Wool Camo Cost & Quality

[toddster]

First off layer, cann't remember the name, but wife bought me the underwear that 3 rivers sales and that stuff is awesome.  Ron Laclairs, wool pull over shirts are awesome too.  I hav columbia wool for years, but found everything already stated.  I believe wool is well worth the price and looking at Dayone too, not sure how the ASAT is on turkeys, but awesome on deer.

[Curtiss Cardinal]

Not all wools are created equally. Merino wool is soft, nonitchy and has outstanding loft to weight. Anyway 47pronghorn get yourself an ASAT 3D Vanish Pro leafy suit and then you'll be fantastically camoflauged and can wear anything you want under it. I doubt you'll need a lot of wool in Tennessee but if you travel you might.

[BD]

I have gray wolf and day one, both are excellent. I'd go with the day one though as the prices are much more affordable.

[NoCams]

toddster,
you are correct about thinlayers vs 1 heavy layer. More trapped air and air is an excellent insulator ! 3 rivers sells Ullfrotte' underwear. Been drooling over a LaClair longhunter shirt too.

nocams

[CDR]

I would call Ted at Sleeping Indian, he will help you out on what you might want to start with. I spent an hour on the phone with him before I ordered, Ted has a lot of knowledge in the wool business, and stands behind his product.

[Mint]

On a friends advice I came up with the cash to buy KOM Hillbilly Bibs back in 1996. Then I gotthe bowhunters jacket a year later. I've used them a lot over the years and I'm not the kind of guy that babys his gear and let me tell you they look brand new. I don't even wash them anymore, just letthe mud dry and brush them off, to get them scent free I hang them out for a couple of days.

[Scarne]

Mostly it all depends on what where and how you are going to hunt.

If I want wool to block the wind...I'd buy crushed wool.  If I want wool to breath because I am on the move then I buy a good long fiber weave and wear it over silk or merino if it is really cold.

Merino wool is fantastic as a base especially if you are stand hunting.  But it isn't as robust as many of the outter garments.

If money is your biggest concern buy the cheaper stuff with the shorter fibers.  You will find this at all your favorite big box stores.

Personally i've worn it all over the years.  Like many things in life...you are going to get what you pay for.

If you are just a weekend warrior hunting in your back yard and can run into the house if you get cold then you don't necessarily need the big name/dollar stuff.

If your life or well being depend on your gear you may consider something higher up on the food chain. Two weeks with clothes and gear that won't hold up in a 24x7 outdoor environment makes for a long cold, damp, miserable trip.

All the wool prducts availbale today have thier merit.  You just need to match your needs to what the market has to offer.

[Stone Knife]

I have three articles of wool made by Gray wolf and they are by far the warmest and best thought out pieces of clothing I own. I do like to shop around at the local thrift store for some wool items, but serious wool gear can be bought right off this site, with no worries about quality or customer service.

[hvyhitter]

Picked up some "Classic Bowman" wool at Denton Hill. Seems very well made,nice muted plaid,reasonabley priced. We'll see how it works this winter.

[wollelybugger]

I live in Pa. and it was one cold winter last year, my Woolrich kept me warm as toast. I was out in zero minus with the wind colder and had no problems. I also got Browning wool pants that were very warm.

[jonsimoneau]

I'm really into wool.  I've tried a bunch of it and here is what I can tell you. Hidden wolf stuff is excellent!  The first piece I bought from them was like 10 or 12 years ago.  I wear it almost the entire season and it still looks brand new.  Get the wind liner.  In fact, I recommend getting the really good wind liner that they sell.  Jeff may try to talk you out of it since you live in TN, but I'm one of those people who gets really cold.  A few years ago I bought some bibs with everything in them, and I LOVE them.  I try to do alot of light to dark hunts during November, and these are the ticket. Don't wear them walking to your stand.  I carry them in a pack for all day hunts and then put them on when I get in my stand. I don't mean to offend anyone here, but all wool is not the same.  The woolrich stuff is junk.  I'd rather wear cotton than woolrich.  Good stuff is expensive, but it is worth it and will save you money in the long run.

