If you could only have one and price was no object, which would you opt for wool or fleece and on which piece of apparel? ( wool for coat something else for pant etc.)
And are the wools and fleeces different. Is Gray Wolfs wool different from day one for example?
I would certainly do wool! That is what I use, for every thing. I would like to find a light weight "technical" wool pants for early season hunting and mountain hunting!! Wool is tough, warm, bread well, warm when wet, and doesn't smell... But most of the time it is bulky and heavy.... And takes more time to dry than fleece!!
Wool without a doubt. A coat is the basic piece to start with.
They are different. If you could only have ONE- it would be wool. With that said- I like to use fleece for a number of settings. Hope you can figure it out. . . I have not yet! :confused:
Dan down in Kansas
Took me 25 years to figure out wool is where it is at ! No more man made fibers for me. Start with a good base layer of merino wool like Ullfrotte' First Lite, Minus 33 etc, etc. Then layer up with as much wool as needed depending on temps and wind speed. My mid layers are 100% wool sweaters from Goodwill @ $3-$4 each. My late season outer layer is my Gray Wolf Woolens vest over my wool longjohn shirt, and a cheap Goodwill sweater. 3 layers on my torso and a thin bow arm. The thing you will love about wool is the huge comfort range versus man made fibers. Does not hold odors ! JMHO
Wool also absorbs light and will not reflect like man made fibers.
I have worn both extensively. Used to have an outdoor job. I have ruined wool and fleece, and have worn out fleece, but not wool. Wool is more durable, does not seem to hold scent as much as fleece, does not reflect light as mentioned above by NoCams. If I could only have one, it would be wool. Plus, it is a renewable resource.
Wool. Millions of sheep cannot be wrong
100% Wool. A little harder to care for but nothing compares to it.
I use both-wool is way better if you are dealing with really crappy weather.
Wool is better, when the weather is lousy and you get wet. However, fleece comes in a wider selection of weights, and seems to dry faster. Neither are great in the wind, without a windbreaker.
Have both,fleece stays at home
No concerns ever w/wool. Fleece has an odor when wet. IMO, fleece is warmer. If one or the other, wool.
my favorite is light fleece under medium wool,,,, if you put off a stink then you always will stink thats all there is too it,, when its normal or faint your used to it and don't smell it but when its bad you'll notice it but it is ALWAYS there my friends ah ha ha ha ha...
I'd say only one would be at least a 22oz wool shirt or jacket,, depending on the weather theres either a vest over that or flannels under it..
also I've spent a day in the Pouring rain in around 40 degree weather wearing a Filson Double Mackinaw jacket just to see how it felt and yeah it may not get cold enough where you'll freeze to death but it isn't a camp in the park either it actually was pretty miserable with the water going right through and then dripping down my body right into my socks and boots,,,, I'd take a nice rain coat over any of my wool jackets when rains in the forcast anyday.
so if there was more choices and i could only have one fabric and it was a matter of survival in all elements of weather,, after wearing Good wool for 15yrs which i still wear everyday I'd look into something else.
Wool hands down. I have tried several different types of wool and now use King Of The Mountain brand of wool clothing. I know it is exspensive, but it will keep you warm and cozy in some extreme conditions and could even save you life. You can't go wrong wearing wool , you will stay warm even when wet. I layer wool just like you would with anything else. Even in warmer temp. it can be comfortable.
Wool for me. I have fleece and it has its place but for only one it would be wool.
Get yourself either a Filson or Stormy Kromer single mac jacket. Both are made in in the good ol USA. Then layer smartwool long johns and sweaters underneath as needed.
Youll be prepared to take on anything. My legs never get cold so I usually just wear Microtex pant for the comfort and quiet and if it gets cold wool thermal pants under them.
In the Army we have all the gucci fleece stuff and gore tex these days.........but if you go to cold weather survival school you will still get issued US Army brown wool pants and shirt for the duration of the school.....
No fleece.
Wool, wool, and wool. Teresa Asbell's stuff is the current wool of choice for me.
Wool over fleece everytime. Fleece makes me sweat, it doesn't breath ANYTHING like wool.
We have some fleece blankets around the house, they are certainly "fuzzy" and feel good against your skin, but don't be fooled. It is basically wrapping yourself in plastic.
I have wool thin enough to wear on a warmish day, through the thick stuff good for the arctic. No single garment can do everything, but a bowhunter in the midwest can get away with light and medium wool and layer properly.
Good quality wool, hands down. In addition to all the other qualities noted, it doesn't retain odors like synthetics.
