I started with wool before there was fleece. Tried fleece and went right back to wool for all the reasons laid out here. Wool, down and Goretex does everything I need year round in the Canadian Rockies.
Same, here in Northern Ontario's notorious winter; still utilize some fleece 'close to home' because I have it, and, merino wool/wool for 'outdoors' activities.
@@awanderer9966 kinda...if you hang it so water drips out, aim a fan at it, shop vac it, expose it to sunlight and/or heat, smash the bulk of the water out. Drying is just removing water after all.
I feel Merino Wool is very popular at the moment, and becomes the first wool experience for many people. They then focus a lot on the Merino part. I just want to mention there are numerous kinds of wool, and they all share the same great properties. I feel Merino wool is very smooth and comfortable, but much less durable than other wools. You might want to look into other wool clothings as well.
Lambs wool is a good example...I usually have a merino base layer and a mid weight lambs wool mid layer with a down gillet or gore tex jacket on top ...keeps me happy on very cold mountain days
I think people have avoided wool due to scratchiness and Merino solves that for baselayers. For midlayers though many different varieties of wool can be great!
A common mistake many do in chill weather is when they stop for a break they take things off to "cool down" - bad idea, never do that. When you stop, always put ON a layer to retain the heat even if you feel "hot". Having stopped, you are no longer generating heat and will quickly chill. When starting again, take off that outer layer again before putting your pack and hit the trail. It will be chilly for a minute but once you start again you will be generating heat again and back to normal.
@@6foot8jesuspilledpureblood82 I agree that if you find yourself sweatly, getting rid of the moisture is a higher priority. But if that is a recurring problem then opening the layers more to prevent it woud be a better strategy
I struggled a lot with synthetic fibers in winter clothes which i just sweated my butt off under them. Then i finally got myself a more expensive Loden jacket for winter. A completly different experience. Loden is a traditional wool fabric (actual sheeps wool), which keeps the water resistant and heat-keeping abilities of the wool, while being more breathable than any synthetic fiber could dream of. Worth every cent.
great info.I wondered why I sweat so much wearing fleece. I own lots of merino tees,socks,briefs,and pullover & hoodies but my outer layer was fleece.I would come back from a short walk in 50degree weather with a sweaty upper body.When i wore a merino hoodie I was dry,warm, and comfortable. I'm now returning my recently purchased Columbia fleece jacket & vest and getting a merino outer layer.Thanks for the tips. Happy Hiking !
Taigaworks out of Vancouver BC makes amazing merino wool gear. Once I bought my first shirt I never looked back. Can wear it all week and it doesn’t pick up odours. Fantastic temp regulation. Wouldn’t leave home without it.
I completely agree as a long distance cyclist (months) I combined timing Alaska with freezing weather (and rain!) with a “buffalo shirt” an absolute winning combination! Seals and SAS soldiers are wearing it during hard work / training! No more undercooling with that combination. Read the reviews!! Loved your explanation!! Menno from the Netherlands.
My only problem with wool of any kind is what to do with it when it gets wet… even sweat can cause natural materials to become a sponge that guarantee you will be cold. “Fleece” is a pretty darn generic term. Are we talking polypropylene or polyester.. big difference.. I see more and more material sold as polypro that’s actually polyester. When I was a SAR member, we were adamant about the use of polypropylene in all our insulation gear from the first layer to the last w/ a synthetic wind, rain, snow blocker as the last layer.. getting caught waring cotton was a sure way to be left behind.. wool was considered a problem because you can’t get it to dry out while still in the bush and have to suffer with it until you get home again.. FYI - I love marino wool and wear it all the time in my “civilized’ life but when in the bush, it stays home…
As an Irishman I have many items of the finest Aran Yarn Wool. Ppl think im crazy when I tell them im wearing wool socks during the summer but they dont understand how much more comfortable it is and how my feet dont sweat as much and definitely dont smell as bad as wearing cotton socks. Merino is great for hiking because it is lighter than Aran Wool but when it gets really cold I put on the Aran sweater and I can take anything the weather throws a me. The only downside to wool, especially Aran wool, is its difficult to clean and retain its shape. It generally has to be hand cleaned , NEVER use conditioner and dont even think of using a dryer unless you want it to shrink small enough to fit a child.
My merino wool lightweight t shirt is 100% Australian merino wool, doesn’t smell and is light and soft. No holes. I never let it get laundered. Just warm water, air drying. I don’t wear deodorant with this shirt because that damages wool and can lead to holes. This also dries faster than any other article of clothing I’ve ever owned. Incredible.
Sadly I'm allergic to wool (I get eczema alm over my body) and I also get asthma attacks because of wool. But micropolyester works really good for me imo.
There are many types and grades of wool. Like any tool and clothing are the tools that make work in the cold possible. Get the wool that works best for the work at hand. If merino shirts are stretching out of shape get one that is a blend of wool and Tencil. Tencil is a biodegradable compostable fiber made from renewable trees. I use a variety of weights and grades of wool. For summer rain I wear an open weave short sleeve wool shirt and no raincoat. For winter travel and carrying a load I will go with a course wool shirt that wicks the body vapor to the outer shell. On a hard winter bike ride in the hills at temps near zero F I will go with a mid-layer of tight weave mid weight wool shirt with a hood and long enough to cover my butt, worn untucked to allow for water vapor to vent out the bottom and at the same time tramping warm air. When it is cold my base layer changes from merino to Swedish fishnet, from Brynje. Once again available in the States. Sold at REI until the advent of plastic clothing. Fishnet sounds counter intuitive. It is Fish net with 1/4 inch holes. The Holes are filled with dead air, when they have a mid layer over them which insulates and allows the body vapor to reach the mid layer. Sometimes my outer shell layer is a felted wool Pee Coat, A 250 year old design that has withstood the test of time. The advantage of wool is that all wool has a thermal range of about 5-15 degrees allowing the sheep or alpaca to self-regulate their temperature. Fleece garments are made for a specific temperature. You regulate the temperature by the thickness of the garment. You will need to wear three layers of fleece to get the same thermal range of the wool garment. You regulate by the three layers having full length zippers and you unzip or zip up to regulate. I have fleece and I have wool. They both will last 50 plus years of hard work. You can wear the elbows out on your wool sweater or shirt, but only a flees can melt. Don't over dress for the planned workload. You want to keep your inner layer at the low end of the Tropical temp range, of about 70F. At hard work at zero F you will need the same layer of clothing you would need at 70 F standing still. When you stop for a break at zero F and no wind you will need the equivalent of 3 or 4 layers needed at 70F. Wool can be worn for weeks without washing. or never. Animal fibers shed grime and are anti-microbial.
