Merino Sheeps Wool vs Alpaca Fiber–the show down, dun dun duh.

Not to be a contrarian – and as the owner of the business you should know better than me – but 230g cannot be the total weight of the garment or else the hood would be “free” (i.e. it cannot be that the quarter zip and the quarter zip hoodie both weigh as finished garments 230g). Furthermore, the website rather clearly states the weight as “230g/m2,” which is a fabric weight and not a garment weight.

In addition to putting the garment weights on your website, it might also be helpful to indicate a comparative metric. Something that says “this garment, which weighs X in total and is made of 230g/m2 fabric is equivalent to a 260g/m2 merino fabric in terms of warmth.” That way if I were buying one of your 230 shirts I would know what merino piece it would be replacing (and compare weights accordingly). Obviously if Alpaca has the claimed warmth-to-weight benefits over merino, then if I wanted to replace a 230g/m2 merino shirt with something of the same warmth, I should be buying Alpaca weighing less than 230g/m2.

As someone who wears almost exclusively merino in the backcountry, thanks for expanding the market for other natural fibers.

In addition to putting the garment weights on your website, it might also be helpful to indicate a comparative metric. Something that says “this garment, which weighs X in total and is made of 230g/m2 fabric is equivalent to a 260g/m2 merino fabric in terms of warmth.”

I hate to be contrarian but this seems an impossible request: how warm a garment is is purely subjective.  The R value could be calculated for objective comparisons, but the perceived warms is not something anyone can provide.

The important question is, is alpaca as terribly hydrophilic as wool?  I personally like the fact wool is far less stinky than capilene, but, ignoring that, capilene beats wool hands down by letting perspiration wick out and dry faster.  If alpaca is not as bad as wool I would be tempted.

@arms-of-andes you mentioned a distributor in Holland: could you give more info?  I am curious but not curious enough to pay international shipping + customs and VAT.

Hi Federico,

You are completely right. I seemed to have made a mistake, sorry for that. We did weigh the fleeces and I posted the total weights below for the mid layers. Base layers’ weight are coming soon. Also, correct, warmth is something that can only be measured by the person. However, it gives an idea to customers what to expect.
We have inventory in Holland. If you were to order an AoA fleece on our site and input your EU address, you should an option of a flat shipping rate of 23 USD. And taxes are stated at checkout as well.

Mid layer large zip neck: 575 gram
Mid layer medium zip neck: 545 gram
Mid layer medium hoodie: 644 gram
Mid layer large hoodie: 665 gram

Mid layer large hoodie: 665 gram

At 23.46 ounces that must be one warm son-of-a-gun!!!!  My XL Cap 4 gridded hoody weighs 243g or 8.58 oz.

You should do a jacket out of the heavier fabric! :)

Hi @fedster9 I forgot to answer your question: “is alpaca as terribly hydrophilic as wool?”

the answer is no, Alpaca is not water absorbing. The more water wool retains the stinker it will be, in this case Alpaca does not have a high water retention so its not stinky and it is less wet.

Let me know if you have more questions :)

Hey @pastyj-2-2 just curious, what is your XL Cap 4 gridded hoody made out of?
<div class=”bbp-reply-content”></div>

Polartec Power Grid

<div class=”bbp-reply-author”>
<p class=”bbp-user-nicename”>@pastyj-2-2 oh okay that makes sense. I googled it and it looks to be made out of synthetic fabrics so it makes sense why its so light. Our fleeces are completely natural Alpaca wool, we don’t work with synthetics.</p>

</div>

Just received a men’s large mid-weight Alpaca hoody (very quick shipping from Arms of Andes!).  Haven’t used it yet, other than trying it on, but we were impressed with it as soon as we saw it.

First impressions are that it is very well made, somewhat long in the arms and waist on me, apparently sized for younger men (I’ll be 65 soon) with slimmer, longer bodies.  Somewhat tight around the mid-section but very stretchy so no problem, perhaps it’s meant to be form fitting (my current form is NOT flattered by form-fitting clothing).  Pretty thick and heavy, maybe not really an UL garment, although it might be depending on how warm it actually is.  Fabric is very smooth and fine, finer than Merino.

I’ll be using it on X-C skiing day trips in early Feb, that is, if I can pry it out of my wife’s and daughter’s hands.

<p class=”bbp-user-nicename”>Hi Elliott, thank you for the feedback, much appreciated! With respect to the length of the sleeves and the mid-section fit, we are adjusting them and aiming to provide a better fit. If you have any thoughts about the mid layer during your skiing day, please do let me know. We’re always looking for ways for us to improve and receiving feedback from our customers really helps us to create a better garment. Thanks again!</p>

Are you suppose to wear the base layer super close to the body or just regular size loose would do it with the jacket?

Hi Flyer! Base layers meant to be worn as a snug fit so the warmth is retained more. However, personally, I wear base layers as a regular size but that is just my preference. As far as the jacket goes, it depends in what environment you are in. I live in Amsterdam and I have not use the base layer just yet. But I do use the mid layer and regular jacket on top (sometimes) and its about 4 Celsius. When I warm up a bit from riding my bike; I only need the mid layer. I hope that can give you an idea about the base layer. If you are confused, please let me know. Thanks!

Hey everyone! Before I forget, feel free to subscribe to our mailing list on our site to receive updates and follow us on IG and Facebook! armsofandes

Thanks!