Wool Clothing: the complete list

[pdmtong]

I thought I'd try to consolidate the wool producers in one place. Please add if I have missed anyone.

Cedar Cycling http://www.cedarcycling.com/ Norcal USA local.

Ibex

Icebreaker

Rapha

Road Holland

Torm

Who is the technical fabric guru here...is the material used by the above fairly similar or are there some marked differences?

Getting my head around design, cut, stylistic and price differences.

[TMB]

Cima Coppi http://www.cimacoppi.ca/

Made in Vancouver. 100% Merino, made one piece at a time to order.

[phcollard]

http://www.colomba.cc/
http://www.oregoncyclewear.com/woolcyclingjerseys.html

[fiamme red]

What are you looking for? Jerseys or base layers?

The wool jerseys made by Rapha, Road Holland, and Torm are a wool blend, mostly polyester.

On the other hand, almost all the stuff from Ibex and Icebreaker is 100% wool.

Kucharik is still making 100% wool jerseys and undershirts in the USA.

[EDS]

Wabi Woolens

[phcollard]

http://www.vintagevelos.com/5-men
Earth Wind & Rider

[christian]

Thank you EDS, and I am ashamed it took until post #5.

[Ken Robb]

Rivendell usually has some woolen cycling garments for sale.

[fourflys]

http://www.swobo.com/catalog/product_info_m.php?cPath=2045_2046

[AngryScientist]

swobo makes very nice base layers.

[RGW]

Smartwool is has a cycling line. Jersey is 75% merino / 25 % poly

[67-59]

The wool jerseys made by Rapha, Road Holland, and Torm are a wool blend, mostly polyester.



Not aware of any 100% wool jerseys by RoadHolland or Torm, but Rapha does offer some 100% wool jerseys -- I believe most or all are in their "city riding" collection.

[shortribs]

Generally a big fan of the wool tees by Outlier...

Have a bunch of lightweight Ibex garments, which are brilliant...except for the fit.

[fiamme red]

Not aware of any 100% wool jerseys by RoadHolland or Torm, but Rapha does offer some 100% wool jerseys -- I believe most or all are in their "city riding" collection.I stand corrected.

However, the Rapha "city" wool jerseys are more like sweaters than jerseys, since they only have one small rear pocket.

[fourflys]

swobo makes very nice base layers.

agree... I bought two when they came up on Bonktown a while back and wish I'd bought four....

[gdw]

If you're not into the roadie coffee shop fashion show check out Montbell, Patagonia, Minus33, Cabela's, REI, Stoic, etc. There's no shortage of outdoor companies offering 100% wool baselayers, t-shirts, and zippered tops which work as well or better than the overpriced stuff from the cycling industry.

[William]

If you're not into the roadie coffee shop fashion show check out Montbell, Patagonia, Minus33, Cabela's, REI, Stoic, etc. There's no shortage of outdoor companies offering 100% wool baselayers, t-shirts, and zippered tops which work as well or better than the overpriced stuff from the cycling industry.


Yes, but are they "Epic"?

;);):)




William

[gdw]

"Yes, but are they "Epic"?"

Some are, some aren't. Unfortunately some companies can't afford to have their products manufactured in mainland China by highly skilled and well compensated chil...er craftspeople and use sweatshops in the US and other third world nations.:beer:

[AngryScientist]

what would be a helpful addition at some point is a "fit calculator" for this thread. i have found that wool jersey's in particular can have the fit all over the board. i normally wear a medium race cut jersey, but some medium wool jerseys fit like togas...

[sc53]

All my wool baselayers are Smartwool and Ibex--the best!

[beeatnik]

All my wool baselayers are Smartwool and Ibex--the best!

+1

Some good deals on Ibex here:

http://www.alwaysriding.co.uk/manufacturers/ibex-15/

No VAT for US customers so they subtract 20% at checkout.

[eippo1]

I like IO Bio's stuff as well. Very functional and good. Pretty much base layer and casual stuff only.

[rickbb]

I use Ibex and Patagonia jerseys for winter mountaineering and the light merino garments by the latter are my favorites, comfortable, impressive performers that feel almost like cotton to the touch.

[DHallerman]

I don't believe I've seen Kucharik (http://www.kucharik.com/) mentioned, and they've been making wool jerseys before several of these other manufacturers were even considering whether or not to ride a bike.

Also, Boure (http://www.boure.com/) often has wool items, such as jerseys...although I don't believe they manufacture the wool themselves.

