I don’t think he’s going to be happy unless the Virgin Mary comes down to shear the sheep and knit the pants herself, I’m not sure how she’ll get the 15% nylon though… Maybe Amazon?
Wool clothing
- Thread starter Wanna_track_well
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Wanna_track_well
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it's not about biting the bullet, for price, it's about getting the right pants to do the job, abuse wise. Other than Wolfshed showing a pic of a brushy feild but asking me what do I mean by when I say, "when wet"?
Hal just shared this....
So you can see, I needle Hal, but it took awhile to get the info. Also if anybody is interested, he revealed his source of wool.
Johnson $239 for thier Spruce green virgin wool 85/20
Bloods are $218... a little cheaper but at least he gives me the low down on his pants, and communication means alot to me !
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I’m going to say this first.
I’ve done NOTHING other than give you my experience to HELP you.
Then you call ME out for your lack of communication skills!!?
I don’t have Hal’s 20 years experience with a pair of pants. I have FOUR as I stated more than once.
The picture of the field was accompanied with the statement;
“This is some of the brush that I work through hunting.
And, this is not the thickest by any means. We have a lot of wild rose around here and they will shred you while passing through. I avoid that at all costs but there are time when you are in it before you realize it.
I hunt probably 3 days a week on average for the season, and this is wear I hunt most, in this public land area.
So, for four years my big bill pants have held up very, very well.”
It was to give you an idea of what I’ve hunted through on a regular basis- some context.
After I post this your reply is;
“The Johnson Cruiser I believe is thicker than the Jac shirt. As far as your Big Bills or Johnson..... what about when they are wet ?”
How am I supposed to respond to that? YOU haven’t given ME enough information to respond!
And You say “and communication means alot to me !” ??
I know all about Virgin wool and recycled wool.
I’ve heard Hal Blood talk about his “woolies” and how “cotton will kill”, I know that minus 33 manufactures his pants and jackets, or a least they used to. I also know that his clothing is approaching $400 for his jacket. Mine was $280.
Trust me I didn’t go in blind and I did do my research.
I have purchased within my budget, and it is working for me. I tried to help give you my experience so that you could be able to make a better informed decision based on actual experience and you’ve acted as though I was attacking you.
These are my four year old pants that have been busting through the brush in the picture and more. They’ve been wet, dry, snowy, etc….
I don’t care if you get a pair or not, but now you know that I’ve used these A LOT for four years and this is what they look like!
For approximately $100-150.
Do as you will. I am done here.
I wish you the very best!
Wanna_track_well
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I thought about how they perform when they get wet question was asked a couple of times.... and you finally answered that question now, and I appreciate that answer. It does make sense when even the best pants get wet and how they might pull, but if they are tightly woven it doesn't and might take a loong time. Looks like $160 big bills hold up fine verses the $445 Filson most definitely, but 4 years I guess is a good deal for 160 bucks. Four years, sounds good, but I did watch a video of a guy showing unstitched areas of the inside the pockets, and around the fly button hole, completely missed, poor craftmanship as far as I'm concerned, ya think? Maybe just one that got away, IDK??.... I always see what you get is what you pay for. Got a Johnson Cruiser coming for $125, used, MINT.
Hem
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Sent you a pic of me wearing my Johnson pants from last year.
Here is a pic from 20 years ago, same pants.
Hunted all day on the mountain, up and down, -10, wind, deep snow. Shot this bull at 20 yards in the timber at last light.
You aren't going to tear these pants on brush, thorns, brambles. If you sit in the snow they will get damp. After 20 years I have replaced the button at the waist. They are frayed on inside of the cuff at boot height. I suppose they are not quite as dense. Little tight at the waist now.
I soak them every couple of years to remove blood, They smell like hunting pants.
Can't offer any more testimonial.
Here is a pic from 20 years ago, same pants.
Hunted all day on the mountain, up and down, -10, wind, deep snow. Shot this bull at 20 yards in the timber at last light.
You aren't going to tear these pants on brush, thorns, brambles. If you sit in the snow they will get damp. After 20 years I have replaced the button at the waist. They are frayed on inside of the cuff at boot height. I suppose they are not quite as dense. Little tight at the waist now.
I soak them every couple of years to remove blood, They smell like hunting pants.
