Why Everyone’s Switching Over to Alpaca Wool Insulation

In this video, I test the Paka Apu Lightweight jacket that uses a new type of Alpaca Wool Insulation. It's marketed as a better alternative to synthetic insulation jackets and as a competitive alternative to down insulated jackets. I put it all to the test (to the best of my abilities), to find out what it's really like.
▼ ALPACA WOOL JACKET (affiliate link)
Paka Apu Lightweight Insulated Jacket ➜ (Paka: www.avantlink.com/click.php?t...)
▼ THRU-HIKING POSTERS (MADE BY ME & MY GF)
Shop hiking trail posters here ➜ trailgoals.com/ (10% discount code: oscarhikes)
Instagram ➜ / trail.goals
▼ GEAR I USE (affiliate links)
Outdoor Vitals Novapro Down Jacket ➜ (Outdoor Vitals: www.avantlink.com/click.php?t...)
Decathlon Forclaz MT100 Down Jacket ➜ (Decathlon: www.decathlon.com/products/fo...)
Nikwax Down Wash Direct ➜ (Amazon: amzn.to/3IDA1ds)
Nikwax Down Proof ➜ (Amazon: amzn.to/49T9O6L)
Outdoor Vitals Fortius 2P Ultralight Tent ➜ (Outdoor Vitals: www.avantlink.com/click.php?t...)
Outdoor Vitals Stormloft 0F Quilt ➜ (Outdoor Vitals: www.avantlink.com/click.php?t...)
Nemo Tensor Insulated Sleeping Pad ➜ (Amazon: amzn.to/3RJhVw9
)
Brynje Mesh Base Layer ➜ www.brynjeusa.com/ref/16/
Smartwool Merino Wool Socks ➜ (Amazon: amzn.to/4anHY3h)
Darn Tough Merino Wool Socks ➜ (Amazon: amzn.to/3GJnnsm)
▼ TABLE OF CONTENTS
00:00 - Intro
00:30 - Why Alpaca Wool
01:44 - About Alpaca Insulation
03:05 - Paka Jacket
03:51 - Warmth Test
06:42 - Water Test
10:52 - Summing Up
▼ FOLLOW ME ON SOCIAL MEDIA
/ oscarbrumelis
/ oscarhikes
▼ AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE
In some of our videos, we sometimes use affiliate links. If you purchase something after clicking our affiliate links, we might get a small commission from the total purchase, at no additional cost for you. We participate in the Amazon Associates affiliate program and other affiliate programs.

[@OscarHikes]

I hope you guys enjoyed the video! To sum up, I would definitely recommend the jacket that I tested in this video. It’s got a lot of good things going for it but mainly - it utilizes natural materials that don’t harm animals and competes with modern insulators. But also, I do think that it’s a bit overhyped in their product description. For example: 1) it doesn’t stand up to being completely wetted out 2) some synthetic insulations, like PrimaLoft, actually have a bit better weight-to-warmth ratio 3) it still uses 40% synthetics in the insulation, not just 100% alpaca wool. Also, it’s mainly an everyday jacket that you can also take to the mountains, not the other way around. I’m saying this because it’s missing armpit vents, the elastic sleeve cuffs feel a bit too loose, the hood has a small gap under the chin, even when tightened, and the chest pocket doesn’t make sense when used with a backpack. But overall though, these are just minor issues. They’re a legit brand that makes a high-quality product that’s good for the environment and supports local communities in Peru. And IMO, it also looks really cool. If you want to check it out, here’s my affiliate link to it: www.avantlink.com/click.php?tool_type=cl&merchant_id=7bc197a1-6d43-4cc5-a16f-6bb3ee0c391e&website_id=00f5b60f-5b24-479f-ab2d-8d5328a2ac5a&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.pakaapparel.com%2Fproducts%2Fmens-apu-lightweight-puffer%3Fvariant%3D40188842082388

[@mcloud1070]

I'm a knitter and I love alpaca because it is very warm. But it is hard to maintain in a beautiful condition. It FELTS a lot if machine washed. Forget machine wash and wash it with a mild soap or baby shampoo, only by hand, briefly and in luke water. Then press it and roll it in a big towel, then tread on it. Never spin it to get the excess of water out. ( Sorry for mistakes, I'm French,)

[@OscarHikes]

Theoretically, this shouldn't be a problem in this specific jacket because it's sewn in between two breathable synthetic layers inside the jacket.

