Outhaus Merino blankets?
- Thread starter Hootch
- Start date
I don't own one but looked at one at the Bushcraft Store on Wednesday morning. I thought they were a bit thin, and the label didn't identify what the non-wool fibers were. They didn't feel very cozy to me. But first impressions aren't everything. So we still need a review from someone who has actually used one!
I believe that the fiber blends maintain their loft better than pure wool and thus their insulative property.
Thickness might not be a useful measure of function.
I buy Hudson's Bay Company signature wool blankets, queen-sized and milled in England, for wedding presents.
They are not at all cheap but their appearance is stunning. I'll buy mixes for myself.
Thickness might not be a useful measure of function.
I buy Hudson's Bay Company signature wool blankets, queen-sized and milled in England, for wedding presents.
They are not at all cheap but their appearance is stunning. I'll buy mixes for myself.
Here you go:
Re density: Years ago I picked up a bunch of (8) Swiss Army blankets, Brown ones with a red band and a white cross, plus someones name stitched in and a small, round aluminium plate with a number on it.
Some were denser and thinner than the others ... they don't get used, at least not as first choice. The thicker, puffier, lighter feeling ones work great. I haven't been able to find out why some were thinner than others, and (also) they were bought in a couple of batches. I thought maybe washing had done them in, perhaps.
Some were denser and thinner than the others ... they don't get used, at least not as first choice. The thicker, puffier, lighter feeling ones work great. I haven't been able to find out why some were thinner than others, and (also) they were bought in a couple of batches. I thought maybe washing had done them in, perhaps.
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Three times the price of the Outhaus ones but I was quite taken with the look of the Petromax version in the green and black colour.
On the other hand, my merino wool base layers are very thin but super warm - I think the weave density is probably just as or even more important.
They do look good but that is a bit pricey for a wool blanket IMO - at least the Outhaus ones are 80% merino.
Definitely too pricey for me sadly. They don't seem to want to show off the hardware for the leather straps either which seemed odd. I wasn't sure if they were double layered either though which might add to the price.
Yes, this is probably going to turn more technical than I can handle, but there is a number of things playing off against each other here. Density vs 1) breathability vs 2) weight vs 3) ability to trap air etc.
Merino baselayering is tricky. The ones I have at 150gsm and 250gsm, when you look at them under a glass the number of stitches per inch seems to be the same, but the wool seems thicker. So, the thickness is produced by the dimension of the wool, not the density of the stitches.
When I look at the Swiss army blankets, it seems that, somehow, the wool has lost its fluffiness in the thinner, cooler feeling ones. They don't weigh any more or less than the other, more pneumatic ones; they just feel heavier, drape differently ... bit like when the cat is too warm
Merino baselayering is tricky. The ones I have at 150gsm and 250gsm, when you look at them under a glass the number of stitches per inch seems to be the same, but the wool seems thicker. So, the thickness is produced by the dimension of the wool, not the density of the stitches.
When I look at the Swiss army blankets, it seems that, somehow, the wool has lost its fluffiness in the thinner, cooler feeling ones. They don't weigh any more or less than the other, more pneumatic ones; they just feel heavier, drape differently ... bit like when the cat is too warm
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Not wanting to bring the tone down but I'm not totally in love with the name - my memories of outhouses are not so romantic
Yeh, cold, damp, smelly and full of big spiders (but I was only four
)
I have one of these and am very happy with the quality of the blanket, it's a nice tight weave. I like that its quite a large blanket(230x160cm) as you can really wrap yourself up in it. Being merino it is also a lot more compact than your traditional wool blankets and therefore much easier to pack into your bergen.
£55 may seem pricey, but it's good quality, it's brand new (i.e. Not surplus!) and also comes with a nice leather carrying strap.
I'd buy another in a heartbeat.
Does anybody know the weight of the outhaus blankets? I’m very near to pulling the trigger on an original Swiss Army blanket, but weighing up the opposition, as it were.
Although not merino wool, Ben Orford has some nice looking blankets available. British-made and 100% wool - they might tick a box...
I have an original Swiss one and nothing is warmer IMO and I have a few.
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Hi Matarius,
I have one of these blankets and I am very happy with it.
The weight of it is 1.74 kg.
I have plenty of experience with wool blankets being ex British Army, and these are of far superior quality than any other ones that I have come across over the years.
I have also washed it in the washing machine on a wool cycle and hung it out on the washing line to dry naturally, which has lofted up the fibres a bit more and improved the warmth.
Here is a photo of the label on the blanket
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