If 100% wool blankets need dry clraning, why do people recommend them?

[ukknifer]

Hi
I am still thinking about getting a 100 wool blanket and found that the sites say dry clean only.
Isn't this against the philosophy of wilderness items?
Why do people recommend wool blankets if they need so much care?

 

[Magnaminous_G]

First of all, you don't have to dry clean wool; they just recommend you dry clean. The reason why is because you can't wash it with regular detergent in a regular cycle; that will hurt the wool and distend your fabric. You can hand-wash or gentle-cycle wash with Woolite and dry on the line. Wool is superior for several reasons:

1. warmer than almost anything except a few synthetics
2. wicks moisture and sweat better than almost anything except a few synthetics
3. unlike those few synthetics, however, it resists odor and mildew naturally and it won't melt and stick to your skin if burned

The only problem with wool is the itching and irritation on the skin, but that's only the cheaper wool. The high quality, descaled, ultrafine wools do not--I repeat do NOT--itch or irritate. Get a wool t-shirt and a pair of wool socks and wear them for a week. You'll never go back to cotton or synthetics. As for a wool blanket... pure luxury. Make sure you spend the moolah and get a name-brand blanket made with fully descaled ultrafine wool. I forget what it's called, but it's something like a few microns.

 

[baldtaco-II]

1] I believe first and foremost it is an image thing. We know it isn't performance because that can be measured and compared against other things that can be measured. I strongly suspect it fits in when folks factor in an image they want to project – they want to look all retro. I don't think that's particular to the woolies though. Sometimes I think you can carve folk up quite easily like the village people, and if something doesn't fit “the cowboy”, “the ninja”, “the indian” or whatever they are blind to other factors, or at least attenuate them to make dismissal easy. Then there's the plain old “because that's the way that daddy did it” and appeals to authority that way.2] A second factor is they are cheap and tough if you look in the right places. For example soft[ish] lambs wool blankets were often used as nothing more than packing in the glass industry to lay between sheets. Crates of that old packaging can be found if one knows where to look.

 

[foxx]

Another thing about wool, it's antibacterial qualities are excellent. I have wool jackets that I've never drycleaned, they smell fine to me. I don't roll around in the dirt, or sweat in them. Blankets, right on the ground, may need to be cleaned more often. I would still use a ground cloth if not a tent, hammock, etc. to keep them off the earth.
Wool is flame resistant as well, sleeping next to a fire in synthetic material could be risky, depends on how many embers become airborn.
The old military surplus blankets are rugged, itchy, heavy, and smell, imo. Plenty of other places to buy nicer made ones, Pendelton Mills for example. Or, like mentioned by bald taco ii, find some old lambswool packing blankets.
I wear wool on my person, but I prefer my Kifaru Woobie over a wool blanket. I don't sleep next to the fire, and my Woobie is water resistant, dog hair resistant, large, light, packs small, and is just fits my needs.

 

[Boomer...]

First of all, you don't have to dry clean wool; they just recommend you dry clean. The reason why is because you can't wash it with regular detergent in a regular cycle; that will hurt the wool and distend your fabric. You can hand-wash or gentle-cycle wash with Woolite and dry on the line. <snip>

+1 -- what he wrote...
Did you see this earlier thread?: http://www.bladeforums.com/forums/showthread.php/905221-Thick-Wool-Blankets

As I stated in Post #19, I bought several surplus army wool blankets at closeout prices. Not intended as home bedding, but as a topper for my RV bedding plus extras for emergencies. I machine washed them all several times on gentle cycle with Woolite (to remove mothball odor), then line dried in the sun with a freshening breeze. They all came out fine - especially the nicer Italian ones (brown with tan stripe) of higher quality. This type of wool blanket is thick enough to not distort shape when laundered as described.

 

[PayetteRucker]

that's an incredibly broad statement and is usually only true for ancient milsurp stuff, which is made from cheap wool to begin with, or very expensive designer products, which aren't built for the woods anyway. I've slept on my swiss wool blanket for two years now, and it does such a good job of shedding dirt, debris, sweat and oils you don't have to wash it. Wool fiber is naturally impregnated with lanolin oils which keep it from soaking up odors and liquids. That's one of the reasons why it's so awesome.

