The warmest wools are: qiviut (musk ox down), yak wool and bison wool.

Merino and alpaca wool are also very warm fibers. See my previous article for a closer examination different types of wool.

Listed below are the warmest socks I’ve tested:

Warmest Boot Socks

• 50% Bison and 50% Merino Boot Socks by Buffalo Wool Company — a very warm sock with full terry loop knitting — $45
• Icebreaker Mountaineer Socks — 79% Merino Wool, 20% Nylon, 1% LYCRA Spandex — $21
• Smartwool Merino Wool Heavy Cushioned Socks — 70% Merino Wool, 29% Nylon, and 1% Elastane — $22
• Time May Tell Merino Hiking Sock — 80% merino wool, 14% Nylon, 5% Poly, 1% Spandex — $15
• Darn Tough Boot Socks — 64% Merino Wool, 33% Nylon, 3% Lycra Spandex — $25
• Wayfarer Sock by Khunu — 56% yak wool, 34.5% nylon, 9.5% Elastane — £22 ($28)
• 78% Alpaca Socks by Williamston Alpaca — 78% Alpaca, 20% Nylon, 2% Lycra — made in the USA — $22

Warmest Crew Hiking Socks

• Icebreaker Everday Crew Sock — 79% Merino Wool, 20% Nylon, 1% Spandex — $20
• Fox River Trailhead Heavyweight Crew Sock — 77% merino wool — $17
• 100% Cashmere Socks by Lona Scott – very soft and warm — made in Scotland – $40
• 100% Alpaca Wool Socks by Gamboa — $20

The post The Warmest Wool Socks appeared first on Reactual.

Compared to polyethylene—a common canoe hull material—the Royalex in the Penobscot has lighter weight, greater stiffness, superior UV protection, and higher resistance against deformation (especially under heat and pressure). Complimenting its initial build quality is this canoe’s easy reparability; Royalex can be patched with fiberglass and epoxy. You can use this low-maintenance canoe year round without concern about extremes of temperature and humidity.

Though the initial investment is higher than average, the Penobscot promises decades of paddling. Reviews on Paddling.net stretch back to 1998, and not one of the dozens of reviewers rank the Penobscot less than a 7 of 10. REI customers give it 4.7/5.0 stars. Reviewers on these and other sites praise the longevity and flexibility of this canoe. This is a product intended to last a lifetime.

The Penobscot 16 RX features a 1920s throwback design and is available in red or green. Weight is 58 pounds. Its shallow arch bottom provides responsive turning as well as stable straight-line tracking. The Penobscot has two wood webbed seats and can be used tandem or solo.

The Old Town Penobscot 16 RX canoe is available from REI.

The post Buy It For Life: Old Town Penobscot 16 RX Canoe appeared first on Reactual.