Dave, who prefers Kucharik jerseys when it's colder and he wants a denser weave and prefers Woolistic-manufactured ones in the milder weather and typically wears Ibex of various types as base layer(s)

[fiamme red]

I don't believe I've seen Kucharik (http://www.kucharik.com/) mentionedI mentioned them (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=1118164&postcount=4). :)

My long-sleeve Kucharik wool jersey, about 10 years old, is my favorite for cold winter days (I rarely wear a jacket).

There are also retro merino jerseys from Soigneur, made in New Zealand:

http://www.soigneur.co.nz/199659/html/page.html

[DHallerman]

I mentioned them (http://forums.thepaceline.net/showpost.php?p=1118164&postcount=4). :)

My long-sleeve Kucharik wool jersey, about 10 years old, is my favorite for cold winter days (I rarely wear a jacket).

There are also retro merino jerseys from Soigneur, made in New Zealand:

http://www.soigneur.co.nz/199659/html/page.html

And I have some Kucharik jerseys that are nearly 20 years old, still going strong (as long as I store them in plastic bags away from evil moths).

[tiretrax]

Shutt Velo Rapide is another UK based company. There are some US shops carrying the products.

[93legendti]

My favorite pieces are :
Smartwool socks, from ultralight phd (my fav summer cycling socks ever) to winter weight.
Ibex Shak full zip for winter cycling
Icebreaker Real Fleece Sierra full zip - warm beyond its weight
Ibex Meru hat - good temp range, great stretch, covers all of my ears!
Smartwool micro ( ss and ls) and light weight (ls) nts layers
Minus33 expedition tights- nearly wind proof and usable in a wide range of temps
Smartwool light gloves, arm Warner's and especially the knee Warner's, which are perfect.
Ibex arm warmers-made from Shak material, they are thick and warm.
Ibex Nomad real fleece full zip hoodie

[Frankwurst]

Base layers I go with ibex simply because when they have their spring sale you can get some decent deals and it is nice stuff. Heavy duty I go with Wabi Woolens simply because it's just that...heavy duty and real comfortable. It's the real deal.:beer:

[DHallerman]

Base layers I go with ibex simply because when they have their spring sale you can get some decent deals and it is nice stuff.

One big thing I love about certain Ibex tops as base layers is that they're just all-round clothing.

In particular for me, the Nelson model long-sleeved t-shirt, a classic crew neck shirt that's relatively lightweight, gets quadruple duty:


Base layer under a long-sleeved jersey for temps below 60.
First layer when hiking or other outdoor activities below 60, or only layer below 75.
Just regular clothing for daily use, with jeans.
Base layer under a dress shirt when it's colder out, kind of like a fancy undershirt...my black Nelson works particularly well with my black dress shirt and black wool pants (hey, that's often "dress up" enough for me)


Dave, who wonders how many other garments can play ball at four different positions

[bart998]

I don't believe I've seen Kucharik (http://www.kucharik.com/) mentioned, and they've been making wool jerseys before several of these other manufacturers were even considering whether or not to ride a bike.

Also, Boure (http://www.boure.com/) often has wool items, such as jerseys...although I don't believe they manufacture the wool themselves.

Dave, who actually likes Kucharik when it's colder and he wants a denser weave and prefers Woolistic manufactured in the milder weather and typically wear Ibex of various types as base layer(s)

+1 Kucharik, great quality and go into their store for the deals on the discount rack.

[rdparadise]

I've got one of these and they are very nice.

http://www.amazon.com/Castelli-Wool-Base-Layer-Top/dp/B004C08KD8

Castelli wool base layer. Pretty thick and really warm.

Bob

[JeremyS]

Who is the technical fabric guru here...is the material used by the above fairly similar or are there some marked differences?


That would be me. Part of getting Cedar off the ground was becoming extremely knowledgeable about technical goods and construction.

As far as I know, right now, no-one else is using the blend we use for our jersey. The standard choice for most of the companies listed is SportWool, (now rebranded "MerinoPerform") which is anywhere from 12% to 60% merino, and the rest is typically polyester.

Our blend, which we had made after testing a number of similar blends, is merino on the skin, with nylon on the exterior of the garment, and lycra in the mix for stability and stretch.

Our t-shirt and baselayer are 100% merino. Finding a good vendor for those fabrics is much harder than it would appear.


There's many more variables in what makes a quality wool garment, from the yarn level up to the production management. If there's interest, I'm happy to answer questions about everything involved.

