Just wanted to say thanks for all you share. Started following many of your videos a year or so back, and have greatly enjoyed cooking with solar you inspired, eating raw sheep cheese from Vermont Sheperd, seeing my sons sleep on wool thanks to your input, and sharing your videos and tips with others. I use to teach classes on sustainability before covid wiped out many such courses, and you are a superstar with respect to these matters. Outstanding.
Hey Brother thanks so much for this review! You def. know sleeping outside and the effects of different materials. Thanks to you the Lucky Sheep Sleeping Bags became the icon they are. I appreciate all your early on advice and expertise on wool details. I love seeing your work and progress!
Another interesting sustainable alternative is Kapok fiber. It grows in the seed pod of the Kapok tree. The fibers are pretty thin, but hollow and sealed at one end, super light, and highly hydrophobic even though they are made out of mostly cellulose--this is because they have a thick wax coating on them. Kapok fiber back in the day was used in life vests (to make them warm and buoyant), Arctic boots, etc. Though the fibers are larger than duck down fibers, it's almost as insulative per weight and volume, because of the hollow but sealed at one end structure. It is not as good for UL sleeping bags as goose down because it doesn't compress near as much (so the volume ends up being larger), but that is precisely why it is decent for jackets and especially gloves/mittens and foot wear for more Arctic type conditions, especially with strong winds. Strong wind will compress the goose down in a jacket so that you loose insulation. The kapok fiber resists that compression more. But yeah, I agree with you that more conventional sleeping bags with synthetic lining and goose down or polyester filling, do get nasty quick. I've done a couple of 500 hundred mile hikes and noticed that myself. It does help a lot to have a silk liner, both for the inside and outside, but that is extra expense for sure. If I was doing a really long hike, like the AT or longer, I would probably want a hybrid of thin Merino or alpaca outer, with thin silk underneath that, and then goose down. It would be heavier than UL sleeping bags with super thin and lightweight nylon fabric and goose down, but it would stay fresher for longer. Or, I would just have a silk liner for both inner and outer with a regular nylon.
I should add that the really nice thing about wool is how fire resistant it is. It can take some very high temps before it starts to ignite and combust. And even if sparks or the like fall onto it, it tends to be self extinguishing. There are different reasons for this. One of the reasons why, is because though the very outside of wool fibers are hydrophobic (especially when still well coated with lanolin), and rest of the fiber is very hydrophillic. Wool fibers absorb more water vapor than any other fiber. It has a crazy moisture regain of something like 16 to 30% (depending on which chart you look at). That means, it will absorb, just from the atmosphere/air alone, up to 16 to 30% of its weight in moisture. Even cotton is only like 8%. Then, the proteins in the sheeps wool fiber are just not an easily ignited material. It should be noted that sportwear type wool (like Smartwool and those similar brands) and natural wool are fairly different. This is because the former removes the barbs from the wool fibers and much of the lanolin. My ancestors, the Scottish Highlanders, would not have been able to survive in their very wet and fairly cold environment if they had only sportswear type wool. They needed the thick lanolin content to repel water droplets, and the barbs to felt the wool to make it more dense and thus also more water resistant.
I hope to find a producer of wool sleeping bags here in Europe. Filled with a blend of wool and goose down, that's okay too. But what's important: no nylon fabric, at least not inside! Searching for a new, warm, sleeping bag I mostly find sleeping bags with nylon fabric, sometimes cotton, even if they are filled with wool or wool/down.
Using a silk liner helps a lot in combo with a nylon-goose down UL bag or quilt. The nice thing about having a separate, super light and thin piece, is that it is a lot easier to wash and dry that than the whole sleeping bag. If you wanted to keep your bag extra fresh/clean, use a silk liner for both the inner, and for the outside of the bag.
Genius! Glad you waited a year before video review. Absolutely love the breathing in the bag. Do you have the 20 degree bag or the colder rates one? Thanks for sharing. So happy to avoid fake (unnatural) materials.
This one is his larger sized Borealis bag 20F model though if you arent enclosed in a tent and there is any breeze or even air flow i would honestly have to give it only a 30F rating.
Hey Aaron, the thing is, it's easy to extend the temp by wearing more layers of wool. Better that way anyway so it works better during the warmer temps as well. More adjustable! @@123Homefree
Look wool. I put my wool socks and boot liners in the sun every chance I get. I'm still looking for wool felt for the bottom of my shoes and a small pillow case size foot warmer for sleeping.
