WoolWeenies Club

[mariposa]

Just tried out some various microweight/lightweight wool leggings and thought I'd share my observations.

Note, I got these partly for bike-commuting short distances, but mostly just for wearing to work and around town under skirts. I specifically wanted to find *footless* tights/leggings, because I find the "footed" ones pull down on the legs/thighs, and I'm always having to hoist them back up. They also needed to look good enough professionally, under skirts/dresses, i.e. they needed to not look all bunchy or like long underwear.

1) Icebreaker Nature tights, 150-weight. I don't recall the specifics, this was a year ago. I just remember they were *really itchy* so I took them off in disgust and sent them back! I was really surprised, because wool, including Icebreaker, rarely makes me itch. Fit: tight.

Today, I got Patagonia and Ibex tights and tried them against each other:

2) Patagonia Wool 2 tights. Thought I'd try these because I love the Wool 2 top.

What I liked: Very silky, yummy fabric! Look great as leggings; they don't bunch. Extremely comfortable. No itch whatever. True to size.

What I didn't like: Crotch seam is right down the middle (I do after all plan to wear these a bit riding around town, with technical undies under, and a skirt over). There is also a seam stitched all the way down the outer part of the leg; it's not *too* noticeable but makes the tights slightly long-underwear looking, closer up. These tights are 27% polyester, which I'm afraid will stink (that's a problem with the Pat 2 t-shirt). Most expensive of the three tights.

3) Ibex Woolies tights. My first experience with any Ibex Woolies.

What I liked: Just as ridiculously comfortable & attractive as the Patagonia ones. Don't bunch. Crotch seam is split, not right down the middle. There is no outer seam on the leg. 100% wool, so I'm not concerned about stink. Cheaper. A tad warmer.

What I didn't like: These tights have a grandma-rise; they come up a full inch above my belly button! Less silky, and ever so slightly itchier than the Patagonia.

I kept the Woolies, but for the truly itch-sensitive, or for somewhat warmer weather, I'd recommend the Patagonias.

What amazed me most about both the Patagonia & the Ibex is that they looked like true tights, professional, while still being somehow loosely comfortable (in both cases I was between sizes and I sized up). I'd say, for comfort, size up instead of down. They won't be baggy on you.

Hope that's helpful to someone.
Mariposa

[jessmarimba]

Umm...I should be kicked out of the club.

I was just going through my closet looking for something to wear tomorrow when I discovered a brand new Neve sweater I bought over a year ago and have never worn.

Way better than finding $10 in a coat you haven't worn since last season, though!

[Biciclista]

um, Ibex is having their winter sale...

[Biciclista]

Everest Gear has Ibex baselayers for sale, check it out!
http://store.everestgear.com/ibwooulosl.html

[Crankin]

I wore the second Ibex bra on Wednesday. It seriously bothered me when I put it on, but I kept it on. I was snow shoeing with a friend who is not as fit as me, so I never really sweat that much or worked that hard to make me forget about it.
Was going to go nordic skiing this morning, but studying and temperatures below zero, as well as a hair appt. this afternoon is necessitating a trainer work out. Will test more this weekend.

[merlin]

EMS sale has Ibex items for lower prices than the Ibex site.
Scored a Shak full zip in shiraz and a Tarrah in black plum.
Wishing I could afford the Lexie jacket. I love my similar Mollie jacket.

[PamNY]

Hope that's helpful to someone.
Mariposa

It is; thanks. I hate grandma rise.

[malkin]

Hey woolieweenies!
How many of these could I need?

http://www.sierratradingpost.com/p/,...For-Women.html

[jessmarimba]

I don't know, but now I need one.

Do the sleeves on the jackets run any longer than their sweater sleeves? The sweater I have is almost bordering on too-short sleeves for me.

[Catrin]

My LBS is being kind enough to allow me a 50% discount on a lovely Smartwool long-sleeve jersey. It has the kind of pockets in the back I like, a lovely dark reddish color, and even a pocket on the sleeve Even better, they are holding it for me until Friday when I will actually have the money - it is still far from cheap at 50%...

There were only 2 left in the color I wanted, medium and large. Both fit - I went for the larger one with the idea that I might want to wear a base layer underneath it and it would work better for that.

Considering this is a wool jersey, will I even NEED to wear a base layer with it? I've learned that I won't really consider riding in temps <35. At least that is the way it is THIS year - next year I may not be so thin blooded.

What say you, o Woolen Wise-Women? I don't have much experience with wool in general, and the only other wool items I have are a base layer and two Swobo short-sleeve jerseys that I have not yet had a chance to wear. I hope to change that tomorrow

[OakLeaf]

I will definitely wear two layers of wool (in fact, I am right now - and I do on the bike when it's cold, as well).

You'll still probably still want a wind blocking jacket, but that can just be a shell you can wear in warmer weather, if your middle and base layer are nice warm wool.

[Catrin]

I will definitely wear two layers of wool (in fact, I am right now - and I do on the bike when it's cold, as well).

You'll still probably still want a wind blocking jacket, but that can just be a shell you can wear in warmer weather, if your middle and base layer are nice warm wool.

I have a quite nice PI thermal jacket - but as it is an XL (from last winter when I was so much larger than now) it is HUGE - which isn't really a problem except the back of it tends to get caught behind/beneath my saddle. I am going to sell it but trying to make it work for a little longer.

I just wish jackets weren't so expensive, but that is the way of the world...I do want to find one that is more visible than my current black one with a touch of red...

[malkin]

I don't know, but now I need one.

Do the sleeves on the jackets run any longer than their sweater sleeves? The sweater I have is almost bordering on too-short sleeves for me.

The sleeves are longer than normal! And I have longish arms.
The arms are a bit slender.

I actually ordered one in each size, thinking that one would work. The small is too tight in the arms, the medium is good and the large is good too, so I couldn't decide. Besides, the large is black/purple and the medium is bark/red.

Brewer used the word 'erotic' to describe the wool.

Something about this jacket reminds me of Le Petit Prince.

[GLC1968]

The sleeves are longer than normal! And I have longish arms.
The arms are a bit slender.

I actually ordered one in each size, thinking that one would work. The small is too tight in the arms, the medium is good and the large is good too, so I couldn't decide. Besides, the large is black/purple and the medium is bark/red.

Brewer used the word 'erotic' to describe the wool.

Something about this jacket reminds me of Le Petit Prince.

Damn you, malkin!

I just used a huge chunk of my Q4 bonus on Neve sweaters from Sierratradingpost! I ordered 3 for me and one for my husband. I should be locked up.

[jessmarimba]

Maybe I'm lucky that their sweaters don't quite fit Along with almost every other wool clothing company out there.