WoolWeenies Club

[KnottedYet]

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!

[GLC1968]

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!)

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

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.

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

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.

[Triskeliongirl]

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?

[Triskeliongirl]

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.

[Triskeliongirl]

Hmmm, I started looking at bottoms. I like both the roaster boxer and the long Janes. Any comments on these pieces, advantages of boxer vs full length, etc. Do the boxers ride up? (I have some from VS that do and it annoys me). These are mid weight. Some reviews of the lighter stuff like the woolies say they get holes easily.

[KathiCville]

I don't know about the Ibex boxers, but the pair of Smartwool boxers I have DO ride up...a little. (Probably more to do with my anatomy than any design flaw in the boxers! ) I find that I don't wear them much--NOT because they ride up, but because I usually wear long thermals if it's realllllly cold.

I nabbed a great pair of Ibex wool tights with a windblocker facing on the front on sale on a ski shop website about two months ago for $85 (regularly $130 or so). LOVE them! (No name for the style; I think they were probably from a few seasons ago.).......And I also have a pair of Terry's good winter tights (bought at the 1/2 price sale a couple of months ago). Both are so warm that neither seems to require another layer underneath, at least down to, say, 25F. In fact, they can be *too* warm, so I only put them on when the thermometer is definitely below 35 and likely to stay that way during the ride.

I do have one pair of light, long Smartwool bottoms, but I only wear those under hiking pants now that I have the two seriously warm tights mentioned above. They would probably work very nicely under a pair of my loose tights, but I prefer a one-layer approach for my legs. Funny, 'cause I love multiple layers on the top half!

My BF teases me that I have clothing combos for EVERY conceivable temperature and precipitation! AND I carry back-ups in my truck "just in case" I leave something at home.

[Triskeliongirl]

I must confess. I did it, AGAIN, I made ANOTHER Ibex order. But I did restrain myself. I removed ALL ITEMS from the cart that I didn't really need or weren't on sale before hitting the submit order button. And those were a lot of items! I removed that pretty vest in the same color as my shak, cuz I have vests and don't like the boucle weave. I removed the pretty cyling jersey on sale that matches my bike, cuz I have enough cycling jerseys. I removed the tights that weren't on sale cuz my drifit tights really do work as a lower body base. So what did I order?:

Ibex Knee and Arm Warmers. They were great prices and I really did NEED them. And one more base, this time a mid-weight. The mulberry ribbed crew: http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/Product...t=Ribbies-Crew

I liked that this is mid-weight, heavier than the light weight Kate, and let me see if my skin can tolerate the 18.5 micron wool as well as the finer 17.5 of my Kate. I also thought it would like nice with my charcoal gray wool suit at my DC meeting.

I really want a zepher, but not till it goes on sale! I am also now realizing what a great bargain the organic sweater was, seemed really expensive when I made the order, but now that I understand this stuff, I can't wait until it arrives. I promise a review for all!

[Triskeliongirl]

Here is another item I put in my cart but stopped myself from ordering, cuz I don't need anymore shorts. But if you do and wear a size small its a good deal:

http://www.westhillshop.com/index.as...ROD&ProdID=235

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

I have a couple of those ribbies too...in Sand color and blue Larkspur (a no longer available color). They are NICE, and make great base layers. Thicker and warmer than the lightweight base layers like the Woolies and SW microweight. They have teeny tiny ribbing. But the cuffs do make them look a bit like long johns. I love them, and they are a good price at $55. I almost got one of those same mulberry color the other day, Triskellion! The Sand is a nice sort of pebble color. (Don't confuse them with the light weight LW Ribbies, also on sale right now.)

As for bottoms....
I have tried on the Ibex Loose Tights and had to send them back. They look so GREAT on my slender hipped friend, but awful on me with my hourglass type figure. They just don't drape right on me. I tend to look better in capris and leggings and tights rather than traditional pants.
I really lucked out last year with Ibex tights. At that time, they didn't yet have the new "Energy" tight: http://www.ibexwear.com/shop/Product...t=Energy-Tight
They had the Approach tight, which was the same as the energy tight but without the ankle zippers. Anyway, when they got the new Energy tights in, they put the Approach tights on sale last autumn from $120 to $60...and I grabbed them up! I got one for each of my two daughters and their girlfriends for Xmas, plus 2 for myself. My girls all wear theirs all the time now.
They are like the new Energy tight, a very heavy stretchy wool with a bit of spandex for stretch. I would say they are like stretchy shaks for the legs.
I just love mine, and wear them just like ski pants in the day or else I put a little black skirt over them....and I also wear them to sleep in at night, I love the wool-massage feeling they give my legs. Keep your eyes peeled in the Spring for when they put heavier winter stuff like the tights on sale.

