Touring - Touring clothing - Wool

Since I'm getting into touring I will soon want to start looking at touring specific clothing that may make longer tours more enjoyable.

I am wondering how much, and what types of clothing you carry on tour. My first thought is to get a few pair of nice wool biking socks and (since I'm in a hammock) a nice thin wool jacket/hoodie. Any idea on the best options for these two would be awesome.

Opinions on wool vs synthetic?

I want to be ready for most conditions. Obviously if I tour in Florida it's going to be different gear than I carry in New York, but I've been in Florida when it's 50 degrees outside and not been prepared with what I carried. It made for a miserable trip.

Would your opinions of what to bring change if you were sleeping in a hammock with only a sleeping pad for insulation?

A little off topic, but how does everybody handle washing clothing on tour, I can find a water spicket, but how often and how to bring along soap, etc would be nice to know. I'm sure this also depends on weather.

I got gear before the back to wool trend heated up. So i got Patagonia's wicking
treated polyester stuff, and its still fine ..
even after the wool loving moths have made bare spots in my wool rug, at home..

soap. Dr Bronners concentrate goes a long way and if using a river, it is a bio friendly compound.

i bring betadyne surgical scrub, to keep my crotch skin clean
and use it on the bike shorts "chamois". another that a little bit goes a long ways..

under rain gear, sweaty wet polar fleece I can take off the fleece ,
whip it against something, fling off the excess water ,
then put it back on.

If you can't find adequate water and facilities to shower/bathe, baby wipes or similar are an excellent alternative to clean up the areas vulnerable to fungal outbreaks and bad smell -- arm pits, crotch and toes.

The need to bathe is often overstated, in my opinion, even though I will take the opportunities when presented. I lived in a backwoods shack for a year with Machka, and we would have a bath once or twice a week (although she would do her hair more often because of its length, and I am light-on there so it didn't matter much); we would use the baby wipes for a going-over in the morning. I was working physical labour in an orchard, which wasn't dissimilar to a long day's ride in term of physical exertion.

We also are fans of polypro garments for warmth, but we also use wool. We would probably put polypro ahead in practicality.

However, the one proviso here is if you are doing tours in really lousy weather and can stand the extra bulk, jumpers/pullovers in pure wool and aran or fair isle style are great. I used to wear them all the time in my early days of cycling and sailing, especially ex-Royal Australian Air Force issue, and miss them a bit now...

What I have done to wash my clothes is shower in them and use my Lava soap on them, stripping them off and rinsing them as I clean them. Ring them out, hang them up, and let them dry on the bike the next day. So far it's worked fairly well, but my trips are short enough that I don't know if it's a practice that can hold up over time. And, of course, it requires access to a shower.

Clothing choices for hammock vs. tent camping: I can't see that it would make a difference with this one caveat: make sure you have some sort of under-insulation outside of the hammock or else a pad inside that you can stay on top of. I find a sleeping pad in a hammock to be uncomfortable, and, given that I haven't slept in weather cooler than the 50s, I always tossed it out and just dealt with the cold when it was present. Other people have no problem with a sleeping pad, but many find that they need an extra wide pad or some extra insulation at the head end to widen the pad. Whatever you do, get your insulation figured out. It will be more important than what you sleep in. I have found that no matter how many layers I wear, whatever I'm laying on, clothes and sleeping bag, get compressed enough that there's no way around losing heat through the bottom. Once insulation is sorted out, dress like you were tent camping.

I prefer synthetic - dries faster, not itchy. I think this is one of those personal preference things, though, so you may as well get something you are interested in and try it out at home before committing to it on tour.

Wool here. Merino wool is not itchy, and wool in general works even when wet. I haven't tried all possible synthetic materials, but those that I have tried start to smell rather quickly. Not so with wool.

When I sleep in a hammock I always have at least light down bag in addition to sleeping pad. Our nights are just not warm enough for anything less.

--J

Synthetic for me as well. I very much prefer to avoid wool. I find it soaks up more water and dries much slower. I also find that for me at least, contrary to reports by some, it tends to stink more than most of my synthetic garments.

Washing... I take one type of soap for body, hair, dishes, and laundry. For me I find that baby shampoo suffices for all four. I rinse out my clothes in a sink or in a ziploc bag when I get the chance, but I do not worry if I have to wear them a few days without washing them. Some find they have problems if they put on damp shorts, but I have not found that to be the case so I can manage with one pair.

