I’ve got a moose hunt booked for Sept (Upper Alaska peninsula) I would like to get a pair of wool hunting pants. For those of you who like and wear wool, what his your favorite brand, style, weight. Thanks!

I don't know the weather will be, but If you can pick up a set of the old Filson wool whipcord pants, they are a favorite of mine for the October and early November in the Adirondacks.

My favorites used to be Army surplus M1951 wool trousers, but "outgrew" the ones I used to have and can't find them in my size. They are still out there if you search but sizes are limited.

My current wool pants are relatively lightweight wool whipcord that LLBean used to sell (but discontinued). They are probably about an 11 ounce fabric weight with a smooth finish. Fitted loose enough I can vary base layer weight to suit the weather.

Johnson Woolen Mills still sells an 11 oz whipcord wool pant, plus heavier weight pants up to 22 oz fabric weights. Many, many years ago when I wore wool pants exclusively for Adirondack deer hunting I had some of the Johnson 22 oz green wool pants. Great pants, warm, heavy. Johnson Wool

I've worn gray Filson wool ones for years. Great, durable pants.

Another vote for the Filson whipcord pants. I have two pairs and they are durable, comfortable, and work well for a pretty wide range of temperatures. When it tends to get colder, snow to deal with and/or long periods in a tree stand, I go to my Filson 24 oz bibs.

Another strong vote for Filson whipcords. Going on twenty, twenty-five years and won’t wear out. I wear alone or when cold silk longs underneath and that gets me covered across a big temp range.

This place sells good quality pants.[img]https://eglifarm.com/collections/work-wear/products/merino-wool-pants-80-wool[/img]

What size do you wear?

L.W.

I left wool pants in the drawer long ago.

Sure, lots of good points to them, but way heavier than I want to drag around when wet. And, they probably will get wet at some point.

I much prefer fleece hunt pants.

To answer the OP's question: Filson. I am all about their Mackinaw Wool bibs, but they're not exactly what I'd want for a Sep moose hunt. Late season trapping in 3-5 feet of snow: sure, but not for what the OP is wanting to do.

The whipcords do look intriguing. I may have to try some.

Yep.

For something comparable to wool, I've yet to find anything that tops these:
https://www.sporthill.com/mens-xc-pant/

Dry in no time, blocks wind and the comfort/freedom of a sweat pant.

What the OP is looking for is Filson Whipcord pants. Ebay is where you find them.

Wear them with suspenders slightly loose at the waist and a tic short in the inseam and you can move like a cheetah.

Leanwolf- probably 36x34

My wife is already too jealous of my ass. If I wore these she'd think I was just showing off.





I might get some.

Wow, those 3sp pants have gone up in price!

In that case - here ya be, and when you speak of me, speak well :

https://www.sporthill.com/mens-factory-second-3sp-xc-pant/

wool whipcords remain my favorite and Filsons are great. So we're/are the old Swedish Army whipcords and they were a softer and tighter weave.

I also have a pair of Filson's that have been in the family for decades.

Problem with surplus is that very few armies consist of pudgy old men. Used to have some Ike pants that were excellent, once upon a time.....

Years ago, my son looked at a pair of outsized Swiss camo pants I had and said, “No one that wears pants like that has any business in ANY army.”

Where are these made?

Good to have that link. Don’t currently need it as my 3SPs are still in good shape.

I haven't purchased in a number of years but all of mine say this:

I wore a pair of the Swedish army surplus whipcords on a late August-early September caribou hunt on the north slope and they served me very well.

Heavy wool pants don't work real well with ankle-fit hip boots.

Being cold and wet and miserable is an integral part of the unit 9 fall hunting experience, why cheat yourself, out of part of what you are paying for.

I have a pair of 32 oz old Bemidji Woolen Mills Bibs but they don't come out until it will be below zero around the clock. I have a couple of pairs of surplus German wool pants that are nice I buy the smaller than what I need then let out the rear seem so they fit comfortable and yet not be baggy. I have a pair of the 22 oz Johnsons waist highs and another really heavy weight camo bibs that I picked up but it hasn't been cold enough to ear them yet. I'm originally from northern MN hence the heavy wool clothing. I don't think I'll ever wear it down here but might head back to the north country for some deer hunting and ice fishing.

HUH?? .......... Designed in USA and assembled in El Savador.

Thanks, Pharmvet. I have a brand new pair of Woolrich Malone wool pants I bought several years ago which are 40 waist. I lost some weight so never wore them, nor did I have the cuffs hemmed. Thought if you were a 38 or 40 I'd make you a deal on them.

L.W.

I got mine here: https://johnsonwoolenmills.com and yes, used them in Alaska in the wet. Brought 2 pairs so one could almost dry by day's end. Got tops there too.

There's also a store in Upstate NY that sells wool clothing. Called Crossroads in Chester, NY.

The above suggestion about suspenders is straight on.