check Brynje North America for Fishnet underwear tops, bottoms, long and short sleeve, Three types of fish nest Made from all cotton fishet, ,Poly pro fishnet, the best for most situations, fishnet made from a blend of poly pro and merino yarn too warm for most situations. Fish net is the best way to move moisture away from the body. After a two hour bike ride in zone two at 0 C my fishnet was dry and my alpaca mid layer was slightly damp to the touch. my wind breaker shell was also only slightly moist.
I'm N0T gonna knock merino wool ! The thing about fleece IS you need to give it plenty of ventilation and protect it from the wind. Think Gortex. Choose your base layer for conditions. Then layer your fleece. I think of it as what they say about boots & socks in frigid weather. Boots @ least one size normal than normal and at least 2 pairs of heavy socks. I like one to be wick away and the other wool. With fleece it helps to keep your layer slightly baggy compared to too tight. IF ... you have 3 layers, each should be one size larger than the preceeding one. Your Gortex rain layer should be a loose fit too. Use CAUTION that your multiple layers aren't becoming too restrictive. IF ... you wear 3 to four layers of any one size (XL,XL,XL etc. ). You're going to begin to feel like a stuffed sausage and your layers won't breathe.
Literally found myself rotating out a thin damp smartwool skull cap with a thicker dry smartwool skull cap last night during a night walk. Wild to be viewing this now. Definitely will heed your advice to read the fabric blend percentages more closely and not simply take all merino wool labels as equal. Thx.
Merino wool base layer of appropriate weight depending on the weather, with a fleece mid-layer. Always use merino wool against your skin. Merino wool as a mid-layer doesn’t work any better than fleece and fleece is way cheaper.
I think fleece is great. So is wool. Also anything is fine, people overthink products. Most people aren’t doing enough in their activity to warrant any difference in material. If you have a base layer, a mid layer, and a shell, just get out there and live and you’ll be fine.
I think you're right, people often overthink it and the important part is to just get out there and get the experience. Experience is where you learn what works and what doesn't. Thanks for chiming in!
What do you use to wash merino? I just bought my first ever merino base layers. My Smartwool (blend) top doesn't specify a soap/detergent. My REI 185 100% merino bottom says to use "wool wash," which I would assume is woolite. Can other common products be used too? Anyone who has had merino a while, please tell me how you do it. Thanks!
I'm a construction worker in Luleå, a town situated in the north of Sweden, slightly further north than Fairbanks, Alaska. Winters might be very cold, down to -40 Centigrade (turns out to be the same in Farenheit) though rarely below -30C (-22F). Even in the middle of the winter temperatures might reach freezing point so I must have clothes for a huge span. To make things worse, my job is often pendling between really heavy physical job and than waiting for an escavator, a crane or something for a while. Often I walk in and out between the bitter cold outside and the heat in houses or in cars. This means that wool often is the material of choice. I have to deal with some other things than back packers. If I am on a larger construction site it's mandated to wear hi visibility clothing. I also prefer that in regular neighbourhoods. A stressed parent with restless kids can be equally dangerous as a wheel loader on a construction site. But so far I have not found any wool clothing that also i hi-vis. The wear and tear is substantial as most backpackers don't go backpacking 7-16 five days a week. I do a "dirty job" wich inludes a lot of dust, different fluids (diesel, hydralic oil, paint and more), have stuff around me that might tear a hole like rebars and so on. Unfortunatley wool is not very tear or dust resistant (the fine dust is tremendously tearing). Neigher can wool be washed in high temperatures. I prefer to wash my inner layers every day, something that also wears on wool and that's why I have found out my optimal mix of wool and syntethic fibres. T-shirt and second layer is fleece, outer layer on my torso is a wool sweater that unfortunately is grey wich means I cannot use it if I work around machines and cranes. Under pants are syntethic unless it´s really cold. The wool sweather i much better than I thought i should be, and for really cold days I use two of them. Works down to -30C (-22F) if there is absolutely no wind. On my head I mostly have syntethic soft hats or occasionally, in severe cold a wool hat. On my feet I have thin merino wool socks all around the year, and in winter I have those socks and really thick wool socks outside them. I have a pair of polyurethane foam boots that are extremely light weight, even though they have protection for toes and soles. They works in temperatures down to --30C (-22F). Colder than that I refuse to work... In most aspects, whats good for back packing is good for construction workers, but there are also some differences like high-vis and that back packers prefer light weight while construction workers put more emphasis on resistance to wear and tear.
Kristian, have you heard of Brynje fish net base layers? They are made from Merino wool, and they really work well with temperature regulation while exerting yourself in the cold.
@@mrhounddog8271 I use Merino in all my base layers. Great product. Hunting about on the internet, you can find some good bargains. Same goes for signing up to the companies' letter, as they notify you if something a bit too expensive has been reduced. Merino jumpers are great for cleaning, as most of the time all they take is a wipe with a damp cloth and a cold wash in the machine. I go for the antibacterial, too.
