WoolWeenies Club

I posted this query on another thread and Lisa responded as follows. Based on Lisa's comments should I try to stop the order if it hasn't shipped yet. I am confused. I thought all Ibex was marino wool, which meant it wouldn't be scratchy. While I love my shak, and it works with most of my clothes, it doesn't work with some of the larger ribbed cotton turtlenecks so I wanted something a little heavier to layer. I also want this for situations where the weather changes so I can remove a layer and still have something that looks nice on not a base layer, or if I go into a meeting room that is colder/warmer, etc. adjust my layers. Lisa, do you think just ordering a shak in M would be better for this (and to layer over my S one??). I thought of even exchanging my small for a med, but my friend looked at me in it and said based on how the small fit that the M would be too big. I also liked that it is heavier than the shak, cuz I figured if the shak keeps me warm at 40, this will work even better, either over the shak or over my heavy ribbed cotton turtlenecks when I visit chilly new england. And Lisa how do you wear 2 shaks, do you always need to layer a larger sized one over a smaler sized one like you explained above? The small is also great as a cycling jersey bit it seems them the M would be too loose. I am so confused........... I've been too many years away from a cold place, but always end up sick when I travel cuz my body isn't used to it and I never bring the right clothes.

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Originally Posted by Triskeliongirl :
Lisa, you posted after me on the wool weenie thread. Do you like my new sweater? It looks a tad heavier than the shak, but I hope its not too bulky. I like that my shak S is very slim and sleek, but then I can't layer it over my heaviest cotton t-necks. It looks like the oganic sweater i just ordered in M will do the trick, I just hope it doesn't end up bulking me up too much. We'll see..... there is always return UPS. I said that last time but that Ibex stuff is so addictive. And boy is wool warm!

LISA: I don't have that sweater, so I can't tell if I would like it for myself. It looks elegant.
I spent years piling on bulky acrylic sweaters trying unsuccessfully to keep warm in winter. When I switched to merino wool, I found I could wear several thin layers and keep warmer than with my old thick acryllic sweaters. So now my preference is just to layer thinner merino- a thin base merino top with one or two shaks and a wool vest, and I'm good down to 20 degrees, so I'm thrilled to be able to keep with thin layering now. If I need more than that I wear a wool jacket on top. I like the shaks so much I prefer wearing 1 or 2 of them rather than a typical sweater these days. I hope your sweater is just what you are looking for!

Can you please post a link to the sale? thanks!

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Originally Posted by itself

The Ibex Boucele is on sale. Anyone have one and what is the difference from their other pieces?

Lisa :)

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Triskellion,
You may love your sweater that is on the way! Wait to see when it arrives before you decide. I did not mean to imply that it wouldn't work well for you! Remember we all live in different conditions and have varied needs and wants.

I have never looked at the details of the sweater you ordered, and it seems to be made of 100% organic wool but maybe not merino. That's certainly a nice thing- and you wouldn't be wearing it over bare skin anyway. It might well be a totally fantastic sweater to wear over stuff when you are cold.

I mentioned what I like to do with layering merino items. I think of my full zip shak as a sort of light cartigan, so it looks fine a bit loose when I wear it in Large over my other shak. If I could have only one shak it would be the full zip like yours, and I'd have it in the smaller size Medium that fits me not loosely, just like you have done. I do find that 2 shaks layered are pretty darned warm. ;)

If your organic sweater arrives and you don't like it for some reason, perhaps you could try the Ibex Cara or Strato sweaters in medium- they are similar in price too. They are all nice sweaters, but all 3 are certainly quite different from each other.

I missed the difference between merino wool and organic wool. So does that mean the sweater I ordered will be scratchier? I don't think it has shipped yet, so I could phone them to stop it. I do love the strato sweater too, but it is more expensive since I haven't found it on sale, but it sounds like you think the strato will be softer and sleeker. Is that right?

I too am glad I ordered the shak in a small. I can even see myself cycling in it, whereas the medium would be too big for that. I guess I just worry that if I size up for layering, the arms will end up too long, but I'll just have to try them and see. I just wish I could go into a strore and try these on. That's another idea, wait until I am in Boston and find a store that sells them. What retailers stock Ibex that you guys know in either DC or Boston?

