PREPARE FOR YOUR OVERNIGHT HIKE
You find yourself searching for the best outdoor wool clothes for your overnight hike in Central or Western Europe. We have carefully listed questions and their answer to prepare for your overnight hike:
Is this wool going to be scratchy?
Common wool problems: The most common wool found in today’s clothes is merino. Although a popular wool for outdoor apparel, many people find this wool to be scratchy and irritating. This is mostly caused by two factors: Lanolin and the fiber’s micron.
Lanolin: If you are one who is normally allergic to wool this could be the lanolin wax found in merino wool. Some brands might remove this grease; however, it takes loads of hot water and chemicals to remove the grease.
Micron: The 2nd factor is the diameter of the micron. Most merino wool ranges around 19 microns which is a thick diameter of the fiber that rubs on your skin causing it to itch. Thankfully, with AoA alpaca wool you don’t have to deal with these common problems. First, alpaca wool is naturally lanolin-free! Secondly, AoA uses about 18 microns alpaca wool. With such fine and smooth fibers, there is less scratchiness and irritation. Some users have even compared the softness with cashmere.
Is it warm? Will I sweat a lot?
You want wool that is warm, breathable, and wicks away your sweat. Merino wool can be very warm, but it also makes you sweat and only wicks off some sweat. Fortunately, alpaca hollow fibers capture your body warmth so you’re warm and cozy. They also mechanically push away almost all your sweat. These unique hollow fibers also make you feel breathable so you can sleep comfortably.
How is the quality of the wool?
Quality is important and you want to find the purest alpaca wool clothes there is. Many brands mix alpaca with other synthetics to drop down the prices. Unfortunately, this deteriorates the alpaca product because plastic fibers cause stink and are not at all sustainable. The collection of Arms of Andes is 100% Royal Alpaca Wool (better than baby alpaca wool).
High Quality Royal Alpaca Wool
Does it stretch? Will it be comfortable against my body?
Most wool including Yak and Merino clothes are not considered the stretchiest products. This goes back to the science of their fibers. Fibers that do not have an elastic stretch result in an uncomfortable shirt. Alpaca wool is, surprisingly, a very stretchy fiber that shapes around your body. Wearing an alpaca shirt and alpaca leggings, you feel the fibers move along with you.
How many shirts and layers do I need? How much space will it take in the bag?
Rule of thumb is to light pack two breathable wool shirts, one for the hike and one to sleep in and 2 alpaca bottoms, one thick wool joggers for sleeping and one thin wool leggings for hiking. Some hikers usually hand wash their hiking shirt so it's prepared for the next hike. However, this can be inconvenient if you don’t have water or soap and can leave harmful chemicals in the water. AoA alpaca wool clothes do not require any washing thanks to its anti-bacterial and odor-resistant properties. Simply, air out the wool shirts overnight and your camping clothes are ready to go. Our 110 g/m2 alpaca shirts also take up minimal space in your bag. All you need to do is fold the shirt and bottoms in half once and roll up and you’re set!
Will it stink after wearing it? Can I sleep in the same clothes that I hiked in during the day?
Your alpaca clothes won’t stink after wearing them. That is one of the beauties of wearing alpaca wool. You stay fresh during and after your hike so that you can reuse the same wool shirt several times without wash. If you feel it’s a little stinky, just hang dry in your tent during the night and it will be fresh in the morning. Our alpaca clothes are versatile because they’re super soft and warm to sleep in but also breathable and durable to hike in.
Men's Shirts
Bottoms
Women's Shirts