Filson USA has more color in some of their wool workwear clothing. I like Stanfield's Canada for their wool-nylon mid-layer and my New Zealand Icebreaker's merino for first layer, that or Terramar Thermasilk silk longjohns. Sitka windstopper vest and Sitka soft and quiet gear for hunters has bright colors, and works very well layered. Baffin, Canada has boots good to -60 F I have had down to -38F here, and the soles of the boots will not crack to pieces. The particular boots I had might be too warm for everyday -20F. The 'list for best cold weather face masks on the market in 2021' article online has a selection. I like a ColdAvenger cold weather mask for extreme temperatures workwear to avoid freezing my lung tissue. There is also Avalung, for extremes, that is not only for avalanch safety. I like my Eddie Bauer Karakoram parka that may still have their lifetime guarantee, if damaged. The Eddie Bauer -30F Menoken Parka might be better for your situation ..plus a brightly colored road worker safety vest. The Eddie Bauer -40F Superior Parka is available in Rust color. Find out if their workwear lifetime guarantee is still in effect. The faux fur ruff can be replaced with a Wolf and Wolverine fur ruff available online. I do not work at colder than -20F however I have the more extreme cold weather items if walking outside is unavoidable.
In 1987, I worked in a mine shaft in Colorado one winter. Top of the shaft was 11000 ft elevation. 250 feet down, water poured into the shaft so, we worked in a constant drenching of 32.1 degree F water. I wore 3 layers of wool shirts, two rain slickers and pants, wool socks, wool gloves inside rubber gloves. Some guys even wore wet suits. I managed to stay reasonably comfortable through out that project.
Thanks for the information. I started using Merino wool in Afghanistan. It was the only thing that felt warm. That and a sheepskin lined leather bomber jacket. The older I've gotten the less I can stand non natural fibers on my skin. Didn't bother me as much when I was younger.
Yeah, "fleece" CAN be too warm when active. I use numerous articles of light and mid weight merino shirts and leggings, but have also added light and mid weight GRID fleece pieces. Best when active (hiking/climbing, etc.), regular fleece and down when stationary. The design of grid fleece air permeability promotes better ventilation and cooling, especially in a light wind and can augment your merino baselayer. When wind is more forceful, windshirt or softshell will prevent too much cooling.
The Mountain Special Forces guys I met used a silk base layer, cotton overwrite camouflage on the outside, with a standard cotton/polyester uniform in between. Then they used Gore-Tex parka & zip over trousers and fleece insulation layer as needed due to weather conditions. Their use case is different that Mr. Emory. The SF Use Case is to hump 100+ pounds for 10 to 30 miles and then sit for days on end. For this the heavy Gore-Tex and Fleece combination is life saving and a God-Send. Gloves, neck gators, etc were different for every soldier. What you need depends on your use case. If you are in constant motion like Mr. Emory, his recommendations are sound. If you hunt with a lot of sitting, think differently. Fleece was designed for Mt Everest alpine conditions and by the US military for sitting inactive in arctic conditions.
I love this video! I've been wearing wool since I started backpacking/camping/hiking/skiing as a kid in the 70's. I used to catch grief for my "heavy, old-school gear" from my "tech-weenie" friends, but wool is the best! Besides the benefits mentioned in the video and some of the other comments, wool doesn't require washing after every wear and it won't retain body odor (as you pointed out). Guys, you want to make sure that your merino base layer bottoms have a fly on them before you buy them! There are many manufacturers out there that sell "men's bottoms" without a fly!
@@peetsnort Odor build up and retention has a direct correlation to moisture regain and surface energy. The reason why all natural materials deal with odor far better than synthetics is because they have much higher moisture regain than synthetics, with sheep's wool having the highest with around 16% at standard conditions. * With synthetics, the lowest moisture regain to highest goes from polypropylene, to polyester, to acrylic, and then to nylon. Nylon is unique among synthetics in that it actually absorbs an appreciable amount of moisture vapor in its material (i.e. not just in between the fibers like all fabrics will do). On a deeper level, this relates to electrical charge and relates to positive vs negative gram microbes. Wool is actually not "antimicrobrial" but it only attracts and facilitates the growth of non odor producing microbes (which are attracted to a certain electrical charge), whereas synthetics attract solely to mostly the odor producing microbes, based on respective electrical charges. But back to nylon, besides the science outlined above, my own experience aligns with the science in that that nylon is the least stinky of the synthetics and polypropylene is the most odoriferous. Again, this relates to that nylon has appreciable moisture regain and different electrical charge than the other synthetics. The moisture regain of nylon under standard conditions is 4%. To put that into perspective, we usually consider cotton to be a highly water attracting material and its moisture regain is 8.5%. Polyester is .4% (literally 10 times less moisture regain than nylon...), and polypropylene is practically 0. (for any interested, acrylic is 1.5%) * Conversely, the moisture regain of wool being so high, also means that it takes longer for it to dry fully. I'm not a fan of all wool baselayers (minus fishnet) and mid layers for this reason. Once it gets sopping wet, it stays sopping wet for a long time. That is not good in cold conditions. The "cold when wet" thing is a bit of a myth or exaggerated over statement. While wool is slightly warmer when damp as compared to other materials, when it is sopping wet, it is still a heat sink and not "warm" because water is well water and has like 20X greater thermal conductivity than air. And furthermore, when water evaporates it has the property to carry a tremendous amount of heat energy with it, which makes it far more cooling than just the higher thermal conductivity alone. P.S. and the nice thing about nylon is that you can actually get rid of the odor, unlike with polypropylene.
Everyone body reacts differently to cold and warm weather.I tend to sweat a lot even in cold weather.But I think it was the fleece lack of ventilation that made me sweat. Merino keeps me cool.I use Icebreaker,Smartwool,woolly, woolx, and unbound merino. No more cotton for me.
@Angel Valdovinos Oh, so you know AS A FACT that this person is out of shape? You entail special powers that makes you feel good about commenting on people you don't know? Dude, go away. You're embarrassing yourself.
one thing to also keep an eye on considering merino is to choose brands that go "mulesing free" meaning the sheep that give the wool are not mutilated, as their backsides are cut open to prevent insects to get into the skin folds, which happenes mostly without any anesthesia. i encourage you to look it up and (if you can) invest a little more money for the protection of the animal that provides this wonderful wool!