[Michael_S]

saw this thread... thought I'd mention a few others...
Woolistic makes some nice 100% wool jerseys
Ground Effect in New Zealand makes some wool blend merino jerseys that fit nice and are pretty simple. I have the Median Strip model and will buy another soon.


~mike

[Rueda Tropical]

http://wabiwoolens.com/

[Bertleman]

Vintage Velos makes the most durable wool jerseys in my opinion. Alex does have a sick collection of vintage race bikes too.

[spacemen3]

Vulpine (http://www.vulpine.cc/) makes some really trick cycling clothing, and a nice merino jersey. My buddy at Dundee Cycles is the US distributor. It's a bit out of my price range, though. :(

[rice rocket]

Endura has a very good fit on their baselayers.

http://www.endurasport.com/Dept.aspx?dept_id=125

[pdxharth]

Thanks for the mention, Christian and other Wabi fans. Just wanted to let folks know there are two basic types of Wabi Woolens jerseys - one heavier weight for colder temps, and the newer Sport Series, which is slightly lighter and machine washable and doesn't shrink (available in long and short sleeve versions). All are made in Portland.

Wabi was fortunate to have a favorable review of the Sport jersey posted on the Red Kite Prayer blog a few months ago; please check it out if you have any interest.
http://redkiteprayer.com/2012/04/wabi-woolens-long-sleeve-jersey/

Cheers,
Harth

[bwest]

Our blend, which we had made after testing a number of similar blends, is merino on the skin, with nylon on the exterior of the garment, and lycra in the mix for stability and stretch.

Our t-shirt and baselayer are 100% merino. Finding a good vendor for those fabrics is much harder than it would appear.

Having handled Cedar's samples at the NAHBS show, they are by far some of the nicest cycling products I've laid hands on. For the pricepoint, I have yet to see anything as well built and soft. Amazingly soft.

[gmonster]

Email update today says Road Holland wool jerseys are on sale for up to 25% off...and since these are my favorite jerseys to wear, it is worth you taking a look: www.RoadHolland.com (http://www.roadholland.com)

[JeremyS]

Gentle bump as we just finished production on two colorways of our updated jersey.

Words about it:

We upgraded our Standard Jersey with an improved fit, softer fabric and extra pockets. Highly breathable, comfortable and versatile across a wide temperature range, we're confident this will be your favorite three-season jersey. Shop worry free with our 90-day no-hassle return policy.

First, we designed a softer merino-blend fabric with more stretch and a wicking nylon to keep you drier. Then, we tweaked the fit, adding more articulation for a more comfortable position on the bike.
We improved one of the most functional parts of the jersey - the pockets. Three generous open rear pockets hold all your ride essentials, plus two hidden zippered pockets to keep your valuables safe.

Double-needle stitching and bar-tacks keep your pockets extra strong and on your back. A full-length YKK zipper lets you control your ventilation, and the jersey is held in place by soft silicone gripper.

Pictures about it:

Midnight and grey trim
http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0101/0762/products/1004b-mdnt-2_1024x1024.jpg?286
(http://www.cedarcycling.com/products/standard-jersey-pre-order)


A special edition we made for John Watson:
http://prollyisnotprobably.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/1004b-detail-03-655x655.jpg (http://prollyisnotprobably.com/merchandise/cedar-cycling-pinp-merino-jersey/)

[rnhood]

Excellent looking jersey, with what appears to be equally excellent construction. The full zip in particular is such a nice feature. I guess I'll need to put one on order.

[alessandro]

For socks, it's Darn Tough: http://www.darntough.com/run-bike-1715.html

68% merino, 28% nylon, 4% Spandex. Made in Northfield, Vermont, USA. They have a lifetime guarantee. They also last much longer than SmartWool socks.

[JeremyS]

For socks, it's Darn Tough: http://www.darntough.com/run-bike-1715.html

68% merino, 28% nylon, 4% Spandex. Made in Northfield, Vermont, USA. They have a lifetime guarantee. They also last much longer than SmartWool socks.

We've met with the owner. He's great, and running a great company. I can't endorse them enough.

[phcollard]

Oh yes and Rapha is on sale from now on http://www.rapha.cc/shop/sale/

:)

[gdw]

Nice jerseys Jeremy.

+1 for Darn Tough, their socks are exceptional.

