4 ms·
Wool + wind shield is actually pretty hard to beat. The modern materials can be effective while being very light weight and take up little space. But I think t
by jmull 4y ago
Wool + wind shield is actually pretty hard to beat.
The modern materials can be effective while being very light weight and take up little space. But I think these are much more niche concerns than most people like to acknowledge.
I think the real reason the modern materials are more popular than wool+ is that they are more profitable when marketed, and hence are heavily marketed.
- halpmeh 4y agoWearing a waterproof shell gets you pretty steamy. Apparently this ShakeDry fabric is actually breathable. I wear wool + shell (note, waterproof shells likely contain PFCs), but I hate how humid it gets. I’m very intrigued by ShakeDry after reading this thread.
- SkyPuncher 4y agoThe problem is most wind shields are equivalent to wearing a plastic bag. The moment you start sweating, it creates a terrible, sticky, humid environment.
- senderista 4y agoFor active use, you’ll often stay drier under a water-repellent treated breathable fabric that doesn’t pretend to be waterproof. With most “waterproof/breathable” fabrics, you’ll get soaked from the inside long before you get soaked from the outside.
- idontwantthis 4y agoWhat exactly is the treatment? I was spraying some boots last week and I wondered if I'm directly applying PFAS to my clothes and breathing it in.
- jabl 4y agoNikwax at least is flourine-free, but yes, AFAIU most waterrepellent sprays contain PFAS.
- girvo 4y agoAs someone who lives in QLD Australia, I’m used to that sticky humidity I guess — the rare times I need to deal with cold and wet, wool and a wind shield jacket is fantastic for me. Very different environment than most others in this thread though I think.
- ehnto 4y agoNot going to lie, being able to fit an entire waterproof jacket in it's own pocket the size of a wallet, and slip it into some a small day pack is a pretty big win for travelling. But generally speaking I do think we're going a bit crazy with the exotic materials in travel/active gear. It's probably just not necessary for a lot of people's use cases.