I often wear one of my ribbies and my tights to sleep in. On less cold nights I'll wear a Woolie and the tights.
Wool is addictive in a wonderful way. It just makes me feel good all over.

[Triskeliongirl]

So, Lisa how was the sizing on the ribbed shirt? Do you have your standard medium? Is it dressy enough to wear by itself or only as an undershirt? I was definitely a small in the Kate and it even fits a tad loose but it is described as semi-fit whereas the ribbed shirt is described as fitted. I noticed this after I ordered, I hope the small is OK. My problem is that while I have a slender waist and hips, I have serious boobage (34D), but if the ribs stretch without pulling I'll be fine. I probably should have waited till morning and phoned the order in so I could chat with them about it. I just thought if I made the damn order already I could get wool off my mind and get back to work.

This wool thing is driving me crazy. WHO KNEW? This is not the same wool I tried to wear 20 years ago. In fact I am sitting here now in a 20 year wool sweater that is fine with a wool base, but itches me with a silk base. WHO KNEW? I even made a post on this thread a year ago that I was allergic to wool. Now I feel bad that I spent all that money on cotton stuff that won't keep me warm. It doesn't help that we are in the middle of our coldest days ever stuff (lows in the 30s). I actually think that its worse for me since my house lacks central heating, than being in a place where its cold all the time but at least the interiors are properly heated.

[Triskeliongirl]

OK, woolweenies. I need your help to choose one outerlayer to bring on my trip up north in early february. I don't want to buy another coat for what is a once a year trip for me so these are my choices:

1. My daughter thinks I should bring what I call my big puffy coat. Its one of those coats that covers me from head to toe, waterproof nylon on the outside, stuffed with some man made stuffing, and has a huge furry hood. Yeh, its hideous looking and several sizes too big on me (I bought it 35 lbs ago in a rush to wear to my mothers funeral.....) but I remember being toasty warm in it burying my mom in a blizzard. If its way too big do I have to worry about all that air in there, or will it all just get heated up by my body and work great, even if I look like an elephant in it. DD thinks this is the one cuz she worries I'll get sick easily from the drastic change in temperature like she did upon returning to school from the holidays.

2. I was thinking to bring a heavy leather jacket, with the zip out lining zipped in. This comes maybe mid-hip in length. Looks the sharpest and is what I wear here in our 30-40 degree days, only a little big but good for accepting layers. My daughter worries it won't be good if it rains or snows.

3. I have a ski jacket, synthetic and insulated, very cute looking, but again on the short side (maybe even shorter than the leather jacket in terms of the insulated portion, cuz its designed to wear over ski pants and no hood), but at least can handle wet weather. This is probably the best compromise between style and warmth. It does fit me cuz I bought it 20 years ago, pre-children.

4. I have a Columbia 3 in one jacket (ski type shell with zip out fleece jacket), just covers my hips and butt, has a hood, only a little bit on the big side, but also very puffy looking.

5. I have a WOOL dress coat, 3/4 length, but fairly open in front and also several sizes too big for me.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

So, Lisa how was the sizing on the ribbed shirt? Do you have your standard medium? Is it dressy enough to wear by itself or only as an undershirt? I was definitely a small in the Kate and it even fits a tad loose but it is described as semi-fit whereas the ribbed shirt is described as fitted. I noticed this after I ordered, I hope the small is OK. My problem is that while I have a slender waist and hips, I have serious boobage (34D), but if the ribs stretch without pulling I'll be fine.

The medium ribbie fits me perfectly, and is form fitted. The medium shak fits me perfectly, but is not quite as form fitted. The large ribbie and large shak both fit me nicely too, but with a bit more roominess so I can wear another layer under them. I think if the small shak fits you nicely, the small ribbie will too. The "ribs" on it are so tiny they are almost not visible, so there won't be any weird stretched rib look over your boobs, don't worry.
I think the mulberry ribbie will look cute enough to wear at work with nice pants. It doesn't have any longjohn cotton waffle look. The color is pretty and won't look like longjohns either. If the small is too snug for work, then you can exchange it for the medium- the difference in sizes seems slight. Ibex will give you a credit, maybe $6? for shipping, *I think*, if you are merely exchanging sizes on something.
Can you post a picture of you in it if you like it? I'd love to see that mulberry Ribbie in a photo on someone. I keep thinking I should get one in mulberry before they are all gone, but hard to know about the color without seeing another photo.