Ibex boucle on sale:

http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/Product...Full-Zip-Hoody

Until I went back to the website, I didn't make the connection between the 'boucle' and the Carrie Hoodie...which I own!

It's nice - not as soft as my other ibex lighter weight pieces, but still soft enough for bare arms underneath. I wore this last weekend when I was in Portland and it was cold and rainy. I layered it over a cotton T and I was toasty warm and comfy all day. It is a little more 'sweater like' than my shak (yes, I just got a shak, too :o) and slightly (very slightly) more roomy, so it's good for layering. I have the thistle heather one and it looks awesome with jeans! Oh, and the hood fits nicely as well...so should I need more warmth when riding, this piece would totally work.

In fact, here's me wearing it! (excuse the drowned rat look, please :p) I wore the t shirt, the hoodie and then that black jacket is just a 'too big for me' shell and I was plenty warm touring Portland when it was about 45F and rainy.

http://www.tranquilitysystems.com/ga...4-IMG_0028.JPG

What do you guys think of this piece on sale:
http://www.ems.com/catalog/product_d...=1200504852641

Smartwool Womens Routt. I gather from a previous discussion that the quality of ibex is better than smartwool, is that correct?

I am still so confused. Not sure if I should go with mediums to layer over my bulkier stuff, or start buying lighter inner layers to pair with smalls. I did call our local outdoor store to see if they carry ibex, and they said they do and its on clearance now, so I'll drop over there after work and take a look.

Do I need long wool underwear on my bottom for my trip to boston, or will lined wool pants and jeans be OK as is? I do have some old silk stuff.

Also, what do you guys think of this piece also on sale?
Ibex skyline: http://www.backcountryoutlet.com/out...061&mv_pc=r147

This stuff is just so damned expensive! So, I am also reluctant to invest in mediums while I am still losing weight, albeit very slowly at this point.

Hey Triskel',

I don't know what the weather is in Boston right now but unless you're very very sensitive to cold you'll probably be fine with the silk longjohns under your pants, or nothing at all. It really depends whether you're going to be walking or standing outside for long.

I find it generally true that Ibex is nicer than Smartwool, but for me it's mostly superior to Icebreaker (for outer layers). The comparison with Smartwool is less uniform.

What I like about Ibex is that, yes, they are expensive (like the other two) but they are made in the USA for the most part. (Some is made in Hong Kong.) It annoys me to pay over a hundred tomatoes for a piece of clothing that I know was made in China for a handful of dollars, like the Smartwool stuff and even a lot of the Icebreaker now.

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Originally Posted by GLC1968

Ibex boucle on sale:

http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/Product...Full-Zip-Hoody

Until I went back to the website, I didn't make the connection between the 'boucle' and the Carrie Hoodie...which I own!

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This is the other Ibex boucle item on sale until Jan 31:
http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/Product...uct=Bella-Vest
(but the black one is not available until Jan 23).
That's you on the right in the blueish Carrie hoody just visible under the rain jacket, right?

Triskell- I have that Ibex Skyline top and I like it very much. It is somewhat "Stark Trek" looking. Very soft and slightly lighterweight than the shaks. Here is a pik of me wearing mine:
http://forums.teamestrogen.com/attac...achmentid=4883
(I have a weird look on my face because it was really hard trying to take a picture of myself in the mirror at the right angle and without flash glare. :rolleyes: )
Like how that Smartwool sweater looks too, that you pointed out.

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Originally Posted by Lisa S.H.

That's you on the right in the blueish Carrie hoody just visible under the rain jacket, right?

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Yep! That's a very bad photo of me. :p

And I agree with Lisa - I like the smartwool sweater. It's really sharp looking!

What types of things will you be doing in Boston? I mean, if you are mostly just in and out of meetings or lectures, you may not need any additional layers on the bottom. I never wore underlayers when I lived up there unless I was going to some event where I'd be outside and not moving much all day (like a football game).