I've always felt like fleece is best for retaining body heat when inactive. One big part of that is that wool doesn't hang onto all the organic compounds involved in stinkiness like how polyester fleece does, so there's no issue with heavy workloads when wearing it. But if you push yourself hard when in polyester fleece, it'll pick up all sorts of oils and sweat and other compounds from the body, meaning it needs to be washed again sooner. If you keep polyester fleece for use as a camp jacket (or a normal day-to-day midlayer), I think it's still very useful.
This is great to hear. I've always been sceptical of the latest "accepted knowledge" for keeping dry and warm. In the past, one wore cotton under a wool sweater - the cotton mainly to protect your skin from the very rough wool. Morino wool solves the comfort problem so now I use 100% 250 weight Morino wool as a base layer, and fleece or wool sweater, depending on how deep the cold (Canada). I tried a synthetic base layer and although it wicks sweat, I felt cold in it. Wool is better at letting the sweat escape while feeling warmer. Sweating is really a tough one to battle - I may also slow down my pace to avoid sweating or open my outer layer or remove it shortly before breaking for lunch for example. Then I can eat with my jacket back on, being warm and dry :-)
After years sweating and chilling inside fleece and GoreTex I abandoned these materials completely and changed to wool, felt and waxed canvas, and I will not go back! In my experience wool from any camelid is better than sheepwool since per weight it is warmer, but you should make sure you have a decently knit piece, since the fiber is a little "weaker" (holes can develop in exposed areas) A combination of more than one (natural) fiber is perhaps the best solution, combining strength with warmth. Some manufacturers also use synthetic fibers in the mix, and I thing this is ok as long as you do not exaggerate. It should help with the strength of the cloth but that is it. "Odor inhibiting" properties and slow, flame-free combustion are inherent to these natural fibers and this plus should not be eliminated by the adding of synthetics. BUT there are also other considerations at play, for me right now the environmental aspect is getting more and more important, and many synthetic fibers are just not something that can be associated in good conscience with outdoor activities. I think we are at the beginning of some kind of transformation (the one proposed by Circular Economy) that will enhance interesting research in materials, design, and ways of manufacturing, selling, and using things. Thus "canvas" in the near future is not likely to be the "canvas" perception from the WWII period... And so the branding of products will also change!! The transit to better quality products, and to a longer use of them, is also on the wish list of many. Not only because they are better, but also because this is a far more rational way to use resources in a sustainable way! (repairing, refitting and recycling will be part of the design of chains of added value, and an intrinsic part of the life span assigned to the product ("cascading"), this is resilience and sustainability, this is the logic of Circular Economy!
Merino is a breed of sheep. Sheep produce wool. Wool production/harvesting doesn't harm sheep, it is a naturally renewable resource. Wool is good, ask Irish fisherman, among others. Wool won't catch fire easily; fleece/poly won't stop burning when it easily catches . . . . along with all the other mentioned benefits. Thank you for bringing wool back into view, lets look at other products like silk for instance
Yes, and it is very fine (at around 25 microns) which is why its not scratchy. Old school jumpers of coarser grades of wool were the bane of my winters when younger. Zegna gets their Merino wool from Australia which is graded at 12 microns.
Nothing beats wool. Incidentally years ago I met an exporter of the finest wool in the world with a thread count of 2500 per inch. Market? Suit makers for millionaires in the middle East. Nothing is cooler. Wool is amazing - and not a petrochemical/ polluting byproduct.....
Always hiked in merino (Icebreaker) but for a warm layer around camp, its hard to beat fleece. Warmth for weight, fleece beats merino hands down and if it happens to get wet, fleece will dry faster than a heavy merino.
Merino is hard to beat for anything you’re wearing most of the time. But yes, it’s on the heavy side for that warmth layer you’ll only be wearing in the early morning or the one especially cold day.
I bicycle commute all year and on longer commutes of 18km I learned to experiment with layers. I was wearing merino base layer and was wearing a 100 percent lambs wool sweater from Ralph Lauren (polo). It was freezing so I took off my hard shell because my body temperature was too high and uncomfortable. I was cold at first, I felt the wind and cold blow through the fibers but then after 10 minutes my body temperature reached a sort of homeostasis and was neither too cold or warm. I could feel a bit of coolness but the wool fibers from the sweater kept my body heat constantly comfortable I noticed this with ortovox wool gloves , just wool, no membrane or shell and not merino. The wind blows through and is misleading at first because you might be used to wind stopping layers but the heat from the hands balances out and it is not noticeable and what's great is the hands don't get sweaty. All types of wool are great. Experiment with wool and be patient. I wear woolpower 400 socks at work with safety shoes and I wear one pair the entire week before washing. I just air them out after the shift. It also helps reduce blisters.
No one's mentioned silk. It's the best for base layer next to your skin. Silk is used by trekkers in the North/South polar regions. It's light weight, keeps you warm and does not restrict body movement. The best!
@@michaeldbhawker3556 That was my experience with silk as well. Merino is what I use now for underwear, socks, t-shirts, base layers...hell, I pretty much wear only wool any more.
@@finnberglander7816 Merino IMHO is the #1 most important layer. But I have to say a silk layer is also very valuable (again IMHO) it dries fast, blocks the sun, and can be the perfect layer on those hot days (just add water) plus it works well under the merino layer.
I wear silk a lot in my everyday life, but I think it feels sweaty as a base layer, it only dries fast if ventillated well. it might be great for a hot summer hike as an only layer, (I have not tried it though). I also have lots of silk and wool blends, they are great for keeping you warm as an everyday garment and even as pjs, but for a workout or hike, they feel a little sweaty. merino is way better for hiking. (I am talking about 100% real silk here, and 20/80 silk/wool blends. There might be other silk blends that work well as active wear.)
