View Full Version : Cashmere
jpelaston
03-06-2009, 20:53
We all know Merino is the bees knees but I recently picked up a pretty sweet cashmere sweater and was wondering how it would do for a layer to keep while hiking? I know merino is supposed to be very warm for its weight but I can't find much info on cashmere besides Wiki. How will it do if it gets wet? just throwing it out there since I don't know.
We all know Merino is the bees knees but I recently picked up a pretty sweet cashmere sweater and was wondering how it would do for a layer to keep while hiking? I know merino is supposed to be very warm for its weight but I can't find much info on cashmere besides Wiki. How will it do if it gets wet? just throwing it out there since I don't know.
You're just looking to pick up chicks, aren't you! :-?
My first thought is, why not? But, I guess its a more flimsy material and might not hold up for more than short hikes.
jpelaston
03-06-2009, 21:25
You're just looking to pick up chicks, aren't you! :-?
My first thought is, why not? But, I guess its a more flimsy material and might not hold up for more than short hikes.
Definately.... that is if my wife is ok with it :)
seriously though, I picked it up from Kohls marked down from 129.00 to 14.99.... either way, I'm not out much.
$14.99 for cashmere??? wow! It is definitely fragile, but warm.
You can get cashmere that is very durable. It's just wool. The strenth depends on the weight and weave. It has the same positives and negatives as any other kind of wool.
Cashmere is so warm. On a cold hike, I wear one over a wicking shirt. I just can't give up wool in cold weather and I have hauled around one moth eaten sweater for years. But keep it dry. The really nice thing about woolens is that they repel stink. Just air it out. Then get it professionally cleaned at the end of the season.
Feral Bill
03-06-2009, 23:54
In old Complete Walkers Colin Fletcher listed a cashmere sweater among his gear. That's a decent endorsement. For comfort I prefer wool to plastic as a rule.
That's right - Colin Fletcher swore that ounce for ounce, cashmere was as warm as anything else. I tested it a while back - my cheap cashmere sweaters from Costco were just as toasty (subjective judgement) as my fleece pullovers, and weighed just about the same.
And I looked pretty sharp!
jpelaston
03-07-2009, 11:01
well that seals the deal for me! plus, after wearing it last night while out boozing it around the campfire, and not getting chilly, I am confident it will work just fine.
Cashmere is good stuff. Lots of good wool out there.
Some cashmere is no doubt better than others, but for $20, you can't go wrong, as long as it fits.
I like to get my thrift sweaters extra big because they all shrink some. Don't wash them if they are delicate. Just wear them as long as you can and then throw them away once they fall apart. They will last longer that way. If they get visible soiled, then soak them, and then let them dry flat. The stuff you body gives off is alot like sheeps grease and its good for the wool. Just needs a little rain now and then.
Some wools are better in wet conditions. Some wools are better in dry conditions.
The cashmere I have tried was better for finer knits, and more dry conditions, lighter clothing.
Cashmere is not just for fancy womens wear. Many such goats are male. ;)
Yah, I got a couple of cashmere sweaters at Wally World last year for $10.00 each, marked down from $60.00. They are not as tightly woven as some of the finer cashmere's I've seen, such as at Brooks Brothers.
And they are V-necks. And they look pretty sharp!
They weigh only 5 ozs. :) I use them as my in-camp sweaters, under a windbreaker if needed.
And unlike petro-clothes, they don't stink!
I love my v-neck sweater vest. It makes for a great 2nd layer. One negative about wool, it takes forever to dry once it gets wet. The rain that comes in around the neck when your outer layer is open at the collar can soak a high collar sweater. The v-neck helps to prevent that. I use a bandanna for that area. Also, if wearing a long sleeve, make sure you roll up the sleeves under your rain layer to prevent them from getting wet.