Guilty pleasure

The woolly

We all have our gear quirks. Our very own Steffo proudly wears what can only be called 19th-century haute couture: a long knitted wool sweater, the classic woolly, showing off his undeniable manliness. For years I teased him and banished it to the back of the closet. Confession time: last summer I caved and bought one myself. And, grudgingly, it's pretty darn good. Especially for rolling in a tuilik on a cold day. On me it's still a bit itchy-scratchy, but blame the coarse wool, not the fine merino the pros claim to have.

Speaking of pros

Wool gets heavy when it's soaked, no denying that, but it stays surprisingly warm when wet. Merino is said to keep most of its insulation when damp, because the fibre takes up the moisture in its core instead of feeling clammy on your skin. Peel off the tuilik after a rolling session (or, god forbid, a swim) and you don't turn into an ice lolly the second the wind hits. The wind cools the wool instead of you.

Btw, did you know the old arctic ways to not die after being soaked? You simply pulled off all your clothes, especially the caribou outer wear, and stomped it "dry" in the snow. I bet that kind of works for wool too. Will try next winter. Or the one after, maybe.

The woolly can even help a little with buoyancy when you practise rolling. Traditional tuiliks trap a bit of air, neoprene ones float a bit better, and a loose wool sweater underneath adds a little more.

If you're like me and prefer not to broadcast every post-holiday waistline fluctuation in a skin-tight fleece, the woolly hides all the blubber in a big forgiving hug. Camouflage level: expert.

And the best bit: wool fights the bacteria that make you stink a lot better than synthetics do. It won't start reeking like ammonia-soaked socks after a few sweaty sessions, which certain rubberised British drysuit brands are infamous for. Wool may smell faintly of old sheep, which beats cat piss any day. Your wolf (or dog) will pretend to love you even more :)

Fun fact: New Zealand still has about 4.5 sheep per person (according to my meticulous 2025 research), down from 22 per person in the glory days. Plenty to keep the wool coming. Why the shepherds wear wellies is a question we'll leave alone.

Let's be totally clear:

We don't endorse paddling without a PFD as such. But if you're training Greenland rolling, you're treating kayaking like swimming. You are getting wet on purpose. Want dry socks and to pretend you're in a boat? Wear a PFD. Using the kayak more like a buoy? Your call. We've seen forums where you get banned for posting a photo without a PFD. Really. By that logic, how is anyone allowed to post photos of unfit paddlers who never practise rescues? Selective outrage, chaps.

Cons, to keep it real

Alas, I can't flex my biceps quite as dramatically under a woolly. Without it they pop naturally, you know. Or so I tell myself. Might be joking. Probably am.

Good wool isn't cheap, especially itch-free merino. If money's tight, hit the thrift store or just wear what works for you.

So give the woolly a go next time you paddle. It's warm, it doesn't stink (much). You can probably look like a fisherman on an old postcard, so grow up and get a beard! Steffo was kinda right about the wooly. Don't tell him.

Stay dry(ish),
//T