Originally Posted by jimmuter
What's the difference between alpaca and merino wool? What the heck is smartwool? ... I see some that claim to keep you cool in summer and warm in the winter. How is that possible?
jimmuter, I don't see answers to these questions yet. As a knitter, I can't resist:
Alpaca is from an alpaca - an animal that gets sheared for its wool, just as sheep do. 100% Alpaca fiber is soft, but is almost too warm for garments like sweaters. It is nice for scarves or hats - where you want a lot of warmth from a small amount of fabric. My judgement would be that 100% alpaca would be too warm for socks, but if you're looking at a blend, then the alpaca will contribute warmth and the other fibers will keep the whole thing from being overwhelmingly hot.
Merino is a breed of sheep that produces soft, fine wool.
Here's more info than you may want about SmartWool, but it's interesting reading. (OK - to a knitter, anyway.)
https://www.smartwool.com/default.cfm Click on WHY SMARTWOOL.