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Outdoors New England Outdoors Premier Head to Head-Don’t Get Fleeced by Wool
Outdoors New England Outdoors Premier Head to Head-Don’t Get Fleeced by Wool | Head to Head-Don’t Get Fleeced by Wool |
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| Written by staff writer | |
| Saturday, 24 February 2007 | |
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Don’t Get Fleeced by Wool by Craig Niiler Ask any old-timers and they’ll tell you, “Wear wool in the woods” I grew up skiing, paddling and hiking in all types of conditions and wool was it. Everyone knows that in inclement weather “cotton kills.” New stylish synthetics came out in the 1960s but although colorful, these clothes were uncomfortable, chilly and not very durable. Only on pleasant days could you impress the opposite sex by wearing spandex and nylon; if you wanted to be warm on inclement days, you wore wool. I mean, who cared if you smelled like a wet ewe and itched all over? At least you weren’t freezing. The wisdom of the old guys was irrefutable, until… choir sings, angels play trumpets… the amazing invention of fleece. In 1981 Malden Mills invented polar fleece. How does a recycled plastic soda bottle become a soft and comfy garment that keeps you just the right temperature in all conditions? Who knows! How can the world’s toughest explorers and a cuddly baby share the same material of choice? Who cares! The stuff is great: It lasts forever–it is so light to wear that you can forget you have anything on. Gone are the days when you spent your evening drying wet wool over the campfire; fleece just doesn’t hold much moisture. With the invention of easily compacted polar fleece, I was faced with the prospect of unused capacity in my backpack. My dad helped me to think beyond survival. On a multi-night, multi-family backpacking trip 20 years ago, he decided that my 20-something year-old back and near-empty pack should be used to carry bottles of wine. A less than optimal packing job on my part resulted in damp and fragrant fleece pants from the bottom of the pack, one less bottle of Merlot, and concerned looks from passing hikers as they smelled us coming and going. Those were my favorite pants for years. To this day I find dressing and packing decisions easier because of the versatility and easy-packing characteristics of fleece. I, too, know Maine Guides who won’t touch fleece. But I also know a senior guide from a company who steadfastly wears it despite the pressure from the owner and other guides to stick with wool, preferably red and black-checkered, thank you very much. Ultimately, I think each person’s choice of layers can vary as much as body type and metabolism. Hotdogs or hamburgers? Ford or Chevy? Red Sox or Yankees? Like the questions of life, both answers have merit. For my nickel, I’ll be packing my fleece and a bottle of Merlot on my next trip. Craig Niiler, certified PSIA ski instructor, is Director of Skiing at King Pine Resort in Madison, NH and has logged 100+ days of skiing for more years than he cares to admit. An avid kayaker, his favorite place on earth is any island along the Maine Island Trail. |
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| Last Updated ( Saturday, 24 February 2007 ) |
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