Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Backpack Hunting Filson vs Cabela's wool- need info please

Fellas,
This is not a question of wool vs everything else; what I need is some advice/info on any of you who have used the Cabelas wool- any kind.

I am now in Hells Ghetto and am gearing up for another cool winter. I will use wool this winter as the issued gear is just not as good as wool for me personally.Being an old geezer I get to wear whatever I want, but still get around in the mountains so need essentially what we would wear hunting- which is what we are doing anyway...

What I am looking for is what experience and thoughts you fellas have on how good or poor the Cabelas wool is. I am an old Filson hand and that gear really works for me, but I really do not want to bring my good hunting Filson trou, shirts and coats over here to be chewed up.

I have seen that some of the wool is either being discontinued or very difficult to get. I will be home next month (Ft Lewis, Wa.) and want to get my gear so I can come back over with it. I do not want to go the surplus route, and need to keep the color either green, gray or brown. Any thoughts? Thanks.

RLTW,
First, thanks for your service!

I have been looking around at different wool and havent pulled the trigger yet. But I will share a few things. I have the Columbia Gallatin Range wool and like it. For the price($70-90), it has performed well. I think it comes in camo only though.

Woolrich has some stuff that is cheaper than Filson called Malone....ebay has a pair on there right now for $75 I think. Looks good to me.

Bemidji Woolen Mills was recommended to me by some guys here but I havent had a chance to touch it yet. They have a website though.

Methinks the Browning lines of wool come only in camo too.

Did you do a google products search? That is a good way to see what is out there. Be careful when they say wool. Some garments say ...wool pants and they are only a small percentage of actual wool. Before you pull the trigger, know the exact percentage.

If you are only interested in the waterproof stuff the only three I know of are Cabelas Legacy, Cabelas Outfitter, and a Gander Mountain brand.

B-man, thanks.
I have tried to do the research but comms are not as easy as I think they should be...
Anyway, after looking at most of the wool out there I have narrowed it down to the Cabelas or being forced into using my Filson. Camo is not a problem, in fact, it is a BIG plus here. That is why I am looking for info on Legacy or Outfitter gear. They had a nice 18 oz all wool shirt, but no longer stock it even tho it is still on their catalog site.

I have a pair of Filson whipcord pants and was just at Cabelas a few days ago looking at the Cabelas whipcords. I would not hesitate to buy a pair of the Cabelas whipcords. You are going to tear them up anyway, so I would buy the Cabelas.

Not sure I'd like the fit of Filson/Cabelas wool for your purposes but you know what you're doing.

I just bought a pair of the Cabelas 18oz pants (not DryPlus) off ebay but have not received them yet.

Get Some!

RLTW!

You might want to take a look at LL Bean also. They have some great wool stuff and the prices are in line. The Maine Guide line of wool products is pretty good stuff. I don't own a lot of LL Bean stuff but the things I do have lasted for years. I have a Down parka (or should say my son has -he kinda took it over) that I bought in 1974 or 75 and it's still going. Very well made. I'm considering the Maine Guide Wool Parka for this fall hunting season. Looks pretty nice 85% wool 15% nylon 16-oz/yard with 150 gram thinsulate and cheaper than the Cabela's Legacy Parka. FWIW

I have the Cabelas Whipcords and they work well except that you will need to secure the buttons. The buttons started coming off after some use but it is easy to fix. The Cabelas Whipcords have great utility for moderately cold temperatures or a bit colder with layering underneath. The Cabelas Legacy Superwash Wool pants come in green and gray and are as warm as Woolrich Malone and Johnson Woolen Mills.

I would second looking at LL Bean and Bemidji Woolen Mills. But I wouldn't get any wool clothing with a waterproof membrane or synthetic insulation like Thinsulate. I believe they defeat the purpose and advantages of woolens.

If you need more water repellency for your wool outergarments get some anhydrous lanolin and unleaded gasoline, benzine (petroleum ether) or acetone. This involves creating a solution of anhydrous lanolin and unleaded gasoline, benzine or acetone (three ounces to one gallon, two ounces for really cold weather) and soaking the garment in the solution for about three minutes, lightly wringing it out and then drying it alternating every two hours between:
- hanging, upsidedown for an hour then upright for the next hour; and,
- laying flat on a rack, turning every hour.
This evenly distributes the lanolin in the fabric.
The solvent completely evaporates so there is no odor from that, but the lanolin does have a very faint distinctive odor. You have to get your nose right into the fabric to smell a very faint sheeplike odor. The treated garment repels water and does not get soaked hence, you stay drier and they don't get as heavy when exposed to moisture as it will abosrb less of it. This method of waterproofing woolens is a tried and true method described by Horace Kephart in Camping and Woodcraft: a handbook for vacation campers and for travelers in the wilderness, 1923 and Francois Henry Buzzacott in The Complete Hunter's and Sportsman's Manual and Trapper's Guide, 1913.

Thanks for your service.

The lightest and warmest outer coat I have tried is the North Face McMurdo parka (Black) and the Cabelas Iditarod pullover (Drab olive green). Both are windstopper outer shell, the Iditarod pullover is synthetic insulation and the McMurdo is down.

