Polyfleece vs wool

J

jackknife

Joined
Oct 2, 2004
Messages
17,508
For the past several years I've been doing the synthetic fleece thing for the winter and I think I'm getting to the point of being disappointed. Okay I know I'm getting older but it just seems to me that the new fleece stuff does not keep me warm like good old wool. I do the layer up thing with the synthetic stuff under a windproof shell, but it does not seem to work as well as my old Filson cruiser coat. Or my old down parka.

The synthetic fleece stuff has taken over the market, but is it because they can make the stuff for pennies? A good wool coat is 200-300 dollars, vs the modern stuff, but is it really as good.

Anyone here still use wool for the outdoors?
 
I use wool socks all the time, well any time that I'm wearing work boots. I also have a wool sweater that's very, very warm and inexpensive.

The thing with wool, it insulates even when wet, but if you do get it sopping, it takes for-freakin-ever to dry. My fleece isn't as warm, but when it gets wet, it dries fast.

The best thing about wool socks, they retain their cusion even when soaked from sweat or rainwater.

Best Wishes,
Bob
 
Fleece is inexpensive to manufacture and works well in temperate climates, but will not replace wool for really cold weather. Some of the heavier Polartec made by Malden Mills is excellent and wears extremely well.

Nothing beats a mackinaw weight Filson in cold weather, but it itches like hell :)
 
Wool keeps you warm but it also much heavier than fleece. It is however also more durable than fleece.

If you want a really warm fleece get the highest rated one from Polartec. I think that would be the Windbloc one. I've been using a Polartec Windbloc fleece for at least 7 years now and it still looks good. Kept its colour well and it still keeps me warm. You need to get good quality fleece though.

The only thing about wool jackets is that it's a hassle to keep clean. With polartec you just dump 'em in the machine.
 
Another Filson wool fan here. I love my double Mac, but I gotta wait until it gets in the teens before I can wear it... otherwise it is too warm! I have several of their wool vests, and recommend this as someone's first Filson product. I wear a Filson sweater while hunting also... very versatile stuff. I never could take to fleece. I have a couple of fleece tops and a shirt or two, but gave most of it to goodwill.
 
My favorite wool clothes I own are a couple of vests. One is made by Ibex and the other is an off brand that I got from Farm & Fleet. They work great as a warm but nonbinding mid layer. They fact that they are vests keeps the weight down, but are enough to warm the body core. Since they are underneath other clothes, they are not as likely to need washing.

For a base layer, I swear by Polartec Powerstretch. I've heard good things about the wool blends, but after 5 or 6 years of heavy use, have no reason to switch. My Powerstretch union bibs are everything I want - lightweight, wicking, warm but regulate temperature well, machine washable, quick-drying, and indestructable.

So IMO, they each have their use.
 
I don't own any Filson wool products, but if their wool quality is as high as their Tin Cloth lineup, I feel comfortable recommending it.

I have a vest made from WindStopper material and use it mostly on the motorcycle. Huge Thumbs Up!

-Bob

p.s. Just checked upstairs and my wool sweater is from Woolrich. I carry it in the winter for emergency use - it's too warm to wear most of the time. And it costs a fraction of Filson, although I doubt it's as good.
 
My take on polyfleece is that:

a) it's cheap to make--polyfleece sweaters can be made
from recycled soda bottles, so it's also cheap to buy

b) it's easy to wash--throw in the washer, throw in the
dryer and it's ready to go. It doesn't shrink, either.

c) it doesn't itch

d) and it does dry quickly

The downside? It can melt. If you sit too close to a campfire, flying embers can bore holes into your nice sweater. Even worse, if you're caught in a burning building with a polyfleece sweater, the material can melt right onto your skin as in melting plastic. :eek:

However, I still use mine. :)
 
I have had the experience of having a fleece jacket melt onto my arm while welding. It was real fun:rolleyes:

Despite that I still like my fleece. I guess it helps that I live in NYC and it doesn't usually get extremely cold here. It is mroe comfortable than wool, lighter, and easier to wash. I also really like that it dries quicker. When I used to cut down trees in the winter I would wear a fleece as my outer layer. It would dry quickly so when I was working in wet weather I would be dry quickly.
 
Here is what I posted a while back in the Survival forum:

I like wool, and think it has some merits. First of all, wool is the BEST material for socks, all the time, every type of sock, for every occasion.