Thank you for the advice

[@reinis.berzins]

I guess that the reason why Paka's alpaca wool jacket soaked more than OV NovaPro's down jacket is not because of the fill materials themselves, but because of the different water resistance of the outer shell and especially the inner lining. Down jackets are often water resistant from both sides because they must be down-proof by design (otherwise down will get through the fabric make a big mess). OV NovaPro is 792 mm water resistant probably from both outside and inside. Alpaca jacket doesn't need to be down-proof or wool-proof because wool won't escape. Paka's wool jacket has a waterproof outer shell (mm value isn't mentioned), but nothing is said about the inner shell (so most likely it isn't water-proof). In most situations you won't soak that heavily from inside out. So a more realistic test would be standing in the shower while wearing each jacket. Maybe then Paka's wool jacket would not soak as much and could compete with the down jacket better.

[@zakafx]

Oscar, aside from your "tips" videos, this is probably one of your best. thanks for taking the time to show us how this material works, talking about the pros and cons.

[@OscarHikes]

Thank you! I do my best to create as good videos as I can and also try to improve over time, even if it's just little things.

[@cravetheplanet]

Love it that there’s even alpaca socks

[@snoop2477]

Thanks Oscar. I enjoy using wool, fleece and down depending on the application. Really appreciate how much effort and thought you put into your videos

[@OscarHikes]

Thank you! 🙂

[@PaulSchortemeyer]

💎 Amazing dedication to testing 💎. Really impressed by the personal effort you put into comparing product performance! Your quality videos are a league above others.

[@OscarHikes]

Thank you!

[@ArthurOfThePond]

Thank you for this test. I always find these comparison videos really helpful. Most of us would never have a chance to test these things. I am definitely interested in getting an alpaca jacket. I've always found the down filling abhorant.

[@paulkhanna1]

Alpaca not smelling as bad is a huge boon. Great testing Oscar.

[@PostntalkReact]

I really love this!

[@mennodekhuyzen7523]

Good test! I am going to cycle the GDMBR next year and I will rely on something totally different; buffalo shirt. I did wear it in Alaska on the start of my 6 months trip to Panama City. I had my share of rain and cold. One situation I had a full day of rain, cooked in the rain and had to lay my Buffalo shirt soaking wet next to me in the tent. The next day I had to wear it again. Still soaking wet, I put it on and it didn’t felt cold!! Next situation I still was cycling the whole day up and down hills at 3 degrees Celsius and consisted rain and I didn’t feel miserable! So I will put it to the test next year. Did you hear of the Buffalo products? All the best from the Netherlands

[@mennodekhuyzen7523]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/iH3XnJ96abGGjpI&si=rm2m6eGDJOAl7T3p

[@OscarHikes]

I haven't tested buffalo shirts, but if I get my hands on one, I will definitely make a video about it!

[@martin.feuchtwanger]

Are we supposed to know what a Buffalo shirt is? Please explain.

[@solstice5605]

I would say, the DWR finish is important ( Pertex endurance just for example) and can prevent the most common stuff, under normal conditions, independent of the fill. After watching this video, Synthetic, Down or Wool, I want to have at least a DWR finish on the outer fabric.

[@natus99]

thanks for testing! seems that still merino + down is the way to go

[@furiousdoe7779]

They should treat the Alpaca filling too with water resistant spray… perhaps then it would overcome the down jacket

[@OscarHikes]

Yeah I think so as well! I should try dwr-treating it myself since I have a bit of it left from the last time I used it. But I still think it wouldn't be as good that DWR-treated down jacket that I used in this test. That's because in this specific Alpaca insulation, it sits between 2 breathable mesh layers. They're of similar consistency of agriculture tarp or those white spray painting disposable outfits. They soak up a lot of water. Also, the inside is lined with nylon/spandex fabric that feels less like a synthetic and more like cotton. It feels much nicer on the skin, but it also soaks up a lot of water compared to the more traditional synthetic 100% nylon that's used in most down jackets. So the key problem is not that the alpaca insulation gets wet, but that all of the other fabrics soak up a lot of water! I imagine it would also have performed much better if I would have squeezed most of the water out before putting it on... But yeah, I still think this is only a minor inconvenience because you're usually wearing a rain jacket over it anyway... It only wets out if you'd fall in a river or something like that.

[@wobblysauce]

@@OscarHikes Even looking at you on that 2nd application of water you were more visually wet than with the Down jacket of the first test.

