Wow, that stuff looks good! I might have to order some military Lifa!
Anyway, the way I see it is this:
Wool itself it not the best moisture-transferring material out there. But it's WARM.
Synthetics aren't the warmest materials out there, but in terms of moisture transfer, they can't be beat.
In an earlier thread someone (I can't remember who) quoted from a magazine and I think it said something like this: (Correct me if I'm wrong)
"If you were to look on a mountain at the people sitting around in the snow, chances are they were wearing wool. The people sitting shivering were probably wearing synthetics."
Ring a bell?
Anyway, the point I'm getting at is this: High performance athletes such as biathlon competitors, long-distance runners and the like tend to wear a lot of synthetic materials. Why? It's because of moisture transfer. When you're working hard, and sweating bucks, you need a baselayer that will actively push that moisture away from you, something wool is a bit slow at. Unfortunately, synthetics don't insulate very well.
On the other hand, low-intensity very cold weather workers such as hunters, loggers, and fisherman tend to wear a lot of wool Why? It's because of warmth. That's the benefit of wool, it keeps you WARM. And because it absorbs a bit of moisture, it keeps you from feeling clammy, and maintains a good temperature during low-intensity activities. But it won't actively push moisture away from the body as quickly as a synthetic material.
Have a look at
this graph.
That's the thing, it depends on what you're doing. Steven being the genius he is, posted a link for a mixed baselayer.
Synthetic on the inside to transfer moisture, and wool on the outer to insulate.
Mmm...technology's a wonderful thing!
