>>2853823you need to be specific what you want the wool for.
i initially wanted the thickest wool i could find so it'd last forever, but my shoulder ended up giving me strong counter arguments.
on the cheaper end of mid layers i recommend stanfield sweaters (careful of thorns) or great australian bushwear shirt from everything australian. Both are about $80 last i checked. There's also Petro's wool that often has sales. Made in Ukraine.
If you're not a midlayer wool user like me, and want the one that can act as an outer layer too then you want something felted that is engorged with lanolin. This is what allows the wool fibers to breathe while simultaneously wicking water off the base of the fabric until it drips/sheds off.
The original Swanndri bush shirt was made for this reason. when it was invented it was one size that the maker boiled the shit out of. It's made for New Zealand weather that is unpredictable and very wet. And yes, while it is made in China now, the wool still is from New Zealand. I usually wait for these to go on sale and then buy a bunch. I usually size up and wash mine on a high heat to shrink them up a bit and then add lanolin to them. If you want a more standard fitting item, go to eBay and get a vintage Gloverall, ideally one made 50 years ago in England. Those are legit and made for another wet country. Just be ready to oil the leather on the toggles or replace them cause a lot of them are dried out.
I'm gonna be completely honest here. I live in a wet climate and am not a petrochemical hater. I use both. I love wool for midlayers mostly. I have tried on a -TON- of wool from all over the world. Most wool is shite. Generally you want 80% wool or higher. You usually also want virgin wool as the hair length is longer so less pokey and more durable.
I've tried on Swiss surplus wool (you'd think would be the best) and while it was wool and heavy it wasn't warm in the slightest.
