some thoughts on Martti's Finnish M65 trousers, but first of all I want to really thank Martti for delivering me these really nice trousers. They are the almost he end of some NOS stock and I am super happy that I got a couple.
I really wanted to try them since I think wool is my favorite fall/ winter fabric, it is bio degredable, renewable, warm when wet, dries quick (especially when woven firmly like tweed, loden or the fabric of these trousers, anti bacterial, really good breathing properties due to "hollow" fibre/intra cellular structure, it is non static and fire resistant (very nice round camp fires ). I got rid of all synthetic fleeze, pile, nylon and poly stuff.
I think the body reacts very good to wool. I is a natural connection. Also excess warmth is very nicely dealt with. I would descripe it as a good feeling
. We have been wearing wool for at least 14000 years.... Cotton is nice for warm summers but not for Hollands wet and damp fall and winter.
Although end november not any daytime frost yet. Still there have been quite some days that I really enjoyed the Finnish Woollen army trousers.
There were some windy, very wet and nasty days.
About the trousers:
the fit is quite normal, not too wide, sort of comfortable and the waist is high, which is great for winter trousers. They protect kidneys and blatter very nicely. Also when chopping wood and bending there is no cold cleavage on me back.
One pair has buttons for suspenders, which I think is great since I really began appreciating them when developing slight belly and working with them on my chainsaw trousers.
The fabric is 85% wool and 15% poly. They are pre shrunk/ wont shrink (Matti super nice guy gave me some fabric facts/details) so I can put them in the wool washing program without worries (when the time comes, I tend to wear wool for weeks or months without bothering for washing, it just will not stink! ).
The fabric is very densely woven and still breathes. Inside are lined knee patches, which are coated with some iso silvery stuff, which will be super nice in snow and operating on knees. I will probably cut them out, since they are a bit sweaty last weeks and the snow days in Holland are like only 14 days a year.
The trousers are button down, I guess since metal zippers can freeze and plastic one break down in hard wearing use. I think they are fine, the botton holes are very good, so no slipping open of the front.
All models come with side pouches, which are super nice, when working around in the Woods putting kit in temporary or for not loosing normal gloves or hat.
My opinion
I think the trousers are super super nice, and they have become my essentials besides for instance the Swanndri Ranger shirt, a scandi grind knife and woolen hat.
I found them water repellent and very comfy when wet. The dry very quickly and stay comfortable all the while.
Previously my fall/winter setup was a Fjallraven Greenland and thin Merinowool or thick long John underwear. I really prefer the Finnish woolen trouser setup since:
1. I do not like really wet Fjallraven G1000 trousers (I also dont like the 65 % plastic poly in the Fjallraven trousers either)
2. I really do not like to wear like Goretex trousers, the make noise, too sweaty, do not work when a bit old plus I dont like the plastic overall feel, so sweaty when super wet, too expensive
3. I like the feel and look of wool trousers
4. The Finnish trousers are way warmer and breathable
5 The Finnish trousers are really tough (with brambels, barb wire (light contact))
Super nice when working around in base camp, since the are warm, but not too warm.
One can make them really deep winter ready combi-ed with Merino woolen underwear (fi Decathlon model).
I used the trousers in Dutch environment (wet, medium cold and very damp fall and winter)last weeks:
- inactive carving around 7 degrees high humidity
- around the campfire coocking and enjoying stars
- light hiking (no need to take waterproofs in a rucksack)
- cycling in medium cold / medium cold and wet weather (especially nice)
The one thing a was amazed about was that they were not too warm for fall and still really comfy when active. Maybe during mid day sometime a bit warm when 12 degrees, but that really made up for when the evening / night came.
I like the trousers so much that I wished a had a Telemark style parka of the fabric!
sorry no live pics, I got these somewhere else
trousers worn by cult hermets like:
http://yle.fi/aihe/artikkeli/2011/02/01/surnu-pekka-elaa-erakkona-lapin-eramaassa
about wool:
Cuticle
On the outside of the wool fibre is a protective layer of scales called cuticle cells. They overlap like tiles on a roof. The exposed edges of the cells face away from the root end so there’s more friction when you rub the fibre in one direction than the other. This helps wool expel dirt and gives it the ability to felt. Wool felts when fibres are aligned in opposite directions and they become entangled.
