3 Minutes with a Maine Guide 43 Gear 4 Wool Clothing

Registered Maine Guide Lisa DeHart continues the series on Gear with a look at traditional clothing, especially wool, and why it's still the best.

[@nobodynoone2500]

Right on. It's amazing how inexpensive vintage wool pants are! I just picked up a pair for about $50, from the 1940s, that look like new. It's amazing how much thicker the wool is than any modern garmet. Learned the hard way hiking in cotton and polyester and nearly died.

[@3_Minutes_With_a_Maine_Guide]

Yes. They are so useful and nearly indestructible. I’ve fallen in icy waters…before dry suits and bent down in a full squat to squeeze the water out and just kept going. Mostly cause I had to, but if I was wearing anything else it would have been bad. Thanks for watching.

[@MaineGuide34]

Once again you are so right regarding traditional wool gear. I have my Grandfathers ww2 tanker pants very similar to yours an several Johnson wool jackets and shirts. The best for the woods an they also do not get stinky. Wool is that good.

[@Mainepolingguide]

Yes. Ultimately wool comes from an animal that has to stay warm and dry or it will die. And sheep can’t change their shirt.

[@Peakoilcompany]

Right on! I'm making wool trousers and coats. The plastic layer is interesting. I might do a waxed canvas lap. Wool pants make such a difference! Get them if you don't have a pair. It changes everything. Wool is super expensive, but worth every penny. There's lots to know about wool fibre, micron, blended with other materials, density of the weave.. right down to the age of the sheep! Apparently that impacts on shrinkage rates.. The military surplus is good too.

[@3_Minutes_With_a_Maine_Guide]

Wool also retains 85% of its insulation when soaking wet. Nothing else does that. No. Other. Fabric. Wool is what all the high tech companies are chasing.

[@GreatNorthWeb]

eagerly hoping for a mosquito/black fly segment. we don't have black flies in ohio, but our mosquitos will carry you back to maine and drop you off for the flies.

[@Mainepolingguide]

True, from Mid May to mid July. I will definitely do a thing on mosquitoes.

[@LukePighetti]

@@Mainepolingguide did anything come of this? I'm in Bangor and would love to hear your thoughts on insects in Maine

[@Mainepolingguide]

@@LukePighetti you’re right, this would make a good 3 Minutes. Thanks for the suggestion I’ll try to work it in. Might be a while, but it’s important and I’ll do it.

[@ed5042]

I just found you, Glad I did. Thanks

[@3_Minutes_With_a_Maine_Guide]

So glad! Welcome to 3 Minutes, Ed.

[@mr.w5132]

Another reason I like wool is when I am around the camp fire. Embers will not burn holes in it as they will with synthetics.

[@3_Minutes_With_a_Maine_Guide]

Yes. True they just land and go out.

[@danielhreno9582]

God I LOVE YOU! Only you would have me turning up the volume to listen to a pair of pants.

[@Mainepolingguide]

Well Dan we’re family, so you love me anyway too.

[@philipjean1086]

How true I’m a trapper northern Canada. wool and fur are the way to go in extreme and changing weather. It’s almost impossible to do any physical work in nylon clothing. Love your channel hope your doing well.

[@jhulin9018]

Preach it sister! Wool is the greatest. I am always amazed at not only the heat retention when wet and lack of clamminess, but it's comfort range of temps...not to mention it barely retains body odor compared to synthetics. What more could you ask for?

[@Mainepolingguide]

Yes AND since millennials have “discovered” wool, now the merino is affordable and really comfortable.

[@alanbierhoff6831]

Once again you’re 100% on the money! All the old timers I knew growing up in the Adirondacks and Green Mountains wore head to toe wool 11 months out of the year. Why doesn’t Wool rhyme with Cool? 🤣

[@Mainepolingguide]

Exactly.

[@peterh4446]

Also the old timers used to wear a tie! A nice classy touch.

[@vorteco7692]

"It's pretty simple, things haven't changed in 100 years" Very very very true! The more "high-tech" / "high speed" stuff I've bought for the woods, the more I've disliked it. Some stuff is useful (small LED lanterns such as the streamlight super siege). I've had one almost 10 years now. Still rocking and roll! It floats too! Anyways, wool and canvas are the best! Cotton is useless for anything besides drying dishes in the woods.

[@3_Minutes_With_a_Maine_Guide]

Well said!

[@michaeljepson]

I love this lady, she tells it as it is.

[@chuckhiccox8086]

Wool is the best. You could buy military surplus for a cheap price and have for years. Unfortunately, all the old stock is pretty much gone. If you do see it buy it .