Cabelas scent lock guide berber gear in super warm, light weight and great all around break up camp pattern. They just don't make it in a plain single color.

SIMMS (fly fishing) makes a heavy weight windstopper layering second and outer layer. Their DL vests are a great layering option for core body temp management.

The Filson merino wool is good stuff, the REI mico fleece long underwear bottom and top (the have a zip collar) is awesome. Ultra light weight is Hard Mountain gear base layer, super warm.

The Smart Wool socks are the top, come in three weights.

Thanks Fellas. Good poop. Since I am grounded due to bad wx, I actually have some time to research this. Like what LL Bean has as well, and also looking at the -33 gear.

At this point in my life, I just know that wool works best for me. That is why I have all my Filson, but just really hate getting it messed up in this place. I have a Multicam shell for the rain/snow, but am not comfortable with any of the issued gear- most of our guys really begin to go ripe after a day or so humping. I am a DA Civilian so I can wear whatever I want; usually 501's and safari jackets, but want to be warmer this winter than last.

Hell, with all that has gone on in the last year, maybe I'll just use all my Filson and not worry about it. Household-6 says I will be authorized to replace any gear shot, blownup or otherwise destroyed here. She is sweet that way...

Go with IBex Wool. Get the Guapo Jacket or the new version. Austrian Wool that is boiled and treated and then made in the Good ole USA. Thats right. I recently looked at Filson stuff at Big Rays and was dismayed to find it was made in China.

They make the Ibex wool stuff up to double XXL. It is in full colors but they are muted. I have two and they are my favorite goto jackets.

I also have an Icebreaker jacket but I don't like it as much. The Ibex Wool is washable.

I have many woolrich jackets and may get some filson stuff that is still made in US.

I would also look at SWAZI. It is New Zealand made and very good but is a little expensive. I probably will go to that stuff. I purchased some Sitka stuff but I don't like it. I am going to try a 90% Jacket this year as a soft shell but I am not looking for it to pay.

Sincerely,
Thomas

Ibex uses the Alpin-wool (synthetic / wool blend), tried it last year, light weight, breathes, wickes, and is super warm.

Alpin-wool - �Attractive Alpin-wool� Plus fabric combines wool and nylon on the exterior and polyester fleece on the interior for excellent warmth and wicking performance - http://www.rei.com/product/771646

The warmest coat I have for hunting is an Orvis gortex waterfowl coat with a fleece removable liner. This one is a wetlands pattern. A couple goose hunts last year we had sub 20 degree with wind, this coat with the Barbour waterproof/windproof lined heavy sweater had me sweating sitting in the blind. Fingers and toes were cold, rest of me was more than warm. This sweater is a lot better than the Filson waterfowl which has no lining.

http://www.orvis.com/store/product....597&cat_id=22615&subcat_id=22654

I forgot the Filson stuff was mostly made off shore. Mine is old stuff, double mac in camo is great except it weighs a ton.

The "original" wool products are still made here/US. The synthetics and ultra-lightweight garments are imported because Filson is set up to sew heavier fabrics.

I'd wear the Filson stuff since you know it works for you. Replace what gets torn up. You have to pay for the new stuff anyway, so why not use what you know and replace it when you get home if you need to.

I 2nd what SCOTTYB stated - the LL Bean line is decent stuff, with a good warranty. Most of the wardens and old school hunters still wear Johnson Wool.

I resewed the crotch on my brother's Cabelas wool whipcords something like 3 times and finally gave up. It could just be him, but to me that indicates poor fabric quality.

I'm still using a pair of Filson 32 oz. pants I bought something like 20-25 yrs. ago.
I've used a couple of pair of Cabela's Whipcords and one pair of their 24 oz. heavy wool pants.
As far as I can tell, Cabela's works and holds up just as well. That's why I no longer buy the Filson.
I've actually used my Cabela's alot more than I've used the Filson's heavy wool pants and have been completely satisfied with them. That includes, for instance, hunting elk for a whole season plus a couple of extra weeks in temps down to -20 or even less. E

E, are you married to a woman named Phyllis?

I only respond to thank you for your service there. Being a Filson user exclusively to this point, I cannot answer your question but wish you the best while there.

I have one of the Cabelas wool shirts and the "wooltimate" top & bottoms. They've all worked well.

I have a pair of the 32oz wool bibs from a Bemiji Woolen Mills, a matching Mackinaw coat, and a pair of Johnson heavy wool trousers, they've held up well over the years carpentering and running traplines in MN and WI. Out here in eastern WA where it isn't so cold I've been wearing a pair of german surplus winter weight wool pants and they are tuff as nails, even keep a crease in them even after a week of coyote calling.

erich

I'm looking a the wooltimate for a hunt in N.Quebec next month - any comments about it? No reviews online so far, and I've come to depend on those to evaluate products.

Regarding the original poster;
1. From a RVN 1970-1971 vet - Thank you very much for your service!
2. Look closely at the Cabela's Woolitimate - it has a wind blocking lining. Might that be helpful in your locale?

The cabela whipcords run small. Order one size up.