The scales have a waxy coating chemically bound to the surface. This stops water penetrating the fibre but allows absorption of water vapour. This makes wool water-repellent and resistant to water-based stains.
Cortex
The cortex – the internal cells - make up 90% of the fibre. There are 2 main types of cortical cells – ortho-cortical and para-cortical. Each has a different chemical composition. In finer fibres, these two types of cells form in two distinct halves. The cells expand differently when they absorb moisture, making the fibre bend - this creates the crimp in wool. In coarser fibres, the para-cortical and ortho-cortical cells form more randomly so there’s less crimp.
Fibre crimp makes wool feel springy and provides insulation by trapping air.
Cortical cell
The cortical cells are surrounded and held together by a cell membrane complex, acting similarly to mortar holding bricks together in a wall.
The cell membrane complex contains proteins and waxy lipids and runs through the whole fibre. The molecules in this region have fairly weak intermolecular bonds, which can break down when exposed to continued abrasion and strong chemicals.
The cell membrane complex allows easy uptake of dye molecules.
Macrofibril
Inside the cortical cells are long filaments called macrofibrils. These are made up of bundles of even finer filaments called microfibrils, which are surrounded by a matrix region.
Matrix
The matrix consists of high sulphur proteins. This makes wool absorbent because sulphur atoms attract water molecules. Wool can absorb up to 30% of its weight in water and can also absorb and retain large amounts of dye. This region is also responsible for wool’s fire-resistance and anti-static properties.
Microfibril
Within the matrix area, there are embedded smaller units called microfibrils. The microfibrils in the matrix are rather like the steel rods embedded in reinforced concrete to give strength and flexibility. The microfibrils contain pairs of twisted molecular chains.
Twisted molecular chain and helical coil
Within the twisted molecular chains are protein chains that are coiled in a helical shape much like a spring. This structure is stiffened by hydrogen bonds and disulphide bonds within the protein chain. They link each coil of the helix, helping to prevent it stretching. The helical coil – the smallest part of the fibre – gives wool its flexibility, elasticity and resilience, which helps wool fabric keep its shape and remain wrinkle-free in use.
I really wanted to try them since I think wool is my favorite fall/ winter fabric, it is bio degredable, renewable, warm when wet, dries quick (especially when woven firmly like tweed, loden or the fabric of these trousers, anti bacterial, really good breathing properties due to "hollow" fibre/intra cellular structure, it is non static and fire resistant (very nice round camp fires ). I got rid of all synthetic fleeze, pile, nylon and poly stuff.
I think the body reacts very good to wool. I is a natural connection. Also excess warmth is very nicely dealt with. I would descripe it as a good feeling
. We have been wearing wool for at least 14000 years.... Cotton is nice for warm summers but not for Hollands wet and damp fall and winter. Although end november not any daytime frost yet. Still there have been quite some days that I really enjoyed the Finnish Woollen army trousers.
There were some windy, very wet and nasty days.
About the trousers:
the fit is quite normal, not too wide, sort of comfortable and the waist is high, which is great for winter trousers. They protect kidneys and blatter very nicely. Also when chopping wood and bending there is no cold cleavage on me back
.One pair has buttons for suspenders, which I think is great since I really began appreciating them when developing slight belly and working with them on my chainsaw trousers.
The fabric is 85% wool and 15% poly. They are pre shrunk/ wont shrink (Matti super nice guy gave me some fabric facts/details) so I can put them in the wool washing program without worries (when the time comes, I tend to wear wool for weeks or months without bothering for washing, it just will not stink! ).
The fabric is very densely woven and still breathes. Inside are lined knee patches, which are coated with some iso silvery stuff, which will be super nice in snow and operating on knees. I will probably cut them out, since they are a bit sweaty last weeks and the snow days in Holland are like only 14 days a year.
The trousers are button down, I guess since metal zippers can freeze and plastic one break down in hard wearing use. I think they are fine, the botton holes are very good, so no slipping open of the front.
All models come with side pouches, which are super nice, when working around in the Woods putting kit in temporary or for not loosing normal gloves or hat.
