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  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jun 2005
    Posts
    28

    Ibex Sweater vs Switchback

    I'm looking at both these pullovers and trying to decide which one I should buy. Looking for a warm pullover for temps in the 40 to 50 degree range. I somewhat prefer the look of the switchback but I noticed it's hand wash only. Plus what's difference in the two wools? One's Merino the other Felted Merino wool. I'm guessing the 100% Merino might be thicker,unsure. Also Swichback is considered a midlayer does that make it more like a thin capeline shirt?

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jul 2006
    Location
    Riding my Luna & Rivendell in the Hudson Valley, NY
    Posts
    8,411
    Quote Originally Posted by mso View Post
    I'm looking at both these pullovers and trying to decide which one I should buy. Looking for a warm pullover for temps in the 40 to 50 degree range. I somewhat prefer the look of the switchback but I noticed it's hand wash only. Plus what's difference in the two wools? One's Merino the other Felted Merino wool. I'm guessing the 100% Merino might be thicker,unsure. Also Swichback is considered a midlayer does that make it more like a thin capeline shirt?
    I think both are 100% merino wool. The switchback is a thick wool material, with a slightly bumpy texture. Not thin at all, but not like a bulky sweater either. You don't say which Ibex sweater you are looking at. The switchback pullover is somewhat form fitting, which makes it good as a mid layer.
    Sometimes I wear my switchback vest over my switchback pullover- and then I'm SUPER toasty warm!
    Lisa
    My mountain dulcimer network...FOTMD.com...and my mountain dulcimer blog
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  3. #3
    Join Date
    Apr 2006
    Location
    I'm the only one allowed to whine
    Posts
    10,557
    I wear my switchback as a jacket. (I have the full-zip) I just toss it in the washing machine and dry it flat. It's survived a year and a half of this mistreatment, no problem.

    It's not a lightweight piece, more like a jacket than your average wool shirt.

    I love it. If i had the money i'd buy the pullover version that's on sale right now.
    "If Americans want to live the American Dream, they should go to Denmark." - Richard Wilkinson

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Aug 2005
    Location
    Houston, TX
    Posts
    303
    I have both the switchback pullover and the full zip. Knot is right, they are pretty heavy wool, not so much shirt like, or layering types. I wear the pull over kind of like a sweater with a shirt underneith it. I wear the fill zip as a jacket just like Knot. I think that the full zip is a bit more form fitting. I have mediums in both and the full zip is pretty trim while I have quite a bit of room in the pull over (but not in a bad way). I just washed my pull over for the first time... threw it in the washer on cold and dried it flat. It seemed to shrink down a little, but probably just back to where it was when I first got it (Christmas) after being streached out from wearing it so much. The only way I would really call these midweight in terms of layering is that you could wear them under a shell like you would a fleese jacket. Also, they are a bit "knobby" so aren't as soft as some of the other ibex, smartwool, or icebreaker merino tops.

    I do love both of my switchbacks.... would love to get some of the other colors in the pull over that Sierra Trading Post has now... but I really don't need to be spending my $$ on even more wool, especially when I am moving to Houston in 6 months....

 

 

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