It is very, very easy to make wool felt. Just buy some non adulterated* wool and look up how to felt it. * I say "non adulterated" because a trend in "sportswear" type wool and brands, is to take off the barbs from the wool. This does make it more comfortable to wear (the barbs tend to be itchy for a lot of people), but it also makes it so you can't felt it (I would also argue it decrease insulation a bit). When you felt wool, what you're essentially doing is, is getting the barbs on the wool to entangle and thus "stick/lock" to each other, sort of like velcro/hook and loop. Alpaca wool, btw, is supposed to be a bit more insulating than sheep wool, because the alpaca fibers have trapped air pockets in the fibers. Angora rabbit fur is even more insulative than the former 2, because it has much more trapped air pockets and the fibers tend to be thinner/finer on average--but this also makes it more fragile and delicate. Very high quality sheep's wool can be more insulating than alpaca wool, depending on the size difference between the two though. If you have an ultra fine Merino wool, compared to a thick/coarse alpaca wool, the Merino will be more insulating, because more fine fibers vs thick, coarse and less fibers per space/volume, trumps the void air in the latter. So it is relative. (This is why high quality goose down is so ridiculously insulative. Because it has so many ultra, ultra thin "fibers" [not really technically fiber like the above though] and structured in a more 3D, all around kind of way).
@@justinw1765 Thank you for responding and sharing information. I'm pleased with the new ideals of sourcing materials needed.👍I sure enjoy your videos .💐
help you sleep better because cold weather is ideal for sleeping. You get negative ions and grounding from the fresh air. 17-Cleaning The Lucky Sheep Sleeping Bag is easily freshened by placing in the sun and air. Wool has a natural ability to sanitize itself in the elements. For further washing, here are instructions: To freshen even more, and also to revive the loft, use this hand washing method: Wash by hand in a wash tub or bath tub using warm water and a mild biodegradable shampoo. (Wool is similar to human hair so shampoo works well). The best one is called Wool Wash available here. Alternatively you can use this wool wash recipe: This is a wool wash recipe that dates back to the 1930’s. It’s home chemistry at its finest. It cleans, softens and protects. It basically is more of a conditioner than a cleaner but it will soften even the stiffest and roughest feeling wool. Also, has inherent moth repellent qualities. 4 Cups Castle Soap Flakes 1 Cup Denatured Alcohol 50 Ml. Of Eucalyptus Oil 4 Cups Distilled Water Mix all parts together except water. Warm water to a good heat warmer than tap but definitely not boiling. Ideally 120 or so. Mix in water let sit stirring gently till a solution. Use 1/2 cup per sleeping bag. 1) Fill up the bathtub or similar container with luke warm water. Add a mild bio-degradable shampoo (wool is similar to human hair so shampoo is ideal) and 1/2 cup of lanolin (available from Lucky Sheep) and dissolve it by stirring. 2) Place the sleeping bag, unzipped, in the solution. 3) Push the sleeping bag down into the water carefully. It will float back up. Push it down again until it becomes completely saturated. Do not pull on it…only use a gentle downward push with your palms. 4) Let it sit like this for 10-15 minutes. 5) Drain the water 6) Make sure the bag is folded with the merino side inside and the cotton side outside. 7) Then start rolling the bag from toe to head, as you squeeze out water by hand, while pushing down to release the water. Make sure to have the cotton shell side on the outside while you are doing this. 8) Fill the tub again with luke-warm water. Let the bag thoroughly soak in the new water, then squeeze it out again by rolling the bag from toe to head as you did before. There is no need to wait. You can do this 1-3 times if you like. 9) With the bag rolled up, lift it carefully out and lay it flat to dry, preferably outside on a tarp, turning occasionally until done. DO NOT Tumble in the washer or dryer. This will destroy your wool.. To prevent moth damage if storage is necessary store in a cloth bag such as the stuff sack that comes with your sleeping bag. Post navigation ← Previous Post
Just wanted to say thanks for all you share. Started following many of your videos a year or so back, and have greatly enjoyed cooking with solar you inspired, eating raw sheep cheese from Vermont Sheperd, seeing my sons sleep on wool thanks to your input, and sharing your videos and tips with others. I use to teach classes on sustainability before covid wiped out many such courses, and you are a superstar with respect to these matters. Outstanding.
