As a fan of wool clothing I’ve been on the lookout for a good sweater to add to my wardrobe. Wool, of course, is great because it still provides some insulation even if it gets wet, and is more fire resistant the synthetics.
I came across Swiss military surplus sweaters on a few sites, most of which had used sweaters. SwissLink had some new ones for $59.99, so I ordered one on November 27th. It arrived on December 5th. Not bad for shipping over a holiday weekend.
The sweater is in perfect, new condition as described on SwissLink’s site. It is a heavy 70% virgin wool / 30% polyester. It’s itchy against bare skin but I don’t plan on wearing it without a shirt underneath.
The collar and cuffs have a ribbed knit pattern. SwissLink describes it as having a quarter-zip, but it’s actually closer to a half-zip, which I like because it makes donning or doffing it easier, and allows for better ventilation.
The workmanship is top notch. There aren’t any loose threads and the plastic zipper operates smoothly. It actually looks nice enough that it wouldn’t appear out of place if you wore it into the office. That said, I bought it for field use.
The sweater I received is marked with the European size 56, which converts to American sizing as a 46 according to this site. SwissLink lists them using American sizing ( M, L, XL, and XXL).
I am 5’6” tall but carry my own survival rations around my waist, so I ordered the XL. It fits well although the sleeves a bit long. I can roll the cuffs over so that’s not a problem and would allow me to pull them down over my hands if I don’t have gloves.
Some measurements from the garment:
- Height from top of collar to hem: 31”
- Width at armpits: 26”
- Sleeve length (along top edge): 26”
Unlike a lot of milsurp this didn’t come with a funky smell. In fact, it smells pretty much like my Land’s End lamb’s wool sweaters.
Hopefully I’ll have enough cool weather to wear it often.
Last night I spent a few hours out by the fire pit with some friends. The temp was in the upper 30s, no wind. I wore the Swiss sweater over a t-shirt and a cotton button down shirt and I was comfortable.
ReplyDelete