I wish I knew this a long time ago. This video is captioned "backpacking" but I'm a skier. While skiing, exact conditions are hard to predict and change throughout the day. You can open your pit zips, but otherwise its very inconvenient to change the way you're clothed. I've used merino backpacking and jogging and it miraculously seems to be warm when you need that and cool when you need that (how does it know?). I wish I could get back all the money I've spent on skiing base and midlayers and spend it on merino. EVERYONE SHOULD KNOW: NO COTTON NEXT TO YOUR SKIN!
Damn, Emory….watching this video was time WELL SPENT!! For my 2018 AT thru hike attempt, I tried lightweight merino t-shirts on my shake down hikes. Comfortable? Yes. But the “stretch out” factor was ridiculous…..and durability was lacking! Simply put, except for some merino thermals for winter, I swore off merino for late spring to early fall trips. Recently, on an early winter section hike on the AT in CT…..I ran into that issue with “hiking, sweating, de-layer, get cold, re-layer” issue. I’m now researching some better merino alternatives. Bravo-Zulu….Nice job, BTW, on communicating your message…..you’re a natural!
@Fred Ol Good Evening, Fred. I assume by your question that you are inquiring as to my long-winded comment? I’m retired military and a retired federal wildlife officer, both occupations where my words had to convey “direction” HOPEFULLY before I had to go into “action”. As I’ve become somewhat of a recluse since I left the workforce, I do tend to go on and on when writing. And nowadays, I talk mainly to my dog. So really, in answer to your question, I guess I’ll have to ask my dog! Once she tells me, I’ll let you know. Be well and take care, amigo.
I’ve been loving wool. I now use nothing but wool socks and underwear on a regular basis. I also use a alpaca and wool blanket. I’m never too hot or get cold in the blanket and I can sleep in a ice cold room for he whole time staying warm. The blanket itself is not even that thick or heavy. Wool is amazing
Ok - old outdoors person & knitter here. Merino is a sheep breed - it’s wool is softer next to the skin than the numerous other sheep breeds. Cashmere is probably the softest of natural fibers & comes from the Cashmere goat. Alpaca is also itch-free and comes from alpacas, which are not sheep. Alpaca & cashmere may work for you folks with wool allergies. Almost every artisan sock knitter uses wool with about 25% nylon blended in for strength against shoe abrasion. Be CAREFUL how you wash these fibers - even for washable wools! Do NOT use Woolite! Get a good wool wash soap - Laundress is one - and DON’T PUT WOOL IN THE DRYER. Ideally, lay wool flat to dry, then it shouldn’t stretch out. It is worth this extra care - it is expensive, because wool manufacture is a dying industry, and it will keep you warm when it’s cold and wet, cool when it’s hot and should wear a long time if well cared for. Polyesters and all synthetics are badly polluting our environment! Every time you wash it, tiny bits are washed into our waterways. They are everywhere on the planet - even Antarctica! All seafood is forced to ingest it, and therefore so do we. Cancers, birth defects, hormone problems… There are so many reasons to buy and wear wool, cotton, silk, linen!
I just re-found wool and I love it! I use it working out, hiking, day to day for everything. But you're right about the durability. I'm just careful with the next to skin wool.
Old timer here. Started backpacking before polar fleece was a glimmer in anyone’s eye. LONG time fan of wool. Sadly, I developed a skin sensitivity to wool, so always need a cotton barrier. One really important advantage to wool - it does not MELT and stick to your skin if you get too close to a fire or stove. Wool will be damaged by this sort of heat, but the plastic is far more likely to present you with a bad situation from melted plastic burns. Something to think about…😬
Hey old timer, have you tried silk baselayers under your wool? I used to sell gear and recommended silk baselayers to folks who didn’t want wool, but wanted natural fibers.
@@Orange_pickles oh yes…silk is nice. A little hard to find these days (at least it was last time I tried), and pricey. Silk sock liners and t-shirt were the norm for my winter adventures “back in the day”. The problem with cotton is that it absorbs a lot of moisture and you can get chilled, but the wool always helped dry that out. I also used duofold and fishnet to help with the moisture.
@@diligentsun1154 I had a 60/40 cotton/polyester parked treated with silicone for a windbreaker and a k-coated nylon rain jacket. I only used the rain jacket for really hard rain, the parka for light rain. Some parkas in the day had k-coated nylon shoulder patches. Some folks used waxed cotton or waxed 60/40. For me, the waxed jackets were a little too waterproof - not breathable at all. You would get pretty wet from persperation. The treated 60/40 was a LITTLE breathable. Either option required strategically placed vents to let moisture escape. When goretex came out it was a game changer in raingear, but terribly expensive at first.
@@hgj2019 thanks! as a 'newbie', to OutDoors Style, im unfamiliar with these options, but I WILL Educate myself! many thanks for Your Wisdom! may you get as many more miles, as you want! Safe Travels, Companion. Be Well
I disagree about the blend percentage. I have 38% wool leggings blended with polypropylene and polyamide that I feel still retain a lot of the wool advantages. I think anything between 40% and 80% is alright. 100% is not very durable like you mentioned
The best baseayers I have ever used are merino / nylon 80/20. This is by far the best fabric for a base layer. The nylon mix makes it far superior in ridding water, if you are active, nothing else comes close.
Wool has been used and proved for thousands of years. It is by far the best material you can get for what it provides, man-made materials can't beat Mother Nature. Greetings from the woods in Sweden 🇸🇪
I’ve dumped fleece for wool a long time ago. Why would anyone use a plastic bag for insulation? But for anything that isn’t touching your skin, save the money and buy regular wool. It should always be 20-30% artificial fibres.
I didn't see anyone mention it, but, Marino Wool comes from the Marino sheep. Their fleece is much lighter weight weight than other sheep fleece. That is why it is so wearable. If you like Marion try Alpaca.
I love alpaca, I wear my alpaca socks year round, They are great at thermo regulating with the hallow fiber core . My tuque is weightless. My Alpaca sweater I have worn almost every day in the winter. Moths love merino but have never bothered my alpaca.
