No bickering please! I too read Tbms article and after freezing on two very wet opening days I decided to buy some wool.. I bought a columbia coat... I then looked for a shirt on **** and most of the really nice heavy ones are going for $50.. So the other day my wife has me stop at the Salvation army and bingo.. For $5 I am the proud owner of a very thick warm unused wool shirt.. For pants I bought the swedish army wool pants. The weave in these pants is tighter then any I've seen sold today and I dont find them to itch at all. They cost $39.. Coat $90 shipped so my grand total was $134.. All I can say is BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!
Wool works good :thumbsup: , congrats on being warmer.
I've been using swed. surplus pants for years and love them. my only complaint is wind barrier. seemed like every saturday this year (no sunday hunting up here in blue-law land) we've had 15 to 30mph winds and I hate...strike that...HATE being cold. couple times I wore my rain suit over or under my wool.
at some point I'll save up enough to buy some good wool with a wind lining...but for now its the surplus or auction site for me....(I just bought a columbia bib set from auction and greatly anticipate wearing it this weekend to see how it stacks up agains the swedish pants)
QuoteOriginally posted by hickstick:
at some point I'll save up enough to buy some good wool with a wind lining...but for now its the surplus or auction site for me....(I just bought a columbia bib set from auction and greatly anticipate wearing it this weekend to see how it stacks up agains the swedish pants)
Be careful about what you buy. Some of the high end wool jackets with "wind-proof" liners aren't very wind-proof at all.
thanks for the heads up jason....any suggestions? keep going with the rain gear?
not such a fan of the swedish army surplus wool pants. Got a pair from Sportsmansguide.com and really liked them at first. Super comfortable and warm. However, the crotch kept ripping out. I finally tossed them. Bought a pair of thick Edie Bauer wool pants off of fleabay. Love 'em. They weigh about 10 lbs! Heavy duty stuff. Got them really cheap too.
Got a question for you guys on this subject. I was looking at a local retailer at the Columbia wool clothing and looked at the tag. It's only like 60-70% wool, and recycled wool at that. Is this why KOM and other high end products are so much higher in price? Also how is the performance of the Columbia stuff comapratively, and where do you look for the swedish army clothing at? I have searched for low end stuff here at Salvation Army, etc.. to no avail.
Flatlander
You got it. SI, KOM, Gray Wolf are madfe from virgin wool, not recycled. Big difference in price and performance.
I have SI and use it exclusively. I bought a set of Columbia for literally nothing. $20 for bibs and $10 for a coat. It's good given that I paid $30 for the whole shebang. But when it's cold I wear the SI.
That article has me looking for wool....I know thats what my dad and his hunting buddies used back in the day. I hate being cold too, so if ZI can find something to cut the wind, I will hopefully be wearing it next year with some wool.
Wool, hum you could write a whole book on the subject. There are so many variables to the finished product that will add or reduce cost to the garment. First thing you must know is that virgin wool simply means that the hair has never been sheared before. This means that the natural end is thiner and softer to the touch then the sheared end. It doesn't mean that the garment is any warmer then any other. If you know that the garment is going to be an outer layer then you don't need to worry about its feel as there will be a layer between you and the garment.
inhimwelive:
I've owed (German?) military issues wool pants for 20+ years. Purchased three pair at a surplus army discount store and at the time, they cost me virtually nothing- $15 I think. Your comment about the weave being extremely tight is very accurate. The other thing that's nice about them is that you can adjust the waist size UP or down (or UP!) by about six sizes. If you're at all like me- this is a feature that you might appreciate.
I too have a pair of German military issue pants that I've worn every winter season for the last 15 years. Before that, my brother was using them (don't EVER tell him where they disappeared to!) I've washed them a grand total of ONCE! The weave is very tight, and dirt or blood that gets on them, once dry, just brushes off without leaving a stain.
It's the only wool I've seen that actually does cut the wind. With any of the jackets I've looked at I'd want a more windproof *outer* layer.
Interesting topic.
I've been on vacation the last few days. Day before yesterday I had my silk base layer, norwegion heavy weight wool thermals, and a cabela windshear wool top. I had a pair of chest waders on as well. Well in the predawn light, I slip in an underwater beaver run in a flooded area and took a good soaking in the 29 degree weather. I thought about returning but I said, aw heck....G Fred says I'll be okay with all that wool.
I was a little cooler than usual but I made it through the morning hunt just fine. Wool is tops!
The pants I have are swedish army the german ones dont have the buckles on the ankles.. I bought mine locally but there are many sites that sell them on the net..Even fleabay has them.. For me they run a bit small in the waste.. I wear a 36 but ended up with a size 40 so I could have room for longjohns.. They are warm and actually very comfortable.. This is the where I bought mine http://www.fatiguesarmynavy.com/ They have many types of wool pants including codet.. I like the swedish for the tight weave and dull color..
My waist has gone to waste...
FWIW...I think wool in the rain is overrated. I'd suggest anyone getting into serious rain or distance carry a waterproof parka of some type or slip over, etc.
