Why not all wool?

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Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
Linen is a very different fabric from cotton, while cotton stays wet, cold and clammy linen dries, it's a long staple fibre not short. It breathes and works with the wool not keeping it wet.

Personally I wear silk, then linen, then wool if it's cold, and just linen and wool other wise when out and about.
If the wool is left in the grease (which can be added after washing, and doesn't stink :D ) it is a brilliant fabric even when it's really wet. The problems only really come when sodden wet wool, and that can take a lot of doing, gets frozen. And that's not all that likely in the UK most of the time.

Layers; definitely the way to go.

cheers,
Toddy
 

Graham_S

Squirrely!
Feb 27, 2005
4,041
65
50
Saudi Arabia
I like wool.
I use merino baselayers when I'm working, (last time was in the South Atlantic in winter, south of the Falkland Islands) I find I am warmer in it than synthetics.
The synthetics only seem to work when you're still moving. The merino keeps me warm all the time, even when I'm standing still.
warmth/weight, it's no contest. My snugpack jacket is lighter, more compact, and warmer than my swannie, but it's horses for courses.
Look at the recreation of the 1920s mountaineering gear. the layered natural fibers performance in many ways exceeded the performance of modern synthetics.

I'll be out in the woods tomorrow, I won't be wearing synthetic fabrics when I go.
 

Shinken

Native
Nov 4, 2005
1,317
3
43
cambs
If it's good enough for sheep, who spend all there lives out in the elements then it should be good enough for us:)
 

mark a.

Settler
Jul 25, 2005
540
4
Surrey
Look at the recreation of the 1920s mountaineering gear. the layered natural fibers performance in many ways exceeded the performance of modern synthetics.

Do you have any links to that? I vaguely remember reading about that but can't remember. I was thinking about it the other day and would like to find out more!

Cheers also to Toddy about the linen info - I'd always gave it a mix because "it's a bit like cotton".
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
Too often folks just think of linen like tablecovers :rolleyes: Actually, you might be able to source hemp or ramie (nettle) clothing more cheaply than linen because they're widely used in less industrialised societies and is used for Ethnic shirts and the like.....and they both work like linen rather than cotton :cool:

cheers,
Toddy-
 
B

Bushcrafter1

Guest

xylaria

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Too often folks just think of linen like tablecovers :rolleyes: Actually, you might be able to source hemp or ramie (nettle) clothing more cheaply than linen because they're widely used in less industrialised societies and is used for Ethnic shirts and the like.....and they both work like linen rather than cotton :cool:

cheers,
Toddy-

Asian fabric shops often sell fine shirt grade linen much cheaper than other suppliers.
 

Toddy

Mod
Mod
Jan 21, 2005
38,937
4,570
S. Lanarkshire
Oh excellent find :You_Rock_
I think this may be the guy known as Trader Ali at the Re-enactment Fayres, he dresses up as a Medieval Arab trader and sells wool, silks, linen and cotton :cool:

Very good price for linen there ......

cheers,
Toddy

p.s. Just checked, and it doesn't seem to be the same person after all. Trader Ali's real life company is Herts Fabrics
http://www.hertsfabrics.co.uk/
still sells linen and wool though..... and so does Bernie the Bolt :rolleyes:
http://www.calltoarms.com/bolt/index.html
I suspect the link Xylaria found works out a bit cheaper though.
No connections to any of the three, just happy to add to the suppliers roll call.
 

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