Quality Wool

Ua26fitter

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 24, 2016
Messages
355
Location
Olympia, WA
I'm looking to step up my game and tired of various hunting camo for many reasons. I keep coming back to wool. I'm ready to invest in quality wool clothes but curious what brands people like and why you like it better.
I'm looking at Sleeping Indian and King of the Mountain. Not sure one of them is better than the other.
Any other brands I should consider? Not even interested in Cabelas. I have some Weatherby wool now but it's pretty well worn. I like it but feel I can do much better.
Kris
 
I got the bug and bought some nice wool a couple of years ago. It was a solid choice and since I work 18 miles from Canada in the mountains, warm clothes are handy 8 months a year. I also bought a nice pair of White's Boots, handmade in Spokane, WA. The boots are a tad heavy and not my favorite for muddy hillsides, but they are very comfortable with a thick pair of wool socks.

Filson makes a nice pair of wool pants, I found my size on a close-out table, $240 pants for $48 dollars, my wife hemmed them for me. Filson is strictly buyer beware, their no hassle guarantee is all but worthless, but their quality is decent.

Johnson Woolen Mills has top of the line made in America stuff. I got a few shirts and a flannel lined, green wool shirt jacket that is awesome but makes you look like you fell off "The Red Green show". I have a pair of Woolrich wool pants as well, they were stiff and took some breaking in, I wore them for three days last week, we had snow, sleet and rain for deer hunting, they are warm and toasty even when damp.

I went back to wool and am happy with the choice. With pants I wear the thinnest long underwear possible just to cut down on the itch factor, even in 10-15 degree weather I'm comfortable. I decided to spend more and buy American. Check out Pendelton, Johnson, Filson or Woolrich. Woolrich is more of a name only company but they do try.
 
Both of your picks are as good as wool gets. Add a waterproofing spray and your done. I have worn beagle wool for years but it is no longer available. That had a waterproof properties that are welcome for day after day camp conditions
 
I read somewhere that Sitka or one of these type brands is offering a wool blend with their synthetic wear. Should be interesting to see with attempting to minimize scent.
 
I have really liked my KOM for years. Take a look at Weather Wool also. 100%US made. The guy I bought my KOM from started his own line
 
Just curios as I am also looking, why no cabelas ?

Most of their "wool" is really only about 30% wool the rest is polypropylene fleece and it wears out kind of fast. That being said you can often grab the stuff really cheap on a 1 day sale. I got lucky and picked up two pairs of the wooltimate pads for $45 each. They served me well last week and at that price if they only last through next season I'm doing good. I think if I spent more than 1 or 2 weeks a year needing them I'd probably want something better.
 
My advice... buy surplus military wool. Here's the problem with wool. It freezes like a pine board overnight when wet. Pretty much just like everything else but now you have a piece of thick, heavy frozen clothing. It'll get better as you work it in during the day but frozen clothes are frozen clothes. Try to keep your wool from getting soaked and then freezing by wearing gaiters and having something water repellent on over them when it's wet and then later, freezing. Being wet from sweat isn't nearly as bad as being wet from trudging through wet snow and brush all day.

As far as Filson products, the wool seems good but I had a very expensive Tin Coat which was an oil canvas. It got soaked and froze so fast it wasn't even funny. My opinion is that you shouldn't sell garbage to people who need to stay alive. Filson wool is probably good but it's expensive and IMO, you can do just as well with surplus gear if you take care not to soak it and sweat it out.
 
I've worn Filson for over 20 years. I think they are tough to beat. I do agree that Johnson Woolen Mills and Bemidji Wollen Mills both make great products though.
 

Recent Posts

Top