Are Wool Pants over the Hill?

[OldGreyEagle]

Ok, I need advice from you cold weather experts. In the February issure of Boy Life there is an article about winter clothing. On a diagram of how to dress a few lines are given to the benefits of wool trousers. When I went to my local Eastern Mountin Sports store looking for wool pants I was told nobody really wears them anymore. That polypropolene has made wool pants yesterday's news.

 

What do you guys think? Whats the best winter clothing combination, talk faster, Klondike is Saturday...

[jmcquillan]

Wool pants are definitely NOT on the way out, and the EMS guys who told you this are only trying to sell you something else because they don't stock wool pants. LLBean does, and they sell quite a few...go figure. I have two pairs from Bean and two older pairs from the Army/Navy surplus. They all have their place in the grand scheme of things in the outdoor world. If you're heading into a cold rainy weekend, you might want to pack other pants along, and you'll need long underwear if you think the wool will make your legs itchy. But in cold non-rainy weather, they're great. Not to say that the more current products aren't but wool's been around forever, and it wouldn't have been if it didn't work.

 

Good Luck.

 

[Mike Long]

Please note the line "on the way out.." kinda makes one think of Fashion doesn't it?

No matter what anyone says wool works and it works well even wet. PolyPro and all the fancy new synthetics work great too (a little better than wool when wet), it simply comes down to comfort and price.

 

Oh yeah, If you wear wool pants and get to close to a campfire the wool singes instead of melting to your skin like synthetics do.

 

I use both but being a long-distance backpacker I tend to use the synthetics.

 

[jmcquillan]

I agree whole-heartedly. If it's fashion you're after, then wool pants ain't gonna do it.

 

Can you spell "Grandpa???"

 

[Peliska]

I definitely agree with "jmcquillan" in that if it didn't work it wouldn't still be here. Our Klondike was just this past weekend and two of my friends and I slept outside the night before at our station. The temperature dropped down to -25 degrees F (I'm from northern Minnesota, and no I'm not kidding :-) and we didn't really even build much of a shelter. It was a basic windbreak and we were all wearing wool pants (mind you, we are all under 21 so wool isn't just for Grandpa) and none of us got the least bit cold. Even if you are in an area that the snow is a bit wet, put a pair of fatigues over them. This prevents ice dams on your wool, and Fatigues won't melt.(They might get burn holes in them-like a scout shirt, but that's what they are for right?) Not only that, but as far as I have seen a good pair of wool pants are cheaper than a lot of the synthetics out there.

 

I say, go with the wool. Have a great Klondike!!!

[OldGreyEagle]

hey jm, be kind with the grandpa stuff, I am not known as OldGreyEagle for no reason. I used to think when my son talked about a certain blonde rapper, the guy took his name from a popular candy, I mean is not his name M & M's?

[P_Swigs]

I'm enjoying the conversation regarding the wearing of wool trousers winter. While it's kind of "traditional" to wear wool, I feel there are better options in insulated pants and jackets that utilize Gortex, Thinsulate, etc. I think, while wool may have it's place in the wardrobe, the newer clothes, especially the ones that utilize Gortex, can keep you at least as warm as wool, and definitely drier.

[jmcquillan]

OldGreyEagle,

 

No offense meant by the "Grandpa" comment. I used to get that from my two sons....now I get it from my grandchildren....go figure. But even they wear wool when we all go winter camping with their troop. And I bring mine when I go winter camping with mine. I must admit, though, I do try to make sure the wool is as 'stylish' as possible. Here in New England, wool pants and jackets are pretty much associated with northern parts of Vermont, New Hampshire, and Maine...you know....hunting, trapping, logging, grandpa...

[OldGreyEagle]

Oh, no offense taken. After all the 13th point of the scouters law is to have a sense of humor,

[jmcquillan]

Now THAT should be published in the Scout and Scoutmasters Handbooks...

[eisely]

My first real introduction to snow camping and real heavy woolen clothing was in Sam's army in Germany many years ago. While I am partial to wool personally, I would be more inclined to use newer synthetics just for ease of maintenance. It also comes back to what you are really doing. In the army, even on winter maneuvers, physical activity was pretty minimal and sporadic. If one was working hard serving a crew weapon, one shed layers. But a lot of time there was no activity, such as standing guard. That clothing was heavy and not conducive to a lot of activity. Since you sometimes were not generating your own heat you needed the extra insulation. If you are doing something active like skiing or snowshoeing, I would think that sheer weight would be a factor. Thoughts?

[jmcquillan]

My service to Uncle Sam was spent in the jungles, thus the use for wool was non-existent. Yet, I have a good collection of the stuff for when I'm rather sedentary outdoors. You're correct that, when one is quite active, wool can be more of a hinderance than a help. The shear weight itself can be cumbersome. Newer, high tech outfitting can serve one better there. But I still relish sitting in my old chair, outdoors, with my cup o' coffee, watching the troops move about, in my heavy woolens.