Wool is recommended so much because it insulates so well. It retains 90% of its insulating value when wet, whereas most synthetics lose 90%. This means your chances of hypothermia don't increase if you're sweating. It's awesome for start-and-stop activity. It also breathes much better than any synthetic or natural fiberous material I have yet to find. Via osmosis it brings water content to the top where it evaporates very rapidly. This makes it much more comfortable to wear than synthetics-instead of swimming in your own grossness all day, like you would in a goretex shell (breathable, yeah, but compared to what-a garbage bag?). I bailed on my 1200 dollar Kokatat drysuit for a Helle Hansen baselayer set. All my whitewater buddies thought I was nuts until they tried it, and realized they liked it better than pouring brownish sweaty putrid fluid out of their drysuits at the takeout. If you've ever spent 7 days in a drysuit and had to deal with skin rashes and acne, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Synthetic fibers would NOT be practical for that type of activity because again, the minute it gets wet it's completely useless.

Wool is also incredibly fire resistant. Try sleeping next to a longfire in the winter wearing fancy expensive shells. All it takes is one little floating ember to punch a hole in your expensive garment or sleeping bag and render it useless-that is, if it doesn't start you on fire and shrink wrap your body in a cocoon of plastic. Pick up a 20 dollar Swedish surplus sweater and you'll instantly experience the benefits of wool.

 

[baldtaco-II]

that's an incredibly broad statement and is usually only true for ancient milsurp stuff, which is made from cheap wool to begin with, or very expensive designer products, which aren't built for the woods anyway. I've slept on my swiss wool blanket for two years now, and it does such a good job of shedding dirt, debris, sweat and oils you don't have to wash it. Wool fiber is naturally impregnated with lanolin oils which keep it from soaking up odors and liquids. That's one of the reasons why it's so awesome. Wool is recommended so much because it insulates so well. It retains 90% of its insulating value when wet, whereas most synthetics lose 90%. This means your chances of hypothermia don't increase if you're sweating. It's awesome for start-and-stop activity. It also breathes much better than any synthetic or natural fiberous material I have yet to find. Via osmosis it brings water content to the top where it evaporates very rapidly. This makes it much more comfortable to wear than synthetics-instead of swimming in your own grossness all day, like you would in a goretex shell (breathable, yeah, but compared to what-a garbage bag?). I bailed on my 1200 dollar Kokatat drysuit for a Helle Hansen baselayer set. All my whitewater buddies thought I was nuts until they tried it, and realized they liked it better than pouring brownish sweaty putrid fluid out of their drysuits at the takeout. If you've ever spent 7 days in a drysuit and had to deal with skin rashes and acne, you know exactly what I'm talking about. Synthetic fibers would NOT be practical for that type of activity because again, the minute it gets wet it's completely useless.Wool is also incredibly fire resistant. Try sleeping next to a longfire in the winter wearing fancy expensive shells. All it takes is one little floating ember to punch a hole in your expensive garment or sleeping bag and render it useless-that is, if it doesn't start you on fire and shrink wrap your body in a cocoon of plastic. Pick up a 20 dollar Swedish surplus sweater and you'll instantly experience the benefits of wool.

This really is insufferable. You were challenged by Thomas Linton in this thread regarding your blatantly made up figures and reckless disregard for the actuality. Alas to no avail. And now you are throwing around figures again like you are in possession of some facts.......................... Let's get to it:......................1] “It retains 90% of its insulating value when wet”.......................Codswallop! Soak a wool blanket and curl up in it, then tell me if you think it retained 90% of its heat. You quoted statistics, great. Knock me down with data if you can.................. 2] “It also breathes much better than any synthetic or natural fiberous material I have yet to find.”....................That doesn't accord with any measurement I have ever seen. In fact, it is commonly recognised that synthetics breathe better. It's not important for you to defend this point because we are talking about blankets not midlayer garments, but you might enjoy giving me a good beating with your figures if you know something I don't........................3] “Via osmosis it brings water content to the top where it evaporates very rapidly.”.......................Even wool advocates in possession of the facts will tell you that is gibberish. Why, because they try to use that fact that exactly the opposite it the case as an endorsement for wool! Wool transmits water very slowly, at a spasticated slow pace in fact, and that is the reason why it doesn't become as cold as some quicker transmitting fabrics when it is damp. The so called warm when damp thing. They try to use it as a foil to the fact that wool that has absorbed about 30% of its weight in water takes ages to dry out. You have taken their dying swan that won't give up gracefully and got it arseways round........................ 4] The reason why you have found wool better in drysuit while others have “pouring brownish sweaty putrid fluid out of their drysuits” and the accompanying legions and boils is simply because it is absorbent. The outside of the wool attracts the water to the middle. Obviously it isn't transmitting it out of the suit and more than it is in a nappy [diaper] or a Lundhag rubber foot boot, and it has been used in those for exactly that reason. In fact, it is why many of us still use wool for socks even though we don't use it elsewhere – it locks away the sweat and grease. However, if you have a shell that can transmit vapour readily, like a suitable jacket, it's better to get it out and away than soak it up...................... 5] Of what is left of your post the only thing that stands up to anything beyond the most mindless scrutiny is that it is fire resistant compared to synthetics. That, said I have addressed that before in a different thread noting that on a weight, volume, and performance basis one would do better with a good sleeping bag with a dedicated fire-blanket over it. ..................... I don't mean to come across has overly bellicose but I've had a bee in my bonnet since the last challenge to what you wrote went unanswered. There are kids reading this forum that have come to learn and is incumbent upon all of us not to fill their heads with sh1te. ............................