This: Johnson Mills. Made in Vermont, which is the state my people come from. I have used them for 40 years and they are my fave. That said, I have also used Woolrich and army surplus wiil (prolly WWII or Korean war vintage) with complete satisfaction as well. It's just that the Johnson Mills top my list. I also use the suspenders, and have also set up mine for braces by installing buttons on the waist inseam. Love 'em. .

I don't care for the newer synthetics: cold when wet and noisy in the woods.

Malone is what I wore in upstate NY for years.

No complaints.

L L Bean and Filson. The new fangled designer hunting pants made my Kuiu, Sitka etc are easier to climb in. I rotate them.

Filson are great, so are Cabela's washable whipcord

Thanks

Google up "Johnson Woolen Mills in Johnson,Vermont.You won't
be sorry. Great clothing.
Old Cuss

First Lite merino blend for me.

But if you want something the skeeters won't bite thru, get that heavy wool stuff . . .

Yea September can be hot and always wet wool will be heavy and wet. After it freezes and no rain wool is great.

I have a old pair of those Sporthill pants in camo. Great pants, but pretty warm. Now I only wear Kuiu Attack pants.

when i wear wool i wear autumwood outfitters wool which are no longer available and sleeping indian.have had sets of both for years.as good as anything or better for my experience.

When it’s really cold, I wear heavy fleece pants from Natural Gear. I also have a couple pairs of “German Wool Pants” I bought from Cabelas, when they sold stuff that was supposed to be military surplus. They’re good quality, but the rise in them is a bit short for me, and it took years for the smell of the mothproofing to dissipate. They do have sturdy pockets and suspender buttons.

My favorites are the German NATO wool field pants from back in the day, but the stocks of these have pretty much dried up. I also have a pair of L.L. Bean Maine Guide wool pants I bought about 12 years ago and a matching shirt-jac. The Bean pants and jacket also have a tightly woven Gore-Tex Windstopper liner (not waterproof Gore-Tex). The current ones have PrimaLoft.

I normally moose hunt from out of my place up in the Interior. In recent years, it's been staying warm longer and the wool has been a bit much. If I was going out to a camp for a few days, I'd take the wool, but operating from my up north house I'll just put on a pair of Duluth Trading fleece lined pants if the temps drop below the 30s.


LL Bean.Com

Woolrich Malones ebay is your friend when looking for them. I also like Woolrich Alaskan wool shirts, they are pretty heavy and I wear them a couple of months a year over fleece, here in Minneapolis

i hunted in fleece pants one time and it was one of the more miserable trips i ever took. i would hang them by the stove and still put on wet fleece every morning.

give me wool!!

Even though they stopped making them years ago you can always find brand new with tags in any size on ebay if you keep looking. I bought two pairs a few years ago and I think I paid $20 each.

Plenty of good advice. I would get a lighter pair of whip cord or twill around a 12 -16 oz. weight. I would also bring a light synthetic as a back up. Except for really cold use I like the insulation to be in the base and mid layers, the outer layer is to turn wind and light rain.

I wash my woolens in a soap with lanolin in it, there are several unscented ones made for wool diapers. I also spray the pants with Scotch Guard or Nik Wax wool proof. I think the Nik Wax works better and longer. After these two treatments wool will turn a fair amount of moisture before it gets soaked through. The treatments seem to make the wool absorb less water and dry faster than untreated. Do this in advance and air them for a week or so afterward, I take this opportunity to also spray my clothes with Sawyer permethrin for bug proofing.

The most critical item for most of the moose hunting I have done is a good pair of hip boots or waist high waders. I like the breathable type and wear with hiking boots that can stand to be wet. There are also several wading boots built like hikers, just make sure they fit with a neoprene booty and mid weight socks with a liner. Used to live in the ankle fit hippers but always had swamp foot, the breathable are much better and usually lighter too.

Wool pants work well inside of waders as they don't feel clammy when they get damp with sweat. If you are lucky enough to avoid the hip boots then good gaiters work well with wool pants. In heavy dew or light stream crossings it is the below the knee part that can get soaked through, gaiters will reduce or omit this problem. Get good suspenders too as mentioned before, I like the "X" ones better than the "Y" ones, more support and distribution.

Wow. 180* from my experience. Almost sounds like cotton fleece.

it was thick and heavy synthetic and held water like a sponge. the only difference between it and cotton was you were not trying to put on stove pipes every morning. surely a few of us have had that experience.

i have a pair of micro lites -very light wt. synthetics but i would not call it fleece. they are pretty good for medium temps and dry fairly easy.

the best advise is to seriously test what ever you choose so you know it works for you.

FirstLite makes good stuff if you’re looking for a more ‘athletic’ fit. I’ve got them & Johnson Mills (I live 20 mins from the factory) and yes they are very quiet, traditional and long lived but boxy & a bit heavier. As a Vermonter I’m not allowed to go into the woods without my JWM green/black plaid coat. Those Benoit boys created quite the legacy.

Check out Big Bill wool pants. They even offer brass buttons for suspenders. Good quality stuff.

Regarding the whipcord wool Filson pants mentioned several times...do they have cargo pockets and suspended buttons or is that only on the heavier wool pants?