Looking for real thick wool knitted hats..that are nice

[MarieV]

I've ordered a really nice wool hat from DebThorpe on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/shop/debthorpe

She knits thick wool hats in a lot of bright, colorful patterns. It's definitely warm enough for walking around town when temperatures drop into the 30s-40s. The wool is really thick, so it might be too toasty for snowshoeing or cross-country skiing when you're getting more of a workout.

I've also gotten nice knit wool hats at Pike Place Market. There's usually quite a variety, so you may want to check out the knit hats there when you're in Seattle.

[TrekDianna]

Man, that's sad. My SW cap isn't that old and it's 95% merino, 5% spandex.

Getting one made custom is a great idea, though.

SmartWool was sold to Timberland or something like that. Their sock quality has gone down also.

[OakLeaf]

Oh boo, I did not know that. I mean, I noticed their running socks aren't what they used to be, but I didn't know the company had sold out.

Sad too, because they're the only wool running socks I know of with the amount of cushion I like. I just got some Icebreaker running socks and really love them, but they're just too light for cooler weather. Injinji I can pretty much wear only in the hottest weather, because of my Raynaud's, plus I just like more cushion than toe socks can ever have.

My bottom layers better last me, too - though I haven't tried on Icebreaker tights. As much as I love my Ibex tops, their bottoms just don't fit me - too slender and too long. I have one heavy pair of JonesWares, that I'm not aware of anyone making wool tights that heavy any more - they're maybe 300 g/m2, as a guess. And one pair of SmartWool tights that they call "midweight," but that IMO are just too light and fragile-seeming to wear for anything athletic, only as a base layer under jeans.

Thanks for the heads-up, anyway. Sigh.

[Blueberry]

Apparently the Timberland acquisition happened in 2005. I, too, have had smart wool issues (gently worn socks kicking it in less than a year, tops getting holes without moths - I knit so I am very vigilant - and the nearby stuff was untouched).

Slight thread drift - but has anyone tried Darn Tough socks? http://darntough.com

They're wool and MUSA, plus a lifetime warranty (?!). I have seen good things online, but don't "know" anyone who has tried them.

[OakLeaf]

I have one pair of Darn Tough. They're only maybe three years old, plus I don't really like them for running, so I can't really comment on wear, but they do seem pretty tough. A lot of why I don't really like to run in them is that the fabric is so dense, so even though they're heavy, they don't really cushion or have a lot of stretch. They seem like they would stand up to a lot of abuse.


We probably ought to move this conversation to the Wool Weenies thread, it's past the season for reviving that.