‘MerinoLOFT’ from Icebreaker

From the website:

"100% Polyester Fill: 88% Wool/12% Polylactide Body Lining: 100% Wool Sleeve Lining: 100% Polyester Exclusive of decoration"

Why in the world would they say 100% polyester fill, then on the same line show a wool fill as well? This is terribly confusing.

Maybe this link will help—

http://www.bivouac.co.nz/icebreaker-merinoloft

All I ever use are Icebreaker midlayers—zip necks with the thumbholes. This is a new wrinkle but I'll stick with my lighter weight WM Meltdown jacket for better insulation and warmth.

I think that's just bad website markup. Parse it as:

Fabric: 100% Polyester

Fill: 88% Wool/12% Polylactide

Body Lining: 100% Wool

Sleeve Lining: 100% Polyester Exclusive of decoration

So the shell is all polyester and the fill is mainly wool.

Ibex has had a wool fill jacket for years Ibex Wool Aire Sweater if you want to look at one in the U.S.

Reverse coil zipper at center front and hand pockets
7″ Hand warmer pocket
6″ Chest pocket
Adjustable hem and cord lock system
Elastic cuffs
Interior mesh pocket that doubles as a stuff sack
Machine washable
Made in Canada
Shell: 100% Recycled Nylon. DWR finish
Lining: 88% Recycled Rip Stop Poly, 12% Regular Poly Double Ripstop
Fill: 90% Australian Merino Wool, 10% Recycled Polyester
Garment Weight (oz): 15.04

Should be noted, Ibex also has wool fill for mittens and a hat. It's not a new thing, it does work, but I suspect it's a bit of a "let's see how much money we can charge the rich skiing crowd" game rather than an actual leap forwards in insulation.

I'm a skeptic, and an uneducated one.

Really? Why wool fill when there are several far better synthetic fills?
(Synthetic being "far better" for drying fast, giving more loft & warmth per weight and having better loft retention after repeated stuffing.)

Does anyone here actually have experience with wool fill? I've asked this in other threads with no answers.

The real question here is if the wool fill will resist compression when wet. I know that knit or woven wool keeps some of its insulative abilities when wet, but will the fluffly fill stuff do the same? (i doubt it)

That's me, cynical.
I suspect it is more of a fashion/marketing idea aimed at the glitterati on the ski slopes.
Not as robust, not as warm, and MUCH slower drying. But that's fashion.

Cheers

I haven't, so I wouldn't presume to review them.

I can say, though, that the Ibex wool jackets are nice. Real nice.

How is this fashionable? The wool fill is inside the nylon shell and not visible.

Because the more expensive something is, the more fashionable it is. Especially when it isn't even functional.