Why you should use wool and avoid cotton like the plague

[Aqua-Andy]

Why don't more manufacturers use wool for drysuit undergarment material? I have thought of experimenting with some wool under a DS but never found the right products.

 

[RandomGuy1]

I have a thin set of "Icebreakers" merino wool that I wear under my drysuit undergarment. I can't stand most wool ass too itchy, but it feels just like a thin cotton. Soft, smooth and no itching.

 

[tbone1004]

Why don't more manufacturers use wool for drysuit undergarment material? I have thought of experimenting with some wool under a DS but never found the right products.

as a raw material it is very expensive compared to synthetics, so more margin for them, and it's not "sexy" so it's harder to market it vs synthetics

 

[stiebs]

I have a thin set of "Icebreakers" merino wool that I wear under my drysuit undergarment. I can't stand most wool ass too itchy, but it feels just like a thin cotton. Soft, smooth and no itching.

Yep, I use IceBreaker leggings and long sleeve shirt under my Weezle. Found IceBreakers about 15 years ago when trekking through Nepal. Most comfortable undergarments I've ever worn - they feel much more like soft cotton than wool.

 

[Storker]

Why don't more manufacturers use wool for drysuit undergarment material? I have thought of experimenting with some wool under a DS but never found the right products.

as a raw material it is very expensive compared to synthetics, so more margin for them, and it's not "sexy" so it's harder to market it vs synthetics

When I used a neoprene DS, I used only wool undergarments, but not with my trilam suit. For the middle thermal layer, synthetics have other properties which complement wool. I love my wool underwear as a base layer, and I also layer with wool when it's really cold, but if I prefer Thinsulate in my undersuit. A wool undersuit thick enough to replace 200 gsm Thinsulate would be too heavy and dry too slowly.

 

[MasterChief D]

+1 for the Icebreakers... I also feel itchy wearing wool but these do no seem to irritate my skin.

Most impressed with their odour-resistance: wearing Fourth Element Arctics withour the merino baselayer on a day's diving results in the Arctics going straight to the washing machine; add the merino baselayer and they are fresh the entire season...

 

[oszillodrom]

+1 for Icebreaker - I cycle to work every day in the Austrian winter, and use Icebreaker longsleeves and leggins. They are pricey, but I am prone to itching from wool, but not at all with the merino wool from Icebreaker. Woolpower, Smartwool are also good.

 

[Storker]

Woolpower, Smartwool are also good.

I love my Woolpower garments. However for my wicking layer I'm an Aclima woolnet fanboy. It seems as if that product is a bit awkward to find outside Europe, but I @lowviz said that he managed to find a dealer in the UK who was willing to ship.

 

[lowviz]

Another fanboy.

All you need is a credit card, easy for me as ordering from Amazon. These fine people have shipped to me many times: Nordic Outdoor: Scandinavian Outdoor Lifestyle - Nordic Outdoor

Scroll all the way down to the bottom and ring them up with your questions. They do the VAT for you and all that other nonsense...

 

[Imla]

+1 for Aclima and wool... Had a completely flooded drysuit at 56m on the way up from a dive in the baltic sea... 4C at the bottom... and an hours deco to go... (Luckily the water was 16C at 6m)
I more or less always wear wool. And, it is very common in Norway. Merino/Silk is also a very good combo. In the winter, my wool laundry basket is always bigger than the rest of my clothing combined....