WoolWeenies Club

[Grog]

Hey Deb, my DH bought one of those jerseys and despite giving it the best of care (handwashing, carefully drying it) it has seriously shrunk! It's now TIGHT on him. Too bad, because it was a classy sweater/jersey.

Now we know that you can't even wring wool out to dry. But he didnt know that.

They say they have a new style now, and it's mashine washable supposedly.... Hum.

[DebW]

I wore holes in 2 fingers of my Smartwool glove liners last weekend. Guess thin Smartwool can't take much abrasion. Should have worn my leather work gloves all day instead of switching back and forth while hiking and moving logs/limbs. The Smartwools were great for gram-weenie hiking, but alas, now I'll have 2 cold fingertips.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

dEBw,

I posted in post #53 of this thread how I was rather surprised when I poked my finger right through my SmartWool crew base layer sleeve while pulling it off casually. I hadn't thought about how wool is not indestructable! I am more careful now with my definitely NOT cheap woolies.
Were you wearing your SW glove liners as outer gloves? That might explain why they did not hold up to abrasion, grabbing tree trunks, etc- they are meant to be worn inside other gloves- probably woven to be soft and thin rather than durable.
You could still sew up the holey fingertips and wear your liners under big work gloves or under mittens, etc.

[momof4greatkids]

I was never one to wear wool, but after reading here, I had to try it. I was absolutely truly laughing out loud at Lisa's 12-steps for woolweenies! Pure genius!

My first purchase was an Ibex switchback midlayer, got it a week or so ago, at a great price ($34)from SierraTrading (I think I got the last one). I wear it to bike, to shop, to surf the channels from my sofa, it keeps me comfy in all conditions, and I feel quite smart in it if I must say so myself

Then I saw Mimi's post about getting even better deals from the Goodwill. So yesterday I shopped at a Goodwill store in a nice neighborhood. I was so excited to find a great baselayer, 100% merino (it's skin tight, but it's a baselayer), and a really cute every-day sweater, also 100% merino, for 4 bux each! One label is "Ann Taylor", the other "abercrombie and fitch". I'd NEVER pay full price for either of those brands, but at 4 bux each, ya it's a sweet deal!

What I love most about the wool for riding is that it doesn't grab the stink like the tech layers, and it stays dry. I'm looking forward to trying the wool baselayer later today on a ride.

Last Saturday I was riding on 40 miler and we stopped halfway for lunch. By the time we got back on the bikes, my baselayer (a polyester jersey) was fairly damp and I stayed chilled for 10 minutes or so. Once I warmed back up I was OK. I hope the wool baselayer will prevent this from happening again.

You guys are great, thanks for dragging me into your addictions

Colleen

[DebW]

dEBw,
Were you wearing your SW glove liners as outer gloves? That might explain why they did not hold up to abrasion, grabbing tree trunks, etc- they are meant to be worn inside other gloves- probably woven to be soft and thin rather than durable.
You could still sew up the holey fingertips and wear your liners under big work gloves or under mittens, etc.

Yes, I was wearing the liner gloves as outer gloves, and grabbing tree limbs with them. Nothing heavy-duty (switched to leather gloves for that), but still... I only paid $10 for them, so not a huge loss. They were great under my lobster-claw cycling mitts, so maybe I'll try to sew up the holey finger and thumb.

[KnottedYet]

Look, fellow wool-weenies! I have brought an innocent victim into our wooly clutches!



Yes, that is a Duofold henley Ms. Trek is wearing... the entry drug to the hardcore wool world of Ibex and Smartwool and Icebreaker!

(and doesn't it look nice on her? I think she should wear it every day. Maybe I should find her another so she can wear wool while washing wool. Yeah, that's it, building up her tolerance one wooly item at a time. Soon, the Ibex Norgie crew my pretty, sooooon...)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Yes!!!
Another convert!

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

Fellow Woolweenies,

I have become addicted to wearing my merino Ibex sale Approach tights.
At first I wore them only once every few days, over my chamois tights for cycling to keep extra warm.
Then I noticed they felt really good on my bare legs, so I started wearing them around the house when I wasn't cycling.
Now I'm wearing them every day- over my tights when biking, and just by themselves every day, everywhere I go. They are somewhat thick wool and they fit me like ski/pant/tights - snug, but not too tight or revealing to wear in public. I walk up and down the aisles at the supermarket, and no one I pass by suspects that I'm getting a wooly leg massage right there in the cereal aisle.
They feel so good.
I know I can confess here....you'll all understand and won't think less of me.

Sometimes I arrange my day so I can wear them more.
Sometimes I put them on before I get dressed.
I tend to associate with friends who also wear a lot of wool, and avoid those who wear acryllic.
Sometimes I can't remember that I'm wearing them.
I've been late for work because of endlessly picking cat hairs off my Ibex wool tights. (good thing I'm self-employed)
I keep an extra bottle of Woolite hidden down in the laundry room.

I swear, though, I can stop wearing them any time!

[Trek420]

Yes!!!
Another convert!

starting to sound a little like a cult

http://www.backcountryoutlet.com/out...ml?id=8VoqMENR

[Bikingmomof3]

Whoo Hooo! Nice photo as well.