Wool blankets

Cpl Punishment

Cpl Punishment

Joined
Jan 28, 2006
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OK, I'm probably dumb, but I don't get the wool blanket thing.
A lot of guys into traditional camping like wool blankets for cold weather use. I just don't see how they can be as warm as a sleeping bag. I have a pair of wool blankets on my bed and they are nice, in the house.

What am I missing?
 
Utility- a wool blanket can also be used to keep you warm while sitting or standing, capote style. For sleeping, rig it like a sleeping bag. Close the ends and sides with pebbles and some cordage.

Moisture- many of the fabrics used in cheaper sleeping bags (or blankets) are useless when wet.

Tradition
 
Many sleeping bags can be unzipped and used as blankets. That being said, I agree with the moisture issue.
 
Not only that but while you're sitting around the fire you can drape the wool blanket over your shoulders and not have to worry about a spark getting into it and encasing your entire body in a pile of burning plastic like you would if you used a sleeping bag.
 
there's a secret underground govt agency whose sole role is to denude sheep.
 
Cpl Punishment said:
OK, I'm probably dumb, but I don't get the wool blanket thing.

What am I missing?
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Nothing.

People froze in wool blankets then and will now if its cold enough. Some have a nostalgic streak but in my experience these so called purests are fair weathered fans. ;)

Skam
 
I like them because they're nice and heavy - they "counter balance" all that light weight gear we spend a fortune on. I mean, who wants to go hiking around with just 40 or 50 pounds on their backs.....throw some wool on there man! ((( :D )))
 
Cpl Punishment said:
OK, I'm probably dumb, but I don't get the wool blanket thing.
A lot of guys into traditional camping like wool blankets for cold weather use. I just don't see how they can be as warm as a sleeping bag. I have a pair of wool blankets on my bed and they are nice, in the house.

What am I missing?
Click to expand...

I agree with you on this point, modern day gear can keep very warm compared to wool blankets. Wool blankets smell when they are wet, they hard to dry when they are wet without good heat source, they are heavy, they provide no insulation when they aren't completely dry. As for wrapping yourself with wool blanket sitting around campfire. I guess if your jacket wasn't up to bar and you didn't dress properly as for myself. I have never needed a wool blanket to keep me warm sitting in front of campfire. Everything is nice and warm minus face
 
Um............i have to STRONGLY & HARSHLY disagree with this. Wool stays WARM when wet, a lot of synthetics DO NOT. As for smell, i cry BS, wool does not retain any odours, i have sweated for days in a wool blanket and sweater and they have no odour, whereas my synthetics REEK really bad.

I will say that wool takes a while to dry, but that begs the question of why are you not treating it with lanolin oil to keep it waterproof?
 
Bushman5 said:
Um............i have to STRONGLY & HARSHLY disagree with this. Wool stays WARM when wet, a lot of synthetics DO NOT. As for smell, i cry BS, wool does not retain any odours, i have sweated for days in a wool blanket and sweater and they have no odour, whereas my synthetics REEK really bad.

I will say that wool takes a while to dry, but that begs the question of why are you not treating it with lanolin oil to keep it waterproof?
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I beg to differ, the insulating value of the wool fleece or fabric is determined largely by the pockets of air trapped within the fabric. The amount of water vapor in the air within the wool fabric is a function of the temperature and the amount of water in the fibers, and affects the heat conductivity of this air. All else being equal, when the amount of activity or the ambient temperature increases the body perspires more, the heat conductivity of the air trapped in the wool fabric increases, and the insulating value of the wool decreases. So when blanket is soaked wool fibers swell up and there goes your air pockets. Wet blankets keep you warm? Wet cold blanket sucks more body warmth out of you than sitting there in open air. I honestly don't know where you get your wool blankets, but any wool products that includes suit smell when they get wet after awhile, I would bet that most people on this board would recognize the smell of wet wool. Sure some man made fibers aren't all that, but the original posting was about wool use instead of, you can get some great products these days that is superior to wool .
 
I've got a few GI wool blankets left over from my days in the military. I've found these blankets to be extremely warm. The downside, for me, is that they are HEAVY. I wouldn't pack them in a bag to go camping unless it's car camping. I'll take them on a car camping trip, cold tailgating party, etc. but not in a back pack.
 
I love wool blankets, but they have a specific place for me.

I hate to call it "car camping" because to me that strikes up visions of a modern campground. I have been camping in many remote locations where you drive up and set up camp, with nobody to be seen. Granted this isn't bushwacking, but you also don't have to be concerned about weight.

Anywhere that I camp in colder weather, and can afford the weight, I will take along wool blankets. One of the reasons is that I generally camp in a Tentipi, which allows an open fire inside. I generally put the wool blankets over the modern material sleeping bags for protection. I really love having them around camp.

That being said, I could never see carrying one around. I just got back from backpacking in cold weather, and I would have no idea where to put one.

I am planning a snowshoeing/backpacking trip here shortly in which I intend to pull a sled. Even with that, I can't justify putting one on the sled.