Another source for gorgeous wool sweaters is Neve sweaters. Terry carries them and has a few on sale right now for good prices. I have the one at this link and it's absolutely BEAUTIFUL but not really as 'active' in styling as my Ibex or Icebreaker stuff.

http://www.terrybicycles.com/detail.html?item_no=5134

So how does the sizing run at smartwool. I guess I could just order the small and medium and send back the one I don't like. It says its 'boiled wool.' What does that mean? WIll it be scratchy? Will it pill?

I don't mind spending this much for good pieces that will last, but I cannot stand it when they start pilling.

Do you guys know if ibex direct sends shipping confirmations? I haven't gotten one yet so maybe I could still stop the order on the 'organic sweater' which I gather you guys don't like so much. Its also more $ than I really wanted to spend, but it does look quite smart to me.

In DC I will be just attending meetings in a hotel, and maybe walking at night to a restaurant. In Boston I am staying with my son at MIT, and no car, so we will walk a lot, say to to and from the subway, and maybe spend time waiting for buses outdoors. I'll just bring along the silk long undies I have, and play it by ear.

I've noticed that since my body is used to a milder climate (coldest it usually gets is the 40s, sometimes it drops into the 30s, rarely below freezing) that when I travel to a really cold place I need warmer clothing than folks who live there. I also need warm to stuff to wear in my house on those 30/40 days since our gas radiators can't really heat well in those temp ranges (no central heating). But, a day that starts in the 40s can end in the 60s, which is why I like pieces I can take off and have the inner layers be good on their own. Another thing I like about that ibex organic sweater. Maybe I'll just let them send it, and return what I don't like.

Someone got a Routt for me, for Christmas. I am really pleased with it! I've had mixed experiences with the lighter-weight Smartwool stuff; I've gotten uneven seams or zippers that stick. The Routt, though is extremely well made. It is fuzzy and soft, like heavier-weight fleece. The little stripes on it flatter the figure, and don't look "too" sporty (I can wear it to work). It does run a bit big on me (I'm usually a medium but the small fits me), so size down.

I like the organic sweater. I wish I could afford to buy one for myself!

Boiled wool is usually a bit denser than regular wool. And isn't boiled wool usually woven, not knit? Or do they make knit boiled wool as well? When I think of boiled wool, I think of thick wool blazers or winter coats...that dense, thick, warm fabric that doesn't have much stretch.

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Originally Posted by mariposa

Someone got a Routt for me, for Christmas. I am really pleased with it! I've had mixed experiences with the lighter-weight Smartwool stuff; I've gotten uneven seams or zippers that stick. The Routt, though is extremely well made. It is fuzzy and soft, like heavier-weight fleece. The little stripes on it flatter the figure, and don't look "too" sporty (I can wear it to work). It does run a bit big on me (I'm usually a medium but the small fits me), so size down.

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Thanks for the input. Can you layer the small over other moderatly heavy pieces, say a heavy cotton ribbed T-neck?
Do you have the oatmeal heather. Is it more heather than oatmeal, i.e. a light gray vs an ecru?

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Originally Posted by GLC1968

Boiled wool is usually a bit denser than regular wool. And isn't boiled wool usually woven, not knit? Or do they make knit boiled wool as well? When I think of boiled wool, I think of thick wool blazers or winter coats...that dense, thick, warm fabric that doesn't have much stretch.

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I have a boiled wool jacket from last year that is soft, thick and stretchy. :o
I love boiled wool. Boiled wool is not quite as dense and heavy as loden wool, and has a very pleasant micro-knobbly texture to it. Loden wool is sort of felted, and VERY warm because it's so dense.

Tri, if you are not going to wear a sweater over bare skin, then why worry about it being scratchy? I doubt that Smartwool would be selling anything with their name on it that is too scratchy in any case- non-scratchyness is one of the things they crow about.

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Originally Posted by Lisa S.H.

Tri, if you are not going to wear a sweater over bare skin, then why worry about it being scratchy? I doubt that Smartwool would be selling anything with their name on it that is too scratchy in any case- non-scratchyness is one of the things they crow about.

