# Survival > Survival Kits & Survival Products >  Wool v. Polyester

## Young_prepper

Which is dries faster, which is a better insulator, and which is more breathable. Any other comments or ideas are greatly appreciated. Thanks! :Thumbup1:

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## Mischief

You need to learn how to use the search function >>>-------> Wool is KING

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## welderguy

> You need to learn how to use the search function >>>-------> Wool is KING


 Ditto and Ditto > Just saying

 now finding the right wool thats the challange

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## crashdive123

Young Prepper - You need to find what works for you under the conditions you plan on using them.  For natural fibers - wool and silk under garments are great.  There have been a lot of advances in polypropylene, and the perform very well.

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## GreatUsername

I think each has advantages. 

Polyester:
Pros:
Always warm, lightweight for how insulative it is, easy to wash, durable for its weight, less bulky than wool, breathes well
Cons: Sometimes too warm for hot conditions, melts and burns skin if exposed to flame, isn't as good as wool when wet, thin fabric is not always desireable

Wool: 
Pros: Comfortable in warm or cold weather, very durable when dry, insulates even while wet, fire resistant, provides good padding when needed
Cons: hard to wash, somewhat fragile when soaked, bulky/heavy

My preference is for wool, as the ability to insulate while wet is paramount where I live. I don't mind the weight because I tend to like the feel of heavy clothing anyways. My only main issues are with wool's tendency to be damaged or shrunk by washing incorrectly. I do however use polyester shirts as undershirts sometimes, because wool shirts are kind of... scratchy. Experiment with some of each, figure out what you like!
cons:

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## Mouser

> Which is dries faster, which is a better insulator, and which is more breathable. Any other comments or ideas are greatly appreciated. Thanks!


Wool , but the problem with it is, you need to keep it dry.

Name's Del Gue, with an "e".

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## Young_prepper

Alright, wool is heavier but better overall. What's this about different types of wool?

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## BENESSE

> Alright, wool is heavier but better overall. What's this about different types of wool?


We swear by the 100% Merino wool undershirts. They are soft, warm, very thin and feel great against the skin. 
_Stoic_ is a great brand but _Icebreaker_ and _Ibex_ are just as terrific and I own those as well. They come in short & long sleeves, zippered and not and all sorts of combinations and people just rave about them.
Shop sales and think of them as an investment. We wear them as base layers and also just by themselves, probably 10 months of the year. They wash and dry well, don't stink and are 
http://www.backcountry.com/stoic-mer...ng-sleeve-mens
http://www.backcountry.com/stoic-mer...ng-sleeve-mens 
http://www.backcountry.com/icebreake...rt-sleeve-mens

Be sure to read the reviews!

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## BENESSE

> We swear by the 100% Merino wool undershirts. They are soft, warm, very thin and feel great against the skin. 
> _Stoic_ is a great brand but _Icebreaker_ and _Ibex_ are just as terrific and I own those as well. They come in short & long sleeves, zippered and not and all sorts of combinations and people just rave about them.
> Shop sales and think of them as an investment. We wear them as base layers and also just by themselves, probably 10 months of the year. They wash and dry well, don't stink and are 
> http://www.backcountry.com/stoic-mer...ng-sleeve-mens
> http://www.backcountry.com/stoic-mer...ng-sleeve-mens 
> http://www.backcountry.com/icebreake...rt-sleeve-mens
> 
> Be sure to read the reviews!


Of note: 
Manufacturer's Warranty: LIFETIME!

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## Young_prepper

So is wool good for summers to? (i.e., 90-100 and humid)

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## PineMartyn

In warm weather, I hike, backpack and go canoe-tripping in quick-dry synthetics.  They are light, pack small, offer good UV protection, hold up well when hiking through dense bush and best of all, they dry quickly.  They also offer better (but not perfect) protection against mosquitoes than any cotton, and they keep you cool when it's hot and are surprisingly good at keeping you warm against cool winds.  

The two biggest downsides are that the true quick-dry garments tend to be pricy name brand products (eg: Royal Robbins, Sierra Designs, Columbia) whereas the lesser brands (eg: Misty Mountain) don't dry nearly as fast; and the other downside is that, if you're not careful around open fires, you can get pinholes in them from spitting embers.  If you use a camping stove, that's never a concern.

