?'s for all you wool blanket users

Hello all,
I have seen some of you mention your wool blankets in your bed rolls. I have a few questions as I am considering going back to this route. I used my dads wool blanket from the army when I was a kid. Itched like hell though.

1. How big and thick?
2. Where did you get yours and how much was it?
3. Is yours treated and itchy or natural and soft?
4. Does it shrink or bunch when it gets wet or washed?
5. How do you wash yours?
6. Does it start smelling before you do?:D
7. Whipped and or stitched ends?
8. 100% wool or blend?

Inquiring minds want to know! :D

:)I got three out of the Dumpster in Hope, Alaska. Two green Army, and one White Navy.
I snagged them for the floor of the dog house next winter. I washed them in a large washing machine Warm/cold rinse. I washed them twice. and hung them to dry over night. The price was my favorite price: FREE......:)

1. How big and thick?

Depends on what season, I have three; thick, not so thick, and thin.

2. Where did you get yours and how much was it?

Whitney (thick) from a yardsale for three bucks, not so thick from movers who left it at my house, and thin from a yardsale, three bucks, basically a green military blanket.

3. Is yours treated and itchy or natural and soft?

They can itch, but it does not bother me.

4. Does it shrink or bunch when it gets wet or washed?

I wash all mine in the washing machine. If I want to tighten it up then I will dry it, if it's fine then I just hang and let dry.

When you dry it, they don't shrink as much as you would think and it makes the blanket warmer.

5. How do you wash yours?

Washing machine.

6. Does it start smelling before you do?

Not really. When wet, it smells like wool, wet wool.


7. Whipped and or stitched ends?

Whitney stiched, other two no stiching.

8. 100% wool or blend?

All 100% wool.

I stopped using my wool blankets and switched to fleece. My fleece blankets are just as warm as the wool but are lighter and dry faster.

I'm looking at a wool blanket at cheaper than dirt and it weighs 5 lbs! Yikes! Fleece may be another option being that we are going to move to a very wet place. Thanks for the insight. I'll keep checking around. The saga continues...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by klkak

I stopped using my wool blankets and switched to fleece. My fleece blankets are just as warm as the wool but are lighter and dry faster.

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BUT will NOT keep you warm when wet like wool.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by hoosierarcher

BUT will NOT keep you warm when wet like wool.

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I reckon I'll have to take difference with you on that one. I have found as countless others have. Fleece will do anything that wool will, except maybe put out a fire. To include keeping you warm while wet. Fleece does this at less then half the weight. Another plus for fleece is it does not itch.

There is nothing wrong with using wool if thats your choice. Some folks are younger and stronger and dont mind carring the extra weight. Others want to be more traditional.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Mountaintrekker

I'm looking at a wool blanket at cheaper than dirt and it weighs 5 lbs! Yikes! Fleece may be another option being that we are going to move to a very wet place. Thanks for the insight. I'll keep checking around. The saga continues...

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For a Guy with a Women you sure think about being cold at night a lot.....:eek:.....Just kidding. That's right you said she has cold feet, maybe some Down'booties.......:)

Surplus East German - excellent condition too.

I got 3 brand new army blankets when I was in the army. I turned in 3ea I got from army surplus and kept the 3 new ones. That was back in 1989. Cost was $15 for the 3 used ones

At first they itched. I washed and rinsed them in Super Hot water without detergent. Hung them to dry. Washed them again in super hot water. Dried them on low heat with 10 or 15 dryer sheets. Washed them again and dried them on low heat and packed them away for use. No itch! Soft as a baby's bottom.

I would not want to be out and about in the wilds of suburbia without my wool blanket!

Don

1. How big and thick?
Didn't measure but it's your standard army issue length/width, about 1/4" thick
2. Where did you get yours and how much was it?
You can get them online but I got mine from my folks, vietnam-era
3. Is yours treated and itchy or natural and soft?
Classic itchy. unless it's rubbing against my skin constantly I don't care what kind of wool it is... however a wool army button-down shirt continually gives me an abrasion rash on my neck.
4. Does it shrink or bunch when it gets wet or washed?
Nope
5. How do you wash yours?
cold wash, no dry
6. Does it start smelling before you do?
Smells of campfire and the great outdoors, never had it stinky
7. Whipped and or stitched ends?
double stitched
8. 100% wool or blend?
100%

I find a wool blanket is essential for a cool autumn night spent out in the pumpkin patch

Few people realize this but Linus, being the great outdoorskid he is, uses a 100% wool security blanket. In fact, he's holding it in the photo above. Where do you think the name van Pelt comes from? Need I say more?

I hear that Stony uses a Sunbeam electric. Says it's ultralight. Every night, he just takes someone's generator away from them and powers it up.......

just received an order from cheap/dirt. i got two swiss fleece sleeping bag liners. they are mummy shape, hd zipper, draw string top and dark blue color. they look and feel really well made. best of all they were less than $6 each. they may be a little tight if your a big'un.

