Alternatives to swannys

[Wilderbeast]

What are the options if you don't feel like stretching to the price tag of a swandri bush shirt? Links to stores would be appreciated

thanks in advance,

Wil

 

[Mesquite]

A lot of people reccomend vintage Pendleton Shirts.

 

[Nonsuch]

Watch out for sizing on vintage Pendletons. I bought one from Rokit online and although billed as a 48" chest it was microscopic !

Check out the Pinewood wool mix shirt that Tamarack have

http://www.tamarackgroup.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_copy_of_Shirts.html

Until recently 50% off

NS

 

[The Cumbrian]

Watch out for sizing on vintage Pendletons. I bought one from Rokit online and although billed as a 48" chest it was microscopic !

Check out the Pinewood wool mix shirt that Tamarack have

http://www.tamarackgroup.co.uk/acatalog/copy_of_copy_of_Shirts.html

Until recently 50% off

NS

Those Pinewood shirts are excellent; if they had my size in stock I'd buy another.

Cheers, Michael.

 

[Ogri the trog]

I wear my Swannie way too often

Almost daily for the past three years and its getting to the point of being threadbare. As I don't fancy shelling out for another one, I'll buy some wool material and make a replacement to the same pattern - maybe bigger pockets, and maybe side-seam handwarmer pockets, and may be a slightly different collar.

Well, I'll make something anyway.

ATB

Ogri the trog

 

[poddle]

The Swanndri xtreme has been discontinued, Crazy as the shirt was the mutts nuts.

The standard RM one is still around though, but its nothing like as warm as the Xtreme

 

[rik_uk3]

Pendleton +++ great shirts and cheap as chips on ebay. Ask the seller to measure the shirt for you, they don't seem to mind being asked.

IIRC Johnboy who's in New Zealand said most 'Trampers/Bushcrafters' out there use fleece instead of swanni.

 

[Matt.S]

I'll add my +1 (or whatever the popular meme is) to Pendleton shirts, and Rik's advice on getting dimensions rather than 'sizes' is spot-on. Ditto Woolrich shirts.

Filson kit is damned good, but Pendleton and Woolrich shirts are much cheaper second-hand ('vintage') than Filson, and I can't imagine a wool shirt being any better.

 

[poddle]

Benefits of wool

Wont catch fire easily or burn through easily
Doesn't stink of BO, even after several months
Stays warm when wet.
its natural of course
Can be repaired fairly easily.

 

[johnboy]

IIRC Johnboy who's in New Zealand said most 'Trampers/Bushcrafters' out there use fleece instead of swanni.

Rik that's pretty much correct... fleece is much cheaper and pretty much does the same thing apart from not melting if a spark hits it. Cost is a major consideration for most folk here. Swanndri ranger for $120.00 or 4 pcs of fleece clothing ( t shirt, bushshirt, hat and pants) for $99.00 from hunting and fishing...


You still see the odd person around with them but less and less.. I have a couple of them and they just sit in the wardrobe TBH.

Swanndri as a company has gone through some tough times and they've dropped a lot of the range as I guess it was uneconomic to make it. It's being transformed into a bit of a hip fashion brand trading on the kiwiana aspect of the 'swanni'.

There are /were a couple of other wool shirt makers here Egmont being one it might be worthwhile keeping a look out for one of those...

 

[rik_uk3]

Benefits of wool

Wont catch fire easily or burn through easily
Doesn't stink of BO, even after several months
Stays warm when wet.
its natural of course
Can be repaired fairly easily.

I'm lucky as I'm yet to melt any fleece or Gortex I own. Fleece stinks of BO? Just wash it, easy as that and easier to wash than wool, fleece also stays warm when wet and can be repaired easily.

I like wool, have a couple of Pendleton shirts and a couple of wool jumpers but I'm just as happy using fleece products to be honest; I tend to go for function over fashion okenest:

 

[poddle]

I don't like washing outdoor stuff too much, as you can wash out any treatment that has been added, so tend to stick wool stuff that goes on forever.

Cotton I find is the worse, and is minging in two days.

Most of my fleeces are not stink prone, but some are. I try make sure that I have wool socks, that way I don't end up stinking like half a pound of brie.

 

[BushEd]

I've got both a Pendletons and a Woolrich shirt from american eBay (eBay.com) for about £22 the pair, delivered.

Both in great condition and fit me well, just check the measurements they actually give, or ask.

Great shirts. Ridiculously hard-wearing and comfy, and also, lovely and warm. Wore my pendletons in the Arctic this winter

 

[para106]

Bison Bushcraft Guide Shirt - superb but not cheap. 100% wool & made in the UK.

 

[EdS]

pendleton shirt or a good old fashioned wool jumper.

 

[British Red]

A light tweed jacket (or a heavy one) dependent on the season work well. Look at what the older farmers wear. Tweed is still in use with them - because it works. Its 100% wool (the proper stuff), available off the peg or tailor made, cheap second hand (or even new for "no name" off the peg) and best of all its a British classic

Red

 

[DavidJT]

I have an old Melton C.P.O. wool shirt (U.S. made), which is far thicker and warmer than either of my Swannies (you can't see through it at all if you hold fabric up to the light). Looks like this...

Rokit seem to carry similar stuff.

 

[poddle]

Looks nice that one David

 

[bushcraft_lad]

I use a blue docker's shirt in wool very similar to DavidJT's post mind i don't know how much they are

regards

 

[British Red]

Me too B_L

£5 on e-bay (new) last one I bought (Thanks Jon P)