and do my taxes too!
BD

[clintsfolly]

Not Cheap but I have used my coat 8yrs now and it still looks like new. we have about 6 weeks of firearms deer seasons here in MI starting 11/15 to the first of the yr. On average i hunt most weekends and try to get out 2-3 evening about 20-24days a year. ( stopped shooting at 5 last yr)The stalker coat is $340. Now so 22dayx8yrs =176day. $340/176= $1.93 a day for a warm dry coat and it still going. I can't see it wearing out in the near future. I my have to get the bibs to go with it!!!!! Clint

[Lloyd Smale]

if i got the money i like filson but usually its woolrich which i think gives the best bang for the buck.

[clintsfolly]

I have a Filson too but use the beagle. Lighter and just as warm Clint

[happyfast79]

http://empirecanvasworks.com/entry%20page.htm

awesome smaller company thats great to deal with

[frank505]

Wool is the best,warmest clothing to wear in the outdoors. Two layers and windproof shell in windy Wyoming will keep me warm and happy and able to hunt all day long. Snowshoing all winter will also show the value of poly base layer and wool outer.
The neoprene Muck boots have replaced my pac boots also, those are warm and somehow my feet dont sweat in them.
Sierra Trading will have some wool on sale, haunt all surplus sellers for wool. 100% virgin is the warmest and layers are warmer than one garment.

[Lloyd Smale]

ive got to agree with frank. Look at the guys that hunt where its really cold. I know most up here still use good old wool. Theres lots of high tech outerwear made these days and ive even tried some of it but when its cold and wet out youll see me wearing wool. the only exception i make is my boots. LIke frank i used to wear pac boots all the time but my feet sweated and froze in them. Anymore i use boots with gortex and thinsulate. there lighter easier to walk in and keep my feet warmer mostly because they wick away the sweat. the only other concession i make to high tech is if i know im going to be walking that day i do put on a base layer of high tech long johns that wick away sweat.

[Bret4207]

I tried the Muck boots some years back. Lasted 3 weeks before the bottoms separated. I've gone to the inexpensive "Baffin" type rubber boots with a liner. I wear good wool beneath them. I buy them large and my feet can move about and be warm. Tight boots mean cold feet for me. I had a pair of the old style Sorels, the gren ones with the Vibram soles, but they got stolen. Those were warm. The new Sorels are low ball specials, not worth the hundreds they ask for them.

I'll take most any other weather to +35, raining and windy. Nothing sucks the life out of you faster than being wet and cold. Wool with a good wind and water resistant shell is the winner in cold, wet weather.

[cgtreml]

Looks like you have some great advise and hundreds of years of experience in the last dozen posts. I have found some great stuff on ebay. Found some old Woolrich red plaid pants for $20 a few years ago. The only thing I will wear ice fishing now. The only thing I didn't see mentioned is Klar Ulfrotte. Great stuff and can be worn next to the skin. Hard to find a good deal on it but its out there. I have been wearing wool head to toe for the last 25 years. The old timers knew how to stay warm and dry. Good luck. Remember the old saying. Cotton Kills

[clintsfolly]

Darn this thread is going to cast me money. Am going to order the bibs to match my coat. Please see my ad in the Swap&Sell . Thanks Clint

[45nut]

Darn this thread is going to cast me money. Am going to order the bibs to match my coat. Please see my ad in the Swap&Sell . Thanks Clint

[smilie=2: nobody ever promised this site wouldn't cost you money ! :wink:

We don't demand it, it is all voluntary, quite unlike .gov !!

[Ugluk]

Very slightly itchy will make you warmer if my info and experience is right. Stimulating blood cirkulation in the peripheral parts..

Old school for the really cold days.

[JIMinPHX]

I'm no expert but some wool is virgin wool

It probably comes from ugly sheep. :mrgreen:

Seriously though,
If you have any surplus stores around you, look for wool German army pants. They are some of the toughest, warmest & most waterproof wool pants that I have ever seen. I wish that I could still fit into the pair that I bought 25 years ago. They were spectacular & I think that I got them for around $20. Back when I used to ski, they were the only pants that I ever wanted to wear on the mountain.

[Bret4207]

Skiing, man, that shows you how old I am. I was skiing when people still wore wool. And leather boots. And used wooden skis. I'm officially old. Back then a "snow bunny" wore a wool sweater and baggy wool pants that gave a vague idea that she might have hips under there someplace. Looking at a recent skiing mag at a big city book store, it looks like the modern snow bunny never leaves the lodge, cause she'd freeze if she did.

Anyway, ditto on the Swedish/Norwegian surplus wool pants. I bought one pair for about $20.00 back in the late 80's, should have bought 10. I use then as overpants more or less, was smart enough to buy them a little big and losing a mess of weight helped too.

If you could ever get to someplace that actually sells woolen trousers you could see the difference between, say, Johnson Wools "Malone" pants, their green pants, Woolrichs offerings, Codet, Filson, LaBonville, some of the other brands. The only place I know of you can still do that is in Malone NY at the big clothing store up there, I forget the name...Northern Border or something like that. Woolrich cloth tends to be loosely woven compared to Johnson for instance. But there were old Woolrich styles that used a very, very dense weave that was quite windproof. A little scotchguard and they were pretty water resistance too. But they were heavy, sometimes very heavy. The old days of going down to the dry goods store and checking stuff like that out, along with new chore coats and the latest in 5 buckle rubbers are long gone. Kinda sad, isn't it?

[odis]

Living and working outside in northern Mn I have found that 100% virgin wool is the only way to go. Wool is quiet and doesn't reflect light so it is good camo even if in a red or orange color. The wool blended with nylon wears out very quickly is is false economy. I have a Filson wool jacket that has a cape over lay so it is very water proof and I have been buying Bemidji woolen mills clothing in orange for deer hunting. 100% virgin wool does not itch.

[justingrosche]

Any wool experts out there? I have a pair of velcro gloves and hip boots, does that count?
LOL;)

[clintsfolly]

Got a call for Beagleware today. my new bibs go out tomorrow. Wahooo!!!