I have a few midweight wool long undershirt tops by Smartwool and they are quite comfortable. They are slower to dry than my my synthetic long underwear, which is probably the only disandvantge. The synthetics probably wick a bit better as well. The read advantage to the wool is that it doesn't breed bacteria the way sythetics do so it doesn't get stinky. This makes it ideal in some situations, like working outdoors for days at a time and sharing a camp with other people. For mountain climbing and other real backountry adventures I generally prefer my Patagonia Capaline top for it's fast drying and ability to keep up with heavy sweating better.

Good quality wool sweaters, although a lot heavier than fleece do a much better job of blocking wind. Windproof fleece is too windproof sometimes, and regular fleece not windproof enough. Wool is somewhere in between, and more comfortable in moderate situations. The same is true for hats. (Windpoof hats also make it really hard to hear). Wool gloves, when slighty wet give excellent grip on ice - a plus for climbing. For more extreme stuff, especially when weight and dry time are an issue, fleece (or fibre-fill) wins out.

Will
 
It's not really supprising that a natural material can outperform even the best synthetics. Humans have yet to come up with anything that can compare to the insulating abilities of polar bear fur. But then, 3M doesn't have millions of years of experience, like nature does.
 
JB in SC said:
Fleece is inexpensive to manufacture and works well in temperate climates, but will not replace wool for really cold weather. Some of the heavier Polartec made by Malden Mills is excellent and wears extremely well.

Nothing beats a mackinaw weight Filson in cold weather, but it itches like hell :)
Click to expand...
JB, you know our winters are minor compared to Maryland and I'd go with wool instead. You go get that wool instead, honey.:)
 
Boy that extra cup of coffee wakes me up and should have explained. Yes wool is going to itch if you get HOT. If it's cold enough outside it will keep you warm and polar fleece is great but not for where you live I would think. I'd pass on the wool socks though...sweaty and stinky. That would be quite uncomfortable in an office that's heated.
 
An added benefit to wool... ya just feel more "manly" when wearing wool. Wearing fleece kinda makes you feel like a metrosexual yuppie.;)
 
For me, the problem is that I hate scratchy wool. Even my nice Pendleton shirt, which is a real tight weave wool, I have to wear a turtleneck under so that no part of me, including wrists, neck, etc., may accidently come into contact with wool and give me the heebie jeebies.

Are those real expensive merino wool sweaters, etc., really not itchy? and do they have the same warming property as regular old wool?

Has anybody used silk for long johns? I hear it works pretty well.
 
Shann said:
Has anybody used silk for long johns? I hear it works pretty well.
Click to expand...
I have but it was from an excercise bottom and top so that would really be considered nylon. Yes, that is warm if we are talking about the same thing. My mother told me I would be the hardest person to rape in the state of SC because of the way I dress when it's cold, they would just give up. I think I have a possum in the trap at last.Bye.:D
 
Shann said:
For me, the problem is that I hate scratchy wool.
Click to expand...
None of my wool products (vests that I mentioned above, socks, hats) are itchy. I wonder if that sensitivity is something that varies from person to person, like an allergy.

Here is a link to Icebreaker that a gentleman from New Zealand posted several years ago. I saved the link, but never got around to trying any of their stuff. Maybe someone who has will join in. Their web site is kind of weird, but their products seem to be well-regarded.
 
Shann said:
Are those real expensive merino wool sweaters, etc., really not itchy? and do they have the same warming property as regular old wool?

Has anybody used silk for long johns? I hear it works pretty well.
Click to expand...

I have a sleeveless sweater made of cashmere. This is definitely one of the softest wools around is itch-free, for me, anyway. This also explains their cost. The cheaper wools tend to feel like fiberglass next to the skin. The more expensive ones are truly warm, truly light, and truly soft.

I've tried silk t-shirts for layering, and although they were quite amazing in their light weight, softness, etc., a regular shirt provides just as much warmth. For long johns I prefer the ones made by Duofold, with a cotton layer on the skin side, and a thin wool layer on the outher side for warmth. I've tried five or six different brands and designs for long johns, and I'm sticking with Duofold from now on.
 
tarsier said:
None of my wool products (vests that I mentioned above, socks, hats) are itchy. I wonder if that sensitivity is something that varies from person to person, like an allergy.
Click to expand...

Mos tlikely it's the processing done to the less expensive wool. They use chemicals that some people are sensitive to. The better wools use less-harsh stuff. Up side is the better wools are softer and warmer.

I wear wool socks all year. They actually seem to keep my feet more comfortable in summer than anything else.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top