Good points on Merino and temp regulation. I lived in SoCal for decades (hot dry), and traveled to the mountains with my fleece. Then... we moved to Colorado at 5,000 feet, it rains, we get winds, it snows, temps of 10deg. Yep, wool is your friend.
As much as I love merino wool, it sucks in durability compared to synthetic material… I’ve tried to stick with merino wool, but within a year of normal wearing here in Oregon, my base laters have developed holes… that gets to be pretty spendy given the cost of top name merino outdoor wear compared to synthetic’s… I haven’t had a chance yet to try out the hybrid solutions from Patagonia which may be the best compromise… just don’t have the extra funds to invest in yet another set at this time…
I found the same durability issue with Merino. Tried some socks a few years ago; the heels wore out within a couple of months and there was no way I could live with that considering the cost of them.
Agreed the Patagonia thin base layers are the best out there. they dry faster and because of the loft from they way they are woven together they hold heat well
I agree about merino wool. I also have two 100% Alpaca shirts from Appalachian Gear company and I love them even more than my merino wool. Yes, they are twice the price(or more) than merino, but I have never been disappointed by my alpaca shirts.
@@EmoryByLand they call it Fleece, but it is a Weft knit fabric. It's nothing like a synthetic polyester fleece. It's more like a light weight sweater.
Hello! First time watcher. Nice video, man. I like both for different things. One thing about wool is take more effort to dry out over fleece, so for some activities and climates I like it more. Wool is natural, major bonus.
2 года назад
Adding a few comments and crucial bits of information I feel were missing: * You did not address the most important thing - the myth that merino is warm when wet. THIS IS ONLY TRUE UNTIL IT ABSORBS 30 % OF ITS WEIGHT IN MOISTURE. After that, Merino is actually _bigger pain in the butt than cotton_! Dries out slower and feels cold. I'm using caps lock to write that sentence because the outdoor industry spent years brainwashing people into buying merino by simplifying things or even outright lying. * What I wrote above is the reason why merino-synth mixtures are taking over the outdoor world and it's a good thing because while 100 % merino clothing is virtually never a good thing (save for some heavyweight sweaters maybe, NEVER as baselayers, socks etc) mixtures of merino and polyesther or polypropylene are actually one of the best things ever. * Re mixture - strongly disagree about the percentage. Even 50/50 is a huge boost in functionality and comfort. 50/50 baselayers last very long while providing very clear bonus over pure synth baselayers. The sentence "You might as well get synthetic" is misleading IMHO. Around 80/20 merino/synth is good and vastly better than 100% merino because those "missing" 20% are virtually impossible to detect/blame when wearing the piece, mostly because the 20% of synthetics that is there instead complements the merino by having better moisture wicking properties etc. Again, 100% merino is nonsense, virtually never useful (except for maybe sitting on a couch) or superior over well designed mixtures (it's not always just weaving, mixtures can also utilize layering). * Yes, wool insulation is a thing and is absolutely awesome. I own www.sirjoseph.cz/en/products/clothing/i87-jacket-lotus-hooded-man-810.htm and it's one of the most versatile pieces of winter clothing I've ever owned. Windproof, breathable, insulates well in a very wide range of weather situations and body exertion levels. Icebreaker, Smartwool and Ortovox are also very good at using wool as insulation and it does not need to be merino when you are enclosing it in a jacket, btw. * Standard fleece still has its place. I don't think most merino stuff can offer the level of breathability and moisture wicking effectiveness of Polartec PowerStrech for example. And then there are next-level materials like Polartec Alpha, which surpasses merino in breathability/warmth ratio as well, by a lot. It's always about picking the right thing for a given situation.
I guess I'm a little confused by this video. You seem to be confusing fleece with polyester. Fleece is typically used as an insulating layer not a base layer but the whole video is about how great merino is as a base layer. If you've been wearing fleece as a base layer I bet it really did suck. I have tons of both merino and polyester base layers and like them both. I personally find polyester more comfortable and it dries much faster. My current favorite is Patagonia Capilene Cool LW. That said, on longer multiday trips I'll grab merino to keep the few friends I have as the polyester funk factor seems to go up exponentially day after day. The fleece you wore 10 or 15 years ago has been supplanted by much more breathable, compressible and lighter fabrics that are pretty awesome. You should give them a try-as an insulating layer.
Hahaha hahaha. Agree. When most folks say fleece they refer to an outer or warming mid layer. I say "poly pros or long underwear." We call them poly pros in the Marine Corps. Short for poly propylene?
Agreed. Fleece wicks much faster than merino wool and much stronger. You can wear fleece in the forest as an out layer but merino wool I guess will be torn down by branches easily. Fleece has a reason to be popular
I have decided to convert my wardrobe from polyester to wool. Even blankets make a huge difference in comfort and temperature range. It cuts down on airborne microplastics for health. Plus, wool is completely comfortable and the most temperature wide range fabric made ( including alpaca and other animal fibers.) God knew what He was doing from the start didn't He? I have cotton over coats, driver, field Jak I need to retreat with bees wax for rain protection. Like all the goodness of natural textiles. Merino is the base layer for all. If it drops to way below freezing, the heavy vintage hunting coats are nice, as are the heavy wool pants, socks and merino long johns. God bless you sir and have a great winter.
I only have two fleece items and the rest is either Irish wool (Gurnsey 100% wool) or merino. I use the fleece during those times when the temps are moderate and I want a different look. That's right, fleece is best for a different look. Wool is the way to go... socks, underwear, base layer, and mid-layer. You are just comfortable all the time. I just fell into wool/merino when I got back into hiking and backpacking and never turned back. Call it dumb luck!
