wool best for the $$$

[buckrunt]

Hunt in northern Illinois and I'm going to buy
my first wool garment. Would I be better off
getting the inner or outer layers first?
                  Rich

[NoCams]

buckrunt,
start things off right and get you a set of Ullfrotte' Smartwool longjohns. Sure do love mine, worth every penny. King of the Mountain has them. If your baselayer is no good then you are starting off wrong. Read about what KOM says about this on their website.

On top of that I am wearing *bay woolrich pants on top of my Ullfrotte' baselayers. On top I wear a Cabelas revolution fleece pullover for now. Going to buy one of Ron's wool longhunter shirts to try. The one thing I do love about the Cabelas pullover is that it is wind and waterproof. It is loud though on real cold days. Hunted several days in the teens and was comfy for 4 hrs on stand.

Just bought a pair of Columbia Gallatin Range pants from a fellow tradganger to try as well. I would love to be able to buy a good set of Gray Wolf wool one day soon. Why not get the Ulfrotte' base layers, then try some Filson, Woolrich, or Columbia clothes off here or *bay. If they are not warm enough then time to spend some big bucks and get you some Sleeping Indian, KOM, or Gray Wolf. After all, you are in North Illinois and it does get colder there than here in TN. Read up on how best to stay warm on the Ulfrotte'site. Great stuff !!!

nocams

[heydeerman]

I'm in the process of getting a set of Cabelas wool clothing. I have the bibs now and a vest on the way. I've had the bibs for a while and they are warm and windproof. For the money I have no complaints. They say they are washable but I doubt I will ever wash them.

[DCM]

I'm as tight as they come and after waiting 2 years to screw up my courage, I finally bought a Filson double Mac last Fall ('07).  Already had a Filson vest.  I wear them both, predominantly to work (office job) but hunting as well.  The vest is probably 6 yo, both look like brand new.  I personally find the Mac doesn't hold out the wind as well as I'd thought, but it's a fine value either way.  Barring change in size, I'd argue Filson or other high quality brands provide good value over the longer term, say 10 year and up.  Fortunately they seem perfectly suited to that duty.

The blends are more convenient, but if you are gonna go synthetic blend might as well go full synthetic as you give up, or partially the wet insulating aspect of wool and you get a real bargain with fleece.

I'm trying to talk myself into some of those Ulf.... something-or-nuther can't spell it draws.

Wool seems to be a bit like optics, until you jump in, it's hard to see the value.

[Jeff Strubberg]

Was gonna ask about the Columbia stuff Cabelas sells.  

I'm down to Gray Wolf or Columbia wool.  There's a huge difference in cost, so...

[feve316]

Dont be scared of Columbia wool the price is right and its great stuff. The camo pattern is excellent also. Have worn the stuff for years now..

[feve316]

Dont be scared of Columbia wool the price is right and its great stuff. The camo pattern is excellent also. Have worn the stuff for years now..

[Eric Krewson]

I have a set of Filson wool and a set of Columbia, both work well in my layering system.

One thing I noticed about wool is animals don't pick you up as easily when you are wearing it. I guess it has low reflective qualities.

[DWLnAK]

Wool is wool. The important part is the way it's made and if you can wash it. If it's dry clean only and you get it soaked a few times, it will shrink. If you wash your dry clean only garments then be prepared for it to shrink and to loose fibers making it thinner and thinner over time.  There are bargains. I bought OD green US military dress wool pants for $7 each in the plastic. Worn them for the last 10 years and they will likely be a good bargain at the yard sale when I'm gone. They're good for midrange weather. I wear Pendelton shirts everyday, work or play. They generally wash well. Only had one Pendelton shrink. Bought a Cabelas woodsman coat in the bargain cave for $115. It's as heavy and durable as a $385 Filson and it's washable. However,
 When it's cold and I plan to be out day after day, I wear KOM head to toe, Smartwool inner, and a windproof wool sweater. This past September I camped three weeks on the Haul Road with temperatures down to the low teens and up to the 40's. It was windy, rainy, snowy, and sunny. I tried every thing I owned. My silk, poly, fleece, and cheap wool failed. I was noticably more comfortable with the Smartwool and KOM in a much broader range of temperatures and conditions. Bite the bullet and get quality stuff.

Howdy Jeff.

[Jeff Strubberg]

Hey Dave.  I didn't think they had newfangled stuff like internet connections up there...

