I bought a couple of hats from you guys a few months back and it all arrived within a week (I live in the UK). Really impressed with your kit and the speed of delivery. 👍
Should have sent him a Serbian Canteen system to take on the hiking trip and review! Although Bloke would most likely have died of dehydration if you did so probably good you didn't give him one.
I definitely agree with wool being comfortable over a wider range of temps, I have often wore wool pants doing stuff outdoors in the winter and then come inside - both areas with perfect comfort.
Wool is a brilliant fabric but can get nasty if abused. I will have been in the last generation of British children that regularly had to wear woolies that were probably boil washed and put through a mangle, leaving us to wear scouring pads. As a grown up I always washed my woolies carefully but never wore any next to the skin, until I discovered Varusteleka, and learned that well looked after wool can be worn on the skin!
Love your honest comments and practical examples, I'm a customer but still love to see their goods used far more drastically than I do! I can confirm, their merino goods are the real deal!
I'm a big fan of the merino polo, all of their merino products really, and have had my eye on the woolshell products for a while now. Thanks for the review!
Base layer stank is a real problem! Very good review. If you want good adjustable waistbands have a look at dedicated ski gear. I find a lot of the features have already been tweaked and perfected by ski/snowboard clothing brands.
As a happy Varusteleka client, I'm happy to see your review. I happen to use the camo version of the wool trousers myself, amongst a host of other stuff. Besides the products, I like the client service. As a side-note, the delivery improved recently by adding the option of standard postal service, very practical if you can wait 1 or 2 days longer, and don't want the hassle when you're not at home you have with private couriers. Greetings from the Dutchguy in the Swiss Jura mountains.
@@RedBeardWalking No, I'm in Switzerland, and everything, I mean everything .... go's by the book. Like shooting, in the general direction is not good enough, the Swiss are supposed to proof their ability to hit the target even when in the reserve.
I'm kind of your slim build bodytype, and when ordering my Särmä TST M05 RES cargo pants I chose the Small/Long sizing, they specified they do run a bit baggy, but those pants had an elastic adjustment on the inside of the waist rather than the external type shown on your Windproof ones.
I find that fleece is great for warmth, but has next to no wind resistance. While it doesn't get phenomenally cold where I live, it can get chilly and windy and that looks like a much better solution to intermittent cold weather.
Thanks for the review. I love Varusteleka stuff but I just wish it was 10-15% less militaristic in appearance. For example, the velcro patches on the jacket, have no real civilian use. I know people might do military type training in them, but I'd like something that blends in a bit more, but remains neutral colour, good in nature etc. I think there's a definite market for something more surplus/military/old days inspired, but in between that and Arcteryx/Patagonia etc. Greetings from Zurich.
I'm an intermidiate size on trousers. I like the adjustment. When I need to tuck in more stuff (like using them on the winter), I need the larger size. In summer I need the smaller size. However, if you are right on the size, there is no possibility to loosen them up. I tend to need belt for finer adjustment with any trousers though. With buttons they do not feel as baggy in the waist as using a winter size in the summer with a belt. I guess that depends a lot on the exact sizing and you preferences.
A good review. The Pants .. the Braces (also from Varusteleka) do a sterling job in keeping the pants up nice and high where they should be. High enough as Varusteleka state in their inimitable way, keeping the 'crack' out of sight, but not, in my experience, that high that one must open the pants fly to blow one's nose.
I think the adjustments on the trousers are so if you lose or gain weight they can still be worn. For example if you go on a camp/Trek say for a week or fortnight you will probably lose weight. So to compensate for that they have the adjusters. The same type have been used on British army trousers for years.
They're explicitly for making the intermediate sizes. Varusteleka themselves say so in the product description... And if you're a 34 and wearing medium, you can't loosen them beyond 34 if you gain weight...
Elbow pads for the CSR is a good idea as we don't use shooting mats. If the weather remains good the firing points won't be too muddy and you won't have wade through the Century lake on the rundown :-)
Yup, I've got them :) Century firing points are quite soft though - even in the summer I used to shoot non-TR in a combat shirt there without elbow issue.
The lads tease me because I like "old school"... I give them bad dreams on how they will die of burns if a spark reaches their modern fabrics... I call them "lycra-boys"...but they like me going with them because often I bring "old school" food and cook it for all of us, and, although past mid sixties, I manage to keep the pace with them, stand the cold / hot, have good equipment and try to be nice to them!
Bloke, can you comment on the Woolshell Jacket sizing? I'm ready to pick one up and indecisive between Large and Extra Large regular. I'm 5'9" with 42" chest.
