Discussion
levocardia: You can tell the author went deep into reddit because they fell for the wool meme. Sorry but synthetics (for anything active) are far better: lighter, warmer, better at dealing with moisture.One pattern I noticed that was missing: the classic reddit experience of saying "I'd like a new shoulder season jacket, and I want to spend less than $100" and having some know-it-all try to convince you that what you really need is an ultra-nano-pore down puffer made by a blind Italian artisan that costs $950, and that anything else is Wal-Mart-tier garbage.
skithrowyouknow: Wool is an excellent fiber for active base layer. Probably in a blend. The bacteria growth on anything poly is brutal, giving me a horrible stink and wrecking my skin once I wear it for more than an hour of activity. Do I want wool as insulation? No, I don't want the weight or time to dry.
boonzeet: Having spent a lot of time in denial before investing in a few light wool turtlenecks and some Aran jumpers, I can only disagree.When wool gets warm it expands, which cools you slightly. It seems to have a much better range of temperatures you can be comfortable in.Synthetic jumpers and sweaters get stuffy quickly and after a few washes can end up itchy.And no, good cable knits from non designer brands go for $100-$200 and will last many, many years.
g8oz: Synthetics stink quite quickly.
tmnvix: The best warm underlayer garments I've ever owned have been merino Icebreaker brand. They can be worn multiple times without needing a wash. Synthetics stink really, really quickly.I asked claude to remind me of what Sir Peter Blake had to say about merino underwear:>> Sir Peter Blake wore Icebreaker merino prototypes during his record-breaking round-the-world yacht race. After returning from the Southern Ocean, he claimed the fabric was "superior in every way to anything I had ever worn before" and revealed he'd worn his Icebreaker for 43 days and 43 nights without changing. He also reportedly greeted Icebreaker's original merino farmer, Brian Brakenridge, as "the sheep farmer responsible for stopping my undies from smelling."
