Synthetic vs. Merino Wool w/ John Barklow from SITKA GEAR

This is always a heavily debated topic, so we decided to ask John Barklow, who has an extensive background in clothing development, Special Operation Training, wilderness survival, and hunting.
Both have their place in a layering system, so John is going to break down the differences of each material and when to use merino or synthetic based off of his past experiences.
At BlackOvis.com we carry a wide variety of merino and synthetics layers, and we offer free shipping on all orders! Use the links below to shop 👇
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Clothing - www.blackovis.com/clothing
All Base layers - www.blackovis.com/clothing/me...
Merino Wool - www.blackovis.com/clothing/me... Shop at BlackOvis.com
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[@jonathanrogers9961]

One thing to keep in mind, wool is naturally fire retardant, synthetic will melt. if you have to dry your gear by the fire, it makes a difference.

[@BlackOvis]

Great thing to keep in mind! Thanks for the tip!

[@rockie307]

Wool you might need a fire to dry it takes much longer than other materials. I hang my clothes to dry in the backcountry and somedays the afternoon storms come in before its dry while the rest of my clothes are good. That's the biggest con of wool that and it's heavy when wet other than that it's nice to wear.

[@ryaniam22]

​@@rockie307 Most people like to sit around a camp fire whether they are wet or not but I see your point. Wool definitely has a leg up in that realm. Personally I wish companies would put a wool outer overtop of down jackets just to get rid of the noise when moving, the shine, and the ability to get near a fire.

[@joeybennett1491]

I wore the same Merino shirt for 7 days backpack hunting and when I got home, you honestly couldn’t tell I wore that garment for 7 days in the backcountry. That’s why I’m sold on merino for next to skin.

[@BlackOvis]

That makes a lot of sense! Thanks for sharing your feedback!

[@thinsche]

Thank you for doing these videos with Sitka, building a system has been a confusing task, but these videos help a lot! Keep’em coming!

[@BlackOvis]

Glad you like them! Thanks for the feedback!

[@sinepari9160]

Yeah, I love a good micro fleece poly for moisture. It just dries SO much quicker. As long as you're ok knowing the wool is going to be clammy but still keep you warm (what really matters). And the wool is just crazy for odor. I can wear a pair of wool socks for 3 days they STILL won't stink at all. Poly need washing daily.

[@BlackOvis]

You're spot on. Thanks for sharing!

[@bobalvarez2577]

Great way of explaining the differences. thx

[@BlackOvis]

Glad it was helpful!

[@user-jh1bp2lt2e]

Super informative, and I think the key takeaway is 'do the work to figure out what best satisfies your expected outcome.' One thing I would add is you can add a synthetic over the wool when layering to actively draw the moisture thru the wool to the outside. Layering up like this is of course temp dependent, but you can mix and match to meet your specific needs.

[@sthompson447]

So awesome. I love listening to John Barklow talk about the technology of materials the same as listening to John Dudley teach archery.

[@BlackOvis]

John has so much knowledge and is great at sharing it!

[@mdog1615]

That’s a great non-biased breakdown of the pros and cons of both.

[@BlackOvis]

Thanks for watching, and for the feedback.

[@michaeltubbs2493]

Great video great info thank you for sharing!

[@BlackOvis]

Thank you!

[@davidfleer5307]

Wool is my choice because of the odor factor it doesn’t have any smell after 3 days of hunting sweating or no sweating, but for comfort just can’t beat cotton until it gets wet

[@BlackOvis]

very true, thanks for sharing!

[@DecisiveOutdoors]

I wear both depending on where I am and what I’m doing. I’ve been hunting primarily in SE AK and I have found my merino just doesn’t dry out easily. So I’ve been sticking to synthetics. I prefer thin merino for hot weather, feels cooler. Luckily I’m not a real stinky guy so that doesn’t play a huge role. Good video! -Joe

[@BlackOvis]

Thanks for sharing! 👊

[@tjallen3967]

The one thing that I did not hear is that merino still insulates when wet, whereas synthetic does not. I live in the PacNW, when you are outdoors for 8 months of the year you are not only managing sweat, but also environmental moisture. Likely where this was most obvious was this past year, we have a kid playing competition soccer. They practice no matter the weather year round. When we were sending her to practice with one or even two synthetic layers when it was wet this winter, she would end practice freezing. We bought a couple of merino base layers for her and single layered they do a much better job of keeping her warm when it is both cold and wet. Because of this experience I just bought my first merino hunting layers for myself this spring. Just thought I would put this out there. Thanks for the content - appreciate the information.

[@BlackOvis]

That's a great thing to point out. Thanks for sharing your thoughts!