[@willisblevins3759]

Good show thanks

[@mushercdn]

Very true but it can be itchy. Plus it weighs a ton when wet then takes forever to dry. I have those pants. The plastc makes them Too noisy for deer hunting. Canvas has its place and some modern stuff is pretty food. Merino wool really does cut down on sweat stink. Thanks for the video.

[@Mainepolingguide]

Yes, depending on the wool it can be itchy, but since millennials have “discovered “wool it’s much less itch. Wool dries quick, I’d check he label. You’re right about those pants being too noisy for deer hunting, great for canoeing.

[@redmond9653]

I had 2 pair of those exact german army pants, and I was dumb enough to give them away years ago!

[@3_Minutes_With_a_Maine_Guide]

That’s tough. No good deed…

[@jimfromoregonusa9899]

Well done!!!

[@kevinharding2099]

Wool is great. I also do well with fleece. I hope you are going to discuss footwear. In the summer, almost any “water shoe” will do, but in the spring and fall is use Bean boots or neoprene. Both boots work, but my feet sweat. I found “toe warmers” in Bean boots work well to keep my feet warm. Thanks for your videos - great stuff!

[@Mainepolingguide]

Keith, yes, I do intend on doing footwear. Thanks for watching and commenting.

[@fellspoint9364]

Xtra Tuff neoprene boots. They make them from shorties to 16” . Insulated and non. Best boots around.

[@jackkrag]

all thanks !

[@Mainepolingguide]

Thanks for watching. Means a lot.

[@mikefromoh2925]

Interesting pants! How do they do with burrs and other clingers? I like wool have pants and some longjohns although haven’t found a good hunting wool jacket that’s affordable quite yet.

[@Mainepolingguide]

Mike, they do good with burrs and briars, you definitely don’t feel them stick you through the pants. And pulling them off the fabric is easy.

[@danclements1990]

Hi Lisa, have you ever took a swim in the early season ( think end of April in Maine ) I am planning on a whitewater/poling clinic then and I have to plan on being ready for going in. Was thinking about a dry top/bottoms, but they are HOT

[@user-ms8pp8nc2n]

I and a lot of guys my area (south/central Indiana) are going to wool. What do you do for sent control? Does dry cleaning leave a chemical smell? Will sent control sprays like H.S. Strut or Dead Down Wind and others damage or lessen the performance of wool.

[@3_Minutes_With_a_Maine_Guide]

Wool doesn’t really hold odor. It’s one of the great things about. On a trip a little sun and wind and you’re good to go. At home the dryer is the only thing that can shrink and ruin it. Just a good cold water wash with whatever you normally use for detergent is good and then hang on the back of a chair and air dry.

[@natecutting-educationallea5452]

Where did you get those pants? Thanks

[@Mainepolingguide]

Nate, I got them as a starving college student in Orono Maine at an army surplus store 10$ a pair.

[@natecutting-educationallea5452]

@@Mainepolingguide Thanks! I love the content!

[@OURICO45]

Where I can get a good wool clothing?

[@3_Minutes_With_a_Maine_Guide]

My best source for years has been army surplus stores. Cheap, good quality, lots of pockets button flies, so there’s no zipper to break on a river.

[@Danthemant1000]

Anybody have a link for those pants? I can find the wool pants, but nothing with the plastic liner sandwiched between the two layers.

[@3_Minutes_With_a_Maine_Guide]

Those are World War II German wool army pants in the 90s they were in army surplus stores everywhere now I don’t know.

[@kevincollins7320]

British style paint pockets on front. SAS SBS

[@kateowens45]

Nice advice, but it is almost impossible to find wool jackets and impossible to order old German army pants or even American wool slacks. Everything is now synthetic, polyester fleece, nylon and Gortex. Best I can do is wear a merino wool base and a wool sweater over as a midlayer with poly blend hiking pants or ski pants in winter.

[@3_Minutes_With_a_Maine_Guide]

Boy I hear you! I bought almost all my wool army surplus pants in the 1990’s because there was no real women’s outdoor clothing. My sisters could all see and I used to have them alter…I want a gusset in the crotch, the legs have to close down for bugs..boy if I could see I would have built an empire.

[@AmazinFireMan]

Yup, gotta git me a pair of pants to stuff a lotta crap in em! Yess’m.

[@levihansen3851]

wool dont smell either

[@3_Minutes_With_a_Maine_Guide]

No it doesn’t. It sheds water without chemicals too. Thanks for sharing and watching.