Does anybody who sleeps in a separate baselayer have a preference for wool top & bottom versus the same in polyester?
I have got all three weights (silk - #1, light - #2 and medium - #3) in both wool (Smartwool) and polyester (Patagonia Capilene). But I tend to always go with the wool when I strip off my hiking clothes at night, freshen up a bit - either a wipe down with baby wipe or a sponge bath with some peppermint soap - throw on a baselayer top & bottom and slip under my quilt.
Now if I had to actually hike in my baselayer top & bottom, I prefer polyester. I tend to burn hot and sweat more than most and the polyester seems to wick better and dry out faster than wool. But just sleeping, I find wool more comfortable and it's just a bit lighter in gear weight than the other.
I think maybe wool feels warmer than polyester in a hammock because polyester can sure seem to "get cold" something like nylon in a tarp; though not as extreme. To me it seems like those synthetic materials tend to "capture" cold and "transfer" it right to your skin."
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