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scuricide t1_iz1izk5 wrote

Reply to comment by Transmatrix in Did sheep fur always just endlessly grow or was that something that was selectively bred? Were they originally naturally adapted to be going through a lot of foliage and thickets and stuff that would keep their coat relatively trimmed? by EuroTraschBozos

One of the few natural materials. Lots of synthetics have this quality.

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InvincibleJellyfish t1_iz1k797 wrote

They make you smell tho. Wool is amazing at not getting smelly from sweat etc.

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daywalkker t1_izbwts1 wrote

Potentially, but the incredibly low cost of producing synthetics means a much, much less expensive end product. Plus, many synthetics perform better in inclement weather for numerous reasons. Synthetics are the #1 reason for the decrease in demand for wool.

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kingbane2 t1_iz339mv wrote

which synthetics keep you warm while wet? having worked outside in winters for many years i haven't found much that works well when soaking wet aside from wool.

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paranoid_android_OK t1_iz8gea2 wrote

I’d like to know the answer, too. Wool is the only material I’ve known to keep you warm and dry wick water off you.

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WimWumRay t1_izcrpcu wrote

Polypropylene underwear is very good for this purpose. I used to wear it for white water kayaking.

Synthetic fleece jackets are pretty warm while wet and much lighter than wool. Can't think what it's acrually made from though... I got a free one with a National Geographic subscription.

Main downside I notice compared to wool is that the synthics get kinda gross smelling if you sweat in them.

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