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Well, until I wore the shak, I thought I was allergic to wool. All the other wool sweaters I have make me itch, even with a silk or cotton layer directly on my skin. But something about the shak is different. So, if I am going to aquire a second wool sweater, help me decide between to smartwool rouett and the ibex organic sweater. While the organic sweater is very expensive, its also reduced more so is it a better 'value' or is that just how they fool you into spending more $ than you should really spend on this stuff???

As you girls can tell, I am shopping impaired.......

How do you guys compare wool to fleece in terms of wamth? I do have some older fleece sweaters, and while bulkier perhaps thats the cheap way out of this for me.

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Originally Posted by Triskeliongirl

Well, until I wore the shak, I thought I was allergic to wool. All the other wool sweaters I have make me itch, even with a silk or cotton layer directly on my skin. But something about the shak is different. So, if I am going to aquire a second wool sweater, help me decide between to smartwool rouett and the ibex organic sweater. While the organic sweater is very expensive, its also reduced more so is it a better 'value' or is that just how they fool you into spending more $ than you should really spend on this stuff???

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Merino wool from merino sheep has the finest texture of any sheep wool and so is the softest and least itchy of all sheep wool. Many people who find regular wool too itchy can comfortably wear merino wool.
When a product says "wool", it usually means sheep wool. "Wool blend" means wool mixed with other fabric fibers that are not wool. Fabrics with names like "Woolicious" or "Wooltastic" are usually blends with only part wool. I once laughed because my dopey brother was bragging to everyone about his "genuine Cashmaire" scarf, which actually was about 20% cashmere and 80% polyester. :rolleyes: If it's alpaca or cashmere or angora (wool not from sheep but from other animals), it will usually say so. And if it's 100% merino wool, it usually says so because that's something they'd want to brag about.

In terms of warmth, fleece is pretty darned good, a good price, and certainly easy to wash. It does not breathe quite as well as wool though, so it does not regulate your body at an even temperature when moving between hot and cold. Wool also takes sweat off your skin and evaporates it out so you feel drier, also wool does not get stinky like man made fabrics do. But yeah I have some fleece things that I love.

OK. I am starting to get it. So, even though the shak appears to be thin, its really warm because its a tightly woven wool knit, right? Does that also mean that a base layer like the "Kate" http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/Product...=Kate-17.5-L/S
would be warmer than say silk long underwear? If I paired a Kate with a shak, how warm would I be?

Why all the questions. Well, after work I went to that local outdoor store that I just found out carries Ibex and Smartwool. It was nice to see and try on this stuff. My first observation was that in general, I thought the quality of the Ibex was better than the quality of the smartwool. I was able to try on the smartwool Routt and didn't like either the color (it is more oatmeal than heather) or fit (arms were very baggy more like a jacket than a sweater), AND the zipper was broken on it. I also realized that the shak is a lot softer than the carrie hoodie, so a lot of variation within the line. It just made me all the more pleased with my shak. But then they had on sale some base layers, these 'Kates' so I bought 2 at 50% off. But they still have tags on so they can be returned. I want a sense of how warm they are gonna be from you guys. The clerk at the store said they would be no warmer than the silk long underwear I have already, but I thought tightly woven wool would be more insulating? She thought for going up north I needed something called capilene 4 but I didn't like it. I also thought the Kates would be good as a base if I wanna cycle in my shak, and I can always put my terry thermal vest over that (on or off bike) to add another layer. What do the wool weenies think? Is the Kate a keeper or return? It also really changed my opinion of wool. As I said, I thought I couldn't wear it next to my skin but this stuff felt soft as silk. It looks so pretty it can be worn alone (unlike my 20 year old silk LLbean underwear) too, prettier than at the website pic.

I tried to stop the order on the organic wool sweater based on Lisa's remarks, but it had already shipped. The women on the phone indicated that it runs small, and if the full zip shak fit me in small but without a lot of room for layers that the M in the organic really should do what I want it to. She also said while its not merino wool, its a very soft wool that can be worn next to the skin, and a really lovely piece. She assured me I can return it if I don't like it, but sounds like maybe it will be a keeper.

But this is it. No more buying anymore wool for me!

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Originally Posted by Triskeliongirl

But this is it. No more buying anymore wool for me!

