View Full Version : Silk vs Wool Baselayer
Old Boots
11-03-2011, 11:20
I am planning a thru hike NOBO mid-February. I have silk baselayer but am wondering if that is adequate or if I need wool. What is the difference?
Silk feels and behaves more like a synthetic. It cannot hold as much moisture as wool, so it doesn't have the same thermal flywheel effect, but it has some. Other than that it feels and behaves more like a good synthetic, but in some ways is not as comfortable, unless its cold, then its ok. Feels to clammy in warmer weather.
To answer you question more directly, I would say wool is better that time of year, but silk is good when you only need 1/2 an extra layer, if you know what I mean. If you do as I do, which is to wear a loose wool sweater most of the time, then silk is a good choice as a skin layer underneath on colder days, with no skin layer most days. For legs, shorts most days, but silk might be too thin as your only long layer, but good as an extra layer under fleece pants, for colder days.
What I do is choose layers so that when I wear all of my clothing everything fits, and the total weight is 1 oz for every degree F below 80F, coldest days, not counting shoes and shell layers. So the silk is nice if I just need a few extra ounces, as it happens to be my lightest skin layer. So it depends on the weight of the other layers. Sometimes, in mid winter, if I bring my long wool underwear as a skin layer for when it is really cold, I will bring along the silk top and bottoms also, because they fit and work well under the long johns when it is really really cold, and can be used instead of the long johns if it is not so cold. When I do that I keep my long johns as sleep wear as long as possible, and just use the silk, until it gets cold enough for the long johns. So the long johns are like insurance, and sleep wear, but the silk so work well with them if I need both.
Old Boots
11-04-2011, 14:25
Thank you all. I have never used silk before. Very good advice.
Great Questioin. I am planning a Colorado Trai Thru-hike next July and have been mulling over merino wool at 6.5 t/b vs. the silk 2.5 t/b. Thoughts????