Merino wool is the way to go for jersey, leg & arm warmers and even night socks.

Synthetic for me as well. I very much prefer to avoid wool. I find it soaks up more water and dries much slower. I also find that for me at least, contrary to reports by some, it tends to stink more than most of my synthetic garments.



I once used a lot of Smartwool, but I'm going away from it. I find wool to be heavier and slower drying than the synthetic alternatives, and wool also develops holes and wears faster. I use wool socks, balaclava, and wool blend padded underwear, but I like soft polyester L/S T-shirts with zips like Patagonia's Capilene baselayers, I carry a lightweight (#2) and a midweight T-shirt by EMS. Combine those with an insulation layer and a rain jacket and you can cover a wide range of weather.

Smartwool PhDs for socks. Wear like iron, the thin ones are no warmer than cotton in heat.

I like merino wool jerseys for cool weather. They feel warmer to me after sweating (and I can get sweaty riding to work in 20 degree weather) than synthetic pile. And wet sheep smell is still vastly preferable to wet 2-month-old synthetic stink. The downside to wool is I've got a pretty hard cut-off at 80 degrees -- anything warmer than that and it's just too hot.

They feel warmer to me after sweating (and I can get sweaty riding to work in 20 degree weather) than synthetic pile. And wet sheep smell is still vastly preferable to wet 2-month-old synthetic stink.

I've tried a couple of different brands of polyester and found a big variation in stink factor and warmth. I have an EMS "essentials" shirt that has no pile and feels a bit clingy and definitely smells a bit after a couple of uses. The Patagonia Capilene equivalent performs and feels much like wool and is lighter and dries quicker than wool. The Capilene is also a lot harder wearing than merino wool. It might be moths or just my abuse of my gear, but my merino gets holes and at $80 for shirt I'm not prepared to spend that for something that develops holes after 6 months.

Tops:

Hot and dry -> Cotton
Hot and humid -> Techie stuff

Cool and dry -> Wool
Cool and wet -> Techie Stuff

Feet:

Hot -> Cotton
Cool -> Wool

Legs:

Hot/Cool/Dry/wet -> Nylon baggie knickers +- synthetic base layer
Cold -> X-country ski gear

Powder blue moth eaten 2-ply Cashmere sweater as a pillow. Priceless.

I've tried a couple of different brands of polyester and found a big variation in stink factor and warmth. I have an EMS "essentials" shirt that has no pile and feels a bit clingy and definitely smells a bit after a couple of uses. The Patagonia Capilene equivalent performs and feels much like wool and is lighter and dries quicker than wool. The Capilene is also a lot harder wearing than merino wool. It might be moths or just my abuse of my gear, but my merino gets holes and at $80 for shirt I'm not prepared to spend that for something that develops holes after 6 months.
I also have to say that I am impressed with Patagonia's capilene. I picked up a long-sleeve top at MEC last year, and it has been my go-to top on this trip when temperatures have fallen below 15 deg C. It washes well, doesn't pill, doesn't smell, is lightweight, and as you say, behaves a lot like lightweight wool.

I had lightweight merino jerseys about 10 years ago, and I slowly but surely put holes in them with my fingers as I pulled them on while my skin was still damp from showering or sweating. They were fine to wear, but I noticed they collected large amounts of sweat around the front that took quite a while to dry off when the ambient temperatures came down.

I also like lightweight polar fleece as an intermediate or outer layer. It does a really good job, in my experience, of removing moisture away from a polypro base. The French brand, Quechua, marketed by Decathlon, does these quite well and Machka is delighted to have picked up another one today for around $20 on special. Hmmm... there's another Decathlon close to where we're staying tonight so we might have to visit tomorrow. ;)

Tops:

Hot and dry -> Cotton
Hot and humid -> Techie stuff

Cool and dry -> Wool
Cool and wet -> Techie Stuff

Feet:

Hot -> Cotton
Cool -> Wool

Legs:

Hot/Cool/Dry/wet -> Nylon baggie knickers +- synthetic base layer
Cold -> X-country ski gear

Powder blue moth eaten 2-ply Cashmere sweater as a pillow. Priceless.
I think Machka might have a bit to say about the soft, warm wonders of cashmere or angora for things like socks...