How does the woolshell compare to something like a swedish M/58 jacket? Fabric wize? I'm looking for a hunting suit in wool, it can't be too hot, since I will be staying active, but it needs to be relatively weather resistant.
Nothing beats wool. I mean down is lighter and compacts better, but get it wet? It’s finished for the trip. It’s true it doesn’t smell easily, etc…. Just wish I could afford stuff this nice more often.
It works well - the old ones had the slight drawback if you wanted to put elbow pads in that they were a bit far around, which they've fixed on the new ones that are on sale now.
0:21 huh that's interesting so it was first 162,99 euro but then later changed into 200 euro and then later again due to inflation and rising costs to 239 euro 2:04 again back then it was 145,99 euro now it is 209,99 euro and the brown green colloured and the m05 brown version of both the woolshell jacket and pants are discontinued sadly
interesting Review! Just the buttons you mention on the trousers wouldn't be my thing. I had trousers once which featured such a "size" adjustement. As i tend to wear a belt, the pressure on the buttons started hurting me after a while.
Yes, I have cut off offending buttons and those metal adjusters on BDU pants, it used to kill me, we had to wear a belt with the uniform, and have those silly things directly under the belt?
Seems like a very practical and well thought out jacket. Id get one myself if but that kind of qaulity comes at a price i cant afford. I think ill buy a few cans of fish cock instead XD
@@BlokeontheRange ok thank you for the feedback I was thinking of also getting a Gorka 4 what is that good for really every review is like 5 mins and all in Russian lol
I would just get a belt to deal with the slightly awkward sizing of the pants for your size. At least I am used to having to wear a belt due to being tall and skinny so pants are almost always gonna be too wide around the waist.
I guess the pants creeping was caused by steep steps or something then? I am trying to visualize how you'd manage to have the pants creep down otherwise.
Does the belt pack work with the hoops in the trousers for tension and keeping the trousers up usually though? With the backpack resting a bit against it I'd not imagine it does much but still.
Good reinforcment may be for wearing over a helmet, particularly with lights/strobe/IR or NVG set up. The counter weight, mounts and velcro on a brain bucket could ruin the wool over time.. not dissimilar to the first spear wind cheater hood design which is fairly light and would rip easily under duress I think from my experience with it on the flat range
Yes. Public land or permission of the landowner / renter. It actually varies from municipality-to-municipality but if you're high, away from people and cows, you can pretty much get away with anything non-destructive.
...sarma...so they named that clothe after the meal from balkans? pretty delicious and legendary meal, might i add.......thts awesome....everybody loves sarma
Trousers modelled in the British Trousers Lightweight. Everyone loved those until they found that they melted into the skin when Mr petrol bomb popped over to say hello.
More like Windproofs I think, not Lightweights ? The windproofs are what were issued for Norway, and what rich bods bought after going on Sennybridge in the Winter for the first time.
You mentioned in this vid and a previous one about CSR in UK and using a No4 conversion in 7.62, if possible can you please do an equipment video, very interested as I have a Parker Hale T4 which is very accurate and would be fine for CSR. Thanks
Trying to pronounce it the Finnish way and mangling it would be lame... In any case, Swiss German has several uses of ä, depending on dialect, one of which is the same as High German and never appears on the end of a word (seriously, try it - I can't do it), another is close to a short "e", common on Bernese place names at the start and always written Ae (e.g. Aeschlen, pronounced Eschle), one of which is kinda like an "-er" sound missing the r, and which does occur almost exclusively on the end of words (der = dä in eastern dialects). So which one am I supposed to be using? :p
Looking good! Thanks for the honest review.
I bought a couple of hats from you guys a few months back and it all arrived within a week (I live in the UK). Really impressed with your kit and the speed of delivery. 👍
Should have sent him a Serbian Canteen system to take on the hiking trip and review! Although Bloke would most likely have died of dehydration if you did so probably good you didn't give him one.
@@berryreading4809 We didn't send him anything. He was here and picked it up by himself! He also shot Finnish Brutality 2019 which was AWESOME!
Went to your website to buy the polo shirt but they are not available in adult sizes, tall! I am on the email list for the grey color jacket.
Ordered mine - looking forward to it.
The Bloke tackles Finnish Brutality in 1950s kit and tackles modern camping wearing wool. Love it!!!!
One thing worth mentioning is the net fabric of the pockets: the pockets can act as extra vents, when opened.
Total fan of Varusteleka. Great guys and gals and great products.
I'll be putting it through its paces in Colorado, US. Can't wait!
