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Featured Comment by Jeremy B. Buchanan on September 15, 2015 at 18:53

Great info. from all. Thanks for all of your input. Just to clarify, I have no intentions of using the wool blanket to keep me dry or to let the blanket to get completely wet and still keep me dry. I am actually planning on keeping the blanket in my car all winter, in case of emergency. A couple of winters ago, I was stranded on the road in a snow storm. I did not have a blanket that would help maintain my body heat. I also plan on doing some more camping and may do some in the winter months, where I believe the wool blanket would come in handy. I will reply back here, if I end up using this winter.

Comment by Tobias Gibson on September 15, 2015 at 16:03

Shlomo, The United States Armyt and the British army used wool uniforms in North West Europe and even in the Italian campaign during WWII.  In fact, the US Army was fighitng in North Africa in the issued Wool uniform.  The Army was still issuing the same wool socks well into the 1980s and they were excellent at keeping your feet dry but not necessarily warm.  As soon as your boots get wet the wool socks also get wet and if the boots freeze so do the sock and the cold is transferred directly to the skin.  Been there and done that.  Aynone who thinks wet wool will keep you warm do  simple test.  Get a wool blanket,  soak it in a bucket of nice warm water. Wrap your self up int and then go lay down in the snow is sub-freezing temperatures.  Let me know how long you stay warm.

Try the same thing in wet sleeping blanket.  If you last more than an hour I'll take back everything I said. The cold air is going to cool the water in the wool and as soon as the water gets below body temperature you will start losing body heat. The thicker the material, the longer it will take for the out side air temp to start sucking out you body heat.  The colder the outside temp, the quicker the wet wool will lose any semblance of insulation.

Check out a few websites that discuss this.

http://woodtrekker.blogspot.com/2012/03/does-wool-keep-you-warm-whe...

This is explains why wool is good at insulating:

http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/outdoor-activities/hiking/wool-w...

However, this is talking about dry wool and its ability to wick moisture from the skin, thus keeping you dry.  

Wool is also excellent in its ability to shed water which keeps it drier longer than other materials.

But the  bottom line is, if the wet wool is colder that the body temperature it is going to pull heat from the body. As I said before Wool is better at keeping you warm than other materials such as cotton but don't bet your life on wet wool in freezing conditions.

Oh yeah, Shlomo, the phrase about "If your feet are cold, put on a hat" is very true.

But it isn't because we lose a disproportionate amount of heat through are head. It is simply because heat is lost through all exposed surfaces. Part of the bodies survival mechanism is it tries to keep the core warm so the extremities will lose heat first (hands and feets) and blood circulation to these areas get restricted in an effort to keep the important parts (heart, lung, liver, kidney, etc) properly heated. By covering more skin, you reduce heat loss through out your body. 

See:  http://www.webmd.com/a-to-z-guides/features/do-we-really-lose-most-...

At the same, time if you're getting overheated in the summer, it may very well be because you need to put on a hat, preferably a light colored one that will reflect the heat of the sun.  and maybe soak a nice wool scarf in ice water and put around your neck!

Incidentally, I started wearing wool socks year round about two years ago.  To my surprise, my feet stay dry, and no foot or shoe odor!  Athlete's feet are a thing of the past. Wool socks are awesome! I'm never buying cotton socks ever again.

Comment by James Cole on September 15, 2015 at 15:10

You can read why wool keeps you warm even when wet at this site.

http://adventure.howstuffworks.com/outdoor-activities/hiking/wool-w...

Comment by Shlomo ben Maved on September 15, 2015 at 14:48

Well, a few points that you're forgetting.

Trench foot had little to do with wearing wool socks but standing in ankle to knee deep water the whole day with leather boots on and no chance to dry the boots or your feet.  Nearly eliminated when they started issuing trench boots (hip waders).

Wool keeps you warmer then any other material when wet because it retains more of your body heat then any other material BUT it does not retain all of your body heat. 

You also loose heat through your feet/legs, hands but the most through your head.  Old expression: If you're feet are cold, put on a hat!

European armies have always worn wool as cotton was hard to come by (only grown in America, India or Egypt) but every country had a wool industry to some extent. They also had a linen concern as long as they have had flax.  Remember the blockade runners from England during the Civil War exchanging food and munitions for cotton.  You got hypothermia by not being warm enough as the army didn't issue proper clothing for the seasonal climate conditions.  Think Big Red One during the Battle of the Bulge or the British army wearing wool during the American Revolution in South Carolina or in the summer during the Crimean War.  Quarter-masters have been the boon and bane of every army since the Pharaohs.

It wasn't until synthetic fibres (1935) came about that true winter clothing (and thousands of other items) could be utilized.

Featured Comment by Charles Sample on September 15, 2015 at 13:46

Good point Tobias.

Comment by Tobias Gibson on September 15, 2015 at 8:48

Wool does have the ability to retain heat better that say cotton, but wet wool  (as in soaked through and through) will not actually keep you warm. It essentially will allow you to lose body heat a little slower than other soaking wet materials.   Good quality wool, however, has the ability to shed water  better than cotton.  Wool blankets are nice and warm and breathes nicely but you will still need a water proof shell in wet conditions.

For those who believe wool will keep you warm even when wet, explain this myth to all the soldiers in WWI who dies from hypothermia and trench foot during World War I.  After all they were wearing wool uniforms with wool socks and wool leggings. 

Comment by Jan Carter on September 14, 2015 at 19:48

Jeremy,

I have heard the same thing and I know we used the old blue wool air force blankets when I was young

Featured Comment by Jeremy B. Buchanan on September 14, 2015 at 19:40

Jan - I don't have a different bug out bag for winter, but I am starting to accumulate items that I could need in the winter months. The first of these items arrived today. I ordered a 100% wool blanket. I have heard from multiple sources that wool can keep you warm even when it is wet. I hope I never have to prove that theory true, but I would rather be prepared if it ever happens. 

Comment by Howard P Reynolds on September 11, 2015 at 20:54

You make an excellent point, dead_left.  Heat treat will be important, and I wouldn't expect much from a cleaver.  My test wood will be split oak, which is what we use for firewood.  We lost a Willow last winter, and I will take a whack at some of that, too.  Terrible firewood, but we don't throw away much, so it will go in the fire with the oak to help it burn.  I'll let you guys know how it goes with the cleaver.  

Featured Comment by dead_left_knife_guy on September 11, 2015 at 18:58

Howard, I am definitely curious as to how well that Farberware cleaver processes wood.  I'm guessing the heat treat is meant more for softer materials like meats & vegetables, & relies more on the user to sharpen frequently.  It's be great to be wrong on that guess, though -- keep us updated!

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