 

[PayetteRucker]

considering your rampant trolling history and the outcome of any discussion i get into with you, you seriously fault me for ignoring your nitpicking?

 

[M3mphis]

This really is insufferable. You were challenged by Thomas Linton in this thread regarding your blatantly made up figures and reckless disregard for the actuality. Alas to no avail. And now you are throwing around figures again like you are in possession of some facts.......................... Let's get to it:......................1] &#8220;It retains 90% of its insulating value when wet&#8221;.......................Codswallop! Soak a wool blanket and curl up in it, then tell me if you think it retained 90% of its heat. You quoted statistics, great. Knock me down with data if you can.................. 2] &#8220;It also breathes much better than any synthetic or natural fiberous material I have yet to find.&#8221;....................That doesn't accord with any measurement I have ever seen. In fact, it is commonly recognised that synthetics breathe better. It's not important for you to defend this point because we are talking about blankets not midlayer garments, but you might enjoy giving me a good beating with your figures if you know something I don't........................3] &#8220;Via osmosis it brings water content to the top where it evaporates very rapidly.&#8221;.......................Even wool advocates in possession of the facts will tell you that is gibberish. Why, because they try to use that fact that exactly the opposite it the case as an endorsement for wool! Wool transmits water very slowly, at a spasticated slow pace in fact, and that is the reason why it doesn't become as cold as some quicker transmitting fabrics when it is damp. The so called warm when damp thing. They try to use it as a foil to the fact that wool that has absorbed about 30% of its weight in water takes ages to dry out. You have taken their dying swan that won't give up gracefully and got it arseways round........................ 4] The reason why you have found wool better in drysuit while others have &#8220;pouring brownish sweaty putrid fluid out of their drysuits&#8221; and the accompanying legions and boils is simply because it is absorbent. The outside of the wool attracts the water to the middle. Obviously it isn't transmitting it out of the suit and more than it is in a nappy [diaper] or a Lundhag rubber foot boot, and it has been used in those for exactly that reason. In fact, it is why many of us still use wool for socks even though we don't use it elsewhere &#8211; it locks away the sweat and grease. However, if you have a shell that can transmit vapour readily, like a suitable jacket, it's better to get it out and away than soak it up...................... 5] Of what is left of your post the only thing that stands up to anything beyond the most mindless scrutiny is that it is fire resistant compared to synthetics. That, said I have addressed that before in a different thread noting that on a weight, volume, and performance basis one would do better with a good sleeping bag with a dedicated fire-blanket over it. ..................... I don't mean to come across has overly bellicose but I've had a bee in my bonnet since the last challenge to what you wrote went unanswered. There are kids reading this forum that have come to learn and is incumbent upon all of us not to fill their heads with sh1te. ............................

So, what specific fabric/s have you found to be superior and why?

 

[baldtaco-II]

considering your rampant trolling history and the outcome of any discussion i get into with you, you seriously fault me for ignoring your nitpicking?

Nitpicking, you jest or you are being evasive. The facts don't do what you want them to. That has happened in the last two threads about wool you commented in. I don't think I need to get into anything with you now, we're on a public forum and by your response you have just outed yourself. Facts disclose a lot when they don't do what you want them to huh, even character.

 

[baldtaco-II]

So, what specific fabric/s have you found to be superior and why?

I believe Tesco sells a sleeping bag, probably with a good amount of chicken feathers in it, and for weight, volume, and performance I don't think you'd need anything better than that to trounce an equivalent weight of wool blanket. Clearly that bag is pretty low end so I'll say any bag exceeding such a humble baseline standard as that, then I don't need to type a great bit list of stuff.

 

[fmajor007]

As a side note, warmth (insulative capacity generally speaking) to-weight ratio king is still high-fill-power *down* (not sure if it's goose down or Eider duck.....).

 

[baldtaco-II]

For the benefit of the tape: It is plain that my posts above are riddled with snarly-word-ups, I don't care I'm having a great time. There's a lone exception ”accompanying legions and boils” I can't let that go even like this so pick a] lesions and boils or b] legions of boils, as a replacement at your discretion.