But keep in mind that there can be a world of difference between good wool and cheap wool.
WOOL, No question!!!
Read Russ Clagett's post above..... as dumb as our govt is even they know the choice is wool when it comes right down to it.
As others have mentioned about rain and wool, I am not a fan of wearing a wool outer layer if it is going to be a steady rain. I wear a rain suit over my wool. I am fat enough already don't want to weigh 300lbs with my wool full of water. If I got caught in a light rain for a normal morning or evening sit in wool only I would still be fine. JMHO
FLEECE IS PERFECT (for sitting around camp.) For being outside, start with a wool jacket and hat to protect core temps. Also I wear wool socks so I've built up a nice selection of thicknesses to pick from in the morning.
Thom
I think it depends on the environment that you hunt in. Both have a place in keeping you warm and dry but within a 20 degree difference you could freeze in one and sweat to death in another. So buy both and learn how to incorporate them both in your hunting.JMHO
I just got my first good wool jacket last week so I am reserving judgement. If you are sitting in very cold dead quiet conditions, nothing(including wool) is more quiet on the draw for a close animal than fleece. Performance when wet isn't as big of a concern for me. I don't hunt in the rain typically, and when I do, I use an outer rainproof layer. The quiet factor is not as big of an issue in the rain for me. That being said, maybe I will change my mind with wearing my new wool.
I've used both exstensively and I like fleece. But, wool rules and wins out over the fleece most of the time.(nut)
To pick only "one", it's wool.
WOOL......the only thing better is another layer of it. It's silent, warm and even retains heat when wet. Buy the best you can afford...but even cheap wool is better than no wool!!
Wool. Particularly in wet weather. Wool retains up to 84 % of your body heat when wet. Wet fleece actually pulls heat from your body.
I use both. I had a pair of black and red checkered Woolrich pants years ago, (they uuhhh shrunk since then) that I loved winter hunting in. Now, I use mostly fleece. I do plan on checking out the Asbell wool stuff at Denton Hill this year.
I use a lot of wool. From my base layer to insulation layer.
I have a reallove for Merino Wool. Mostly from Smartwool, Icebreaker and Ibex Shak
I definitely prefer wool. For me wool has a certain natural "warm" feel to it. I'm not talking about its insulative properties, but rather an inviting, comforting warmth. I find wool to be cool when needed and warm when the temps dip.
Fleece on the other hand seems to roast me or leave me with a chill. When I have worn fleece I put off a horrific odor almost immediately.
Another huge plus to wool is the safety factor when around camp fires or hot stoves. Fleece can be very nasty in those situations!
Bottom line...I prefer natural fabrics across the board.
wool. no doubt. Did all the fleece a long time ago. Wool
ChuckC
I love to layer with wool,sometimes in mild weather i use fleece because the pattern you can find,but the underlayers are always of wool.
Fleece all the way. But I will be in the minority. It HAS TO BE GOOD FLEECE though. I am talking the waterproof, gortex, wind-shear, silent stuff. IMO the really good technology with the fleece trumps wool any day of the week.
People will say that wool is warm when it get's wet. I agree, but waterproof fleece won't get wet, period. Also wind cuts through wool in my experience, and you can not machine wash it like fleece.
I'm real fond of Wool! :thumbsup:
Some wool can go right in a washer. My KOM has been through many times.
USN Sam 1385,
Agree with you on the high performance liners in fleece. However, you can also get those in wool these days too. I love my GWW vest that is lined with Conformax windliner. NO WIND gets thru it. No need to wash wool, just hang it out to air out and use a brush to brush away dried mud. JMHO
WOOL
I love wearing it and it feels so in tone with my longbow and wooden arrows
If your making me choose...it would have to be wool! :thumbsup:
Jason
Wool, if you are limited to one. Fleece is alright as long as it's not wet or windy. Wool is better for me.
Wool does not burn like some fleeces.
Only wool for me.
I like them both depending on what I'm doing (or the mood I'm in). But if I could have only one, it would definitely be wool.
Real men wear wool!!!!!
Love wool. Love the Merino underlayers, which I have down to thin layers. I wear them all the time. Only time I don't like wearing wool is if I'm working with nasty stuff around the farm that is prone to rip, splatter, soil, stain, get paint on or otherwise screw up my clothes. Then I wear tough cotton based work clothes.
If it is really raining then I like something else over the wool. I don;t like being totally soaked in wool clothing...
Like someone else mentioned, I would love to find a pair of wool pants with cargo pockets etc that are a little lighter weight. My current ones are far too warm for a lot of the weather I see.