Wool is usually hailed as the best idea when it comes to warm hunting clothes.
I've recently lost some weight, looking to replace old gear.

Question, is that "Wooltimate" stuff from Cabela's any good? It seems thin. Better than their berber fleece?

Looking for good performance while stand hunting in the UP/WI/IA. Cold late season temps that may be below zero. Yep, layers and merino close to skin but the outer layer needs to be good too.

Thoughts?

https://eglifarm.com/

I wear the Columbia wool overalls and hooded jacket to hunt stands when it is our coldest weather here. the lowest is usually single digits. I would need better below zero to sit still for several hours.

I have used the Wooltimate stuff for years and really like it. It will pill a little with hard use, but has been long lasting and warm. The Wooltimate 3 button fatigue sweater is my favorite piece of hunting clothing.

King of the Mountain and Sleeping Indian still make wool clothing for hunting. They're both still in business. You better be seated when checking their prices, it's beyond the nosebleed level.

https://www.sleepingindianusa.com/
https://kingofthemountain.com/

"I've recently lost some weight, looking to replace old gear"

Health problems, Teal?.

I hunted the early wooltimate pants from Cabela’s maybe 8 years ago. They did what I hoped they’d do; keeping me warm and relatively dry during a soaking wet and cold elk hunting season. I bought them mainly because they were washable. Unfortunately, I went the opposite direction in the weight gain dept as you. I gave them to a hunting pard who wears them for snow hunting. YMMV 😎

Take a look at Filson. They make wool clothing of very good quality.

I have some Codet and it is well made and won't break the bank.
http://www.workwearheadquarters.com/outdoor/woolpants.htm
http://www.workwearheadquarters.com/outdoor/54ZBIG.htm
http://www.workwearheadquarters.com/outdoor/461CABBIG.htm

Question if you will:

All the wool garments I have used in the past forty-odd years have itched like all get-out, how do you lot get around that?

I have Wooltimate pants and coat. They're much thicker than my Filson wool and Codet. They're feel like they're insulated and have a nylon type fabric lining. Worn with merino baselayers, they're quite warm; almost too warm if you're walking. Wind does not go thru them like the Berber fleece. I wear mine in mid Nov during our firearm deer season if it's cold enough and late season (Dec-Jan-Feb) goose hunts. I'd buy them again.

I wear a merino base layer of long underwear type.

And I've probably gotten used to it in 50 years of wearing Pendleton/Wololrich/Filson/Bean/Cabelas stuff. Along with some Irish Fishermen's sweaters, surplus "British commando" sweaters, USN wool watchcaps (those I wear a cotton bandana under as they do itch my forehead).

Geno

I only wear heavy wool when I wear long underwear. Smart wool or Marino wool socks do not seem to itch. I also have some mid-weight LL Beane wool underwear that doesn’t itch although I don’t know the makeup. (I don’t shop LL Bean anymore due to its restrictve second amendment policy). For me its wool when it stays below 20 degrees.

Nope. Just was too fat. I'm still fat but not too fat. July 4 I started working on it. Really counting calories in, upping protein, cutting sugar by a very large amount and just really paying attention to not only what but how much I was eating. 4-5 Guinness a night, 4 nights a week adds a ton of empty calories even tho its a low cal beer. Always struggled with portion control. Got sick of it. My son graduates from basic training next month and I didn't want to be completely embarrassing when he introduced me to people. I expect to be down another 3-5 lbs by then.

I'm down 12% of my body weight and still working. I won't really need new gear this year, can make my old stuff work one more go but next year, I need new stuff. Actually a combo of too big and wore out. Mostly old Gander Mt. stuff from pre-2000.

A lot of wool garments now have a lining sew into them to prevent the scratch and itch 😎

Johnson woolen mill is still in business and makes traditional wool coats and pants and other stuff, but they aren't cheap.
https://johnsonwoolenmills.com

I’ve got a few pieces of wool if anyone’s looking. Filson and ll beam

If Filson whipcord is too pricey, either LL Bean or Eddie Bauer had their whipcord pants on sale a while back.

That's what my wool stuff is.

My stuff is probably 20 yrs old now though.

Think I should warsh it?

They aren't giving them away are they?

BUT if they last.... annual cost ain't horrible.

I bought a selection of Merino wool under layers from LL Bean, and they itch a bit. Nothing too bad, but they still itch. I bought different weights, but all the weights are pretty warm.
I bought mine on sale in February or so. Some colors were cheaper, and that is what I got.

If you have a "tailor" or seamstress in the area you may just look into having your old clothes that are still in decent shape "taken in" as we used to do in the Olden Days................you know, the 60's!

I can see replacing the worn out stuff, but if you have any stuff that's still serviceable, alterations might be the answer.

Good luck,

Geno

Johnson Mills and Filson are my choices for wool clothing.

Nope, they need to come down a couple sizes. Like 3. Not a minor adjustment. Sucks to spend $$ but I'm healthier, feel better etc.

Glad for that Teal,

Enjoy the weight loss and extra enrgy

Geno

I have a King of the Mountain for sale. I believe it is an XL. Been a long time since I looked at it.

I can check my local farm store and send you some pics of price tags. I didn't look at their website prices.

No worries, not buying till after the season. Just plotting and planning.