I also like lightweight polar fleece as an intermediate or outer layer. It does a really good job, in my experience, of removing moisture away from a polypro base. The French brand, Quechua, marketed by Decathlon, does these quite well and Machka is delighted to have picked up another one today for around $20 on special. Hmmm... there's another Decathlon close to where we're staying tonight so we might have to visit tomorrow. ;)

I find fleece to be bulky, so I go with a Marmot DriClime Catalyst jacket as my insulation layer. The nylon shell blocks the wind and the soft lining feels good against the skin. It's amazing how warm it is for the weight and packed size.

I use Smartwool socks but only because I have them for hiking. They performed very well on my last tour when I hit snow on the passes in the North Cascades. The rest of the trip they mainly took up space, but also did well against mosquitoes later in the year. The rest of my clothing is multiple layers of nylon or polyester. I can wear all my clothes at the same time, so nothing is duplicate. I rinse them out every chance I get, using whatever soap is handy at whatever sink I use, or no soap at all in streams. I carry a bar of motel soap but hardly ever need it. In hot weather I make sure to do that daily, and usually put them back on wet. Every five to seven days a real washing machine and detergent is nice. Sunshine is a good UV source to sterilize the chamois shorts.

I only have one night in a hammock and it was the coldest above-freezing night I've ever spent. There's a learning curve to hammocking. Ditto the note about under-insulation.

I think Machka might have a bit to say about the soft, warm wonders of cashmere or angora for things like socks...

Guilty as charged my fav are 34% Angroa, 33% Wool, 33% nylon dress socks from Cape Mohair SA. http://www.capemohair.co.za

I used Icebreaker's Merino Wool Shorts on a 30-day tour. They were amazing. They never smelled near as bad as my buddy's stuff, and in the rain they were just the right amount of warmth. I bought a merino wool t-shirt, but that I couldn't wear. 100 degree heat was fine on the thighs, the bike shorts did not feel too hot one single time. The T-shirt, however, did. I wore an Under-Armour t-shirt, the fitted heat gear kind instead.

When it rained, I rolled on Smartwool Arm Warmers. They were so warm and comfortable, even when soaking wet the fabric still felt "dry" and I stayed warm and comfortable. Also, Merino wool socks, hands down.


At night, I slept in midweight merino wool crew and tights from Smartwool. Warm, comfortable, and odor-free all summer (It got cold in the White Mountains).


So yeah, +1 for Wool but I do not suggest a wool t-shirt in the summer.


P.S. My icebreaker pants got a tear from some bushwhacking in the woods, totally my fault. I called Icebreaker and they replaced them for free, and sent me stickers and coupons!!

I've completely converted to wool clothing for both on and off the bike wear on tour. The only non-wool piece I use is Lycra riding shorts. I have written an article explaining my choices (http://www.biketouringtips.com/showTipComments.php?tipID=1948)and how I came to be a wool-only bike tourist.

Essentially, wool can be worn several days without washing, allowing me to carry less gear. It is completely comfortable, works in a wider range of temperatures, and dries overnight.

I find fleece to be bulky ...

I am now carrying two fleece tops on this tour ... one is a jacket, which I've had since 2007, and one is a pullover style which I just picked up yesterday. I got both from Decathlon, and the reason I got them is because they are so light (weight) and pack down quite small. The Decathlon shop we visited yesterday had the heavier fleece tops as well which don't interest me.

If you look around at sports shops (like Decathlon, MEC, etc.) you can often find a variety of choices.


And yes, I go with cashmere or angora socks. I have been able to pick up these at places like Walmart and Sears, often in late winter, for very inexpensive prices. I don't think I've paid more than $2 for a pair of cashmere or angora socks. For some reason they don't seem to sell particularly well so they put them on sale quite often. I've no idea why they wouldn't sell well because they are so much better than the usual 6 pack of cotton socks places like Walmart sell. I wear my cashmere or angora socks for work, for working out in the gym, for long walks, for cycling ...

I find fleece to be bulky, so I go with a Marmot DriClime Catalyst jacket as my insulation layer. The nylon shell blocks the wind and the soft lining feels good against the skin. It's amazing how warm it is for the weight and packed size.


Marmot Driclime has replaced fleece as a midlayer for me as well. It's far, far more versatile and works well as an outer layer in many conditions. A Marmot Driclime top is amazingly warm for the packed size.