Most of my blankets are Hudson Bay blankets or Earl of Whitneys. I have ten of them. These used to be somewhat cheaper than they are today. We used to go up to Canada and hit the garage sales. You could pick up a nice one for $10.00 to $20.00. Since the advent of E-bay, you don't see this anymore. For winter, I sew a blanket to a down comforter. Makes for a very warm bedroll. I almost never use sleeping bags anymore.

My best "wool" blankets are some that my folks bought in Ecudor. They are thicker than the Hudson Bay variety. I have four of them. They have a print on them, some kind of nature scene - different on each blanket. Not sure what the "wool" is from, but I don't think it is sheep (Llama, maybe?). Very thick and warm. Much tighter weave than the HBC blankets.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RBB

Most of my blankets are Hudson Bay blankets or Earl of Whitneys. I have ten of them. These used to be somewhat cheaper than they are today. We used to go up to Canada and hit the garage sales. You could pick up a nice one for $10.00 to $20.00. Since the advent of E-bay, you don't see this anymore. For winter, I sew a blanket to a down comforter. Makes for a very warm bedroll. I almost never use sleeping bags anymore.

My best "wool" blankets are some that my folks bought in Ecuador. They are thicker than the Hudson Bay variety. I have four of them. They have a print on them, some kind of nature scene - different on each blanket. Not sure what the "wool" is from, but I don't think it is sheep (Llama, maybe?). Very thick and warm. Much tighter weave than the HBC blankets.

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I have a couple of wool blankets I bought in La Pas Bolivia. They are made of Alpaca wool. An alpaca is similar to a llama but has softer wool. If I remember correctly, I bought 4 of them for $20 us. This was in 1980something.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by klkak

I have a couple of wool blankets I bought in La Pas Bolivia. They are made of Alpaca wool. An alpaca is similar to a llama but has softer wool. If I remember correctly, I bought 4 of them for $20 us. This was in 1980something.

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That sounds right - especially the price. Nature scene on the blankets?

1. How big and thick?
62 X 80

2. Where did you get yours and how much was it?
http://www.imsplus.com/ims12.html
$19.95

3. Is yours treated and itchy or natural and soft?
It's treated with a fire retardant but I don't think it's itchy. It's pretty soft.

4. Does it shrink or bunch when it gets wet or washed?
No.

5. How do you wash yours?
At the laundromat in cold water and dry on lowest setting.

6. Does it start smelling before you do?
I don't stay out that long or allow it to get that dirty so no it doesn't.

7. Whipped and or stitched ends?
Stitched

8. 100% wool or blend?
70% wool, 30% synthetics

Quote:

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Originally Posted by RBB

That sounds right - especially the price. Nature scene on the blankets?

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Yes they all have some sort of nature or animal scene.

I have been using the $9 fleece sleeping bags from Wal-Mart for a few years now. I have three and I layer them up as needed.

Swiss wool blankets are the best according to some, that is what i use. You can get them for around 20 dollars. they are thick, durable and pretty cool looking. If you want to keep them from itching you can use hair conditioner in your washing machine, i have also heard something called cream rinse is good, it is hair afterall. If you wanna see a cool vid on one use for a good blanket here is a link. This video features the swiss wool blanket.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJqdbyGsmAE

Thanks! That's a good video. I think I'd rather use a couple of pebbles instead of the stick. That way you don't have to poke holes in the blanket. Just fold the edge of the blanket over a pebble on each side and tie the paracord around the pebble just like you would to tie down a tarp. Of course, if it were a true survival situation those little holes wouldn't bother me.

I've heard of using hair conditioner to soften up the wool blankets, but would you put it in during the wash cycle or the last rinse cycle?

All my blankets and capote's are Hudson Bay, or Whitey, point blankets.
they are big, cost a lot of money ($ 100-up) and are worth every penny.

I, too, had been buying cheaper blankets, seemingly over and over, but not till I bought the good ones was I warm, no matter what.

Sadly, this tidbit from a rendezvous supplier, the the Earley Whitney plant in England, was closed, as the real estate it was on was worth more money than all the money they
made since day one.......
So the looms were sold and the quaility has gown down, with the new supplier.
A 6 point (pound) now is about a 4 point etc.
So, if your looking for a good blanket, they will be very expensive........and worth every penny.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jeffersonpaine

Swiss wool blankets are the best according to some, that is what i use. You can get them for around 20 dollars. they are thick, durable and pretty cool looking. If you want to keep them from itching you can use hair conditioner in your washing machine, i have also heard something called cream rinse is good, it is hair afterall. If you wanna see a cool vid on one use for a good blanket here is a link. This video features the swiss wool blanket.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UJqdbyGsmAE

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I am pretty sure Dave uses an Italian surplus wool blanket, he mentions it elsewhere, and I own one just like it.

That is a good video, looks a lot like a capote, but easier.

I see that Track Of The Wolf doesn't carry capotes any longer, but here is a site with blankets and patterns.

Be prepared to choke when you see the prices............

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(w04...Num=PATTERN-90

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/(S(w04...21&styleID=389

Good thing I already have quite a few Whinty abd Hudson Bay blankets, couldn't afford them now.

Have used USMC issue wool blanket since 2000. Have no problems no regrets. Go with what you know i guess.

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