Bow season Oct 1 and I've run out of things to think about otherwise.

I have these:

https://johnsonwoolenmills.com/product/wool-bib-overalls/

https://johnsonwoolenmills.com/product/outdoorhunting-coat/

I'm curious so I'll check my local pricing against their website.

Sent you a PM, Reloader.

I went to the old store where I got mine 2 decades ago, they look similar to johnson woolen but...









"Big Bill" Made in canada.

green bibs



green jacket (unlined)

Two of my favorite wool hunting items are the Commando sweater available from L.L.Bean. In my opinion they are even better than the ones that Cabela's offered several years ago.

As for a outer layer Check out Bemidji Woolen mills, I have the North shore double back double front Mackinaw. Very high quality and better prices that Filson or Woolrich, and I top it off with a Stormy Kromer.

I've been to the bemidji store, in bemidji. Nice stuff. I have several items I've purchased for my family as gifts from them.

The Big Bill stuff that Northern Dave posted pictures of is the Codet brand.

Fire...... dry it out.

I like it wet.😉

I have a couple IceBreaker merino long sleeved shirts and they are the shizzle for a base layer.

Silent predator is another wool company.. Saw this at the SCI show looked good to me.. I think , but i could be wrong.. The prices are less then King of the Mountain, and Sleeping Indian....

With wool, the "itch" comes from the length of the fiber. The less expensive brands use shorter length fiber material which gives the itch. The better stuff uses a longer cut fiber which gives little to no itch at all. Been using wool for decades, stinks less too after a couple days than man made fibers.

Your an animal, that stuff would not work for a normal person...……...

Zero itch whatsoevah and I'm not kidding.

That stuff is awesome.

I have wool from SmartWool, Woolrich, FirstLite, Cabelas, LLBean and Pendleton, perhaps others I've forgotten. I wear a lot of it for the reasons indicated by others. I pick up a piece here and there and obviously I like it. I've never had an itching problem so can't speak to that.

Smartwool socks are uber.

The Codet Big Bill 210 pants are really great and about a third of the price of Filson etc. I think around $125. Some might find them too heavy. They are 28 oz 100% wool.

The Woolrich Malone are a good value too at about $175. I think these are 18 oz but only 80-85% wool depending on how long they've been sitting in stock. The newest version is only 80% wool but still very warm.

Bemidji mills out of Minnesota makes great stuff at really reasonable prices.

Filson is the gold standard. Johnson Mills is awfully good as well.

Well, I'm on my second cruiser jacket from Johnson in the last 40+ years. Never wore the first one out, just outgrew it.

I have KOM that’s decades old and some Fisons also. My overall favorite wool pant is the Filson Whipcord. It’s a medium weight, tight-weave, hard textured pant. Doesn’t pill or snag or itch probably because the hard texture. Spendy? Kind of but but not so much considering they are 20 years old still holding a crease. I wear silk under them when cold and don’t with milder temps — gives me a wide temp range of comfort.

The Filson heaveryweights pants (24 oz) along with their Mac coat (24 oz) are for still hunting only; any movement and you’ll be well-done in an hour.

I liked the old Johnson’s too back in the day; much cheaper and with some synthetic blend in with the wool but they did seem to rip, or pill easier — just lighter weight.

My KOM’s are also decades old and some of the earlier pieces guaranteed not to shrink, shrank a whole size, but they replaced them. On the whole they are good garments and worked well when I bowhunted into the winter in IA and SD.

The thing is most of these would be considered quite expensive but when you consider they are still in good condition, much used, and look good, I don’t at all regret getting them.

For stand hunting, the heavy insulated Carhartt coveralls are pretty damn warm.

I like merino/poly blend base layers. Put on a wool sweater and some fleece bottoms over the base layer, Carhartt insulated caveralls = Toasty!


If you're hiking a bit, you'll sweat your azz off But they are great for sitting/standing in.

Husqvarna or no varna! You all suck! I'm awesome! Bowtomecouchfucks!


Baaaaaahhhhhh! (swinging helicopter arms)






Chainsaws?

Oh fuuck yuou know Dave you fuucker you!

I gained weight and spending money on bigger clothes made feel guilty, kinda dirty. I lost some weight and am back to my original size when I retired but still a fat fugg, I plan to lose more and will gladly buy smaller sizes.

Cabela's Wooltimate product is 77% polyester 23% wool. and a 4MOST WINDSHEAR lining. I would want the percentage reversed and want wind break on the outside.

For stand hunting in cold weather I use Cabela's insulated bibs and Woolrich Classic Wool coat. When the wind blows I put a Mount'n Prairie un-insulated wind breaker
blaze orange breakup parka on.

I love wool for cold outdoor stuff & Hunting! I buy vintage USA made wool stuff! also check out Asbells woo! l Large Plaids, Iv used Teresa Asbell wool Garmets the last few years Bow & gun huntiing, and have killed my 2 bigest Bucks while wearing her Wool as camo, blend in very well! and prices are very good! I sold alot of Sitka suff last year and bought Asbells wool!

Filson. Period.

Rarely EVER cold enough to wear my wool stuff here in TX, but when I do, it’s Filson. I usually hunt in my Cabela’s Berber Fleece with the wind stopper lining when it’s cold here. I really like how light and warm it is for the money.