Winter Cycling - Wool

where's a good place to shop for wool clothing?

Ibex makes incredible stuff. Warm, comfy, durable. Damn expensive. Smartwool does more than just socks and can be found discounted sometimes. Though generally not for cycling, Filson has some remarkable wool goods as well. In any case, just remember cheap wool is often no fun to wear.

I'm a big Ibex fan, but I can only afford their stuff on sale. They have weekly specials as well as an outlet store. They have a website at www.ibex.com (http://www.ibex.com).

Having never worn wool until last winter, I've learned that some non-merino wools are very dry and itchy and need to be broke in like jeans. The oils from your skin seem to soften the fibers and once broke in, they're wonderful. One sweater was just too itchy so I just rubbed lotion on the sweater, and let it sit for a day or two and then washed it. And that worked well.

I'm considerin the Ibex Breakaway tights but they don't appear water resistent (and I'm worried they'll bind around the knee). Anyone know about these tights?

MEC had some nice Merino wool stuff for reasonable prices, especially if you can get it on sale.

Otherwise, you can check your local thrift shops and see what they might have in the way of wool. A good thick wool vest, for example, might be just the thing on a cold winter's ride.

I'd buy wool skivies new, from Ibex, Smartwool, Devold, Filson. A company called Mountain Gear in spokane and on the web often has smartwool tops on sale, also the Ibex sale section like someone else mentioned

mid layers at the thrift stores. Look for a "%100 merino" label in vintage goods for no itch.

I have a SmartWool med. wt. tee-shirt. Its comfy, has held up through several washings, is great for casual riding and in that capacity it wicks sweat suprisingly well. I'll probably order a couple more.

P.S. Which cycling jerseys use elastic at the arm cuffs and waist?

For shirts (Zip-T LS), IMO Smartwool is softer than IBEX, and can go through the dryer instead of hanging. REI has a house brand that sells for half the cost of the other two, and is almost as soft as the Smartwool, and still softer than the IBEX. I won't hesitate to continue wearing the IBEX, but wouldn't buy again (other than the Shack Jacket I really want). I wouldn't hesitate to get the REI items again.

In terms of socks, again REI is cheaper and just as soft (though not as fancy styles) as Smartwool. Costco is selling 4 packs of Merino Wool medium weight wool socks for the cost of one pair of REI (~$10). I haven't tried personally, but am told they are just as soft as REI, and they look like they were made by the same manufacturer as REI. I wore the REI socks day in and day out last winter; it was my feet's favorite winter ever.

I just checked the web sites for Ibex and Smartwool...man that stuff is expensive! :(

Australia?

Australia what?

thanks everyone, i think i'm going to splurge for some ibex. i'm a pedicabber and will be out all winter here in nyc. hoping wool really does "keep you warm even when wet".

I know it's been said already but check your local thrift shop and save BIG bucks. I just picked up two very nice wool sweaters for a total of $14. There were so many wool sweaters I had a hard time choosing.

I know it's been said already but check your local thrift shop and save BIG bucks. I just picked up two very nice wool sweaters for a total of $14. There were so many wool sweaters I had a hard time choosing.


Exactly ... because a lot of people buy, or are given, wool sweaters because they are supposed to be high quality, etc. ... but then they discover that they are allergic to wool, or it is uncomfortable, or it takes too much effort to clean it, or whatever ... and so a lot of them show up in thrift stores.

http://www.sierratradingpost.com for deals, as well as http://www.backcountryoutlet.com and http://www.altrec.com/shop/dir/outlet/ for clearance specials etc.

I just picked up a less half price icebreaker 'olympia zip' from ems.com. Woot!

Anyone know how to recognize SmartWool while at a thrift store? Is SmartWool super thin?


Exactly ... because a lot of people buy, or are given, wool sweaters because they are supposed to be high quality, etc. ... but then they discover that they are allergic to wool, or it is uncomfortable, or it takes too much effort to clean it, or whatever ... and so a lot of them show up in thrift stores.

Smartwool is thin, mostly, but it's a brand with a little stick figure type logo:

Hmmmm, I'd love a few pairs of wool socks!

Hmmmm, I'd love a few pairs of wool socks!

So go to your local Walmart and pick some up!

IMO Kodiak are the best, I've got three pair and I live in them all winter, but they tend to be a little bit pricey (~ $5/pair), however any old work socks will do.

I know it's been said already but check your local thrift shop and save BIG bucks. I just picked up two very nice wool sweaters for a total of $14. There were so many wool sweaters I had a hard time choosing.

I also picked up 5 sweaters of various thickness and weight for $3 bucks each at a local Goodwill. I will admit, not all of them are very stylish, but they are very warm.