I've packed fleeces and wool sweaters too - Polartec powerstretch fleece is pretty compressible for the warmth but it has no windblocking at all.

I do ride in wool cycling shorts and jerseys, and socks while on tours. I've used wool in Hawaii, i've used wool in California, I've used wool in the Midwest. I think its okay if you've got the right weight of wool. In the southeast I'd probably use a seersucker top. Texas, perhaps a snapshirt :D

However, for ultralite packing i've found a spare set of wool cycling togs to be a bit bulky. I am considering packing spare synthetic clothes to wear riding in on wash day, but usually wash consists of a pair of cycling clothes hanging off the back of the bags while wearing the other set, so I've always brought spare wool clothing.

I think wool rocks in almost every condition except when it gets totally overwhelmed by water in a rainstorm or by immersion.

Wool is almost always comfortable and dryfeeling, with a lot less evaporative cooling when stopped. This is crucial IMO when touring in cooler climes, shoulder seasons, or winter.

I wear wool, cotton or soft fleece depending on the time of year and the conditions. I typically wear wool socks all year round.

Fleece doesn't absorb much water and dries quickly. Most of the high tech dri-wick fabrics are uncomfortable to me, so it is wool below about 80*f and cotton above that. If it is hot and humid I typically wear a vented back cotton cloth shirt like the Columbia PFG. I have been experimenting with bamboo fabric shirts and the results are promising.

Aaron :)

I find fleece to be bulky.
I find that if I have the correct sized stuff sack it can be compressed pretty small.

Everything synthetic except for wool socks. Drys faster. Zero cotton. Laundry: wash in sink using shampoo. Wring well. Lay out flat on a towel. Roll up towel tightly. Stand on one end of towel, twist the other end until it twists into a snail shape. Repeat, standing on the other end and twisting the opposite direction. Synthetics will be dry by morning. Wool socks not, but they'll dry on your feet before you hit the road. Towel means this can only be done in a hotel or hostel.

We carry two sets of jerseys and shorts. It's possible to wear them each two days, so that gives 4 days max between washings. We also carry undershirts and arm and leg warmers. These also have to be washed when they get unendurably stinky. We've found laundry to be the biggest problem on tour. Everything else is just normal bike riding and camping. Bike touring is unique in that it is a self-contained daily athletic program which involves daily interaction with other people (you hope).

We put everything made of fabric that we aren't wearing in compression sacks. We don't use any fleece or pile. We live in the PNW, so we're used to the ambient. We're mammals, after all.

Synthetics can be laundered and, more importantly, dried in machines. Lycra actually does better in a dryer than if air dried. The elastomer is refreshed and the clothing is doesn't bag as much.

I've never had a problem with finding laundry facilities on tour. Lots of public campgrounds have them...more in the East than the West...and almost all hotels have them. Spending an hour or so in a coin-op laundry isn't all that bad either.

Synthetics can be laundered and, more importantly, dried in machines. Lycra actually does better in a dryer than if air dried. The elastomer is refreshed and the clothing is doesn't bag as much.

I've never had a problem with finding laundry facilities on tour. Lots of public campgrounds have them...more in the East than the West...and almost all hotels have them. Spending an hour or so in a coin-op laundry isn't all that bad either.You must not have toured in Central or Eastern Europe.

. We don't use any fleece or pile. We live in the PNW, so we're used to the ambient. We're mammals, after all.

:roflmao: what, pray tell, do you use for insulation -blubber? fur?

I only use wool when I tour, and laundering is no problem, since their pre shrunk they can be used in a dryer if you want to speed up drying time. Wool won't stink anywhere near as fast as synthetic. Also synthetic has a way of locking in stains wool won't do that. Wool will feel better against your skin too. Read all the Wool posts and you'll see this is correct. Most people that tour ride wearing wool, that has to mean something.

try this place: http://www.sierratradingpost.com/s~wool-jersey-cycling/?perPage=24

You must not have toured in Central or Eastern Europe.

No, I haven't but I was talking about the eastern US. Juggleaddict was asking about Florida and New York which aren't in Europe. If he goes to Europe, he'll have to make adjustments for their Third Worldedness.