As to baselayers, Sierra Trading Post always has some on sale....Ibex, Smartwool, Icebreaker, etc.
http://www.sierratradingpost.com/s~wool-baselayer/

[bluesea]

Arm warmers

http://www.defeet.com/60296/i1374983/736014/ArmSkins-Wool/ArmSkins-Woolie-Boolie.html

[hockeybike]

Anyone have any input on the torm long sleeve jersey vs wabi or rapha?

[druptight]

http://www.colomba.cc/
http://www.oregoncyclewear.com/woolcyclingjerseys.html

Reviving an old thread here - but have a quick question. Has anyone stateside ever ordered from Colomba? When you checkout it indicates 68 pounds cost and that 11 of that is VAT. Does anyone know if they charge you the VAT when shipping outside the EU? I was under the impression that they shouldn't but it appears that if I continue the transaction the VAT will be charged. Thanks

[Ti Designs]

Sheep.

Oh come on, it's a discussion about who makes wool...

[oldpotatoe]

http://teamalchemist.com/shop/wool.html

[summilux]

For wool unders, your local thrift store likely has 100% merino or 100% cashmere ones in the sweater section. V neck, crew neck, colours may vary. Size one size down and presto, cheap cycling base layer .

In Canada, for new, MEC wool base layers are pretty good.

[martl]

if you are based in Euro-Land or Germany: ORWi might be worth a look. http://www.orwi.net
the quality is exceptional- better than my very expensive Woolistic one.

[downtube]

So here goes..... I am a new comer to road biking, maybe 4 years back riding after 35 years away. I like the way wool jerseys look compared to most of the modern style lycra, but I have never tried a wool jersey, and have 2 questions.


Am i going to itch< Pendelton shirts drove me crazy.

Do i need to dry clean or do you wash in woolite?

Thanks for your replies
chuck

[Wilkinson4]

Good wool jersey's don't itch and you can get away with several rides w/o washing them since they don't retain odors like other materials. Buy some of this if you jump on the wooly bandwagon. Either soak wash and soak rinse in the tub or hand wash cycle on your washer. Lay flat on towels to let dry. Good to go for many more rides;) Welcome back!

http://kookaburraco.com

mIKE

[Wilkinson4]

Paceline Woolie? Second row, middle...

http://cimacoppi.ca/custom.htm

mIKE

[downtube]

Good wool jersey's don't itch and you can get away with several rides w/o washing them since they don't retain odors like other materials. Buy some of this if you jump on the wooly bandwagon. Either soak wash and soak rinse in the tub or hand wash cycle on your washer. Lay flat on towels to let dry. Good to go for many more rides;) Welcome back!

http://kookaburraco.com

mIKE

Thanks for the info, I cant wait to try a new wool jersey.
chuck

[downtube]

Paceline Woolie? Second row, middle...

http://cimacoppi.ca/custom.htm

mIKE

Thanks again, Thats a great looking jersey.
chuck

[Gummee]

on-one was having a sale on merino stuff a while back. Managed to get some arm and knee warmers.

One ride in em so far and so far so good

M

[BurritoGuru]

I'll add my company.
Finally getting it moving.
Vintage inspired wool cycling jersey and arm warmers.
Made in SF
Orqo Adventure Apparel (http://www.orqo.co/)

[fiamme red]

I'll add my company.
Finally getting it moving.
Vintage inspired wool cycling jersey and arm warmers.
Made in SF
Orqo Adventure Apparel (http://www.orqo.co/)Looks really nice.

Do you plan to offer jerseys in other colors soon? Do you have a size chart?

[BurritoGuru]

Looks really nice.

Do you plan to offer jerseys in other colors soon? Do you have a size chart?

I prefer color and will on the next jersey.
The size chart is one of the pictures on the left towards the bottom. Will change it to make it more visible.
I am a one person operation.

[rjfr]

Other than color selection, I can't imagine why I'd need anything other than Wabi woolens. After several years of wearing both light and heavy weight jerseys through fall and winter with absolutely no degradation of fit or function, can't say there is a reason to look elsewhere.

Pockets are deep, zipper pocket for valuables, zipper still work fine, the right weight for autumn, spring and winter rides, sizing which works for my long arms and torso, easy to care for (ok, so you can't put it in the washer, but so what, you only need to wash it once per month!).

[christian]

Agreed. I own a pre-production Wabi prototype winter jersey. It must be from 2004 or 2005. It looks as good today as it did when I got it. It'll be back in heavy rotation in about 12 weeks, I guess.