Hey Brother thanks so much for this review! You def. know sleeping outside and the effects of different materials. Thanks to you the Lucky Sheep Sleeping Bags became the icon they are. I appreciate all your early on advice and expertise on wool details. I love seeing your work and progress!
Another interesting sustainable alternative is Kapok fiber. It grows in the seed pod of the Kapok tree. The fibers are pretty thin, but hollow and sealed at one end, super light, and highly hydrophobic even though they are made out of mostly cellulose--this is because they have a thick wax coating on them. Kapok fiber back in the day was used in life vests (to make them warm and buoyant), Arctic boots, etc. Though the fibers are larger than duck down fibers, it's almost as insulative per weight and volume, because of the hollow but sealed at one end structure.
It is not as good for UL sleeping bags as goose down because it doesn't compress near as much (so the volume ends up being larger), but that is precisely why it is decent for jackets and especially gloves/mittens and foot wear for more Arctic type conditions, especially with strong winds. Strong wind will compress the goose down in a jacket so that you loose insulation. The kapok fiber resists that compression more.
But yeah, I agree with you that more conventional sleeping bags with synthetic lining and goose down or polyester filling, do get nasty quick. I've done a couple of 500 hundred mile hikes and noticed that myself. It does help a lot to have a silk liner, both for the inside and outside, but that is extra expense for sure.
If I was doing a really long hike, like the AT or longer, I would probably want a hybrid of thin Merino or alpaca outer, with thin silk underneath that, and then goose down. It would be heavier than UL sleeping bags with super thin and lightweight nylon fabric and goose down, but it would stay fresher for longer. Or, I would just have a silk liner for both inner and outer with a regular nylon.
I should add that the really nice thing about wool is how fire resistant it is. It can take some very high temps before it starts to ignite and combust. And even if sparks or the like fall onto it, it tends to be self extinguishing. There are different reasons for this. One of the reasons why, is because though the very outside of wool fibers are hydrophobic (especially when still well coated with lanolin), and rest of the fiber is very hydrophillic. Wool fibers absorb more water vapor than any other fiber. It has a crazy moisture regain of something like 16 to 30% (depending on which chart you look at). That means, it will absorb, just from the atmosphere/air alone, up to 16 to 30% of its weight in moisture. Even cotton is only like 8%.
Then, the proteins in the sheeps wool fiber are just not an easily ignited material.
It should be noted that sportwear type wool (like Smartwool and those similar brands) and natural wool are fairly different. This is because the former removes the barbs from the wool fibers and much of the lanolin. My ancestors, the Scottish Highlanders, would not have been able to survive in their very wet and fairly cold environment if they had only sportswear type wool. They needed the thick lanolin content to repel water droplets, and the barbs to felt the wool to make it more dense and thus also more water resistant.
I hope to find a producer of wool sleeping bags here in Europe. Filled with a blend of wool and goose down, that's okay too. But what's important: no nylon fabric, at least not inside! Searching for a new, warm, sleeping bag I mostly find sleeping bags with nylon fabric, sometimes cotton, even if they are filled with wool or wool/down.
Using a silk liner helps a lot in combo with a nylon-goose down UL bag or quilt. The nice thing about having a separate, super light and thin piece, is that it is a lot easier to wash and dry that than the whole sleeping bag.
If you wanted to keep your bag extra fresh/clean, use a silk liner for both the inner, and for the outside of the bag.
We do ship internationally!
Genius! Glad you waited a year before video review. Absolutely love the breathing in the bag. Do you have the 20 degree bag or the colder rates one?
Thanks for sharing. So happy to avoid fake (unnatural) materials.
This one is his larger sized Borealis bag 20F model though if you arent enclosed in a tent and there is any breeze or even air flow i would honestly have to give it only a 30F rating.
@@123Homefree I like to wrap up in a tarp-burrito for some windy-rainy element blocking, anyway. Will work!
Thanks for spreading Freedom!
Hey Aaron, the thing is, it's easy to extend the temp by wearing more layers of wool. Better that way anyway so it works better during the warmer temps as well. More adjustable! @@123Homefree
Need a link on how to get the sleeping bag !!!
Look wool. I put my wool socks and boot liners in the sun every chance I get. I'm still looking for wool felt for the bottom of my shoes and a small pillow case size foot warmer for sleeping.
It is very, very easy to make wool felt. Just buy some non adulterated* wool and look up how to felt it.