[@sw0mpy]

​Wool will not keep you warm when wet. No fabric will. This is really easy to test out. Take a bottle with hot water (measure temperature) and put it inside wet wool sock. Leave it for few hours and then measure the temperature. Now repeat the same experiment with dry wool sock and without any sock. You will find that the water in the bottle will cool down much quicker with wet wool sock than without any sock.

[@matttezak2334]

Great topic.

[@BlackOvis]

Thanks for watching!

[@Farmersforever1993]

Combine them both and it works for me.

[@BlackOvis]

Thanks for sharing!

[@tristondaniels599]

I like synthetic base layer and wool mid layers.

[@BlackOvis]

Right on! 👊

[@nitesoftheday]

I use both

[@BlackOvis]

Right on!

[@YooperDanKulka]

I've always used wool when I was working construction out doors. Welding, torching and grinding. Wool is natural fire resistant! Polyester fabric for hunting, camping.

[@EverythingAdventure]

I run a light weight synthetic next to skin with a heavy weight hoodie, works for me.

[@luckytrapper7656]

Question: Will a synthetic base layer pull the moisture from a wool base layer? Example: Instead of wearing one heavy weight base layer, wear a lightweight or mid weight wool base layer next to skin and a lightweight or mid weight base layer over the top of that. I hunt late season in Wisconsin and at times the high temp could be below 0 degrees. Any little bit of sweat can end the hunt much sooner than you want.

[@BlackOvis]

Yes synthetic will pull moisture away from a merino faster then without, but it won't pull away as fast as just having a synthetic base layer on. It is a way to get the best of both worlds for sure!

[@craigschaefer8764]

I love wool, except for one thing. Mine doesn’t provide much of a barrier against wind. Therefore, my outer layer is Sitka. Not sure I should mix wool and synthetic, but I do.

[@shawnhenry3985]

Why not mix the best of both worlds

[@BlackOvis]

If it works for you, why not!

[@phild9813]

I almost always mix layers. I’ve run a thin synthetic sock with a thicker wool over sock. I’ve run a wool base and mid and a synthetic outer. Also, nothing beats a puffy coat when it comes to warmth.

[@davidbrouwers7309]

I'm a sailor on a Tall Ship, most of my clothes are merino (baselayer, sweaters etc). Keeps me warm and is also from a fire safety point the best choice, no 911 out at sea, but indeed depending on thickness and weave windproof is an issue so on deck in windy and/or foul weather I wear oilskins or in real cold snow jacket and pants over my merinos, sometimes only have my baselayer underneath my wind- and waterproofs. Mix and match as needed based on weather and activity.

[@LarryBlue55]

It's best to take both shirts with you for whatever you do to keep the sweet managed and under control.

[@brianmiller2739]

Very informative...wish was little.more in depth...like the shirt as to secondary layer..or what about wool blends for t shirts

[@BlackOvis]

Noted. What would you like us to clarify on?

[@marchuffman8266]

How does your next layer affect the evaporation put of the baselayer? Is synthetic still quicker to dry regardless of what the next layer is constructed of (thickness, material, breathability)?

[@BlackOvis]

Yes, synthetic will dry faster no matter what is over the top of it. The key is to have something that will breath over the top so it will allow for that evaporation to happen.

[@CarolinaNocked]

Great overview. I’m in South Carolina and it’s hot as balls here during bow season. I sweat like hell and I stink easy so maybe I should just go shirtless

[@ricksilver7398]

What about Alpaca. I never see this mentioned or reviewed amongst the reviews

[@richardkramer1094]

Through trial and error, mostly error, I much prefer Merino wool to synthetics. I sweat profusely, always have, and after a day or two things begin to stink. What is great about Sitka Gear is the outer layers have vents that can help with moisture evaporation. These vents manage moisture very well so the moisture evaporates slowly and your body doesn’t cool too fast or heat up too fast. With the ventilation of the outer layers is it much easier to manage body temperature and moisture from the base layers. It is Merino Wool for me but there are no medium weight base layers, it’s either lightweight or heavyweight. Can you fix this @Sitka ?

[@BlackOvis]

Stay tune!

[@richardkramer1094]

@@BlackOvis I would also like some merino wool tee shirts from @Sitka

[@AtroposLeshesis]

What camouflage was that when you were at the tree stand?

[@BlackOvis]

Sitka Elevated II!

[@rhetderoest9923]

Why does Sitka not have a hoodie /face mask merino base layer??!

[@BlackOvis]

It would be a great idea. Keep an eye out

[@jmb9099]

Doesn’t the wool have much less durability?

[@BlackOvis]

Yeah, most people find that to be the case.

[@marioyoutube7700]

Merino is good, keeps you warm keeps you cool, but moth loves them too. That's about the only downside of merino

[@BlackOvis]

Thanks for sharing!