[Covey]

I say you get what you pay for! a friend of mine got the KOM pants and jacket and it is excellant! and when I get the money it won't hurt my feelings to spend it on good wool! I've used some of the surplus wool it's good but nothing compared to GW,KOM or Day One! buy it now and you'll never have to buy it again! unless you outgrow it! HA! Jason

[Builder]

I purchased my SI vest and pants in 1985, KOM jacket in 1986 I believe. Besides a light rain jacket I have never bought any other hunting clothes. Use them in the Spring for Turkeys and all fall for Deer. What I like the best is the fit is perfect for a bowhunter, it just lays on your body so nice vs some of the bulky clothes my friends wear. Still looks like brand new. Works in warmer weather and MN late season cold.
Kind of like bows, you don't need a Blacktail, ACS, Widow etc. etc. etc. that are thousand dollars bows, however if you buy one it will probably last you the rest of your life.

[Tom Leemans]

There are all sorts of good products, wool or not, but you'll keep going back to wool, after you try it. It does all the things  the synthetics all try to do, and IMO it lasts much longer. I am a huge fan of Merino wool. Expensive? yes! Worth every penny? yes!

[NoCams]

jonsimoneau,
totally agree with everything you said in your post to the last letter. I am amazed at two things I have been soooo stupid about over the years when it comes to clothing..... Wool is awesome and so is the Predator Fall Gray camo ! Used to wear all Mossy oak,( too dark and closed ), and mainly synthetic materials. We are now riding the Ullfrotte', Predator, and Gray Wolf Woolens train. Yes, it costs but try to buy used or on sale and you only buy it once. Also you wait all year long to hunt and spend so much $$$ on all your other gear, why be miserable cold or worse yet miss an opp cause you had a dark loud synthetic camo on that cost you a buck of a lifetime ? JMHO


nocams  

[Hud]

Check out products by SmartWool, search on G..gle

[Otto]

Does anyone know is "Classic Bowman" has a websight yet?????

[ray tareila]

At Denton Hill this year, Rob Tiberio was presenting his new line of high quality wool. It is called Classic Bowmen Sporting Woolens. While it is not camo, it is the classic blocky squares and patterns that are natural camo. I tried on the shirt and it felt comfortable enough in which to shoot a bow. If I didn't live in Florida, I would get a shirt. Rob's website is:  www.classicbowman.com

[todd smith]

I've used wool for many many years.  I used to live in Alaska too and you hear the line, "Cotton Kills" up there a lot.

When I lived in the bush I wore a long sleeved Pendleton wool shirt nearly every day.  In time I got used to it against my skin too.  

I have found that I use two types of wool.  "Fluffy" wool for under garments and tightly woven (perhaps pre-shrunk) wool for outer garments.

The merino wool under garments are fantastic.  

Shirts and vests like the ones G. Fred Asbell and Ron LaClair sell are actually good for both under layers and outer garments.  They are very versatile and make a very nice layering system.  Especially when combined with the merino under garments.

As a matter of fact, I have a shirt and vest coming from G. Fred Asbell right now.  I can't wait to use it this fall/winter.  The pocket and hood options are very nice!

Depending on the wind, I like a really tightly woven wool as an outer wind stopper.  Tightly woven wool also seems to shed the rain better.

I haven't found a favorite "tight" outer wool garment yet, but I have seen pictures of the jackets that Rob Tiberio is selling and they looked to be just the ticket.

Another thing folks overlook a lot is that wool does not have a tendency to catch on fire and melt on you like the fleeces do.  I stay away from fleece and polypropylene.

In my opinion you can't go wrong with good wool!

todd

[todd smith]

Otto,

Rob is working on a website now.  It may be a little while, but at least it's in the works.

todd