WoolWeenies Club

I understand the trade offs. I'm opting for breathability. I don't ski in the rain and rarely when it's snowing hard. I might wear this jacket for snow shoeing/hiking in the cold in addition to skiing, but it definitely won't be for anything else. I have worn my Golite maybe 5 times on winter rides in the past 5 years. I just don't ride very much in January or February.
Cataboo, I wear a Nathan waist pack that's for hiking rather than running, that has a medium size space for stuff. It's not huge. I usually put different gloves or head gear in there, as well as food. I could not put a jacket in there unless it was very foldable and lightweight. I just found it unbearable to ski with a Camelbak and the damn thing froze up when I tried. Bottles work better for me.
I'm leaning toward the Vim Hybrid. Thank you for all of the information.

I ordered the Vim Hybrid jacket in red from Ski Rack. Man, what a pain... every time I saw the jacket for a cheap price it was the Vim Hybrid fleece jacket, not the regular one. Ibex has the worst price fixing of all brands. Anyway, I got it for 156.00, free shipping, down from 195.00 everywhere else.
I hope it's worth it.

Let me know, I'm pretty curious about it. I almost talked myself into buying one, but it's totally not in the budget.

just bought a turquoise colored Ibex Zephyr hat from TE (I ordered it yesterday, I received it today!!!
it is LONG enough to really cover my ears!! YAY!!!
the black hat that I bought used here from another TE lady is starting to look old and now I have a pretty new one.. yAY

I am announcing my intention to join this club :D:D

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Originally Posted by Flybye

I am announcing my intention to join this club :D:D

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Show us some wool. :p

OK, my Ibex Vim Hybrid jacket came today! That was quick, since it came from Vermont. I have to say it fits me better than any jacket I've bought. Even the sleeves aren't too long, which even in an extra small happens, when it's not a petite extra small. It's really thin and it has velcro on the wrists, which is good, because I've ripped a couple of jackets in this area, putting on gloves. I tried it on over the Shak I am wearing and it fit perfectly, with room for even a thicker layer. I won't be able to test it doing any activity until Saturday, maybe Friday.
I had a banner day when the mail came. Besides the jacket, my micro-spikes arrived, along with an order from STP which included a casual cycling/hiking top, a LS wicking shirt from PI, and an Icebreaker hat in a woman's size small that I will test out tonight when I have to go to class in a snowstorm :mad:.

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Originally Posted by Grog

Show us some wool. :p

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LOL!



Crankin'- major score day! :eek: :p

Ha, good thing DH is away...

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Originally Posted by Grog

Show us some wool. :p

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Too funny! :D :D :D

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Originally Posted by Crankin

I had a banner day when the mail came. Besides the jacket, my micro-spikes arrived, along with an order from STP which included a casual cycling/hiking top, a LS wicking shirt from PI, and an Icebreaker hat in a woman's size small that I will test out tonight when I have to go to class in a snowstorm :mad:.

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Lucky duck! :D (Well, not the snowstorm part...)

Dear fellow wool weenies,

I have some sad news to share. I wore a hole through the thumb of my beloved 30 year old Dachstein boiled wool mittens last weekend while cross-country skiing in Vermont. :( These have been my favorite mittens for cold hikes (less than 10F) and, more recently, for commuting to work in winter on my mtb. I know Campmor sold Dachsteins several years ago but no longer. However, I did find one online reseller in the US and ordered myself a new pair for $32 with free shipping. :)

DebW

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Originally Posted by DebW

Dear fellow wool weenies,

I have some sad news to share. I wore a hole through the thumb of my beloved 30 year old Dachstein boiled wool mittens last weekend while cross-country skiing in Vermont. :( These have been my favorite mittens for cold hikes (less than 10F) and, more recently, for commuting to work in winter on my mtb. I know Campmor sold Dachsteins several years ago but no longer. However, I did find one online reseller in the US and ordered myself a new pair for $32 with free shipping. :)

DebW

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That comes out to about $1.07 per year. That sounds like a great product! Still, can you darn them?

Yeah, what Red said, Even if you don't know how to darn, you ought to TRY. Then they will have more character when you have repaired them and you will love them that much more.

So true. I don't really darn either, but a couple of my base layers got holes in them a couple of years ago and I was able to repair them just fine after a YouTube refresher course. Finding matching thread was a big issue ... but they're base layers, so I didn't care that much.

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Originally Posted by 7rider

A downside of washable Ibex and other brand merino sportswear....
not ALL wool is washable!!
A certain someone put my brown wool turtleneck (for dress wear, not sports wear) in the washing machine. And it shrunk from a size Large to a size Small!!!

I tried it on after that debacle. I really can't wear it...

If you want it...it's yours. PM me and I'll send it to you (domestic US please).

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As the lucky recipient of 7rider's shrunken wool sweater, I just wanted to say again how kind it was of her to send it to me, and how much I love it! It's just my style -- wore it to work today. And in this cold winter, wool is more important than ever!

Thank you again!!! :D :p

I get to try out my new jacket later today!
Will report tonight.

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Originally Posted by Crankin

I get to try out my new jacket later today!
Will report tonight.

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I hope I/we didn't lead you astray!

No, you didn't, but now my plans have changed, no snow shoeing today. But, I'm going skiing tomorrow, so it will get tested.

My new Smart Wool hat worked great the other night. I think it will be light enough not to cause the massive sweating while exercising. I didn't get a sweaty head when I had to snow shovel for 1.5 hours yesterday morning, either.

If you can't match the color, go for a striking contrast!

