How much wool to kill the stench?

[tedw]

Conventional wisdom has it that wool underwear can be worn for longer than synthetic stuff without cooking up a powerful stink. OK, but how much wool content is needed to do the trick? Will a pair of £18 M&S longjohns be as wiff-less as a pair of Ulfrottes/Woolpower etc. with wool content about 70% plus. Anyone with experience who can advise, please?

Cheers,

Tedw (dreaming of the 2012 BCUK Arctic exped?)

 

[treadlightly]

I have a pair of the M&S longjohns I think you mean ( the ones with around 30% wool combined with viscose and nylon). I find they are pretty good at suppressing whiffs (good for a couple of days wearing) but not as good as those of a higher wool content.

I have a half wool half cotton pair which are better and an 80 per cent wool pair which performs better still. Generally I find once you get to 70 or 80 per cent wool content the fabric's anti stink properties are as good as all-wool garments.

 

[Hugo]

I just got hold of a top and bottom set of 100% Marino wool ones and as yet no smell at all.
I was not aware of the wool properties of curing smells until reading the info.

 

[rik_uk3]

They all stink after a while, the 50/50 mix I have are pretty good, no good for the Arctic I presume but great for the UK.

 

[Dougster]

They all stink after a while, the 50/50 mix I have are pretty good, no good for the Arctic I presume but great for the UK.

Disagree mate. I haven't REALLY pushed my 100% but enough has been sweated....

 

[tedw]

Thanks all, obviously worth going for the higher wool content is the way to go.

Treadlightly, on another wool-related tack, IIRC you were trying to buy some of the elusive Swedish Army wool trousers about this time last year. How did it go - worth the trouble?

Cheers, Ted W