* I say "non adulterated" because a trend in "sportswear" type wool and brands, is to take off the barbs from the wool. This does make it more comfortable to wear (the barbs tend to be itchy for a lot of people), but it also makes it so you can't felt it (I would also argue it decrease insulation a bit). When you felt wool, what you're essentially doing is, is getting the barbs on the wool to entangle and thus "stick/lock" to each other, sort of like velcro/hook and loop.
Alpaca wool, btw, is supposed to be a bit more insulating than sheep wool, because the alpaca fibers have trapped air pockets in the fibers. Angora rabbit fur is even more insulative than the former 2, because it has much more trapped air pockets and the fibers tend to be thinner/finer on average--but this also makes it more fragile and delicate.
Very high quality sheep's wool can be more insulating than alpaca wool, depending on the size difference between the two though. If you have an ultra fine Merino wool, compared to a thick/coarse alpaca wool, the Merino will be more insulating, because more fine fibers vs thick, coarse and less fibers per space/volume, trumps the void air in the latter. So it is relative.
(This is why high quality goose down is so ridiculously insulative. Because it has so many ultra, ultra thin "fibers" [not really technically fiber like the above though] and structured in a more 3D, all around kind of way).
@@justinw1765 Thank you for responding and sharing information. I'm pleased with the new ideals of sourcing materials needed.👍I sure enjoy your videos .💐
Ok but how do you wash or clean it? Can't possibly throw it into a machine.
Youd have to wash it on cold water and gentle setting then air dry it
help you sleep better because cold weather is ideal for sleeping. You get negative ions and grounding from the fresh air.
17-Cleaning
The Lucky Sheep Sleeping Bag is easily freshened by placing in the sun and air. Wool has a natural ability to sanitize itself in the elements. For further washing, here are instructions:
To freshen even more, and also to revive the loft, use this hand washing method:
Wash by hand in a wash tub or bath tub using warm water and a mild biodegradable shampoo. (Wool is similar to human hair so shampoo works well). The best one is called Wool Wash available here.
Alternatively you can use this wool wash recipe:
This is a wool wash recipe that dates back to the 1930’s. It’s home chemistry at its finest. It cleans, softens and protects. It basically is more of a conditioner than a cleaner but it will soften even the stiffest and roughest feeling wool. Also, has inherent moth repellent qualities.
4 Cups Castle Soap Flakes
1 Cup Denatured Alcohol
50 Ml. Of Eucalyptus Oil
4 Cups Distilled Water
Mix all parts together except water. Warm water to a good heat warmer than tap but definitely not boiling. Ideally 120 or so. Mix in water let sit stirring gently till a solution. Use 1/2 cup per sleeping bag.
1) Fill up the bathtub or similar container with luke warm water. Add a mild bio-degradable shampoo (wool is similar to human hair so shampoo is ideal) and 1/2 cup of lanolin (available from Lucky Sheep) and dissolve it by stirring.
2) Place the sleeping bag, unzipped, in the solution.
3) Push the sleeping bag down into the water carefully. It will float back up. Push it down again until it becomes completely saturated. Do not pull on it…only use a gentle downward push with your palms.
4) Let it sit like this for 10-15 minutes.
5) Drain the water
6) Make sure the bag is folded with the merino side inside and the cotton side outside.
7) Then start rolling the bag from toe to head, as you squeeze out water by hand, while pushing down to release the water. Make sure to have the cotton shell side on the outside while you are doing this.
8) Fill the tub again with luke-warm water. Let the bag thoroughly soak in the new water, then squeeze it out again by rolling the bag from toe to head as you did before. There is no need to wait. You can do this 1-3 times if you like.
9) With the bag rolled up, lift it carefully out and lay it flat to dry, preferably outside on a tarp, turning occasionally until done.
DO NOT Tumble in the washer or dryer. This will destroy your wool..
To prevent moth damage if storage is necessary store in a cloth bag such as the stuff sack that comes with your sleeping bag.
Post navigation
← Previous Post
I have to have this thing
you can get them over at www.woolsleepingbag.com
So you can better know how sheep feel right
Funny big pharma is running ads on your videos
I got solar panels ad
The ad is designed for you
I pay 12.50 a month so I never have to here a dumb video-ad EVER AGAIN. Hate that I’m supporting TH-cam, I hope my payment helps the creators some.