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Uhhuh. Okey dokey, whatever you say.... ;)


I think we've got her, gals! :rolleyes:

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Originally Posted by Dianyla

Uhhuh. Okey dokey, whatever you say.... ;)


I think we've got her, gals! :rolleyes:

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Hmmm, you know me better than I do. I was already contemplating returning to that store with the 50% off ibex sale for more base layers after dinner. First it was to exchange one of my black kates for a purple, then it was to keep the black AND get a purple........

But what do you think of the Kate. Was the clerk wrong that its no warmer than silk. Doesn't wool have to be warmer than silk????? Come on, I need a reason to back there and get some more........

You don't happen to have a twin named Elk do you? You are reminding me very much of Elk in her quest for her wool. :D

I hereby proclaim Lisa the QUEEN OF IBEX. If you want a review on almost any piece, she can pretty well help you.

I know, I was in the store, wishing I knew how to phone Lisa and ask her about the stuff they had. The sales staff new nothing.

Oh, but I wish she were online now, cuz I gotta decide if I should exchange it for purple, or get another one. If they have my size I think I'll exchange it, and wait to perhaps get one that has a zip turtleneck, like the pico-T is looking pretty nice to me right now too. But this 17.5 merino wool is sooo sooooft and its 50% off...........

Wool vs Silk

I've had both, as I am a long-underwear kind of gal. I have DEFINITELY found wool to be more comfortable over a wide range of temps. It is also absolutely warmer than similar silk.

My favorite long underwear are Ibex. I've tried a few other wool longies, but Ibex wins hands down.

Ibex vs Smartwool vs Icebreaker

Ibex has had the best quality in my experience. Icebreaker is close second. Smartwool (their clothes, not the socks which are awesome) has come in third for me.

Triskell- I don't have any Ibex Kates, but I sure would have some if I found them for 1/2 price! ;) I'd say grab what you can there. I think Kates are very chic. They are also all merino and so will make a fine base layer, except the the scoop neckline might not keep you covered up as much as an Ibex "woolie" top. But if you have your full zip shak or a snuggly wool vest to go over it, who cares? :D

I agree with Knot in that silk long johns/base layers were not nearly as warm for me as thin merino under layers. Also, I remember silk as feeling cold and clammy if I got sweaty. It also smelled under the arms lots sooner than wool.

Capilene warmer base layer than merino?- not in my experience. Plus it will stink bigtime after just one wearing if you are doing active things, whereas you can wear your merino base layer quite a few times before needing to wash it. I bet your salesperson who was pushing the capilene is another one of those who "can't" wear wool.... :cool:

Wool keeps you warm when it's cold and keeps you cool and dry when you're overheated and sweaty...how can you beat that?

You can stop anytime you want......yeah....that's right........ :cool:

Well, I did go back to the store, and they had already sold the purple Kate, so I kept my two in black. AND I DIDN"T BUY ANYTHING ELSE!! At 50% off that stuff isn't going to last long, even in san antonio. I'll keep the tags on one and test one tomorrow. Do I dare to cycle in my new wool? Its gonna be in the low 40s, and I usually wear a shebeest long sleeve drifit jersey under my PI gavia jacket, with shebeest drifit tights in those temps. I am thinking to try my Ibex Kate base under my shak, topped with my terry headwind vest to get a little more warmth on my chest and some back pockets. Does that sound warm enough if its really only 40-41?

I also realized that my small shak really is fine even with my heavier cotton ribbed t-necks, at least with my newer smalls. Its only my older mediums that are really too big that it doesn't layer over. So, I hope the new sweater I ordered in medium isn't too big. It was nice to try a lot of stuff on in the store and see I am really a good small. Part of my problem is that since I lost so much weight this year I have a bit of a problem with body dysmorphia. I have a hard time believing that I need the sizes that I now need, and often buy things that are too large. Well if I don't like the ibex organic sweater I'll return it (but then I lose $15 on all the postage), but maybe as a medium it will be good to layer over my shak when I go to a really cold place.