Couldn’t agree more. I am down here in the north Georgia mountains & I need a highly breathable base layer with a warmer mid layer due to our high humidity. It’s a different kind of cold in the winter when you add in the humidity. I am also very uncomfortable with a fleece mid layer & will definitely check out the heavier merino options out there. My base layer is a merino blend from the NUYARN company that Outdoor Vitals sells as their dragon wool base layers. It has a jersey face with a merino base & is extremely comfortable & great at pulling moisture away from the body.
If you want a budget option, my roommate and I have both had good luck with Meriwool brand Merino wool. We've worn them walking for one full winter and then part of a winter and I continue to wear mine every time I have to take my dog out to potty lol I would steer clear of the Merino.Tech brand - after just part of a season, the ONE garment we had gotten from them was full of small holes whereas none of the Meriwool is showing such signs of wear after *two* seasons!
I second your point about humidity. In the part of Germany where I live, temperatures very seldom go beneath -5°C/23°F. However, we have many immigrants from Siberia and they say that German 0°C/32°F is way worse than Siberian -20°C/-4°F due to the humidity.
I have ultralight 100% merino tank top that I’ve worn everyday for almost a year as base and wash in cold - delicate cycle with other items( no zippers or Velcro items) once a week. It’s in perfect condition. I climb, crawl and twist all day in large variations of temperature. I don’t wash because of odor, because there isn’t any.
Another good reason to stop using fleece is that it's a polymer derived from petroleum. It impacts environment shedding micro plastics every time it's worn or washed & eventually discarded.
I used to race bicycles back in the early 1980's. All the best kits at the time were merino wool... it was expensive (the fine Italian stuff) but it worked well. The big problem with it is it would waterlog in the rain and sag like hell. Some of them were blended pretty well with synthetics, which helped the shape-holding. I like the latest tech in this area and going back to the old way would not work at all... however, seeing wool in some of the fabrics I see now would be really functional... I mean, synthetics are plastic, and yeah, we should definitely use less of that.
If you don't wanna pay the astronomical price of a sport baselayer, get a lightweight merino wool pullover (shirt-like). It's only a millimeter thick, and costs a fraction, and it's usually 100% merino.
I am head to toe merino wool in my baselayers. Even underwear! I sweat like a pig, and the best part of this material is its ability to wick that sweat away and dry in notime. I bring 2 merino wool tshirts on every hike, and usually one merino wool longsleve, and I will swap between them as they sweat up. When I stop for a 10 minute break I whip out a packable clothesline and hang my shirts for the wind and sun to catch them, and they are dry in notime. Its expensive, but very very worth it. Excellent investment.
Consider trying an ultrafine cashmere (I.e Pashmina) + Silk combination fabric. Super fast drying because this goat’s wool is hydrothermic (heats in contact with moisture). Falcinari is one company.
Agree. Try silk under merino or alpaca for winter temps. Silk is also an amazing natural fiber that humans have used for centuries. Pairs perfectly with wool in my opinion. Incredible for natural feel against skin and I find the wicking and drying properties far superior to synthetics. I'll take the collective wisdom of the ages over synthetic fad fabrics any day.
I never heard of it. I have been suffering out the fleece chills and sweat for years. Multi layers managed by layers of zippers open and closed. I learned something today. Thanks!
That's awesome it's working out for you, although I haven't found wool to live up to the hype for cold weather. I think many people are realizing the "warm when wet" claim is a myth, and the "warmer when wet" claim can be misleading. Wool also takes substantially longer to dry than certain synthetics, meaning it may not be a wise choice for cold weather. And new antimicrobial synthetics have made wool's odor-resistance much less of a selling point. I think wool still has its place, but it's not the best option for every scenario.
Agreed. If it's wet and can't dry out, then it's not ideal. I've personally never had this issue in colder weather though. If my shirt is wet from sweat when I go to bed, I just keep it on and allow my body heat to dry it out. You can also have a dry set of clothes to sleep in at the end of the day and just keep the wet items in you bag with you to dry out over night. Still, I don't think extreme mountaineers wear Merino. I think they're running synthetics, but I could be wrong. Thanks for the input!
We always love to see people discovering wool and discussing what it can do. If we were not convinced the best fiber for All-Purpose Outerwear is wool, we would not have a company. It is important to remember that there are many kinds of wool and many ways to turn that wool into garments ... Thanks for a great vid!! --- Ralph for WeatherWool
When you wash your fleece in your laundrymachine the fleece releases microfibers of fleece. This doesn’t biodegrade, instead it finds its way out the rest water and ends up in our oceans and water and being absorbed by all kinds of marine life such as plankton and causing a lot of problems, and many times it ends up in the fish we eat. So wool is a better option in many ways. Thanks for good video!
Thanks! We need to keep posting this information. Wish there was a zero synthetic options for all our grear. It is impossible to "leave no trace" if your tent, sleeping bag and sundry gear are shedding microfibers.
1:38 ,, years ago, I use to work up on the dome of the nuclear power plant in Seabrook New Hampshire,, 2nd shift, night shift, winter time , it could get very, very cold, I never wore wool while working. You would heat up too quickly. I wore layers of button up flannel shirts and then my work coat. I think we created the grunge look. As you work, you open up your shirts accordingly and as you slow down or take a break, you button up. I did have felt liners in my Canadian, surel boots, for working on ground, I’d ring those out at lunch break, put them near the heater and put in another dry felt liner. They were the best, not good for climbing,. I had my leather boots for that . For hands, I had wool mittens with leather outer and military guard duty gloves for working small stuff,,, that’s wool inside and leather out. When your hands got cold, you put on your mittens.. At home, I use wool blankets. I now live in south Florida and I still use a wool blanket, in winter .a thin wool sweater inside my wetsuit works well in winter diving . It’s still cold but not brutal, I don’t use synthetics, except for outer shell. All natural, cotton and wool . Today I got lucky at the thrift store. I bought 2 morino sweaters for $4.50 a piece , invest in wool
I love merino wool. The only application I wouldn't use it for is backpacking below freezing temperatures. It simply retains way too much water from perspiration and it takes forever to dry.