[@elioraimmanuel]

Alpaca Fleece is fabulous! Alpacas are domestic animals who do not shed so they MUST be shorn yearly. Alpaca meat is also consumed in the countries in which they are raised, except here in the US. We have never taken to the meat which according to Peruvians I have asked, “tastes like a mix of chicken and turkey.”😆 The great thing is that alpaca fleece is moisture wicking and absorbs the least moisture of all natural fibers.

[@Marche_Nco]

Hi Oscar ! Thanks for this video! Why not if it s a good and better solution 🙂👍

[@mennodekhuyzen7523]

It is a complete different system that works. Developed in the UK. The special forces and police are using it. Must be good, don’t you think? The system is as follows. The outer layer of the shirt (- jacket in fact) is pertex. This is water repellent and it has a much more open layer than goretex. This means it is letting vapors more than goretex when you’re exercising extremely. The Teddie layer next to the pertex will keep You warm and (most important) dry. Because the heat of the body is directing the moisture (sweat or rain) towards the outer pertex layer and it feels dry. The best test is seen on KZbin “buffalo shirt test”! I hope this explanation is clear enough?

[@turtlepoi]

The DWR on the down also treated the nylon shell. A fairer wet soak test may have been to also DWR treat the alpaca one also. I think maybe less water actually reached the insulation of each. .... It may have created super water resistant wool as a bonus..

[@antoinedeschamps888]

Great video! I'd really like to know your opinion on alpaca fleece and other layers compared to their merino and synthetic counterparts.

[@dingogreens7472]

could it be that the different lining in the jackets make the difference in up soaked water more than the down/ alpaka filling?

[@OscarHikes]

Yes I think this was a the biggest reason for why it soaked up so much water vs the other one.

[@RC-qf3mp]

A better, more modular system is to have a layer of alpaca and a lightweight rain jacket like montbell. More versatile and easier to maintain both. Hikers need an effective system, not just individual items.

[@OscarHikes]

Yeah, for thru-hiking I would definitely prefer an alpaca shirt over an insulated jacket as well!

[@MrTrentteegarden]

It would be helpful if you tested the Paka fill jacket! Which is closer to the Nova pro. This would be a more accurate test

[@dirtdroprobbie]

Super interesting. Wondered how you rated the alpaca jacket in terms of packability, was it also 35% bigger than down? Is it more resistant to being crushed day after day? I'm wondering if it could work for applications where you don't mind the weight but don't have much packing space

[@OscarHikes]

Hmm, I would say it's about 20% bigger in a packed state. It packs down small, but it's a bit more difficult to compress. And I think it's more resistant to being crushed day after day compared to down but I'm not 100% sure!

[@tgeliot]

I wonder what would happen if you treated the alpaca with DWR.

[@KhurshidsChannel]

Nice video. Thank you for sharing. 👍305

[@erkkijaakkopetteri]

Curious that they market it as warmer than any synthetic jacket while publishing the specs that come down to 0.5 clo / oz / sq yd, which is 40% worse than Climashield Apex. And everyone who has used wool for longer periods of time in rain knows that although it might feel pleasant when damp, it is absolutely not warm when wet. I would also point out that being made of oil does not inherently mean "bad for the environment". Compared to wool, petroleum based products usually have a way lower carbon (equivalent) footprint. Alpaca seems better than traditional wool as the methane emissions are lower, but still significant - not to mention erosion etc. DWR is also not a magic substance for down. Several high-end manufacturers claim that down is better without it, as down naturally has oil in it producing the same effect and lasting longer with proper care (which isn't tricky at all unlike you suggest - just use a detergent intended for down and tumble dry with tennis balls) whereas DWR down has the oil washed off and the DWR doesn't replenish as well. Not all synthetics are oleophilic. Nylon is oleophobic too.

[@OscarHikes]

Yeah I had actually included a segment about the clo/oz/yd 0.48 value in the video but it cut it out because it was too long. A LOT of more advanced synthetic insulators have a better clo/oz/yd value, so saying that it's warmer than any synthetic insulation is a bit sketchy... Overall, it's a great jacket, but I'm not a fan of some of the claims that they make in the description!

[@OscarHikes]

Also, good point in the carbon footprint of wool! I hadn't thought about it that way honestly. The trickiest part about washing down is that 1) you have to use a specific product + dwr treatment, which adds quite a bit of costs over time 2) you HAVE to tumble dry it. I don't have a dryer at home, so I had to take it to a laundormat to dry for another 1.5h, which also adds some costs and time. With an alpaca jacket, you can hand or machine wash it and then dry it normally...