I only use wool when I tour, and laundering is no problem, since their pre shrunk they can be used in a dryer if you want to speed up drying time. Wool won't stink anywhere near as fast as synthetic. Also synthetic has a way of locking in stains wool won't do that. Wool will feel better against your skin too. Read all the Wool posts and you'll see this is correct. Most people that tour ride wearing wool, that has to mean something.

try this place: http://www.sierratradingpost.com/s~wool-jersey-cycling/?perPage=24

Synthetics haven't had an odor problem since garment manufacturers stopped using polypropylene. I have old wool garments that are right gamey. I also have old synthetic that have no odor at all and never had.

As for 'most people that tour' using wool, it's not something that I've observed. Nor does 'wool' as a generic fabric necessarily feel better against your skin. There are good wool and bad ones. The bad ones are, literally, hair shirts and extremely uncomfortable. I've never worn any synthetic that was even slightly itchy. Can't say the same of the wool clothing I've owned.

Most people that tour ride wearing wool, that has to mean something.

I have definitely not found that to be the case. Folks I have met on tour have generally worn mostly synthetics.

I have definitely not found that to be the case. Folks I have met on tour have generally worn mostly synthetics.

I don't know for sure what other tourists wear, but given the expense of wool and the far greater number of synthetic clothes I see in stores I would assume synthetics are more widely worn than wool.

The big problems I have with wool are the high cost and the poor durability of lightweight merino. It feels nice so I stick with merino socks, balaclava and merino blend underwear, but I just darned some holes in the balaclava and I've only worn it for one winter.

Over the decades I have used wool from the scratchy scourging variety, then to merino wool in the early seventies and still use those tops and tights for cooler seasons and elevations. I tried synthetics in the mid-80's but was not impressed due to stink. Back to wool again as lighter merino t-shirts and hoodies entered the market. Wool has upper temperature limits but most of my touring is at higher elevations and cooler climates.

I only know that it works for me so far. If it should no longer work for my touring routes I will remember the synthetic products mentioned and give them another try.

I looooove my long sleeved, tall zippered collar merino wool top, such a versatile garment. Wore it all day today with a high of 16 or 17c, and rode in a light rain too and it works so well as an underlayer or with just a cycling jersey on top of it. Certainly doesnt smell like my polypro stuff, but I am more careful with it cleaning and hanging to dry, so when touring I could see it being a bit more tricky, just to make sure it stayed in good shape, didnt get stretched or whatever.

I ride in thin synthetic t-shirts and bike shorts, a cotton bandanna and have one pair of synthetic socks and one pair of wool/synthetic which even has a bit of cotton. Synthetics dry much faster and are much cheaper. I can live with the smell but I'm embarassed if I'm in close quarters with others for too long, which rarely happens on tour. The one thing that reeks is my cotton bandanna. There's a huge variety of synthetics and that can make it difficult to find the right one. Cost isn't a gauge of comfort. My favorite have usually been the cheapest that feel "porous" to the touch, almost like an utrafine sandpaper. Some have a softer feel but are marginally thicker so they dry more slowly and stick to the skin when wet, giving that plastic bag feel. I have a Patagonia Capilene which I hate. It feels like a plastic bag even when dry.

I have thin wool long underwear (top and bottom) for camp and will wear it for riding if gets cold, but if I expect to need long sleeves often for riding, I'll bring an extra synthetic long sleeve top. I find that "aired out" wool stays "fresh" but wet wool or clothes that aren't aired out like socks and briefs/boxers are just as bad as synthetic, maybe worse. Now I bring one pair of Ex Officio Give-N-Go boxers. They're ultra-thin and dry fast. (Ex-Officio makes great travel clothing) I have a pair of nylon short without liner. I find nylon doesn't smell as bad as polyester and the liner is what keeps the smell. Other than that, I bring a zip-T Polartec 100 fleece for cold nights and morning, and as pillow cover. I also bring thicker wool socks which are mostly used as camera padding and a thin synthetic hat.

For me, it comes down to wet = synthetic, dry = wool or synthetic (greater choice, cheaper).

For washing, I use camp suds. I wash my bandanna, shorts and socks in the shower, use the day's shirt as towel, then wash it in a sink.

I have definitely not found that to be the case. Folks I have met on tour have generally worn mostly synthetics.

It is a mixed bag, a lot of people do wear synthetics because it's cheaper, but I find a large percentage of the die hard tourers use wool. Now I haven't met everyone in the world that has toured, but it seems on the expedition side of touring I've heard they use mostly wool. Short distance touring people tend toward synthetics. Like I said, that's just the flavoring I got from people I've talked to.

