ICE CAMP SARGO

March of 2016 ... 200 miles north of Prudhoe Bay, 73°04'30.6932", -146°18'35.3553". Drifting westward approx. 9 miles/day.

Conditions:  -20F, 30 mph winds (Wind chill -50F)

John Viggato, United States Army, tested our Mouton Vest, Mouton Hat and Muff. John actually took quite a few pictures for us, but the camera did not survive the trip. The following are some of the comments John sent us, used with his permission. I love the “Drifting westward” detail. I’m not sure I could get comfortable knowing I was camping on top of the Arctic Ocean.

Mouton Jacket: "One of the warmest garments I’ve ever worn. Comfortable and luxurious. Sized very well, and fit was perfect. Excellent wind protection for body area, and lofted layers kept personnel warm under all conditions. Go-to garment for fast warmup. Extended collar worked very well to sustain heat and kept facial area free from blowing snow while providing additional protection from biting winds. Mobility was never impeded, and no overheating occurred."

Muff: "Excellent wind and cold protection, very easy to use, and never in the way. Muff was utilized as hand and equipment warmer. Two chemical hand warmers were placed inside prior to departing shelter, and muff would sustain heat for the duration of the mission. Personnel were able to utilize in all weather conditions to quickly warm hands and to maintain suitable operating temperatures for sensor systems. Muff worked to warm hands faster and more effectively than arctic mittens. Strap was worn over neck/shoulders instead of around waist, similar to the traditional arctic mitten cord. Provided excellent wind protection as well."

Mouton Hat: "Lynx pattern was very well received by all personnel and multiple observers. Hat was warm on its own and could be layered over balaclava or other headgear for additional extreme cold protection. Headlamps fit well underneath the hat, but not over top."

 

Fairbanks (in January 2016)

Ralph in "North Pole."  When this picture was taken, the temp was about -10F/-23C ... although nearby thermometers read both higher and lower.

Here I am wearing some pretty light WeatherWool ... I wore the same clothing all week ... indoors and out. I was testing an UltraLight TShirt that we hope to offer eventually. Over the TShirt I wore a FullWeight ShirtJac in LYNX Pattern. On bottom, MidWeight Pants in Solid Drab Color, without any longjohns. I also wore our Ball Cap in LYNX Pattern when I was outdoors. If I had been planning to spend any real time outdoors in these low temperatures, I would have dressed warmer. But what I did wear was perfect for making presentations indoors followed by short periods outside.

The extra-long sleeves of our ShirtJac let me pull my hands inside or leave them outside with just a shrug of the shoulders. This is much more convenient than gloves.

 

Juneau
Thanks to Mike Hatch of Juneau for sending us a couple of pictures. It’s kind of amazing to think that you cannot reach the capital of Alaska by automobile. Great pictures with glacier in the background. Wool really wins fans when people try it in a humid cold such as the Alaska Coast. As a seafood guy, I really need to get to this part of the USA!

 

Kodiak Island
Chase Krone and his Brownie ... and our Failure! Chase Krone wore our MidWeight Pants on his Kodiak Island Brown Bear hunt. Chase had great success on his hunt (10'4" and 28-10/16) BUT the seams of the Pants split at the crotch.

This type of hunt is extremely physical and Chase actually also tore the crotch on a pair of King of the Mountain pants, on the same hunt. We will repair the KOM pants, and new size 40 WeatherWool Pants are on the way to Chase, replacing his size 36.

Pants take more abuse and more stress than jackets, and are more difficult to fit. Chase was wearing a belt, but our biggest problem with Pants has been guys wearing pants hanging low, without a belt, causing huge stress to the crotch when stretching out the legs. The size 40 should give Chase enough room to do a Russian Split. Maybe he'll find his next Brownie on Kamchatka. THANKS for working with us, Chase!! And THANKS for reporting the problem.  We really need to know when things go wrong.

 

One other thing ... WeatherWool is for everyone who is out in the weather, regardless of activity. Some people do not like the idea of hunting, particularly trophy hunting. Please take a look at the paragraph or so discussing trophy hunting on our Soap Box page. Thanks! -- Ralph

 

5 January 2019