That is the reason wool is the all season, anywhere on the surface of planet earth best choice for wet area climates. Even in the Navy they had / have tropical worsted wool garments and headwear.  Not to forget the venerable Pea Coat or Captains Trench coat.

                                                                          
For all the fancy stuff out there, the best of the best tries to incorporate some wool some where in their material design, and for good reason.  Time tested from Old Testament times through contemporary use.  It is the fiber of choice for so many cold wet products.

Worn in knitted or woven form, the fiber is highly resilient and can actually wash well if you consider before buying, by thinking what the size will end up being “after” washing is taken into account. 

E.g.  Want size medium mittens to ware? Buy size large and wash and dry as you will.  This same thinking applies to 100% cotton that is not pre-shrunk.  For sure Pre-shrunk has revolutionized the apparel industry and the way we shop for sized clothing.

Yet for all our progress, we still need and find ways to incorporate wool in its many forms into almost any winter, or high end fashion garments.  Wool insulates almost equally against both cold and heat, it is use from the artic to the desert.  Sure you may want a few moth balls strategically placed to protect the wool from being moth eaten, but the material is just a wonder when it comes to plain utility and forgiveness in the wild.  And the old Military Surplus stocks being released, out of the pre-positioned war stocks around the world is a real bargain, having been manufactured during poorer times (1940’s through the 1980’s.

When worn as the main insulating layer it is great at passing body moisture through to be evaporated away from the body and yet keeps the body very warm in the process.  When worn under a windproof and waterproof  barrier layer you can dress lighter and looser, trapping more warm air, and breathing easy without the clammy feeling of nylon or polyester next to your body.

That is why my friends you want also will want to seriously consider some wool in your family’s life this winter 2005.