What kind of fit would you guys say smartwool tops have? What about Ibex tops? Are they sized to be worn loose or more form fitting?

they both make T-shirt type looser garments as well as close to skin. id recommend everyone treat themselves to a nice new, close to skin long underwear top from either smartwool or Ibex. I personally think Smartwool longjohn tops are pretty durable, they don't make any cycling specific tops. for SS jerseys, and winter Knickers, Ibex is great! and good softshells as well....

for itchless performance at the thrift stores, look for the "%100 merino" labels. trust me on this one.

Ibex is great! and good softshells as well....
.

My Ibex softshell is my most worn item of outerwear, both on and off the bike :)

Ok well I'm mixing up washable wool with SmartWool. SW IS probably washable in the washing machine. But how can you tell if a no-name brand can go in the machine? Drier?

if its a new garment it will have universal care symbols. i think the circle with the dot in it means washing machine. I'd never dry my wool in the dryer, but smartwool brand tops can go in the dryer no problem as well. i doubt any other wool you'd find at the thrift store would be machine driable.

Check out these wool washes:

http://www.eucalan.com/productinfo.html
http://www.kookaburraco.com/

Usually it's good to air dry.

thanks everyone, i think i'm going to splurge for some ibex. i'm a pedicabber and will be out all winter here in nyc. hoping wool really does "keep you warm even when wet".

I can vouch for wool keeping you warm when wet. Many synthetics (fleece, etc.) do too, and will hold less water (so they don't get as heavy and dry quicker) but they also get stinky faster too. (and you want those big tips!)

For new school wool socks, I've tried REI and EMS house brands, they cost about the same, but after many wears and washes the EMS socks are holding up a bit better.

I just picked up two merino wool sweaters for $6 each from my local thrift shop. They are beautiful!! :)

I'd highly recommend checking the thrift shops!!

thrift shops are the best, and merino is the best too. merino wool is very fine--merino sheep have been bred for thousands of years to have finer and finer hair--so it's less itchy. alpaca is also very hypo-allergenic (hardly anyone is allergic to alpaca) and has a lot or all of the same qualities as wool except that it can be more expensive. it's hard to get wool to hold onto B.O., so you can wear it for a bunch of days without washing it if it isn't "soiled."

if a wool garment doesn't feel very soft to you, sometimes you can use conditioner on it and it will help:) that's a knitter's trick.

if you can't find what you're looking for at a thrift store then the next step could be target; they sell men's merino sweaters for 20-30 bucks as it gets further on in to winter (check for sales because the prices vary wildly). i hate buying from target-style stores but i do love their sweaters.

I stick to SmartWool. I don't have the time, patience, or apartment space to dry the amount of wool I go through in between when I have time to wash it between cycling and snowboarding.

Another good source for cycling-specific wool:

http://www.kucharik.com/

Just got some wool socks, Wigwam and smart wool for $3 each. They were on clearance at Dick's sporting goods. Most of the other socks were closer to $15. Not sure why those two were on clearance, but I bought them up. Very soft, warm, and comfortable.

+1 to the thrift store idea

I just got three merino wool sweaters at the goodwill store for $16. Thanks for the advice to buy the wool at a thrift store. I saw the store on my way to the hardware store and figured I would give it a shot. I was quite surprised at the number of wool sweaters they had. About every 7 sweaters was made of wool. Most of it was scratchy, but I found three that were soft, merino and in my size. It took me all of ten minutes. Totally worth it.

Cotton are permanently banned from my feet. They dirt into abrasive rags almost as soon as you buy them. Polyester is OK in warm weather. It has the same wicking properties and seem to do OK. For dry comfort ... wool is king. My sock drawer is filled about 90% full with wool. Smartwool makes up the dominant portion.

I've been told that Bridgedale is more durable. My experience so far tells me this is the case. But they put more synthetics into their socks. My Bridgedale hickers are VERY warm but slightly clammy. The Smartwool and Carhardts keep the feet dry and comfy. My Smartwool socks seem to be lasting about 3-4 years before they go threadbare. That's good enough in my book.

To the guy who got Smartwool for $3 each at Dick's ... I hate you. I bought some at Gander for $10 and thought I got a real bargain. I can never find the cheapo wool socks at Cosco. Woe is me.

To the guy who got Smartwool for $3 each at Dick's ... I hate you. I bought some at Gander for $10 and thought I got a real bargain. I can never find the cheapo wool socks at Cosco. Woe is me.

Yeah, I was shocked. As far as I can tell they were a discontinued line. The smartwool was xl. I am a woman with a size 8 shoe, so XL socks sounded way too big, but they actually fit just fine. I figured for that price, I would buy them anyway and just hope they would fit.