It is a mixed bag, a lot of people do wear synthetics because it's cheaper, but I find a large percentage of the die hard tourers use wool. Now I haven't met everyone in the world that has toured, but it seems on the expedition side of touring I've heard they use mostly wool. Short distance touring people tend toward synthetics. Like I said, that's just the flavoring I got from people I've talked to.

My experience is with folks, usually on long tours, in the continental US (Trans America, Southern Tier, and Pacific Coast) so that may slant my observations toward that locale. Other routes I have toured I didn't meet many other riders so it is hard to judge.

BTW: I am not buying that they made their choice because it is cheaper. A lot of those folks had top dollar everything and were still wearing synthetics.

No, I haven't but I was talking about the eastern US. Juggleaddict was asking about Florida and New York which aren't in Europe. If he goes to Europe, he'll have to make adjustments for their Third Worldedness.


You never fail in cracking me the **** up, you should get out more...

If he goes to Europe, he'll have to make adjustments for their Third Worldedness.Nono, that's just the UK, not the whole of Europe. Separate taps for hot / cold water, wall-to-wall carpets in bathrooms, wrong side traffic... Definitely the UK. They brew lots of good beer, but they drink it all come winter because there's no central heating.

My experience is with folks, usually on long tours, in the continental US (Trans America, Southern Tier, and Pacific Coast) so that may slant my observations toward that locale. Other routes I have toured I didn't meet many other riders so it is hard to judge.

BTW: I am not buying that they made their choice because it is cheaper. A lot of those folks had top dollar everything and were still wearing synthetics.

There was guy who wrote a weird little book called The Bike Bag Book, this guy was weird. The book was about how to tour on less then $10 a day, so he goes through this process of explaining how to tour cheap, but he then tells you what kind of equipment to buy, all top dollar stuff, from $3800 bikes (these prices are 1981 prices!), to expensive tents and bags and clothing etc. I guess I a hard time trying to figure out if someone is spending $3800 in 81 just for the bike why would they be interested in trying to spend less the $10 a day while out touring? Needless the say the book didn't do well.

There was guy who wrote a weird little book called The Bike Bag Book, this guy was weird. The book was about how to tour on less then $10 a day, so he goes through this process of explaining how to tour cheap, but he then tells you what kind of equipment to buy, all top dollar stuff, from $3800 bikes (these prices are 1981 prices!), to expensive tents and bags and clothing etc. I guess I a hard time trying to figure out if someone is spending $3800 in 81 just for the bike why would they be interested in trying to spend less the $10 a day while out touring? Needless the say the book didn't do well.

Pretty funny.

Over the decades I have used wool from the scratchy scourging variety, then to merino wool in the early seventies and still use those tops and tights for cooler seasons and elevations. I tried synthetics in the mid-80's but was not impressed due to stink. Back to wool again as lighter merino t-shirts and hoodies entered the market. Wool has upper temperature limits but most of my touring is at higher elevations and cooler climates.

I only know that it works for me so far. If it should no longer work for my touring routes I will remember the synthetic products mentioned and give them another try.

A high proportion of mid 80s synthetics were polypropylene. Polypro is very stinky due to a quirk of the fabric. It absorbs oils and makes a great substrate for bacteria to grow on those oils. Wool also absorbs oils but it's not a good substrate fro bacteria growth. Modern synthetics are polyester based...think just about any piece of clothing that isn't cotton...and are usually treated to obtain the properties that work well for exercise clothing.


It is a mixed bag, a lot of people do wear synthetics because it's cheaper, but I find a large percentage of the die hard tourers use wool. Now I haven't met everyone in the world that has toured, but it seems on the expedition side of touring I've heard they use mostly wool. Short distance touring people tend toward synthetics. Like I said, that's just the flavoring I got from people I've talked to.

I've had two 'expedition' tourist stay with me this summer and I did my own expedition tour. None of us wore wool. I saw several tourist on my trip...it crossed parts of the TransAm...and none of the ones I saw were wearing wool. Wool just isn't that prevalent any more, mostly because the care and feeding of it is more difficult than synthetics. I've had lots of wool in the past and it not as simple to launder as synthetics are.


BTW: I am not buying that they made their choice because it is cheaper. A lot of those folks had top dollar everything and were still wearing synthetics.