OK, I wore the Vim Hybrid for 9 miles of x country skiing today. It was warm out; about 30 at the start and up to maybe 36. It was so warm, I took my headband off during the 1,100 ft. climb we did.
The jacket was greta. While I still felt that cool feeling at times, wearing the jacket , with a wool base layer and a light middle layer prevented the excessive sweating. I love the way the jacket fits, especially the velcro on the sleeves.
It's a winner.
My next job is to buy a couple of better mid layers before we leave for Franconia next Friday. Hopefully, EMS or REI will be having a sale where I can walk in and find something. I've been wearing a lot of winter cycling gear and the pieces just don't work.

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Originally Posted by Crankin

The jacket was greta.

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That sound way betta! :D

Crankin, did you have any allergy/itch issues with wearing a wool base layer?

Eh, I didn't see the typo until just now.
I didn't itch really, because I had on a thinner type quarter zip wicking top, with a very light thermal lining. I find that when I put the Smart Wool base layer on, I am fine. It's when I put another layer over it and it's tighter on my skin then that's when the itching starts. I had minimum itchy feelings for a couple of minutes and then it went away. I cannot, though, wear a wool mid layer with a wool base layer. I have one Icebreaker wool top I love for winter sports when it's really cold. I may try to build up tolerance to wearing it with the wool base layer, but I think it's more important that I wear wool for the base, to prevent the sweating, and then i can get away with fleece or other wicking material for the mid layer, especially with the new jacket.
I may go snow shoeing today, so I will try more experimenting.

I have wool coming! I bought a blue merino endura baselayer a few months back following all the recommendations on here for wool, and it is perfect, sees as much wear off the bike as on it. So I've ordered an Ibis Women's crew in black, can't wait!

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Originally Posted by hebe

So I've ordered an Ibis Women's crew in black, can't wait!

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Sacrilege!! :eek: ...that would be "Ibex".
Thirty lashes with a wet acrylic noodle!

lol!

So, today was another experiment in wool, which failed. Put the smart wool base layer on, with a full zip light thermal Craft jersey. No way... I sat around my house itching for 2 hours and changed to a different base and mid layer before going snow shoeing. Then, I put my Vim Hybrid jacket on when we left. It was about 31, but the temperature was going down, it was cloudy, and getting windy. I felt cool until we started climbing the 20+% grade hill for about half a mile. But, no excessive sweating, which is excellent.
Not sure what this means, except that it seems that wearing a wool base layer one day sort of sensitizes my skin and starts some kind of histamine reaction, which is OK if I don't annoy it by wearing wool the next day.

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Originally Posted by BleeckerSt_Girl

Sacrilege!! :eek: ...that would be "Ibex".
Thirty lashes with a wet acrylic noodle!

lol!

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This is starting to sound like a knitting forum. Just a little. :D

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Originally Posted by BleeckerSt_Girl

Sacrilege!! :eek: ...that would be "Ibex".
Thirty lashes with a wet acrylic noodle!

lol!

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I am not worthy of the wool :o :D

I do sometimes wish that Isis and Ibex were one company, though.

Just ordered 2 Ibex bras from TE. I am hoping the small fits; while I am x small in the cup, I am somewhat broad in the shoulders/chest, so I think I'm OK.
They were on sale and who cares if they are last year's model? I hope they get here in the mail Thursday, so I can pack them for my trip to Franconia on Friday.
This is what I do when it's a snow day and I'm avoiding studying.

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Originally Posted by Crankin

Just ordered 2 Ibex bras from TE. I am hoping the small fits; while I am x small in the cup, I am somewhat broad in the shoulders/chest, so I think I'm OK.
They were on sale and who cares if they are last year's model? I hope they get here in the mail Thursday, so I can pack them for my trip to Franconia on Friday.
This is what I do when it's a snow day and I'm avoiding studying.

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that's my favorite! I have two. It's comfy almost all year round..

Is it wrong that I just ordered a wool blanket for my husband as a Valentine's gift? If we share it, that's romantic, right? :p

I got that ad too. The ad had hearts on it. So it's a perfect Valentine's day gift.

If it's the same loden blanket ibex usually has, I have one and like it a lot. It is not as nice and soft as my smartwool blanket - but I don't think smartwool makes throws anymore.

I'd snagged a couple $5.99 XXL men's merino wool t shirts off SAC in the middle of the night the other night, thinking that maybe they'll be euro fit and fit my older brother.

They came and they look like they're about a men's large. I'm not sure if he's getting them, 'cause I can have some delightfully soft merino wool t-shirt nightgowns with these. They hit midthigh.

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Originally Posted by Cataboo

'cause I can have some delightfully soft merino wool t-shirt nightgowns with these. They hit midthigh.

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Brilliant idea! I need to pay attention to those XXL sales!

I borrowed an Ibex blanket at Susan's house once and it's super warm, so I think it'll be a hit in our poorly heated home. ;)

Oak - good point, I'm just doing what the ad says! :cool:

I'm also going to suggest to my H that a pair of smartwool FiveFingers would be a great V-day gift for me and keep our holiday theme all about the wool!

I keep telling myself he's really not going to appreciate them, so I should just keep them.

Maybe I will give him 1 for his birthday and keep the other to sleep in.

My Ibex baselayer arrived today. What with that and the Gore jacket I cannot wait to get out on the bike tomorrow :D

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Originally Posted by hebe

My Ibex baselayer arrived today.

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Congratulations. It's now official. :)

The bras arrived today, so they are going to NH with me.
I hope they don't itch.