Your tools and gear are great, but what is of the utmost importance is the survival skills you have and can apply. The level of your preparedness is of crucial importance. However, having cool gear for camping or survival will significantly maximize your comfort and survival chances.
When going off-grid, you would first think about where you will stay and what products you will use for cooking and surviving. However, warm clothes are at least as important, as most regions in our world have winters together with cold falls and springs.
There are different categories of warm clothes that survivalists can use, but somehow most people do not speak about them.
For example, woolen trousers in your survival gear would save you from freezing in different places and times of the day, and this article’s content is created in order to help in your search for the best ones for your survival backpack, at a price that is not too high.
Speaking from personal experience
Being an embedded journalist in a battle set near Jackson, Mississippi, I had to borrow some weapon and uniform from a Military Park and wear it during the battle.
What I did not expect is that all of it would be made out of wool, and wearing such clothing was a challenge harder than watching anything happening in the field. I literally felt like melting in ninety-degree heat, which is not normal for me.
This material did not protect me from any sunlight, and together with this clothing’s heavyweight, I got both sunburned and super sweaty.
However, this is a case as extreme as wearing jeans in the cold weather: this material does not keep your body warm inside and gets a little bit wet in an above zero degrees environment, which makes you freeze even more.
Then what is wool good for?
With this in mind, wool can be very handy for your survival needs or for creating your own bug-out bag. Now we do have synthetic materials that are capable of warming you up, but they are quite expensive in comparison with woolen ones.
When cheap but still decent clothes are needed, search for wool pants, as they will not make your legs frostbitten and will keep you warm even in a wet condition.
It is possible to find a decent pair of woolen pants for about eight dollars worth.
Moreover, it will keep its capabilities for a very long time, as my woolen sweater has served me for the past twenty years and still can be used by me when needed. Only my wife would think of this piece of clothing as something unusable and throw it out! Be aware of them, and you do not know what they are capable of!
What categories to consider in your search for such a pair of pants?
Now that we have gotten acquainted with all the pros and cons of woolen clothing, let us tell you some tips for choosing pants, and the first one would be to find a site that provides you with the biggest amount of information in its categories of such trousers.
What other categories should you consider? Look further.
1. Size
A couple of inches bigger size around the waist is a must, as with time, such clothing will shrink.
Note that you cannot wear 100 percent natural cotton thermal underwear, as it will only make you sweat more and take your body heat away. The best choice would be polypropylene or synthetic bottoms, as they would also protect your skin from itching.
Also, search for a bit deeper thighs size if you want to use your pants for some activities, such as skiing.
Hint: while oversize clothing might be in style right now, this is not the choice for a survival bug-out bag, as it will only drag you down in a snow environment. Leave fashion for other occasions.
2. Amount of pockets
There are some survival items, such as batteries or lighters, that must be kept somewhere warm, and wool pants with a lot of pockets are the best place for that.
Also, as survival situations do not provide you with a home for keeping there all your things, or with a huge storage place inside your backpack, a large number of pockets might save your life, as it will allow you to keep little but necessary things inside them.
3. The quality of belt loops
Wool is a quite heavy material that can drag your pants down, which is why solid belt loops or suspenders are in need.
The last ones are more comfortable when wearing and allow you to attach a fanny pack.
Try to find some information on the quality of belt loops or suspenders through the reviews of the buyers.
4. Cost
These pants can cost from ten to about forty dollars, which means that you would need to choose your price category.
However, almost all wool clothing is similar in quality, so the need for the pricy ones will not necessarily upgrade your survival experience. It is better to spend more money on other items.
5. Weight
It is obvious that the thicker the pants, the warmer they are, which is why you would, in general, need heavier products for colder regions and lighter ones for warmer.
Further, you will find plenty of different weight categories and will be able to choose yours.
Lightweight dress slacks
Being the thinnest pair of pants, they are specifically made for under-military form clothing and early fall temperatures. They will not have lots of pockets but are the perfect choice for chilly weather if this is the case for where you live.
Medium
Out of all the categories, this is usually the best option. Medium weight pants will suit most of you, and as they provide us with heat-saving from sixty degrees and further down, but of course, this also depends on your activity levels. Choose them for not so cold winter seasons of your home region.
Heavy arctic-weight
By the name of this category, you might guess that this is the perfect choice for polar conditions or very cold winters somewhere in Siberia. As most of the regions do not have such climates, be careful when choosing these.
How to take care of your wool clothing?
Easy. Your usual soap or some Castile soap and warm water will do the trick, but remember that wool is capable of shrinking down after the first or so wash. After that, just air dry your item. Consider getting ghillie suit in addition to your wool pants!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Are wool pants good?
Yes, they are. Being in relatively lower price categories (in comparison with synthetic clothes), they are still exceptional products when it comes to warm saving of your body and fire resistance.
The different thickness categories will give you various heat emissions, so you will have to choose the one that suits you best. Otherwise, wool items are as good as any other.
How do you revive wool trousers?
One of the most efficient ways is to soak your clothing in warm water and then add some hair conditioner or baby shampoo. Afterward, take it out and stretch it manually, let it air dry, and wait for the result. You should see some size changes in about twenty minutes.
Do wool trousers stretch?
No, they usually tend to shrink down, not stretch. For you to escape that, wash them manually without a washing machine and choose the size that is a bit bigger than yours, as, after the first wash, all wool trousers shrink a bit.
English 
German 
Spanish 
French 
Italian 
Japanese 
Dutch 
Polish 
Swedish 