All around wool?

[perry f.]

I am looking at buying some good quality hunting clothing. I'm tired of buying clothes every couple years and then them falling apart. I would like something  made in the USA or north America. My question is this, I have never owned much wool, if I buy something like kom or sleeping Indian, will I be able to use it all year or only when it gets extremely cold? I live in Indiana but hunt in Colorado and Wyoming during early seasons.

[Bishop]

I've used a KOM hooded sweatshirt from early October through December. It was the first piece I picked up years ago. I've since added more but its all about the layers.

Check out Silent Predator wool. Same stuff as KOM at a much better price. RMSgear (a sponsor) carries it.

[AKCrazyhorse]

Having lived and hunted in Wyoming for 11 years before moving to the frozen north, I'd say that the heavier KOM and SI would be a little warm for early season.  I've been sitting wallows on the 10th of sept when it's 85 degrees and wading through knee deep snow 10 days later.  I own some SI and wear it up here when it plummets to 20 below or colder.  For temps warmer than that I wear my Columbia wool and do just fine.

[perry f.]

Thanks, I dont have a lot of money but could save up and buy a piece here and there if it will last for several years.

[Gary Logsdon]

I would suggest buying lighter wool that's roomy enough to layer underneath.  I prefer garments that can be worn in other locations besides the hunting woods.  The right plaids work great for hunting and a night on the town with your spouse or girlfriend, HA!  Increases the use of your investment and often gives you something you can proudly pass down to your kids and grandchildren.

[ron w]

Check out some of the wool the Fred Asbell sells.....not to pricey and good quality, also a sponsor here!

[jonsimoneau]

Hey bud.  I'm over in Illinois.  If I were you, I would not worry about an outter layer of wool yet.  I would get both the light weight version and the heavy weight version of wool power.  This gets me through most of the season untill about mid-november when I start using an outer layer.

[BrownA5]

Asbell wool..highly recommend it!

[bluemoonrising]

Teresa's wool is awesome and a great value, and then you have Two Tracks Wool products that are out of this world. And both are located in Michigan! Peace!

[dnovo]

I have KOM and it is good stuff, but the pants I have haven't worn well at all. I wouldn't buy it again, cause for less money there are a lot of good choices. I actually use quite a bit of army surplus. It is very cheap and does a great job.

[57HOP]

I wouldn't turn my nose up at any of the big dollar wools out there - they are great pieces of gear that should last you most of your hunting career.
But my arsenal is all thrift store woolrich or mil. surplus. It serves me well most any day through December, even Tracking in the Adirondacs.

[JDinPA]

I have a smartwool base layer. It makes a huge difference when you wear the correct base layer.

[AKCrazyhorse]

Originally posted by JDinPA:
I have a smartwool base layer. It makes a huge difference when you wear the correct base layer.

+1,000,000.  This is probably the key.  If Smartwool or firstlite made a union suit, I'd never buy any other base layer.

[bfrbmj]

Crazyhorse-  Stoic makes a merino wool 200 weight 1 piece suit.  I am not sure how Stoic compares to smartwool, but I have a lot of the stoic stuff and it seems great so far.  You can find some good deals online.

    Perry-  I also have wool in a columbia jacket, asbell vest and day one bibs.  I will replace the worn out columbia soon with either a jacket from gray wolf, day one or a pullover from Theresa A.  I agree the most important thing is proper layering.  I wear wool base layers all of the time, mix and matching depending on the temp, under bucksuede or feece outerlayer during the early season .  The wool outerlayers come out in Nov or Dec if it gets cold enough.

     I would say the lighter weight wool might be more what you would want.  Layer as necessary.  Just call the companies you are interested in and see what they have for different weights and see what they recommend.

[TJK68]

Check out bernieparson.com, great guy to deal with. if you like the plaids, Asbell wool is good and Classic Sportsman stuff looks real nice.
Like the others said it is all about layering.

[Roger Norris]

KOM is not what all the hype says it is.

[PeteA]

Bought Day One Camo a few years ago great pullover in ASAT. Wish I would have bought the pants at the same time. Then went up in price the next year.

LL bean has some good wool for early season. Their guide shirt in green plaid is a classic and a great layer.

Wool rich plaid shirts are really good as well. Also have a mid weight wool sweater from EMS.

Combine this with some mid weight polypropylene under ware and your set.

[PeteA]

Bought Day One Camo a few years ago great pullover in ASAT. Wish I would have bought the pants at the same time. Then went up in price the next year.

LL bean has some good wool for early season. Their guide shirt in green plaid is a classic and a great layer.

Wool rich plaid shirts are really good as well. Also have a mid weight wool sweater from EMS.

Combine this with some mid weight polypropylene under ware and your set.

[Breakfast Boy]

I love my wool and am more of a plaid wool kind of guy rather than the camo stuff.  That being said, I do own unlined pants and jacket from Gray Wolf in Predator Fall Brown.  I've had it for quite a few years and it's great stuff.  However, I absolutely LOVE my Filson Mackinaw wool vest and my Woolrich wool shirts.

The wool vest and shirt combo, with light weight moisture wicking thermals underneath it, is very versatile and to me it's comfortable in all kinds of temperature ranges.

As far as American made stuff, a lot of the Filson stuff is made in America.  It's not cheap, but you will hand it down to future generations.  It'll last that long.

[northener]

Bemidji Woolen Mills, they sell all the big name brands as well but their own is better. End of the line for my searching of wool cloths..