I thought IBEX's sizing ran a little small, Smartwool seemed closer to the stated mark. I prefer it to be a good tight fit, but last years XL's that are now loose on my Med frame make wonderful pullovers... ;)

are the wools that ibex and smartwool use weaved in a special pattern which makes it different than a plain merino sweater?

Thin cashmere and merino sweaters make good undershirts in the winter, and good tops in coolish weather. Again, the thrift shops are your best bet. Always keep your eyes open, and snap them up when you see them. Don't worry how they look since nobody's going to see them!

last year i used a thin merino wool sweater vest from bananna republic as my base layer.

I wore some cashmere lined leather driving gloves from Banana Republic all last winter, and they were great. I got them on sale too.

Ibex makes incredible stuff. Warm, comfy, durable. Damn expensive. Smartwool does more than just socks and can be found discounted sometimes. Though generally not for cycling, Filson has some remarkable wool goods as well. In any case, just remember cheap wool is often no fun to wear.


+1 X3 I wear items from all 3 ,today was a Smartwool zip neck shirt and a Filson mid weight zip neck sweater, yesterday an Ibex zip neck base layer and their Breakaway jacket, as for their high price, always keep your eyes open I have never paid retail, I always watch for what I want on sale. This stuff does not itch.

are the wools that ibex and smartwool use weaved in a special pattern which makes it different than a plain merino sweater?

The weaves probably do differ from a "plain merino sweater" depending on the sweater, but more importantly the fibers differ. Smartwool, for example, filters out the courser merino fibers, and I can certainly tell a difference. At the recommendation of the above posters I picked up a second hand merino sweater over the weekend. It's nice and I'll certainly wear it, but not as a base layer - it was too itchy for that - I wore it with a silk base layer and still noticed the itch around the collar, but maybe I'm just extra sensitive. If you do a Froogle search you should be able to find the LS Zip-T's for ~$40 when on sale. Last year the sales seemed to really kick in around the weekend after Thanksgiving.

If it's too itchy it may need breaking in. At the spot that's itcy, rub some cream on the wool. When the whole sweater is itchy, I just take the thing off and rub a layer of olive oil on the whole sweater and let it sit for about 15mins then gently wash it. I imagine you could use Pam cooking spray also.

After one wash...the super itcy sweaters (like boiled wool), are pretty much itch-free except a spot or two. For those, I just rub hand cream on that spot and wear it anyway. Your mileage may vary esp. if you're allergic to wool.

I've picked up a handful of wool things cheap from www.sportsmansguide.com in the military surplus (http://www.sportsmansguide.com/search/search.asp?c=2&k=wool&a=browse) area. Very cheap and mostly good stuff. Watch out for used stuff though. Some may be abused. They also have an eVent rainjacket (http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=270340) now from Teva that is very reasonablly priced. And some nice merino wool (http://www.sportsmansguide.com/cb/cb.asp?a=160414) socks that are a bit thin for winter riding but layer well.

I found a couple thin (but warm) sweaters at TJ Max last year for about $15 each.

I also vote for the military surplus stores. They've got all sorts of wool items for cheap. Plus they look cool too, if you're into that OD style. I picked up a sweet German sweater with the sholder pads and flags on the arms for under $20.

Smartwool is good but I love Ibex wool for cycling (plus, a lot of their gear is US made, which is nice). I have a pair of Ibex's El Fito wool cycling knickers and live in them in the spring and fall.

http://www.ibexwear.com/F06/Products.php?Type=Outlet&Gender=Mens&OutletGROUP=Tops

- Breakaway jacket and vest rock.

I understand Merino wool is great as I picked up one at the thrift and I used it yesterday @47F as a base layer against the skin with a long sleeve polyester as an outer layer and it was nothing short of awesome. However, what about Lamb's wool, virgin wool, and shetland wool? They have several of these at the thrift, but no more merino.

I like all wool, but non-merino makes me itch. So I just make sure it doesn't touch my skin. Another good thing about merino, it's so fine a lightweight layer can be made: to avoid overheating!

I like all wool, but non-merino makes me itch. So I just make sure it doesn't touch my skin. Another good thing about merino, it's so fine a lightweight layer can be made: to avoid overheating!

You can try to "prep" the wool by rubbing olive oil on the inside of the sweater. Esp where the sweater may be tighter, like on the arms and elbows. The Boiled heavy sweaters seem to be the driest. Maybe they do something when it's manufactured that removes the natural oils in the wool?

Let the sweater sit for about 15mins to an 1hr. Then hand wash it gently. When you wear the sweater, it'll still be itchy in some spots. You can just rub some cream on the sweater at that itchy spot. After a wash or two, the sweater is no longer itchy -- unless maybe you're allergic.