My opinion
I think the trousers are super super nice, and they have become my essentials besides for instance the Swanndri Ranger shirt, a scandi grind knife and woolen hat.
I found them water repellent and very comfy when wet. The dry very quickly and stay comfortable all the while.
Previously my fall/winter setup was a Fjallraven Greenland and thin Merinowool or thick long John underwear. I really prefer the Finnish woolen trouser setup since:
1. I do not like really wet Fjallraven G1000 trousers (I also dont like the 65 % plastic poly in the Fjallraven trousers either)
2. I really do not like to wear like Goretex trousers, the make noise, too sweaty, do not work when a bit old plus I dont like the plastic overall feel, so sweaty when super wet, too expensive
3. I like the feel and look of wool trousers
4. The Finnish trousers are way warmer and breathable
5 The Finnish trousers are really tough (with brambels, barb wire (light contact))
Super nice when working around in base camp, since the are warm, but not too warm.
One can make them really deep winter ready combi-ed with Merino woolen underwear (fi Decathlon model).
I used the trousers in Dutch environment (wet, medium cold and very damp fall and winter)last weeks:
- inactive carving around 7 degrees high humidity
- around the campfire coocking and enjoying stars
- light hiking (no need to take waterproofs in a rucksack)
- cycling in medium cold / medium cold and wet weather (especially nice)
The one thing a was amazed about was that they were not too warm for fall and still really comfy when active. Maybe during mid day sometime a bit warm when 12 degrees, but that really made up for when the evening / night came.
I like the trousers so much that I wished a had a Telemark style parka of the fabric!
sorry no live pics, I got these somewhere else
trousers worn by cult hermets like:
http://yle.fi/aihe/artikkeli/2011/02/01/surnu-pekka-elaa-erakkona-lapin-eramaassa
about wool:
Cuticle
On the outside of the wool fibre is a protective layer of scales called cuticle cells. They overlap like tiles on a roof. The exposed edges of the cells face away from the root end so there’s more friction when you rub the fibre in one direction than the other. This helps wool expel dirt and gives it the ability to felt. Wool felts when fibres are aligned in opposite directions and they become entangled.
The scales have a waxy coating chemically bound to the surface. This stops water penetrating the fibre but allows absorption of water vapour. This makes wool water-repellent and resistant to water-based stains.
Cortex
The cortex – the internal cells - make up 90% of the fibre. There are 2 main types of cortical cells – ortho-cortical and para-cortical. Each has a different chemical composition. In finer fibres, these two types of cells form in two distinct halves. The cells expand differently when they absorb moisture, making the fibre bend - this creates the crimp in wool. In coarser fibres, the para-cortical and ortho-cortical cells form more randomly so there’s less crimp.
Fibre crimp makes wool feel springy and provides insulation by trapping air.
Cortical cell
The cortical cells are surrounded and held together by a cell membrane complex, acting similarly to mortar holding bricks together in a wall.
The cell membrane complex contains proteins and waxy lipids and runs through the whole fibre. The molecules in this region have fairly weak intermolecular bonds, which can break down when exposed to continued abrasion and strong chemicals.
The cell membrane complex allows easy uptake of dye molecules.
Macrofibril
Inside the cortical cells are long filaments called macrofibrils. These are made up of bundles of even finer filaments called microfibrils, which are surrounded by a matrix region.
Matrix
The matrix consists of high sulphur proteins. This makes wool absorbent because sulphur atoms attract water molecules. Wool can absorb up to 30% of its weight in water and can also absorb and retain large amounts of dye. This region is also responsible for wool’s fire-resistance and anti-static properties.
Microfibril
Within the matrix area, there are embedded smaller units called microfibrils. The microfibrils in the matrix are rather like the steel rods embedded in reinforced concrete to give strength and flexibility. The microfibrils contain pairs of twisted molecular chains.
Twisted molecular chain and helical coil
Within the twisted molecular chains are protein chains that are coiled in a helical shape much like a spring. This structure is stiffened by hydrogen bonds and disulphide bonds within the protein chain. They link each coil of the helix, helping to prevent it stretching. The helical coil – the smallest part of the fibre – gives wool its flexibility, elasticity and resilience, which helps wool fabric keep its shape and remain wrinkle-free in use.
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