hunting with Wool gear.

Sun_and_Steel_77

Sun_and_Steel_77

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...can anyone with experience using high quality wool hunting gear tell me how it performs?. I have always used fleece or polyester gear and was thinking of trying wool for silent stalking. I am in the Cariboo region of B.C. and this time of year could be caught in the field in anywhere from +5 celsius to -25 celsius. How does wool perform when damp? Any quality brands you can recommend?

Thx. for any info,
Mad Mikey:shotgun:
 
swedish military surplus melton wool is top notch. cheap and high quality.

Wool wont stop wind so have a wind breaker large enough to go over your wool layers.

I wear wool top to bottom always when hunting. If you get wet and hurt wool might just save your life.

Wool pants can get a bit heavy when wet so a pair of suspenders is a nice idea.
 
Sun_and_Steel_77 said:
...can anyone with experience using high quality wool hunting gear tell me how it performs?. I have always used fleece or polyester gear and was thinking of trying wool for silent stalking. I am in the Cariboo region of B.C. and this time of year could be caught in the field in anywhere from +5 celsius to -25 celsius. How does wool perform when damp? Any quality brands you can recommend?

Thx. for any info,
Mad Mikey:shotgun:
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One of the problems with wool is that it absorbs water unlike the other fabrics you mentioned. I love it for cold weather but prefer something more hydrophobic in wet weather. Columbia has some great wool hunting gear that seems to be of very high quality but much lower priced than King of the Mountain or Sleeping Indian Designs. I'm pretty impressed with it.
 
I tried to hunt a blue jay with my wool rifle the other day.

Darn thing took some for its nest!:p

(for those of you lacking a sense of humour, that was my attempt at a joke).

Back on topic - with a suitable cover on it, wool is great! I haven't hunted, but I hike, and as long as you keep the wind and rain off of it it's amazing - and it won't melt if you get too close to a fire!

If it gets wet it's still good and warm, but depending on the garment you may start to smell like a dirty sheep and gain 15 lbs of water weight. If it's nice out I just keep a light poncho with me in case of sudden breeze or shower.

If it isn't so nice, get a good wind breaker to put over top - they're light and durable, and surprisingly insulating in their own right.
 
david doyle said:
swedish military surplus melton wool is top notch. cheap and high quality.

Wool wont stop wind so have a wind breaker large enough to go over your wool layers.

I wear wool top to bottom always when hunting. If you get wet and hurt wool might just save your life.

Wool pants can get a bit heavy when wet so a pair of suspenders is a nice idea.
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...hey David do you know where I could find some of the above mentioned Swedish surplus??

Thx,
Mad Mikey
 
You can PM 'Andy' IIRC he had some for sale a while ago that no one was interested in.

As for the wet wool stink, once you have applied eustrus to you pant cuffs a few times they do get very very ripe!LOL. Least you don't smell human.
 
I hunted in US army surplus wool pants for a long time - until I developed a furniture problem. My chest is now in my drawers.

I sewed on extra belt loops, a leg pocket for maps, and flaps on the front pockets.
 
In very cold weather, wwater will freeze on the outside & never get to you.It seems to stay dry next to the skin as well.I broke through some muskeg in -30 once & I was dry in moments. Fine kroy wool or other thin & smooth wool long underware workes well & does not itch as much.(non at all for me). AJ
 
We used to wear double wool jackets over LJ's while doing winter geophysics and claim staking. Walking 8-10km on snowshoes through the bush on cut lines (not on groomed trails, we're talking about breaking trail here) in -15 to -40C. Your sweat would pass through the wool and ice up on the outer wool jacket. After a couple of hours, you'd take your outer jacket off and shake the icicles off of it and then put it back on.
 
I've been using nothing but FILSON wool hunting gear the last few years and will not go back to anything else. Ultra high quality stuff, though i'm sure it compares to some of the brands others have mentioned here.

Sure, I have a bunch of modern high-tech stuff, but I find wool warm and quiet even when wet. I have become a big fan of layering with wool, and when done properly is much more effective than most of the "commercial" stuff out there. A good base layer of Merino wool long Johns and socks, good thick shirt, heavy wool sweater and wool bibs, with a outer wool jacket is all I need even in VERY freezing cold temps. A good hat, gloves and boots are a must as well though, since we lose alot of heat through the extremities.

If you are interested in any of their products, let me know as we sell it where I work and I can get you some good prices.
 
I love my Swede wool surplus pants, I've been hunting in them for 8 years. I've since looked for larger sizes since I've gained a few pounds and those damned swedes are too damn skinny!
 
sheephunter said:
One of the problems with wool is that it absorbs water unlike the other fabrics you mentioned. I love it for cold weather but prefer something more hydrophobic in wet weather. Columbia has some great wool hunting gear that seems to be of very high quality but much lower priced than King of the Mountain or Sleeping Indian Designs. I'm pretty impressed with it.
Click to expand...

I have some of the Gallatin wool pants and they are really warm, but they feel like you are wearing a diaper when you walk. I have worn codet 28oz wool cargo pants form WSS worth about $60 for the last 7 years.
 
I use old, found and purchsed wool gear.

I have a pair of British Army woolen pants from 1951 I got at Value Willage years ago. I've worn them on numerous hunts and except for the pissing rain, they are awesome, particularly when it is cold and dry. Lightweight wool or poly long underwear reduces the itch factor.

I have a pair of German army wool pants too, but they are still near new as like the British ones so much. They are quite heavy too.

I like some wool on top too, but a polyester long sleeve undershirt wicks perspiration away. A Stanfield's or other wool sweater on top of that is good and a Pioneer wool jac-shirt or Mackinaw on top of that and you're good to go.

I also carry modern light weight raingear to go on top in case of real wet weather though. Not usually a problem in the Cariboo.
 
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Once we get to mid October and until Dec. when our main season ends ...T Shirt..grey wool Stanfields...green Pioneer wool Mackinaw....and wool pants. When it rains...no ifs about it here...cover with lite weight rain gear. Wool toque over waxed cloth type ball cap.
 
I used the german army pants till they "shrunk" and on longer fit me in the waist, strange that the legs were ok for lenght. Wife had another explaination :D

then I bought 2 pairs of the Swedish army surplus pants, they are great
 
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