Can't offer any more testimonial.
Wanna_track_well
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Guess I shoudn't judge all others based on LL Bean pants that have four tear repairs. I take it Johnsons are more tightly woven. I had a pair that were way to small and they didn't seem denser than these LL beans, but I don't have them to compare now.... gotta ask the guy I sold them to to bring them in so I can take them home to see. Just curious.
When You say they won't tear, I'll take your word for it.
When You say they won't tear, I'll take your word for it.
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Benfromalbuquerque
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That Ebay mackinaw is a helluva steal! IMO, they’re all good. Pendleton, Johnson, LL Bean, Woolrich make terrific wool layers. Most of the stuff is incredibly durable and can be passed to grandkids. Wool base layers 100% merino is the way. It works even on sunny days and better for odor control than any synthetic.
I found these bibs a couple years ago and they’re my primary cold weather bibs now. Hunting, ice fishing, wore them snowboarding and snowshoeing too.
www.bigbill.com
I found these bibs a couple years ago and they’re my primary cold weather bibs now. Hunting, ice fishing, wore them snowboarding and snowshoeing too.
100 Wool Woodmans Bib
Heavyweight 28 oz wool bib made in Canada for extreme cold. Water-repellent, odor-resistant, and built tough for forestry, hunting, and outdoor work.
www.bigbill.com
Wanna_track_well
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wound up settling on Johnson Adirondacks 24 oz. And am looking into Merino base layers. Someone said minus 33, but what is the difference in brand as long as they are 100% merino ?That Ebay mackinaw is a helluva steal! IMO, they’re all good. Pendleton, Johnson, LL Bean, Woolrich make terrific wool layers. Most of the stuff is incredibly durable and can be passed to grandkids. Wool base layers 100% merino is the way. It works even on sunny days and better for odor control than any synthetic.
I found these bibs a couple years ago and they’re my primary cold weather bibs now. Hunting, ice fishing, wore them snowboarding and snowshoeing too.
100 Wool Woodmans Bib
Heavyweight 28 oz wool bib made in Canada for extreme cold. Water-repellent, odor-resistant, and built tough for forestry, hunting, and outdoor work.
ebay link....100% Merino
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Wanna_track_well
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Those trousers are 24 ounce, heavy for trackin. Guess just the plain green trousers will do. Called Johnson about lighter than 24.... the 11's are popular with tracking up there. They did mention Northwoods 1842 11 oz, windbreaker, 100 % virgin wool, a two fer. A little tighter fit, but then they steered me to the Herringbone, for the traditional fit, looser to suit me, for movement. I could deal with 24 ounce but I don't want to over heat.Sent you a pic of me wearing my Johnson pants from last year.
Here is a pic from 20 years ago, same pants.
Hunted all day on the mountain, up and down, -10, wind, deep snow. Shot this bull at 20 yards in the timber at last light.
You aren't going to tear these pants on brush, thorns, brambles. If you sit in the snow they will get damp. After 20 years I have replaced the button at the waist. They are frayed on inside of the cuff at boot height. I suppose they are not quite as dense. Little tight at the waist now.
I soak them every couple of years to remove blood, They smell like hunting pants.
Can't offer any more testimonial.
I new to Wool clothing, never wore them before in my life. To buy an expensive pair or more than one pair to wear for a week is hard for me, considering I only ever spent maybe 40 -50 buck for Levis or Walmart Wranglers at 20 bucks. I'm Cheap and basically never had the money to buy wool hunting pants just for hunting, to sit in the attic until next year, it's kinda like a culture shock relatively speaking. This is a totally new learning experience for me, so please excuse the ignorance. I wasn't brought up hunting, and only get out once a year for a week and not have any exposure or very little comradery at all. Most of the people I rub shoulders with are just as clueless as me. Any exposure are with guy who sit and wait for the most part. Do they get bucks ? Yeah and no..... the last cabin I went to last year they bragged about all the immature racks on thier wall. Just wanted to help clear things up and reading about Larry Benoit is helping some. He doesn't mention in depth about what brands at all, but did mention about his Johnson jacket (they always used and still use virgin wool). Nothing about virgin wool but I'm sure when he hunted early on it was. I wouldn't have been introduced to virgin wool if it wasn't for Hal Blood.