[@seankelleher4222]

The environmental problem with plastics isn’t the carbon footprint. It’s the plastic lost into the environment during and after use. (Microplastics, rubbish).

[@seankelleher4222]

@@OscarHikesalmost all fabric industries seriously over claim, but alpaca is one of the worst on that.

[@tacocat0436]

What's the song in the intro? It slaps so hard

[@OscarHikes]

Rinse Repeat - DivKid. It's a song from the KZbin copyright-free library. :D

[@tacocat0436]

@@OscarHikes Thanks. Love your videos, they're the most informative EU hiking videos out there. :D

[@KelpandFern]

The vegans aren't and not all synthetics are made with oil and even if we chose oil based synthetics, the environmental issue with synthetics are much smaller total environmental footprint than any animal based material. This is because animal based materials have land-use demands, nearly half of the worlds habitable land is used for animal-agriculture which has removed natural and wild habitats and it is why animal-ag is the leading cause of biodiversity loss. As well as land use and biodiversity loss, it also leads in water use, water pollution, temporary ocean dead zones, and is the second largest emitter of GHG emissions amongst many other atrocities. I find it quite interesting the amount of hikers and outdoor enthusiasts who completely ignore this industry even though it leads in destroying the environment, the one we want to protect and enjoy. And I haven't even got in to the morality of using animals.

[@PHYSIZIST]

same with food source too

[@northernswedenstories1028]

Alpaca farming is too low scale to make a difference. It will never be large scale. So quit your whining. You vegans make me laugh.

[@Aurora57511]

Father down is not all their feathers, and feather down is what ducks/geese use to nest with. It's more likely they are raised for their meat and just breed and let them nest to get the down and eggs to eat dose not always mean they kill them.

[@OscarHikes]

Google "peta down". I didn't know how cruel the industry was before doing research for this video.

[@Ukraine4TheWin]

An experienced woodsman/ survivalist / camper / hiker knows to thoroughly wring out all water from any wool clothing before putting it back on. I'm not saying you're not experienced, but by not wringing out the wool it's not really a fair comparison.

[@OscarHikes]

Yeah, squeezing it out would show more realistic results. I tried to replecate absolute worst-case results though.

[@PHYSIZIST]

to be fair, you would test active: soaked right through but moving, with wringed out: inactive inside a tent or beside a fire etc.

[@syindrome]

"Warm when wet" is a straight up scam. Nothing is warm when wet. But as you've shown, some materials get less wet, and that does make a difference.

[@Ikreisrond]

You didn't need to whisper when you talked about how down is 'produced'. You see, where the oil gets pumped up from underground, animals are also the victim of humans. Yet oil is a natural material. We humans just do some stuff to it to make it more functional. Vegan outdoorsy people don't really have a realistic choice, other than wool insulation (perhaps sandwiched between recycled synthetic materials). I've tried going the way of wool in combination with Ventile cotton outerwear. I do not really see this working well when trekking for weeks in a place like Scotland. I would want to say to environment-conscious outdoors people that having 1 'bad' jacket like a Buffalo Teclite doesn't make you a bad person. Such a diverse jacket in conjunction with a wool-insulated jacket for breaks and a wool shirt for when it's too warm for the Teclite, really helps keeping the footprint small. Also it's easy to repair in case of rips etc. Fjällräven also makes wool-insulated jackets btw. I know... It's the Patagucci of Europe... As for the outerwear, you ultimately need some plastic around you when hiking in the rain for hours on end. Only to end up in a tent somewhere 20 km from the nearest settlement. (And that's Scotland. Imagine trekking between Atlin and Telegraph Creek in Canada. That's 235 km in a straight line, so you'll end up 115 km from the nearest settlement...) For day walks Ventile / EtaProof works quite well to protect from only a few hours of rain. Do expect to dry your jacket for a day or so, unless you've got the heating on a high level.

[@northernswedenstories1028]

People used to travel long distances with simple heavily waxed cotton jackets. These work well but are verrrry heavy

[@3dwebdev]

for 279 I'd rather take a used nylon jacket and fill it with wool.

[@OscarHikes]

Would be heavier, but why not! Sounds like a really good idea!

[@ImantsKa]

Sveiciens no Latvijas :)

[@Andy-Mesa]

Almost no down is made by killing innocent birds. It just doesn't make sense, when you can kill the duck for food and then pluck it.

[@OscarHikes]

Look into how down is made

[@Andy-Mesa]

@@OscarHikes I have, even the companies that don't use RDS down (mostly Chinese) take their down from the food industry. Less than 10% of all down is live plucked.