This is how I typically dress in summer:
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In cold weather or when winter camping (I'm an igloo camper), I go with wool.  Except for my underwear, (which are quick-dry Tilley brand or a cotton-poly blend) and a fleece/nylon vest, it's wool all the way: 100% wool socks, 100% merino wool base layer (though I also own some good wicking poly base-layer), 100% heavy wool pants, 100% wool shirts of various thickness, 100% wool sweaters, 100% wool mitts, 100% merino wool glove liners.  

The advantages of wool in winter are very many: Wool is unequaled for venting moisture and heat to prevent overheating and sweating.  So-called breathable textiles such as Gore-Tex do _not_ breathe well in cold temperatures.  Wool also offer excellent insulation for it's weight, is comfortable, is highly resistant to spitting embers around fires, it prevents snow from melting onto you (except in very wet snow conditions).  It's also a very quiet fabric; synthetic winter jackets, coats, and pants all make loud rustling and swishing sounds with every move.  The downside of wool is that in very windy conditions, it won't block out wind unless made from there very densest wool fabric, so one should have a light, over-sized waterpoof shell for rainy days and harsh windy conditions.  When wool is soaking wet, it takes a long time to dry, but because it breathes so well, it will dry right on your person by your own body heat if it's merely a little damp.  It also night-dries beautifully in your sleeping bag at night.

This is how I typically dress in winter:
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Hope this helps,
- Martin

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## PineMartyn

> So is wool good for summers to? (i.e., 90-100 and humid)


This is something I have yet to try myself, but I have a friend who camps in summer, even when it's hot, in a pair of very light wool pants.  He swears by them. 

Despite his strong endorsement of light wool pants in summer, I have not tried it because I prefer pants that have zippers around the legs so that I can convert them to shorts and thus don't have to carry a pair of shorts as well as pants.  But I have other misgivings, such as how easily mosquitoes can bite through light wool, how long wool pants would take to dry if they got soaked in a rain, etc.  I do a lot of canoe-tripping and often am wading in water up to my knees, so quick-dry clothing is an absolute must for me.  If you've ever been on a 10-day canoe trip in the back country where it's rained for days on end, you won't want anything other than quick-dry clothing.

Perhaps others who have worn wool garments in summer can shed light based on their own experiences with them.

Hope this helps, 
- Martin

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## Mouser

> So is wool good for summers to? (i.e., 90-100 and humid)


Only if you are watching 'midnight sun'.

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## Mouser

> Perhaps others who have worn wool garments in summer can shed light based on their own experiences with them.


You would be  a fool to wear wool in the summer.

Not down this way anyways.

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## GreatUsername

It works here. Part of that is how wet wool works though... if you get it wet, especially in humid conditions, it will stay damp, but it won't make you cold when the temperature drops. However, wet wool is rather comfy in hot weather, at least to me. I may just be strange though.  :Punk:

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## finallyME

> Which is dries faster, which is a better insulator, and which is more breathable. Any other comments or ideas are greatly appreciated. Thanks!


First, I will compare polyester fleece, to a wool sweater (loose yarn weave), and then a wool blanket shirt (tight yarn weave).  A polyester fleece will dry much faster, is lighter.  Breathability is about the same with the fleece and the wool sweater.  the blanket shirt will breath a little less, but not so much that it would be a problem.  In fact, in a stiff cool breeze, the cold air will go right through the fleece and sweater, and not so much with the wool blanket shirt.  That is a good thing.
Wool is more comfortable though.  If it scratches your skin, then wear a thin layer under it.  It makes a great outer insulation. My experience shows that it keeps me less clammy.  My feet feel dryer with wool socks.

My clothing system is actually almost identical to PineMartyns.  I wear quick drying nylon in the summer and late spring, early fall, then as much wool as possible in the winter.  Summer insulation is always polyester fleece.  That is more weight than anything, as I am usually backpacking.  In winter, I have a sled, so weight isn't as much a concern.

Wool has different grades.  The higher the quality, the less it scratches, and the more expensive it is.  Good merino wool won't scratch you.  Most base layers made from wool are merino, and cost a fortune.  For base layers, wool is the best, if you can afford it.  It is so thin that it doesn't weigh much.  Polyester is the next best base layer material.  Polypropylene is the third best.  You have to be careful when washing your wool or PP clothing though.
I frequently go to the thrift store and look specifically for wool clothing.  I have found a lot of great stuff that way.

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