Again, I have my shak on now, third day in a row. Even though I didn't wear it to work (I cycled and changed into clothes there), guess what I put on when I got home? If I don't like the organic sweater I guess I could just get another shak in a different color. What I am finding interesting is how I am comfortable over a wide range of temps. I have it layered over a heavy ribbed cottom t-neck, so when I went out tonite I didn't bother with a jacket (its in the mid-40s). I was OK outdoors, yet when I went into a bookstore and stayed about an hour reading, I was also comfy. I am so tempted to just get me another shak. That baby blue is so pretty, and matches my bike............ If I like it on the ride tomorrow I may very well do that.

Boy, did you guys hook me!

Well, I read just read Lisa's response after my last post. THANKS for reassuring me about the Kate. According to the Ibex website its the same weight as the woolies, only that even finer wool. It also seemed to me that it had to be warmer than silk but the sales girl just picked it up and it felt so light she said, oh this must be for summer. But, she also told me she'd never worn ibex so I knew to not believe her (she was all decked out in fleece).

I am amazed that I have worn my shak for 3 days in a row and it has no body odor. It did small a tad last night, but I just hung it up and by morning it had no odor at all.

Yeh, my concern too that the Kates don't have a high neck, but the advantage is that if I am layering them under somthing that does, as you said not only doesn't it matter, but it often looks nicer, especially with my scooped neck ribbed cotton henleys. I figure when I go to a cold place, I may want several layers....... But, I can see that it would be nice to have some of both types of pieces. So maybe one of those pico-Ts is in my future.....

So, all that's left to decide is if I keep the organic sweater or exchange it for another shak............ But, it has to arrive first.

Girl, don't doubt yourself. Unless it arrives and doesn't fit or you hate it, it may work perfectly for what you are going to do ~ meetings and walking to restaurants. It will be something different.

You can always keep it and pick up another shak next year, or next month, or next week....:D

The sweater is very pretty.

I've been really coveting that sweater. It is just gorgeous!

Got all excited when it went on sale, but I've had to restrain myself as I already bought my sweater for the season.

OK, thanks for the encouragement. In fact, I almost ordered it instead of the shak but was worried it would be too big (they sold out of the smalls). But the women at Ibex did say it runs smaller than the shak so maybe it will be just what I am looking for. She told me she had one on while we were talking, and it was so cozy. I liked talking with her, felt a lot like the TE gals, and just like TE that order went out lickity split. Even though I tried to cancel the order today, now I can't wait to get the tracking number so I'll now when it is getting here. They said it would be emailed at the close of business today, but nothing yet....... Seeing how nice the quality is in all of the Ibex pieces at the store, if this originally sold for $225 it must be really nice.

So, no comments on tomorrows planned experiment to cycle in wool? I've never tried it.....

I actually don't like silk long underwear. If I get warm in it, I sweat. And then it sticks. And then I am gross.

wool all of the way.

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Originally Posted by Triskeliongirl

So, no comments on tomorrows planned experiment to cycle in wool? I've never tried it.....

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Go for it! I loaded up on wool pieces about three months ago, thanks to this thread, and now that's what I wear for almost 100% of my rides. I love it! I have some silk base tops, but I haven't put one on since discovering wool.

Yesterday I rode 10 miles in temps that hovered around 30 degrees. (Colder w/wind chill.) Wore one Smartwool base layer under an Icebreaker sweater (similar to the Shak), and a Gore windblocker jacket on top. Ibex wool hat under my helmet. (Gloves, etc.) My core was perfectly warm!

I like wool so much that I've now started picking up sleeveless and short sleeved pieces when I spot 'em on sale, so I'll be ready for spring and summer riding!

The only wool piece that I've had any 'trouble' with is the Ibex Switchback, bought on Sierra Trading Post at a ridiculously low price about three months ago. It shrank quite a bit (just air drying!), and is now so snug that it feels too tight around my shoulders and arms for riding. So I wear it for hiking instead.....:)

KC - I had the same problem with a Switchback. Ibex told me in an email that the Switchback fabric is unstable, which is why they phased it out. (the Shak is the replacement). Mine is unwearable, so I'm going to try to send it back. (my much older Switchback is fine, but my newer one is a disaster.)

