Why wool still works - Archery Aisle - as an outdoor clothing material - Column

Shooting Industry, July, 1999 by Carolee Boyles

Wool. For many years, it was a staple item in the serious outdoorsman's closet. But with the advent of the new synthetic fabrics, critics say it's lost much of its usefulness, both as a garment for hunters and fishermen - and as a sales item for retailers.

Not so, says Ron Bernstine, director of Sporting Group and Special Accounts for Woolrich Inc. Wool is just as useful in today's field and today's marketplace; its uses are just different than they were 50 years ago.

"In the past, wool was primarily used as an outerwear garment," Bernstine says. "It started out being a fairly heavyweight fabric. But today, through technology, we're adding more modern properties to wool."

In the past, the main reason to wear wool was its warmth.

"Wool can really keep you warm, even when wet," Bernstine says. "That's why God put it on sheep. It acts as good insulation and retains body heat even when it's wet. And in the outdoors it's silent, which is still a big feature for the hunting market. It's also very, very durable. It lasts for many decades. We get a lot of testimonials from generations of hunters who wear the same wool garment."

Advances in fiber technology have allowed manufacturers to move away from the heavy, 30-ounce wools originally used in outerwear garments, to lightweight wools with the same desirable properties.

"We've also made it washable," Bernstine says. "Wool is finally becoming accepted in the marketplace as a washable product, and that's really helped the sales of wool products. Care was always an issue with wool because it had to be dry-cleaned. But now, we can pre-shrink the wool before the garment is made. That means no dry-cleaning odors on hunting garments. And from an environmental standpoint, we've reduced the dry-cleaning chemicals being used. So we're doing things through technology that have really enhanced the marketability of wool garments."

One of the complaints wearers have always had about wool is that it itches. Actually, Bernstine says, that's temperature-related.

"Wool will only itch when you get to a certain temperature," he says. "If you're wearing wool in cold weather, you're not going to itch. It's only when the temperature rises that oils are released from the wool. That's what causes the irritation."

The development of these lighter-weight wools has opened doors for retailers who carry outdoorwear. Because of the properties of these lightweight garments, wool is finding many uses in concert with the new synthetic fabrics. In other words, wool still works.

"There are some synthetics in the marketplace that can really repel water." Bernstine says. "What that means is that wool doesn't have to work as hard. It doesn't take on moisture, but it still maintains body heat. That means greater comfort for the wearer."

Before you stock and sell today's wool, you need to know how to use it as a layering garment.

"Here's how I layer with it," Bernstine says. "I do a lot of cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and hunting. I start out with polypropylene underwear. That's always the first layer in cold weather. The next layer is wool. Then over that I add a Gore-Tex outer layer. I don't put wool next to my skin because of its heating properties."

Many hunters and anglers like to wear loose fitting polypropylene underwear because of comfort. Bernstine says that reduces its effectiveness.

"It should be pretty skin-tight," he says. "That fabric just doesn't need any extra air pockets. Actually, silk is better than polypropylene. Polypropylene is just easier to sell because of the price point."

Wool is an ancient fabric, and one that's been valued throughout time.

"It's been pretty good from the get-go," Bernstine says. "We've been able to improve it some with technology, but it was always a wonderful fabric. If you're outdoors, it's a natural. I think by making it washable, and making it lighter-weight, we've really enhanced its uses in the marketplace. Using it in concert with synthetics is the perfect combination of the old and the new."

For more information about uses of the new wools, contact Woolrich Inc. at (800) 995-1299 or fax them at (717) 769-6464.

Improved Gear

A lot of interesting new archery products are entering the marketplace. Here are some you should take a look at.

Isometric Targets recently introduced a new line of sturdy, long-lasting targets. The company says the new targets offer a durable shooting surface made of sections that are easily moved or replaced when shot out. Sections can be reversed or moved, or the frame in which the target is mounted can be reduced in size as shot-out sections are removed. Targets are easy to assemble and maintain, are portable, and are available for aluminum and carbon/graphite shafts.

Contact: Isometric Targets, 5167 Scarsdale Drive, Dayton, OH 45440; (888) 9494-9898; web site: www.isometrictargets.com.

From Camovision comes eyewear for the hunter. These patented glasses come as sports glasses or clip-ohs, and, according to the company, conceal the wearer's eyes and eye movements while allowing normal vision. Camowear Eye Wear comes in Woodland, Realtree All-Purpose Brown and Mossy Oak Tree Stand in tinted or clear lenses, and are UV protected.