Relative to polyester. Merino wool can hold up to 35 percent of its weight in water, without feeling damp, wool fibres are hydrophilic. Anyone who owns merino wool shirts (>70% wool) knows it takes forever to dry them. This isn’t necessarily bad because merino wool thermoregulates very well, but if you are below freezing without being able to dry your clothes for days having a damp base layer can be deadly. I run using merino shirts all year round though.
Merino wool. Smart man ! Been doing that for 50 years now. OTHER wools,, that you will find, Cashmere,,, especially for sleeping out. I normally, winter, spring, fall have a cashmere sweater in with my sleep gear. Annnnndddd socks can make all the difference in the world. How about buffalo down and merino wool socks. They keep your feet warm even if soaking wet (I canoe),, or bone dry,,, OR summer or winter. I have been out on the river for as long as 6 weeks (March, April, May) feet wet nearly every day,, just 2 pair of socks. One on my feet,, the other pair taking the day off and drying out in prep for going to bed. Merino, lambs, musk ox down, angora (warm but not always durable), Wool is da bomb !!
Reads more like a Merino commercial Don't get me wrong as I often use it as a base layer, but fleece is a great mid layer. It breaths and pushes out the perspiration well and gives you a huge window of comfort. Fleece is also light and durable if you take basic precautions. An equivalent base layer of wool is going to be bulkier, heavier and you are going to smell like a wet sheep at the end of the day. Even with merino wool.
Yes Merino is wonderlfull, but also consider the torture of sheep, “mulesing”. It takes some time to find manufacturers who take the resposibility to produce in a animal friendly way. Some of them give information on websites. This is no guarantee, but I suppose that ones who don’t, do not really care.
Lightweight 100% merino holds its shape and general integrity better if it’s not washed after every wear. Frequent washing isn’t necessary or helpful, just destructive. If you’re not washing too frequently and have issues I’d try another manufacturer.
For those who cannot wear wool (because it is itchy), there is cashmere, which is also a good warmth regulator. And yes, even merino wool can be itchy (I tested it), and wool can cause allergies (because of its lanoline content, as it seems). Nothing of that with cashmere. Thanks for your infos: I also abandoned fleece, as it lose its warm capacity after being washed. And it is not very ecological, either.
Please be aware, and make your viewers aware, that most commercially available Merino products are made from Merino wool that originates from Australia. Australia still persists with the practice of Mulesing, a practice being phased out by most Merino producing countries (including Australia's neighbour, New Zealand). Australia has reneged on it's promise to stop such practises, and one should avoid products made from Australian Merino, and instead buy product from countries with more progressive ethical outlooks.
The only fleece I wear is in hats, gloves, and rarely a lightweight vest. Fleece has a very small temperature range before you start to sweat. I never wear wool either. In warmer weather I wear a cotton shirt and bring one or two changes of shirt. Nothing feels better against your skin. The sweaty shirts dry out strapped to my pack. In colder weather I wear a polyester base layer, a polyester shirt over it, and a nylon windbreaker as needed. All breathable. For rest breaks a down jacket goes over everything.
Have you ever hiked in a humid, wet climate? Merino holds on to a third of its weight in moisture, Polyester 4%. Merino also is much less durable and usually more expensive. A minimal fleece like the Kuiu Peloton 97 or a Polartec alpha direct might have worked for your much better. Merino is fine but not out east as it NEVER dries. Huge negative on a thru hike.
Fleece in general, regardless of the thickness, doesn't jive well with regulating my body temperature. Thin or thick, it just doesn't work for me which is why I've moved away from it.
Most of the time merino is better. It is certainly more sustainable. However, it does not perform anyway near synthetics if it gets really wet. Heavy and so much slower to dry.
I can always smell peasants wearing synthetics from miles away. I wear merino from icy alpine, dry desert, tropical rainforests, and my native temperate rainforests. Nothing helps regulate body temperature better than merino and alpaca, and no stink even after weeks without a shower.
Wool wicks moisture in the vapor stage where fleece won't start wicking moisture until you get sweat droplets/perspiration. And of course it will still keep you warm when wet.
I'm a wool fan in all aspects of life. I'm a budget person also..I haven't found alot of merlino wool at thrift stores. But have the cheaper costco base layer shirts .. but my favorite is cashmere wool sweater light and warm not bulky .. my hubby asked when I'm going to throw away my old ripped sweater away.. I can't think of that .. it is a fav.layer. I agree my body like the natural fabric of wool above the fleece ones in my past. I found 2 lambs wool yesterday. Under $2.50 each. Score. Still not going to throw out my ratty cashmere.🐑
2 года назад
Fleece has the awesome property of not keeping water out while keeping water in. And since the weight is quite high for the little warmth it gives, it really has nothing for itself. But yeah, it's made out on recycled bottles. Anyway, same here : I have merino underwear from head to feet, then goose down on top for winter. Fleece is best to watch movies at home.
I have a long story, but yeah, I am switching to wool for cold and cotton is what I am wearing in the heat. I found my body is burning alive in polyester. I know this isn't a 1 to 1, but I am from Phoenix AZ. I went to Thailand, Cambodia, Vietnam and Southern China. I have been here 6 months. In AZ, I thought I was buying athletic clothing, for some reason a lot is 100% polyester. I found that I have been burning up. I couldn't figure it out. A lot of people aren't running AC or run it rarely, and I was way hotter and sweatier than all my friends. One day, I was cooking indoors. I took my polyester off and went and found a friend's cotton shirt. Suddenly I was much cooler. Everyone says polyester moisture wicks, but I don't care if the whole reason I was hot and sweaty was the polyester, especially when indoors. It is why I am starting to research fabrics, because I can't believe Polyester is sold as athletic wear. In AZ, cotton was common and as a kid, I used it in sports and it was great. Then as an adult, I didn't research and was just buying randomly. TLDR, I am going away from polyester or fleece. Cotton in Dry and Hot and Wool otherwise for me in the future.
