Wool
09-21-16, 10:06 PM
#51
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The thing with wool is that like with any material, you need to know how to use it and what its properties are to effectively get the best use out of said material.
Wool is a natural fiber and like many natural fibers, it sucks up water. However it holds water in a way that it stays warmer than many other materials even when wet. But it still does absorb quite impressive amounts of water and as a natural fiber it dries really slowly when comparing to synthetic materials like coolmax or lycra for example.
Now while sport synthetics do get wet, they don't absorb the water into the fibers themselves like natural fibers do. This effectively means that synthetics dry and wick moisture quickly. The problem comes when there's no place for said water to go, ie. it can't evaporate or transfer to other layers and hence the water stays on the fabric making the person wearing them uncomfortable in the process.
This is why layering is important. You use a wicking layer (synthetic) as base and the absorbant natural fiber (wool or sometimes cotton) as mid or top layer so the moisture is removed from the skin surface and it still has a place to go. An old hiking tip from our challenging conditions is to use something extremely absorbant as top layer, such as cotton, and remove that immediately after stopping. That way you'll remove a lot of the moisture you've created by just removing a garment and don't have to dry up nearly as long.
Years of outdoors experience have convinced me that wool really isn't a good base layer next to skin. It's much better to use a synthetic to wick the moisture onto the wool or other natural fiber than to use the natural fiber as skin layer and have that moisture against the skin constantly as the garment slowly dries. Because wool really dries slow and even though it warms you even when wet, it's not nearly as good at it while it's dry, or when comparing to a dry synthetic.
Wool is a natural fiber and like many natural fibers, it sucks up water. However it holds water in a way that it stays warmer than many other materials even when wet. But it still does absorb quite impressive amounts of water and as a natural fiber it dries really slowly when comparing to synthetic materials like coolmax or lycra for example.
Now while sport synthetics do get wet, they don't absorb the water into the fibers themselves like natural fibers do. This effectively means that synthetics dry and wick moisture quickly. The problem comes when there's no place for said water to go, ie. it can't evaporate or transfer to other layers and hence the water stays on the fabric making the person wearing them uncomfortable in the process.
This is why layering is important. You use a wicking layer (synthetic) as base and the absorbant natural fiber (wool or sometimes cotton) as mid or top layer so the moisture is removed from the skin surface and it still has a place to go. An old hiking tip from our challenging conditions is to use something extremely absorbant as top layer, such as cotton, and remove that immediately after stopping. That way you'll remove a lot of the moisture you've created by just removing a garment and don't have to dry up nearly as long.
Years of outdoors experience have convinced me that wool really isn't a good base layer next to skin. It's much better to use a synthetic to wick the moisture onto the wool or other natural fiber than to use the natural fiber as skin layer and have that moisture against the skin constantly as the garment slowly dries. Because wool really dries slow and even though it warms you even when wet, it's not nearly as good at it while it's dry, or when comparing to a dry synthetic.
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09-22-16, 01:25 AM
#52
Senior Member
Actually, just a shade of meaning here. Wool doesn't warm you, either wet or dry. Your body does the warming. Wool acts as an insulator, but feels warm because it slows the movement of heat away from your body.
The issue for me all along is that the body needs to continue to warm the water (sweat) that remains in the fabric, whether wool or a synthetic fabric. The thing in my book that sets polypropylene apart from wool and Coolmax is that it is hydrophobic as a normal property, and transports water to another outer fabric without retaining it itself. It also has less thermal conductivity than wool, so is supposed to provide better insulation properties.
The issue for me all along is that the body needs to continue to warm the water (sweat) that remains in the fabric, whether wool or a synthetic fabric. The thing in my book that sets polypropylene apart from wool and Coolmax is that it is hydrophobic as a normal property, and transports water to another outer fabric without retaining it itself. It also has less thermal conductivity than wool, so is supposed to provide better insulation properties.
09-22-16, 09:18 PM
#53
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See, and this is the exact mindset I had when I started my winter biking "adventures". I just found that, unlike you, it doesn't work for me. While wearing a coolmax type baselayer it would still get wet and then if I stopped to change a flat, deice the cassette, etc. I would get cold real quick and it would take forever like 15 or 20 minutes of riding to warm up again. Yet now in the same scenerio with even a wool baselayer I will stay warm while stopped even if the wool is wet. To me that's the advantage and what matters to me. Of course I don't have to worry about my garments drying because I finish in a warm house. I guess if at the end of the ride I still am camping outside in the cold I would have to rethink my methods...
Perhaps wicking fabrics can cause a chill by evaporating water too quickly in scenario you mention. Scots sheepherders used to sleep outside in the cold rain wearing wool. I'm amazed by my dog's water-proof coat BTW: snow/sleet/rain doesn't bother her a bit.
10-12-16, 08:28 AM
#54
Full Member
Per a tip read on BF, I picked up a couple of merino wool sweaters from the local thrift store. This past weekend it was in the upper 50's and low 60's during the day. My day out was to a e-bike exhibit using bike and train plus a stop at the mall. I wanted to be warm but not overheat while riding and also comfortable when not riding. Since I was going to be around people, I also didn't want to smell. I tried out a light-medium weight wool sweater rather than going with a synthetic jersey plus jacket or civilian cotton shirt with jacket. And I made the right choice! Whether riding or not--outside or walking around in the mall, I was pretty comfortable. Sure, when the wind kicked up, I felt the breeze for a bit but then my body temperature would stabilize to a comfortable level again. The most impressive part was when I returned home, I did the sniff test and I barely noticed anything. There was a faint odor but it wasn't the sweaty jersey odor, but more like the very faint mixture of Dawn and wool (I wash delicates with original Dawn dish soap).
I'm definitely sold on wool for cool or cold weather cycling. For next summer, I'm going to experiment with very lightweight long sleeve cotton shirts/blouses. My arms are way over-tanned and I dislike the mix of sweat and enormous amount of sunblock. Hopefully a very lightweight shirt will mitigate the long sleeves in terms of heat. I'm going with cotton as it stinks a little less than synthetics. And there's no need to worry about getting cold from the moisture as the summers here are hot and humid all day and night. It's not like I'm riding in the CA desert where it's very hot during the day and the temperatures drop 20-30 degrees after sundown.
I'm definitely sold on wool for cool or cold weather cycling. For next summer, I'm going to experiment with very lightweight long sleeve cotton shirts/blouses. My arms are way over-tanned and I dislike the mix of sweat and enormous amount of sunblock. Hopefully a very lightweight shirt will mitigate the long sleeves in terms of heat. I'm going with cotton as it stinks a little less than synthetics. And there's no need to worry about getting cold from the moisture as the summers here are hot and humid all day and night. It's not like I'm riding in the CA desert where it's very hot during the day and the temperatures drop 20-30 degrees after sundown.