[@Andy-Mesa]

@@OscarHikes I was wrong actually. It's much lower. International Down and Feather Testing Laboratory estimates that 99% of the world’s down and feathers are by-products of the food industry. Therefore, no more than 1% of the world’s supply is “harvested” or “live-plucked".

[@seankelleher4222]

The test is much too subjective and liable to unconscious bias. Insulation is just a function of how much air is trapped. Some objective way to measure volume and density is required.

[@OscarHikes]

Yes, but I don't have access to expensive testing facilities. I did the best I could. 👌

[@Ikreisrond]

At first I was like "whooaaa, this guy walks all the way up a mountain just to test this jacket for us!" Then I looked up the mountain on Google Maps and measured the distance from the nearest road: 70 meters.

[@OscarHikes]

What road are you talking about lol. The nearest one I see is @1470m altitude, where I left my car. You're probably looking up the wrong mountain this one is in Gran Sasso, Abruzzo, Italy.

[@bentaylor4570]

Sorry there was an assumption that “oil is bad.” Please explain in greater detail.

[@z0uLess]

if they send you the jacket, then the review is sponsored

[@OscarHikes]

They sent it for free for me to test without any strings attached, so they didn't have any say in what I say in the video.

[@codymanhard5066]

Right? Accepting something for free then giving a review is a major factor of bias in the experiment. Even if the participant isn't aware, and they usually aren't.

[@z0uLess]

@@codymanhard5066 Its like the difference between influence and advertisement. In advertisement, everything is above the desk -- someone has an interest in you buying the product and is open about it. In influence, nefarious strategy is used just to get you to think about and engage with the product, and so make you more likely to buy it from the engagement alone. Its how most of social media works.

[@freeforester1717]

The down is also covered in oil based fabric, and the alpaca fleece sandwiched between man made fabric, so no need to be too hypocritical; micro-fleece isn’t kitten fluff that gets brushed out and then used. It doesn’t rain too much in Atacama, either. Try removing oil and oil-based products from your life, it’ll possibly ‘improve the environment’ 😊

[@Amzdgg]

How disgusting is it that we have infinite synthetic materials because they are made from oil byproducts yet we choose to harass animals like alpaca. Even if you think that currently some alpaca are sheared "without harming them" (which I doubt), as soon as there is a market for this; companies will start to make the process cheaper which will harm the animals more, just like with sheep.

[@northernswedenstories1028]

You really think sheering sheep and alpacas harms them? My family are sheep farmers in Scotland and believe me, sheep LOVE losing all that extra wool come summer. Get a grip

[@Amzdgg]

​@@northernswedenstories1028Yea we have selectively bread sheep to be in agony unless we shear them. Which is why animal sanctuaries shear them. Do you think that sheep farmers do this for the animals welfare and not for financial gain from selling wool? I personally don't believe sheep farmers would keep their sheep if they didn't make money off them (based on pig farmers steaming their pigs alive in the sheds when they couldn't send them to slaughter for money during 2020 shutdowns of slaughterhouses)

[@014D]

Mostly bullshit. Or lamashit. Lame. Sorry. - Ecology. Complete nonsense. Your consumer choice of jacket insulation will not matter for climate change or resource scarcity. Almost each day, we discard more non-recyclable, non-compostable wrappers and packaging waste than this jacket's entire weight. If you're driving any car (EV too) daily, forget about a jacket's "carbon footprint". Plus, this jacket's insulation consists of a thin wool layer sandwiched between plastic sheets, topped with two more layers of plastic material. Is it even alpaca wool if ~4/5 of it is plastic? - Ethics. Yes, down products are cruel to ducks and geese. If you're not vegan, skip this point; farmers won't waste the meat just because the primary product is down. This one is correct, however, synthetic insulation avoids all the ethical downsides of using down. - No insulation works when saturated with water unless it's a neoprene diving suit. The lighter and fluffier the material, the trickier it is to dry properly. - Naming. Clickbait may have worked, but no, nobody's switching to alpaca wool jackets. As far as I'm aware, everyone still uses either down or synthetic variants. I've got nothing against the alpaca option; use whatever. I stopped watching at the 4-minute mark. Disappointing. But I do appreciate the quality of the cinematography and editing, kudos for that.

[@AaronVets]

It would be nice if we just left animals alone and stopped exploiting them. 🙄

[@northernswedenstories1028]

🤣