Ok.... so tonight I wore my base layer Red Head Elite with my LL Beans and Muck boot artics. It took roughly a mile and a half to get toasty at a fast walk but then I switched out to my Damart base layer and it took a little less time. The Damarts are 50% Polyester and 50% Acrylic. The Red Heads are 100% Polyester fleece. I wore both last year with my Wrangler chapped pants and still had an chill that was on my mind. Tonight once I was toasty I only felt a slight cut of wind at 32 degrees every now and again, enough to distract me, but wasn't bad.
What should I expect from a base layer for cutting wind and it doesn't seem 11 oz LL bean cuts well enough. I was contemplating going to 24 ounce Johnson, or Filson. I heard 18 is a good number.
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Wanna_track_well
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when you say most of the stuff.... which ones ! LOLThat Ebay mackinaw is a helluva steal! IMO, they’re all good. Pendleton, Johnson, LL Bean, Woolrich make terrific wool layers. Most of the stuff is incredibly durable and can be passed to grandkids. Wool base layers 100% merino is the way. It works even on sunny days and better for odor control than any synthetic.
I found these bibs a couple years ago and they’re my primary cold weather bibs now. Hunting, ice fishing, wore them snowboarding and snowshoeing too.
100 Wool Woodmans Bib
Heavyweight 28 oz wool bib made in Canada for extreme cold. Water-repellent, odor-resistant, and built tough for forestry, hunting, and outdoor work.
Hem got me settled, I guess, on his Adirondacks. They are heavy 24 oz trousers. I would say they cut wind. We get a blast through our little town we live in to see. I just don't want to get something to thick and die of heat exhaustion ! LOL
Wanna_track_well
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on the Contrary, I am getting an education.. some here some on another forum. I was wrong about the weight of the wool, base layers is key and I have been using the wrong ones, some people say, and I tend to believe them now, but..... something I have to learn.. that someone said.. as for the virgin wool, I need to stop wasting money every year on clothes I don't need because I don't know what I'm buying.
Wanna_track_well
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Never tracked but sorting out clothes line, first, but have used Huntstand, I know the area fairly well. Thanks
Benfromalbuquerque
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Now it’s been said if a man aimlessly wanders in circles enough he will eventually kill a deer with any method of take including a vehicle. Like the typewriter monkey writing a bible. Ask me how I know.
Wanna_track_well
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I have been aimlessly walking around.... looking for deer, yes. And after last year I think I had enough feeling like a dope coming out of the woods with nothing, and other guys saying and doing the same thing. Out of the group next to me a son and father in thier tree stands usually nail nice 8's every year, but the rest nada ! Most of the guys in my motel I stay at do the same thing and all come out empty handed, with the exception of a few locals. It's hit and miss. I lucked out with one rutting 8 and one 6 in the last 20 years. At least I'm not alone..... Last year a father and son have small punie racks hanging in thier cabin. And how they killed them was the dad sat on a lawn chair while the son walked the ridge.
And the father kept bragging about how many deer they killed on that mountain. "We killed aloooot of deer on this mountain. What can be more ridiculous than having to listen to such HS ? What's so challenging about killing immature buck ? The 6 I killed walked up on me while I was sleeping sitting against a tree. Nothing rewarding about that.. or the 8 was rutting up the ridge on a estrous wick next to my 8 foot stand and because his head was down he didn't see me, they say love is blind? Noting rewarding about those two either. Even though they are mounted I just don't have a rewarding feeling about that. I sit on my Kester all night, given time off, sick time, decent raises, 3 day holiday weekends, work 2 or 3 hours out of 8, and just pull trash at a USPS process and distribution plant, rewarding? Not in the least.
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CowboyLeroy
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I have exactly zero experience with wool outer layers, how well do they do against the wind?
Wanna_track_well
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I recently foung a pair of pants from Johnsons called Northwoods 1842 a little tighter fit though. An outer shell that breaks the wind but an inner 100% vigin wool lining. They also have a jacket with the same name.
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Dougfirtree
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They vary tremendously, based on the tightness of the weave and whether they have a lining.
Wanna_track_well
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And you aren’t convinced that base layers are the primary contributor to keeping the chill off your body and the wool keeping you warm.