 

[KiljoyKutlery]

This really is insufferable. You were challenged by Thomas Linton in this thread regarding your blatantly made up figures and reckless disregard for the actuality. Alas to no avail. And now you are throwing around figures again like you are in possession of some facts.......................... Let's get to it:......................1] &#8220;It retains 90% of its insulating value when wet&#8221;.......................Codswallop! Soak a wool blanket and curl up in it, then tell me if you think it retained 90% of its heat. You quoted statistics, great. Knock me down with data if you can.................. 2] &#8220;It also breathes much better than any synthetic or natural fiberous material I have yet to find.&#8221;....................That doesn't accord with any measurement I have ever seen. In fact, it is commonly recognised that synthetics breathe better. It's not important for you to defend this point because we are talking about blankets not midlayer garments, but you might enjoy giving me a good beating with your figures if you know something I don't........................3] &#8220;Via osmosis it brings water content to the top where it evaporates very rapidly.&#8221;.......................Even wool advocates in possession of the facts will tell you that is gibberish. Why, because they try to use that fact that exactly the opposite it the case as an endorsement for wool! Wool transmits water very slowly, at a spasticated slow pace in fact, and that is the reason why it doesn't become as cold as some quicker transmitting fabrics when it is damp. The so called warm when damp thing. They try to use it as a foil to the fact that wool that has absorbed about 30% of its weight in water takes ages to dry out. You have taken their dying swan that won't give up gracefully and got it arseways round........................ 4] The reason why you have found wool better in drysuit while others have &#8220;pouring brownish sweaty putrid fluid out of their drysuits&#8221; and the accompanying legions and boils is simply because it is absorbent. The outside of the wool attracts the water to the middle. Obviously it isn't transmitting it out of the suit and more than it is in a nappy [diaper] or a Lundhag rubber foot boot, and it has been used in those for exactly that reason. In fact, it is why many of us still use wool for socks even though we don't use it elsewhere &#8211; it locks away the sweat and grease. However, if you have a shell that can transmit vapour readily, like a suitable jacket, it's better to get it out and away than soak it up...................... 5] Of what is left of your post the only thing that stands up to anything beyond the most mindless scrutiny is that it is fire resistant compared to synthetics. That, said I have addressed that before in a different thread noting that on a weight, volume, and performance basis one would do better with a good sleeping bag with a dedicated fire-blanket over it. ..................... I don't mean to come across has overly bellicose but I've had a bee in my bonnet since the last challenge to what you wrote went unanswered. There are kids reading this forum that have come to learn and is incumbent upon all of us not to fill their heads with sh1te. ............................

YES...BUT,
Wool is way cooler than synthetics. You know it, and so do the rest of us.

I was waiting for a complete and utter smashing of Payette..and you do it like no one else can. While I agree with Payette, you can be a tad bit harsh...you usually speak the truth, at the cost of anyone or anything. I have to like that...thats how I am wired.

 

[Bob W]

Hi
I am still thinking about getting a 100 wool blanket and found that the sites say dry clean only.
Isn't this against the philosophy of wilderness items?
Why do people recommend wool blankets if they need so much care?

In my experience, you can wash wool in a regular washer. Keep the temp cool and wash on Gentle.
Of course if you're buying a high-dollar blanket, as those from Pendleton, dry cleaning is probably the better choice just to be on the safe side.
If you're using it on your bed or camp cot, it won't need washing often anyway.

The American Army surplus blankets are miserable, especially the older surplus examples. Some are more similar to steel wool than merino wool.
Some other countries have really nice blankets. Soft, thick, and dense. Like Boomer's blanket above from Italy.

Wool in general
Pros:
Insulates when wet.
Doesn't loose cushioning when wet (important for socks).
Traditional.

Cons:
Very heavy when wet.
Takes a long time to dry.
Doesn't compress well.
Heavier than synthetics.

Odor. Worse than cotton, but not as bad as synthetics. (I get really gamey with polyester, polypropylene, etc.)

 

[PayetteRucker]

Well we all know what happens when the weewees in W&C are out for blood, and what I say isn't going to make any difference. Let's bash someone because we've got nothing better to do with our lives...
Well I do. I don't wiki my way through forums, stomping on people to prove i'm an internet bigshot. While you wiki your way around the forum, I'm off doing shit like this-and there's a reason I'm always wearing wool. It works. Note that most of the shit I wear in the high desert and canyonlands in the mid 100's is the same that I wear in the winter. Is your synthetic jacket comfy and practical at both 105 and -10?