Same here. Most people choose synthetics because it's available. They usually ain't cheap.

Nono, that's just the UK, not the whole of Europe. Separate taps for hot / cold water, wall-to-wall carpets in bathrooms, wrong side traffic... Definitely the UK. They brew lots of good beer, but they drink it all come winter because there's no central heating.

Juha, I had to tell you that you made me laugh with that. My sister lives in the UK in an old house with no central heating, single pane.windows so makes your line both funny AND true!

I've had two 'expedition' tourist stay with me this summer and I did my own expedition tour. None of us wore wool. I saw several tourist on my trip...it crossed parts of the TransAm...and none of the ones I saw were wearing wool. Wool just isn't that prevalent any more, mostly because the care and feeding of it is more difficult than synthetics. I've had lots of wool in the past and it not as simple to launder as synthetics are.


When you say "not as simple to launder," are you saying that it just doesn't dry fast, or you have to lay it flat, or something else? How much of an issue do you think this would be? The only case I can really see where this may be a problem is getting caught in multiple days of rain and not having a backup for warmth.

I'm guessing that I would tend to wear synthetics for most things, but I really see the benefit of having a thin wool jacket and maybe some wool socks. (Probably mainly used for sleeping)

It seems really hard to generalize "wool" now that I have read a lot of these. "Wool" can mean many things.

Any specific pieces of clothing someone can identify?
I was really looking at this: http://www.llbean.com/llb/shop/64381?feat=merino-SR0&page=merino-wool-hooded-sweatshirt and it looked like just the thing for a cozy night's sleep

Also, anybody have a breakdown of how many of each clothing item they would take on a multi-week tour?

Also, anybody have a breakdown of how many of each clothing item they would take on a multi-week tour?

2 synthetic t-shirt
2 pair of bike shorts
2 pair of ankle socks, one mostly synthetic, the other syn/wool
3 bandanas. One for riding, one for dishes and one spare for anything, mostly camera padding and lens cleaning. Anything that is not worn often is used as camera padding at some point.
1 pair of shoes (Merell Moab)

wind jacket
rain jacket
rain pants
shoe covers
helmet cover
thin polypro gloves but I should bring some with more wind protection

1 pair of Ex Officio Gine-N-Go boxers
1 pair of nylon shorts
1 zip-t polartec 100 fleece
1 thin wool long underwear (top)
1 thin wool long underwear (bottom)
1 pair of thicker wool socks
1 thin tuque
1 baseball cap
1 rain hat because my stupid rain jacket doesn't have a hood. The hat is nicer than a hood in camp though.

Most of gear is the MEC house brand (Mountain Equipment Coop). That 's how you recognize canadian travellers, they're decked out in MEC gear. :p On an autunm tour, I add a thin synthetic turtleneck top, wind pants and might replace the thin wool socks with thicker synthetic socks.

Also, anybody have a breakdown of how many of each clothing item they would take on a multi-week tour?
On a 33 day Southern Tier from San Diego to Sarasota. A low temperature of 18F and a high in the 90s. My list varies some depending on the trip. That said the following sufficed just fine:
Bike shorts 1
Bike socks 2 pr.
Tights 1 pr.
Jersey 1 Short sleeved
Warm shirt 1 Immersion Research Worn on or off the bike
Tee shirt 1 UA Heat Gear Worn off bike
Down vest 1 Cabelas Used as pillow
Bike hat 1
Cap 1 Warm
Rain jacket 1 Sierra Designs Worn on and off bike
Rain pantst 1 Sierra Designs Worn on and off bike
Running shorts 1pr.
Bike shoes 1 pr.
Crocs 1 pr. Worn off bike

That all came in a 4 pounds 4 ounces. The Crocs came up missing and I didn't really miss them and it cut 10 or 12 ounces.

When you say "not as simple to launder," are you saying that it just doesn't dry fast, or you have to lay it flat, or something else? How much of an issue do you think this would be? The only case I can really see where this may be a problem is getting caught in multiple days of rain and not having a backup for warmth.

All wool garments can be thrown in the dryer but some may come out several sizes smaller:rolleyes: I've had wool knee high socks that were inadvertently dried and they came out like crew socks...for a child.