[@SuperP37]

Aclima woolnet does both

[@BlackOvis]

We'll have to look into it!

[@SuperP37]

@@BlackOvis check out crye precision. They also sell the aclima. Crye is field tested by the unit. They’re extremely well made stuff

[@davetoms63]

Silk is way under rated as a base layer

[@BlackOvis]

Why is that?

[@davetoms63]

@@BlackOvis it is a great base layer that is warm and transports moisture

[@bobbob6162]

Wool is king…….period ….northeast hunter here….less smell you will see more deer, that’s my choice only I can,t get out of work more. So can’t afford to play different games.

[@BlackOvis]

Thanks for sharing!

[@rockie307]

Don't hang merino wool in trees to dry. Squirrels will chew holes in everything learned that expensive lesson the hard way in the backcountry.

[@BlackOvis]

Thanks for the tip!

[@michaelcarton3299]

Sitka discounted their Merino heavyweight base. Wonder why

[@BlackOvis]

Making room for the new!

[@bobleclair5665]

1:26,, wrong ! synthetic doesn’t manage moisture better than wool, you haven’t lived in below freezing temperatures. Synthetics does not breathe as well as wool. You’ll get warmed up, then feel clammy, then chilled. Wool breathes better, even coming in wet under a wool blanket. You’ll feel the difference, try it . Wool even works in a wetsuit, when diving. It won’t heat you up, but you will feel the difference in cold water . I still us my wool blanket here in southern Florida on cold winter nights, also, it won’t melt and stick on you in case of fire,

[@bucktalk69]

Wool will always be the best hunting clothing

[@BlackOvis]

Thanks for sharing!

[@marchuffman8266]

Ok boomer

[@bucktalk69]

@@marchuffman8266 ok fanboy cheerleader I own Sitka and an RX and have killed nothing and use outfitters 🤣🤣🤣🤣

[@bucktalk69]

@@marchuffman8266 wawawa 🥲🥲🥲

[@bucktalk69]

@@marchuffman8266 🤡🤡🤡 I KILL NOTHING 🤣🤣🤣🤣 LMFAO

[@shikeridoo]

1:46 1+1=2 and 1+1=3, it just works, I'm not sure how, but it works lol

[@BlackOvis]

Exactly 😂

[@jeromystafford2537]

Wool takes forever to dry. Synthetic all the way

[@BlackOvis]

Thanks for watching!

[@otislawson256]

Synthetics put micro plastics in the water when you wash save the planet wear wool!!!

[@BlackOvis]

Interesting!

[@Elizabethvanderblank]

Yes, thank you for mentioning this! Ive been trying to raise awareness for this - its super unknown how bad for yourself and the environment it is to wear synthetics. Ive made a video about it. Worst is underwear..!

[@carlparisi9749]

Synthetic for day hunts wool for 3+ days

[@Jameson_Rogers]

One of the biggest lies I keep hearing about outdoor gear and fitness clothes is that poly fibers are “moisture wicking”. I’ve been wearing this stuff for years and all it does is TRAP moisture. Please stop believing the lies.

[@michaelcarton3299]

I agree, I just don't experience this wicking. I hunt in around 10 F weather. When walking a trail to get to my spot, I have back sweat and leg sweat no matter what I wear. Once still, wool just keeps me warmer.

[@Jameson_Rogers]

@@michaelcarton3299 right, wool is insulating even when wet. The crazy thing is everyone just takes their word for it that it’s “moisture wicking” but no one ever explains the science of it. Here’s the science behind why it doesn’t wick moisture: any man made polyester like fiber doesn’t absorb moisture into its fibers at all, therefore the material acts like a trash bag trapping in all the moisture to never be touched by outside air and evaporated off. Wool is resistant to becoming soaked but will absorb some moisture and let it pass through to be evaporated, and more importantly yes insulates even when fully soaked. It’s a slam dunk no brainer, natural fibers are better 99/100 times.

[@michaelcarton3299]

@@Jameson_Rogers I will say once soaked, synthetics air dry faster. Rash gard swim shirts are a prime example, as opposed to cotton. But natural fibers wick away so much better up to the point of saturation. That's my unscientific report.

[@Elizabethvanderblank]

Yes, wow! Thank you for mentioning this! Ive been trying to raise awareness of how BAD synthetics materials are. And they are literally everywhere... They are not only bad for the environment, but even worse - super bad for you and your health! Ive made some videos on this in case you are interested!

[@Jameson_Rogers]

@@Elizabethvanderblank I totally agree. Especially when supposed premium clothes keep going up in price year after year but I find more synthetic materials in them if not completely.

[@taylorbrain8023]

This is why you wear a synthetic KUIU base layer and merino mid layer from KUIU as well haha