Wool clothes are another story :D I love smartwool thermals, and generally will use another wool layer as well. But generally, it is not a big and bulky one, and is one that I am wearing rather than trying to pack in.

B
 
Hannibal.......
Sorry my brother but you are speaking from THEORY not EXPERIENCE. Yes wool has a smell that is recognized by most but I don't find it offensive in the least. The unexperienced woodsman will use a wool blanket incorrectly most of the time. It is not too hard to learn some easy techniques to maximize the insulating properties of wool.

During my cold training last year we were in -35F with only 1 wool blanket and a military poncho we learned how to stay warm to the point where I would strip down to just my base and secondary insulating layer. I don't blame you for having doubts. It took alot of courage for me to removed that clothing in weather that would freeze spit before it hit the ground.

As for insulating when wet... soak a North face bag and a wool blanket, crawl inside and tell me which you would rather spend the night in... you may be surprised. You should be treating your wool with lanolin BTW. A good wool blanket will not compress under your body weight and I think this is its best feature when compared to synthetics. When sleeping on the ground, you loose heat 75% bottom, 25% top.

Have you ever tried to put out a synthetic sleeping bag that caught on fire? I have... not fun. The sparks from a spitting fire will glide through synthetics like a hot knife through butter and stick to whatever it comes in contact with. Wool is not fire proof but will snuff out sparks quickly and smoulder instead of catch fire.

I'm not downplaying synthetics completely... they can offer greater insulation at lighter weights than wool. It all depends on your camping style. 90% of the time, I get down and dirty... I sleep by a fire and I use the material in my suroundings to make camp. A wool blanket is my best friend.

Don't even get me started on clothing.

Rick
 
hannibal lecter spyderco said:
I beg to differ, the insulating value of the wool fleece or fabric is determined largely by the pockets of air trapped within the fabric. The amount of water vapor in the air within the wool fabric is a function of the temperature and the amount of water in the fibers, and affects the heat conductivity of this air. All else being equal, when the amount of activity or the ambient temperature increases the body perspires more, the heat conductivity of the air trapped in the wool fabric increases, and the insulating value of the wool decreases. So when blanket is soaked wool fibers swell up and there goes your air pockets. Wet blankets keep you warm? Wet cold blanket sucks more body warmth out of you than sitting there in open air. I honestly don't know where you get your wool blankets, but any wool products that includes suit smell when they get wet after awhile, I would bet that most people on this board would recognize the smell of wet wool. Sure some man made fibers aren't all that, but the original posting was about wool use instead of, you can get some great products these days that is superior to wool .
Click to expand...


I understand all of that....dont worry!:D I think at this point you are splitting hairs really...if your "wool" blanket and your "synthetic" blanket are both wet...and you are sitting next to the fire..with your twin next to you...the guy under the wet wool will live longer...all things being equal. I think you have made your scientific points well enough...but in my experience..NOTHING beats wool for warmth in extreme cold. I have tried every synthetic sock on the market..and I am back to heavy duty wool socks. I work outside all day, everyday..all winter long. The bottom line is, the only thing I trust on my feet for long term exposure is wool. :thumbup:
Now the blanket versus sleeping bag argument is interesting to the point that you have to figure in the design's involved. A down sleeping bag is pretty nice..and it traps air much better than a wool blanket. Also, a down filled parka is one of my favorites..but I would also like to have a wool sweater under it..layering is key! I think after all this. Its just a no brainer..it is all relative to the application of the material...not which material is better. If I had ONLY a wool blanket with me..( which is what I carry in my cars trunk for emergencies ) in a survival situation...I would try REALLY hard to stay dry, and keep my gear dry...thats what a "smart" survivalist would do. JMHO.
PS...I like the "worst case scenario" discussions..but some times it gets silly to me..we are a pretty smart group..I am amazed at the experience pool here..I dont think that the vast majority of us would get caught screwing up to badly. I dont know, maybe I'm wrong..I am wrong daily:D
 
Magnussen said:
The unexperienced woodsman will use a wool blanket incorrectly most of the time. It is not too hard to learn some easy techniques to maximize the insulating properties of wool.

During my cold training last year we were in -35F with only 1 wool blanket and a military poncho we learned how to stay warm to the point where I would strip down to just my base and secondary insulating layer. I don't blame you for having doubts. It took alot of courage for me to removed that clothing in weather that would freeze spit before it hit the ground.
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OK, so what are some tricks. Keep in mind it rarely goes below freezing here, so I'm not talking about snuggling up to polar bears.

The blankets I have are surplus (Swiss, I think), and I like them on the bed because they are warm and heavy (I sleep better with weight on me). However, each blanket is about as heavy as my sleeping bag and bivy sack together.

I like the traditional gear thing, but haven't figured out how the whole wool blanket thing works. I admit I also haven't tried to camp with wool blankets. I'm also not going to spend $300 on a blanket like a real Hudson Bay or one the guy above linked to.
 
Magnussen? Would you elaborate further about your cold weather training? I've only been on a few cold weather trips and am always looking for new ideas. How did you use 1 wool blanket and a poncho in -35 deg weather?
 
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