Oh no about your switchback shrinking. My shak fits me perfectly as is, but there isn't any room for shrinkage (assuming you followed the instructions). Was I supposed to plan for that? I thought they say they don't shrink. If so, shouldn't you be able to return it to them under the warranty?

Well, I could try to ride today with my goretex jacket over the shak and kate, but its now 36, 27 with wind chill, and I usually don't ride much below 40 and am not feeling great (?something is brewing in my intestines) so I think I am gonna pass. Its tempting to try out the new clothes, but right now my house is so cold I don't even wanna get out of bad. Looks like its day 4 in a row for my shak though. I hope the new sweater arrives soon!

Ibex doesn't shrink.

If it does shrink, cosmic forces are in flux. Serious, I've got about 15 pieces of Ibex and LisaSH has a gazillion, and neither of us has shrinkage issues... except one thing.

My older Switchback never even said "boo". Just my one new Switchback I got in May.

Ibex is good stuff! (wash in cold, air dry) I wash my undies and my cycling capris after every wearing. No shrinking. No pilling. No problem!

Triskeliongirl - make sure to post your observations about that organic sweater when it arrives. I'm really, really considering it, but I'd like to hear a review from someone looking at it in person! It says it's grey/black, but I swear my monitor makes it look like that thistle heather color!

(and nice score on the Kate's for 50% off!) :)

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Originally Posted by Triskeliongirl

Its tempting to try out the new clothes, but right now my house is so cold I don't even wanna get out of bad.

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I find it's best to never get out of bad.
-And the more wool I buy the badder I get! :D

Knot is right- you won't have any problems with most Ibex pieces in shrinking or pilling. My shaks shrink a TINY bit when I wash them, but then they loosen right out again to how they were before. So it's not "shrinking"....sort of more like an "I was in the pool!" kind of thing (Seinfeld reference).

I go out in the worst kind of weather these days (15-20 degreesF, sleeting, breezy, nasty...) and on top I've been wearing a merino thin base layer (either SW or Ibex), my halfzip shak, then my fullzip shak, then my dense loden merino wool Ibex Cortina vest and a neck gaiter, and my top stays nice and warm for my walks and bike rides. The nice thing is that when I get overheated, the wool breathes and I can feel the cool air circulating around my arms and it feels so great- I get cooled off and dry again but I don't get cold. Something weird about wool, it keeps you comfy.

Well I am *very impressed* with my Kate. I did manage to get out of bed and go to work. I started with the Kate as my base, a light silk/cotton blend T-neck and my shak, and wool pants, but then I spilled some egg on the shak, and by the time I removed the stain, I decided the garment was too wet to wear so I just left it home drying. I found an old wool ski sweater, its 20 years old and while it doesn't say merino wool its also a very tight non-sratchy weave (got it in europe). It would itch me with just a silk base layer (somehow the wool fibers would get through the holes in the silk and irritate my skin) but so far I am very comfy paired with the Kate and T-neck. And I can't believe that I can wear wool on my skin, but the kate is that ultrafine merino wool.

My upper body was toasty warm even in my cold underheated house. But, I was cold on my lower body, even with wool pants, so I put on an old pair of terry drifit cycling tights as a base, with the old very thin chamois, and again I am toasty warm. But, maybe this means I do need to think about some Ibex base layers for my bottom. I am not gonna run out and pay full price, but what pieces do you gals recommend and I will watch the sales. Also, do you think light weight or mid weight are best for base layers? My idea is they will double for everyday use and active sports?

Ooh, wouldn't this look great in thistle over my thistle shak and kate: http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/Product...uct=Bella-Vest

While I like Lisa's idea to double shak it, its too late since I bought my full zip shak in small and not medium. But with the kate base, the full zip shak in small, and I am guessing this vest in medium, I should be toasty warm, right? But, not sure, even on sale its still a lot of money and I may have enough pieces for now. And, I do have my nice terry vest, so I don't really *need* this piece, but wouldn't it look nice in the same color as the shak?

I also hesitate cuz now I understand what boucle means, its the weave and I did find the carrie hoodie too scratchy which is boucle, although once I tried it on with the kate underneath I was fine.