[Curtiss Cardinal]

I like Codet out of Canada for value they can only be beat by Goodwill deals. 24 ounce bibs of recycled wool and a good cruiser jacket(that got stolen off the coat rack in a Michigan Denny's) and merino wool long underwear and a sweater and I was good down to -10.
I also like Grey Wolf Woolen and Day One. for camo wool.
I wear my ASAT 3D Pro Vanish leafy suit over my wool so it doesn't matter what color it is just that it is warm.
First lite is underwear or intermediate wear. But Merino wool is just about the best longjohn wool you can use.
You need to pay attention to weave in the fabric. inner wear and outer wear should be tightly woven and intermediate clothes can be looser to allow for air pockets.
Dutch military Surplus sweaters are a great add a layer item that sell for under $40.

[Mr.Chuck]

I think best wool for the dollars boils down to how many dollars do you have to spend.  Filson and Greywolf wools seem to be high end, but then on a higher end, there is King of the Mountain wools.  My personal preference.  I think they all work good if applied properly.  The question is how much is it worth to you to keep warm while doing what you love to do,  hunt!!!!!    mr.c  

[Steve B.]

I'm kinda surprised little has been mentioned about Pendleton wool.  I just bought a new shirt and jacket for $120 total.  Last month I found a shirt and jacket at Goodwill for $25 total, although the jacket there was not 100% wool.  
But I wore the shirt and jacket today with a poly first layer and I was very warm in the cold/wet.  Looking forward to using it all for hunting.

[Curtiss Cardinal]

I like the Pendleton plaids BUT their shirts seem to run small and they only go to 2XL and then only in a few color choices.

[Ghostman]

Over the years I've invested a small fortune in premium wool clothing and have to disagree with the statement "wool is wool".

Not all wool is 100%, many brands like Codet, Johnson, Woolrich and Beagle have nylon or synthetic blends added. Columbia is made from recycled wool and is junk in my opinion.

Do yourself a favor and spend your money on premium wool from KOM, Sleeping Indian, Hidden Wolf or Filson that will last you a lifetime.

[wihill]

I got my Beagle wool top and bottom from the Classified, and absolutely love them.  I perfer the patterns on the KOM/SI wool, and their wool definately is high quality - just out of my price range.  

Best value in wool is any quality used item in the classified.  If you can find some that fit, they're awesome.

[Gapmaster]

I love wool. It's just really pricey. I'm at the point where the bows and supplies come first. Maybe I'll find myself at the army surplus store in the near future buying army blankets and cutting holes in them for my head to poke out.  

[Rooselk]

I am a big fan of Filson Mackinaw Cruisers. For Christmas I got a Filson wool vest in this pattern, which I really like:

 

While Filson doesn't make a Mackinaw Cruiser in this pattern, many people don't know that Filson will make a garment for a customer so long as they have the material and it's the same weight (or close) to the original material weight of the stock item. I'm seriously thinking about having a Cruiser made in the above pattern since the vest material is the same weight as that used for the Cruiser.

[Otto]

Yeah, I have to disagree with the "wool is wool" comment as well.

All wool ain't good wool, or even all wool as noted above.  Many company's (Woolrich being one) make an 85/15 wool nylon blend that I find the be the most uncomfortable scratchy itchy fabric around.  (Pendleton is another).  I'd just as soon wear a pair of drawers woven from multiflower rose stems.  Clothing made from a wool/nylon blend will eat a man alive.

Even among 100% wool garments, the fabric can differ greatly.  SI and KOM have a woven fabric look about them.  Gray Wolf is more like felt.  All 3 garments are advertised as 100% wool.  SI/KOM/Gray Wolf are all excellent products. I own SI and Gray Wolf.  Can't comment on Columbia as I haven't seen it.

Johnson Woolen Mills makes some nice stuff but again ya gotta pay attention to the fabric being used.  Most of their fabrics are 85/15 wool/nylon blend.  They do make some 100% wool fabrics though and all you have to do is tell them what fabric you want the garment made from.  I have 3 yards of 100% wool fabric coming from them and have a local seamstress lined up to make a plaid wool pullover for me.

I wear a Filson Double Mac to work.  It's a 100% woven wool fabric much like SI and KOM.  I bought a Filson cruiser off the e auction site the other day, like new for $50.  Can't beat that.

[**DONOTDELETE**]

"Not all wool is 100%, many brands like Codet, Johnson, Woolrich and Beagle have nylon or synthetic blends added. Columbia is made from recycled wool and is junk in my opinion."

My Columbia pants have lasted me for years....maybe 5?...I'm not sure. trust me when I say I hunt my TAIL off, with no regard to weather or burrs. And these pants have held up, and are just as warm as my Filson or KOM. I 100% disagree that Columbia wool is junk. And I have proven it, to myself.