I am after replaing my current synthetic fleece and am looking at either a Swanndri Ranger Shirt or a 400gsm Ulfrotte jacket as on RM site. I will be using it for british weather mainly. Has anyone got any suggestions as to which would be the most user friendly/warm/hardwaring. Secondly where are the cheapest places to obtain either for the UK. :?:
Natural alternatives to fleece?
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I'd go for the Swannie, the ulfrotte gear is not really designed to be worn as a top layer and is not that durable if worn as such.
I don't know about the Ullfrotte stuff, but I have had a Swandri skippers shirt that came form the swandri seconds shop about 4years ago. It was about £30 and was a trial colour (red/grey check). It was brought over by a friend from NZ. It is excellent very hard wearing, and I personally find it a lot warmer than a fleece of similar weight.
The downside is that it is not very wind proof.
I have just bought a rangers shirt which is a non-seconds, and is also very good although I still prefer the Skippers shirt. The rangers shirt is overhead by the way.
It might be worth contacting Swandri in NZ about the access to seconds over the web,
Hope this helps,
Rob.
PS. I think Gary on here does the rangers shirts (bearclawbushcraft.co.uk)
The downside is that it is not very wind proof.
I have just bought a rangers shirt which is a non-seconds, and is also very good although I still prefer the Skippers shirt. The rangers shirt is overhead by the way.
It might be worth contacting Swandri in NZ about the access to seconds over the web,
Hope this helps,
Rob.
PS. I think Gary on here does the rangers shirts (bearclawbushcraft.co.uk)
Not Bob said:
Exactly. Pure wool, no competition. I could go on for hours about how good it is but I don't think I need to. As regards Ulfrotte, it is very popular and often seen as a standard, but I know for one that Gary at Bearclaw thinks it's rubbish. A try before you buy would be a good idea.
I'd go for the SwannDri too personally. I've got a Ranger Extreme coming from NZ thanx to a good friend over there (once his local shop lets him know its in).
bambodoggy
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Hey Mate, can't say anything about the Ullfrotte as I've never used one but I can vouch for the Swanni's being a top bit of kit. Very warm and very hardwearing....i have the Ranger shirt and wouldn't be without it.
I got mine off a New Zealand website...
http://www.ecowool.com/product/1657
Don't think there's much difference with buying off there and having it shipped here compared to buying it over here.... (the site says free shipping worldwide but I can't remember if that was the case when I got mine).
Hope that helps....
I got mine off a New Zealand website...
http://www.ecowool.com/product/1657
Don't think there's much difference with buying off there and having it shipped here compared to buying it over here.... (the site says free shipping worldwide but I can't remember if that was the case when I got mine).
Hope that helps....
My suggestion - go to a charity shop and buy a good quality woolly pully in not too hideous a colour/pattern and wear that.
The plus points of this strategy are:
- it'll be cheap,
- it'll keep you warm,
- it won't melt on you,
- by buying from a charity shop you'll be doing someone some good,
- you'll be having less effect on the environment than buying new,
- you won't care if you ruin it
- and if, after you've worn it a while, you still decide you want a Swanni or the like you'll still have money to buy one and can at least be sure you shouldn't have settled for a cheaper alternative
The plus points of this strategy are:
- it'll be cheap,
- it'll keep you warm,
- it won't melt on you,
- by buying from a charity shop you'll be doing someone some good,
- you'll be having less effect on the environment than buying new,
- you won't care if you ruin it
- and if, after you've worn it a while, you still decide you want a Swanni or the like you'll still have money to buy one and can at least be sure you shouldn't have settled for a cheaper alternative
Notbob has a point, an army surplus wolly jumper is very cheap and if you don't want green get a navy or raf one.
I am a Swanndri fan, go for the ranger shirt, I got mine from ecowool too and didn't get charged postage. I got my bushshirt direct from Swanndri but with postage it worked out at the same price as from ecowool.
I handwash mine but as they are wool and non-stinky you don't have to do it that often.
I handwash mine but as they are wool and non-stinky you don't have to do it that often.
Swanndri, Wash it??????? 10 years without a clean-apart from cold loch water-and still looking good. I forget how good they are for a while and when I find it again it always impresses me with the warmth and simplicity. I'd kill for a DPM one. It appears only small ones are available.
Paganwolf
Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Er wash your swandri!! :yikes: you will wash all the stink of woodsmoke out of it and it will be rendered an virgin once more :shock: 
seriously, swandri's are a top quality bit of clothing which will last you a life time,and thats no exaggeration..
seriously, swandri's are a top quality bit of clothing which will last you a life time,and thats no exaggeration..
I agree, Swandri are very good, and people I've met that have one swear by them, but £53 is a tad out of my reach, £3.50 for a good quality wooly, and that will last 5 years+ with reasonable wear. I would prefer to pay more for a good quality water proof breathable outer jacket and keep inner layers' costs down, just my preference though!
Greg
Greg
Never used a swanni, but I have used a ullfrotte jacket 400g for 8 years now (army issue) and I think they are excellent for cold weather when you are wearing a jacket over.
The sizes on the Swanndri don't make much sense to me. They seem to be different than what Mears has listed on his site for s, m, l, xl, etc. Mears states explicity his sizes are chest sizes. If the Swanndri site is the same, then the sizes do not dovetail with Mears.
For those that ordered direct from NZ did you not have to pay import tax + VAT to Customs when it came into the UK?
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