Ps on the site it says his largest size is 38 however I know he has many pairs in size 40...
I like wool it's just so dang heavy and virtually un packable. I have Surplus and Love it. $20 I might get the Columbia stuff $140 for the pants and jacke together..!!
I was not at all happy with the Columbia stuff. It didn't last me one season. I'd spend the money on good wool thermals.
As for the Swedish and German wool, you'll never get more value for your money. That stuff is fantastic. Buy them a size or two bigger so you can layer on some thermals.
Someone mentioned the crotch ripping on the Swedish wools. I had the happen to two pair. Sew them up with fishing line and you won't have that problem. It's a cheap fix for what these pants offer for the price.
I bought four pair the Swede pants for $10 a pair. All the rest of my wool for cold conditions is imported Norweigen sweaters and Filson shirts and jackets. For boots i am sold on the mukluks from Ely, MN.
here's another vote for the Swedish wool pants. I wore them most of the season this year and loved them. Two things, I had to cut the metal loops out of the cuffs and remove the mini "belts" around the ankles in order to get them inside my rubber boots, and did you notice those silly Swedes buckle their belts on the side? I thought both pair I have were missing a loop at first. :biglaugh:
When you wear good wool you'll be warmer but still look cool... :goldtooth:
http://www.shrewbows.com/wool_shirts/
(http://www.shrewbows.com/rons_linkpics/Sash_Man.JPG)
Them darned surplus wool pants! I've had a couple pairs when we still had REAL Army Surplus Stores...
They shrink in the closet...they must... over the years every pair has become unable to be buttoned or zipped!
Darned surplus wool!
:knothead:
I would not buy king of the mountain again.It doesn't hold up at all. :campfire:
Hey doc kinda weird how that happens huh? bd
This past saturday was nasty here in west tn and I got to try out my latest purchase.
I bought a top and bottom for 39.99 each - called dawg wear I think - I bought it at sportsmans warehouse so you can double check the name.
They are wind and water proof so I figured it was worth the money to be able to use them for a variety of situations. On my head I wore a knit stocking cap real tight then a wool boonie over it.
It rained very hard for a time and my head never got cold or wet. I had no idea how much water it was holding until we got back to the house and took it off and wrug it out! I was shocked! Wool worked well for me!
hard to beat grauy wolf or day one. would be nice if the GW was more price competitive in case I ever have to replace the stuff I already have.
Hey Doc, any 32-34 waist in that closet?
A waist is a terrible thing to mind.
Dunno, Bowdock...tain't funny lookin at it happenin..but "Wierd" might fit! :)
QuoteOriginally posted by Fletcher:
Hey Doc, any 32-34 waist in that closet?
A waist is a terrible thing to mind.
:biglaugh:
Now that raht there is funnie...don't care who ya are!
Nope... never bought any that small...used to BE that size (34 anyway) but bought for the bigger to give plenty of room for layerin...now all the layers seem to be built in!
But truthfully, Fletcher, in recent years any "surplus" I come across were in your size...but short legged... seems they weren't no more than 30" inseams...
Bob's Army Navy Store in Clearfield, PA might...might have a website or be on the net to call em. They're right good people and show up at our big Harrisburg sportsman show every year at the Farm Show Arena...
PM me if you can't find them and maybe I can get someone out that way to find a phone#
heres a couple pics of the swedish pants that I tried to 'camo' on the left is rit tie-dye on the right is 'simply spray' fabric spray paint frmo wally world:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/hickstick/swedwool.jpg)
same pic in b&w:
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v504/hickstick/swedwoolbw.jpg)
I wore the spray painted ones every time out from October thru december (temp range from the 40's to the single digits) changing base layers accordingly. had several deer within 15 yards that never saw me. so at least I know it didnt' make me stand out like a stop sign :)
I just got my columbia bibs and wore them just over my jeans and and a fleece shirt and was outside in the snow and 20 degree air for over an hour last night shooting and adjusting a bow and was toasty warm.
just wondering if alpaca would be as warm as wool
I have several pairs of alpaca wool socks and I really like them. Very warm and comfortable.
I think the andean dwellers probably like it ....no direct experience though...
Hey guys,do you know where virgin wool comes from? UGLY SHEEP! ;) By the way,I love my KOM.
Gander mountain has thier own line of wool pants and parkas. Good stuff for just a little more than columbia
Twisted, Alpaca is top notch. I have a Llama vest that I wouldn't trade for anything. Wears like iron, soft, and in most cases Alpaca has even finer fibers. I also have Filson, both will keep you warm. Mine seems to be "shrinking" also, my brother inlaw has been hounding me for literly years to get this vest, the problem is he hasn't missed any more meals than me.....
You can easily make yourself a windproof system by going on down to your local sports store and buying a pair of lined nylon track pants/jacket. The nylon is wind proof and worn under your wool the deer will never hear it. I have used the same stuff for years under non-windproof clothing and it works great. Bill