Warm wool hoodie?

[Rebecca 510]

My husband is interested in a wool hoodie as a backpacking substitute to the thick cotton hoodie he wears around town. Something good for chilly days in the mountains when it’s not quite cold enough for the parka, or for wearing under the parka when it’s really cold. Seeking a good ratio of light weight to warmth. Got one y0u recommend?

[David Sugeno]

Is there a reason he wants wool?  If weight/warmth is the primary criterion, I consider fleece to be a better option.  I love merino for comfort, but I consider anything more than lightweight base layers to be too heavy for backpacking.  If he’s looking for something that is comfy but won’t provide that much warmth, I recentliy bought a Kuiu Ultramerino Zip T Hoodie, and I absolutely love it.  I use it primarily as a baselayer during cold-weather aerobic activities.  But my Peleton 97 Hoodie is lighter and warmer.

[Rebecca 510]

One reason is I know he just generally likes wool.

He also mentioned that it’s nice to know wool things will still perform well even if they get wet; is this true of fleece?

I don’t think either of us has any experience with fleece other than really cheap heavy stuff, not sure what to expect from that material generally…

Definitely looking for something warm in this case, not a thin base layer.

[Jacob]

Do you want something to keep warm while hiking or in camp?

I think the BPL consensus for hiking is either a 35cfm windbreaker, a polartec alpha direct fleece, or any micro-grid fleece and for camping is a down or apex puffy. I think Alpha direct has the best warmth/weight of any fleece.

https://backpackinglight.com/by-the-numbers-thermal-performance-measurements-of-fleece-insulations/

[David Sugeno]

Rebecca 510, yes, fleece performs well when wet, and dries more quickly than wool.  It is lighter for the warmth, and less expensive.  Cons are that fleece is less environmentally friendly, and synthetics are less odor-resistant than wool.  Since it sounds like he’ll be wearing this as a mid or outer layer, that probably won’t be a big issue.

[Steofan M]

When/if my Melanzana hoody ever wears out, I’m sending for The Hoody from pakaapparel.com. I had the chance to try one on and the fabric is so light and warm… wow. Not a high-priced merino hoody, but a great alternative. Have your husband use the size estimator and I always bump up one size from the recommended for a bit more of a relaxed fit.

Steofan M.

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