Wool does hold water a bit more so just laying them flat may not be enough time to dry. If you live or tour where humidity is higher, this can be even more of a problem. As a general rule, wool does need to be treated a little more gently when cleaning than synthetics do. Many people treat their synthetics as if they were wool but they stand up to washing and drying very well and, in the case of lycra, even like the heat. Don't use fabric softener on most synthetics as the fabric softener can ruin any surface treatments that may have been applied to the fabric.


I'm guessing that I would tend to wear synthetics for most things, but I really see the benefit of having a thin wool jacket and maybe some wool socks. (Probably mainly used for sleeping)

That's a personal preference and dependent on where you are going to be touring. Here in Colorado having something warm for in camp is more important than in North Carolina, for example. I usually just layer clothing to get extra warmth. If you can block heat loss via a wind resistant barrier, you'll go a long way towards keeping warm even with light clothing.


It seems really hard to generalize "wool" now that I have read a lot of these. "Wool" can mean many things.

Wool is fiber made from the hair of sheep. There can be lots of blends and lots of treatments which have an effect on how you clean the wool but 'wool' is still fiber from the hair of a sheep. The treatments are what cause the problems and make laundering them more difficult. Some are machine washable and machine dryable and others aren't. You really don't want to dry wool garments in a clothes dryer that aren't made for that. The magic of super shrunk wool clothing wears off quickly;)

Also, anybody have a breakdown of how many of each clothing item they would take on a multi-week tour?

I've listed my clothing choices for our trip on the Around the World We Go thread ..

http://www.bikeforums.net/showthread.php/828769-Around-the-World-We-Go/page4

In that whole list, I've got one top in merino wool, and the only reason I brought it was because my coworkers bought it for me as a going away present. I was kind of going back and forth between some long-sleeve tops I own, debating what to bring, and when I was presented with that top, I decided I would bring it. I've used a similar merino wool top on tours before, and it is nice.

Also, anybody have a breakdown of how many of each clothing item they would take on a multi-week tour?

I take

3 pairs of lycra biking shorts
1 short sleeve wool biking shirt
1 long sleeve wool biking shirt
1 cotton overshirt for off bike use when cold
1 pair nylon zip-off pants
2 pair quick dry underwear
2 pair wool socks
Rain coat
Rain pants
2 head sweats
1 bandana
2 handkerchiefs
1 pair biking shoes
1 pair off-bike shoes (usually running shoes)
1 synthetic undershirt for use on very cold days (rarely used)

If I am camping and the nights will be cold, I take a pair of silk long underwear.

Most of gear is the MEC house brand (Mountain Equipment Coop). That 's how you recognize canadian travellers, they're decked out in MEC gear. :p
So true :)

That being said, I've been slowly converting to wool. I have a long-sleeve SmartWool shirt from steepandcheap.com, an icebreaker t-shirt that was swag from a "triathlon", a variety of wool socks, and thin long underwear from MacPac in New Zealand. They all vary in quality. The icebreaker shirt is without a doubt the best... it still looks brand new after being worn every day for a month and a half straight, as well as being used for running and backpacking.

My touring/backpacking clothing list now looks like:
- Bike shorts (biking only)
- Liner shorts (biking only)
- Synthetic tights (biking only)
- Icebreaker T-shirt
- Smartwool long-sleeve
- 2 pairs wool socks (one thick, one thin)
- MEC midweight fleece jacket
- MEC hiking pants
- Rain pants, jacket, booties, and gloves
- Biking gloves
- Thin MacPac merino toque
- Thin MacPac merino tights
- Buff multifunction headwear (more triathlon swag, but turned out to be incredibly useful)
- Down jacket
- Cotton long-sleeve t-shirt for sleeping
- "Barefoot" Merrell shoes (super light and comfy)

Depending on the time of year, I'll either bring my -3 or -12 down mummy bag (from MEC, of course!).

My most essential clothing item is the down jacket. Even in the height of summer, it can still drop down to 4-5 degrees in the mountains when the sun goes down.

My most essential clothing item is the down jacket. Even in the height of summer, it can still drop down to 4-5 degrees in the mountains when the sun goes down.

We decided to carry down jackets on our trip. It was a new addition for me, and at first I was sceptical. But we have used and appreciated them on several occasions.

One of the things I didn't like about some of my previous tours was getting into camp after a long day of cycling ... and then freezing as the sun went down. I'd feel so cold and uncomfortable. But being able to slip into the down jacket now is so nice on a chilly evening.