This wool thing is driving me crazy. WHO KNEW? This is not the same wool I tried to wear 20 years ago. In fact I am sitting here now in a 20 year wool sweater that is fine with a wool base, but itches me with a silk base. WHO KNEW? I even made a post on this thread a year ago that I was allergic to wool. Now I feel bad that I spent all that money on cotton stuff that won't keep me warm. It doesn't help that we are in the middle of our coldest days ever stuff (lows in the 30s). I actually think that its worse for me since my house lacks central heating, than being in a place where its cold all the time but at least the interiors are properly heated.

Yes I remember your "allergic" post back then.
Indeed, WHO KNEW? The nice thing is that your wool will last many years if you treat it fairly kindly.
When I first got turned onto merino/Ibex/Smartwool in Fall 2006, I was so excited that I bought some things that maybe weren't the ideal things for me. Good stuff, but not ideal. As I read and tried on and evaluated more items over the months, I got more familiar with the goods and slowly got a feeling for what worked best for me and my particular lifestyle. Lucky for me I have 4 girls (2 daughters and their 2 girlfriends), 3 of whom are my size- so I was able to pass a few of my early purchases on to them and they were thrilled. (I also bought them a few new things for xmas etc, and got to examine more items firsthand that way too!) Now I have more of an idea for what works well for me.
Often i found that an item i loved at first just didn't work well after a month or so. Other items that I was ok with at first, later became my most favorite worn things. Don't be afraid to take your time and wear things for a while to get to know them. That experience in wearing the stuff really helps you when you go to plan your next item.

What area are you going to "up north"? Freezing Canada? Rainy Seattle? Milder PA? That can help us give you advice. All I can say now is that I would feel pretty nasty if I had to wear a coat down to my ankles that was puffy and 3 sizes too big for me.

[Triskeliongirl]

Thanks Lisa, sorry if I have been monopolizing this thread, but there is so much to learn! I will post some pictures, maybe when I visit my daughter in Boston, since she is the only one that I can ever get to photograph me. So, where am I going. First I am going to Wash DC. Here I will be mostly indoors at meetings in a hotel. I will only need an outer layer to perhaps walk one evening to a restaurant, and perhaps I'll metro it there from the airport, but if its nasty out I can get take taxis (I am kind of cheap, you wouldn't know it by my recent purchases, but I get a per diem so if I don't use taxis I get to keep more $, so they sort of pay for taxis, but reward you if you don't take them if that makes any sense). Then I will fly to Boston to visit my kids for the weekend. There we will be car free, so will be walking around a lot, and perhaps waiting in the cold for buses. My daughter has snow boots ready to give me just in case, otherwise I will plan to wear leather ankle boots. I also have leather gloves and a nice wool thingie (?cowl) I got 20 years ago that is sort of a scarf/hat combo, a knitted tube that I can use to cover my neck, face and head as much or as little as necessary.

I think my new purchases will work great for the inner and mid-layers. I bought one charcoal grey wool suit, as separates, with a second pair of matching pants, and two pairs of black wool pants at a really good after xmass sale at ann taylor loft (these pieces cost nothing compared to my ibex!). To get variety, I can either wear the suit jacket, my shak, or if I like it and keep it (which now I am hoping I will) the organic sweater, with my base layers, and if that isn't enough I have lots of nice mid-weight cotton sweaters to fit in between. I may wear my old terry cycling tights with the very thin chamois as a lower body base if I feel the need. The chamois is so thin its not noticeable and the pants fit fine over it.

[KnottedYet]

Hmmm, I started looking at bottoms. I like both the roaster boxer and the long Janes. Any comments on these pieces, advantages of boxer vs full length, etc. Do the boxers ride up? (I have some from VS that do and it annoys me). These are mid weight. Some reviews of the lighter stuff like the woolies say they get holes easily.

I have 3 pair of Roaster Boxers and 1 pair of Long Janes. (the gray ones that match the Boxers)

The Boxers are my all-time favorite underwear for EVERYTHING. I love them! They do NOT ride up (unlike Smartwool) They are incredibly comfortable.

The Long Janes are a great weight (they are just long Boxers) and I wear them for running, biking, sleeping, and as long undies.

My boxers get washed after every wearing, and are going strong. The Janes get washed about once a week, no sign of problems. Even the inner thighs (where I always wear out fabric... my thighs are big from muscles, yeah, that's it...) have no thinning or pilling or friction damage.