If you're so sold on synthetics, I'm embarking on a 2 week long tour of the Sawtooths range this February. Why don't you come join me? We'll see who all the ski bunnies are cuddling for warmth with after day 10 of me in wool and you in plastic. While you're cursing at a week's worth of frozen stiff and stinky polypro's, I'll be drying a set of Odin baselayers over a stove, prepping them for the next day of Tele slopes. While you're constantly adding and stripping layers trying to find the perfect medium of all your different jackets while climbing with a sled and struggling down ski slopes into the harsh wind, I'll be doing it all in the same layer.

There's a place for synthetics. I'm not debating that. What I am debating is your complete lack of experience on the topic, your complete denial of the efficiency of wool after it's been used for tens of thousands of years, and the bullshit you spew as you stomp all over me in effort to prove yourself the internet drama queen. If I'm so retarded, incapable and fraudulent, then how the hell do I survive stuff like this that I do for recreation if I'm trusting my life to WOOL, which according to you, doesn't work??

Wool shirt jac at 8500 feet, Leggit Lake, Sawtooths range-late September

Same trip

DoN Storebjorn, Same trip

DoN Storebjorn, same trip

TNF Inspiration, Boulder Lake, Payette NF

TAD SAS, Observation Peak, Sawtooths Range

TNF Inspiration, Boulder Lake

TAD SAS, Observation Peak, Sawtooths Range

TAD SAS, Boise foothills

TAD SAS, Boise NF

DoN Storebjorn, coastal Wisconsin

Hell's Canyon, Helle Hansen Odin-BTW, it was about 52 degrees that day, 30mph winds howling through the canyon and glacial meltoff in the river...

Lower Gorge of the Salmon, late September, DoN Storebjorn

Hell's Canyon, Helle Hansen Odin

Owyhees Wilderness, Woolrich

Boise NF, knitted alpaca that my Mom picked up in El Salvador

Dale of Norway Mount Tam, Payette NF

Cascade Lake, Ponderosa State Park, DoN Storebjorn-the day I bought it

Obviously with thousands of dollars invested in wool that's been used over maybe 6 years of hellish abuse in multiple environments across 30 different states, it's done nothing but fail me every time. Obviously a cheap polyester fleece pullover from Macy's would have been a much better investment since due to my supposedly fraudulent and inaccurate claims, I've been left for dead, to rely on the vulnerability of multiple SAR crews to save me do to poor decision making, maintenance and use of my woolen gear... and obviously that Eberlestock Operator that's on my back in all those photos is a cheap Chinese knockoff, that has been repaired by Glen himself. Yup, I'm just a Wikipedia cruising armchair cowboy, with no useable experience or knowledge that could ever benefit anybody in their quest for adventure. Please BaldTacoII, explain to us what happened to the first Bald Taco? Wasn't he booted for being a whiny bitch in the first place?

 

[baldtaco-II]

YES...BUT, Wool is way cooler than synthetics. You know it, and so do the rest of us. I was waiting for a complete and utter smashing of Payette..and you do it like no one else can. While I agree with Payette, you can be a tad bit harsh...you usually speak the truth, at the cost of anyone or anything. I have to like that...thats how I am wired.

“A good way to improve the quality of scientific work is to find and point out the errors in it. A friend might be willing to do this but an enemy is better. An enemy is willing to devote a vast amount of time and brain power to ferreting out errors...and this without any compensation. The trouble is that really capable enemies are scare, most of them are only ordinary. Another trouble with enemies is that they sometimes develop into friends and lose a good deal of their zeal.” Paraphrased from Georg von Békésy (1960) Experiments in Hearing

 

[fmajor007]

Roflmho!!!

 

[Esav Benyamin]

Are we going to continue with a discussion of equipment, or of each other?

If necessary, I can remove the personal attacks and leave the rest, but why, why?

 

[PayetteRucker]

Because the guys in W&C are all caught up with their episodes of Pan Am and Grey's Anatomy... Say what you want. I'm done here. This shit is why I've always been a loner in the first place. You can say and do whatever you want, there will always be some cool hand to step in and manipulate, with no other prerequisite than a sly tongue. Perverting my intent to be here in the first place... BaldTaco does nothing but continue to interfere with not only my ability to learn and participate on here, but other people as well-as clearly shown with his repeated corruption of multiple forums for his own entertainment. If this isn't the place where I can come and learn in a healthy environment, I'll go somewhere else. Fresh snow outside, lighted XC track calls. Headed to the kettles to have my dad kick my ass on skate skis, where we will both be utilizing time-tested Norwegian wool sweaters to brave whatever elements the fickle Great Lakes throw at us.