I definitely agree with wool being comfortable over a wider range of temps, I have often wore wool pants doing stuff outdoors in the winter and then come inside - both areas with perfect comfort.
I'm constantly asked how I'm not dying when I wear my heavy wool trousers, vest, and overcoat to the bar during the winter.
Wool is a brilliant fabric but can get nasty if abused. I will have been in the last generation of British children that regularly had to wear woolies that were probably boil washed and put through a mangle, leaving us to wear scouring pads. As a grown up I always washed my woolies carefully but never wore any next to the skin, until I discovered Varusteleka, and learned that well looked after wool can be worn on the skin!
Love your honest comments and practical examples, I'm a customer but still love to see their goods used far more drastically than I do! I can confirm, their merino goods are the real deal!
I've done some camping/hiking with East German uniforms. They held up quite well.
I'm a big fan of the merino polo, all of their merino products really, and have had my eye on the woolshell products for a while now. Thanks for the review!
Good review of Särmä clothing big fan of varusteleka stuff and service.
Happy to hear that!
Base layer stank is a real problem! Very good review. If you want good adjustable waistbands have a look at dedicated ski gear. I find a lot of the features have already been tweaked and perfected by ski/snowboard clothing brands.
As a happy Varusteleka client, I'm happy to see your review. I happen to use the camo version of the wool trousers myself, amongst a host of other stuff. Besides the products, I like the client service. As a side-note, the delivery improved recently by adding the option of standard postal service, very practical if you can wait 1 or 2 days longer, and don't want the hassle when you're not at home you have with private couriers. Greetings from the Dutchguy in the Swiss Jura mountains.
Your private carriers don't just throw your package in the general direction if the door?
@@RedBeardWalking No, I'm in Switzerland, and everything, I mean everything .... go's by the book. Like shooting, in the general direction is not good enough, the Swiss are supposed to proof their ability to hit the target even when in the reserve.
Nice review! Now, we need to see more of the footage of the camping/hiking!
~ EDIT: Never mind, just saw my other feed of the outing.... off I go!
You'll never get that hour of your life back!!!! :D
I'm kind of your slim build bodytype, and when ordering my Särmä TST M05 RES cargo pants I chose the Small/Long sizing, they specified they do run a bit baggy, but those pants had an elastic adjustment on the inside of the waist rather than the external type shown on your Windproof ones.
I find that fleece is great for warmth, but has next to no wind resistance. While it doesn't get phenomenally cold where I live, it can get chilly and windy and that looks like a much better solution to intermittent cold weather.
Nice review. Had pretty much the same luck . Great jackets ,not so much with the pants. Great company , awesome customer service.
I confess I love Marino next to the skin, with the harsher wool on the outside
Well damn, I'm sold on that jacket now
I forget 40f is cooled for people so times. also i get this jacket for my backpacking class in the Adirondacks. cant wait to see how it turns out =P
Thanks for the review. I love Varusteleka stuff but I just wish it was 10-15% less militaristic in appearance. For example, the velcro patches on the jacket, have no real civilian use. I know people might do military type training in them, but I'd like something that blends in a bit more, but remains neutral colour, good in nature etc. I think there's a definite market for something more surplus/military/old days inspired, but in between that and Arcteryx/Patagonia etc. Greetings from Zurich.
I'm an intermidiate size on trousers. I like the adjustment. When I need to tuck in more stuff (like using them on the winter), I need the larger size. In summer I need the smaller size. However, if you are right on the size, there is no possibility to loosen them up.
I tend to need belt for finer adjustment with any trousers though. With buttons they do not feel as baggy in the waist as using a winter size in the summer with a belt.
I guess that depends a lot on the exact sizing and you preferences.
Maybe they should add suspender buttons to the pants.
Not exactly difficult to do yourself.
A good review.
The Pants .. the Braces (also from Varusteleka) do a sterling job in keeping the pants up nice and high where they should be.
High enough as Varusteleka state in their inimitable way, keeping the 'crack' out of sight, but not, in my experience, that high that one must open the pants fly to blow one's nose.
Their merino polos are my absolute favorite polos
I think the adjustments on the trousers are so if you lose or gain weight they can still be worn. For example if you go on a camp/Trek say for a week or fortnight you will probably lose weight. So to compensate for that they have the adjusters. The same type have been used on British army trousers for years.
They're explicitly for making the intermediate sizes. Varusteleka themselves say so in the product description... And if you're a 34 and wearing medium, you can't loosen them beyond 34 if you gain weight...
@@BlokeontheRange fair enough 👍
Elbow pads for the CSR is a good idea as we don't use shooting mats. If the weather remains good the firing points won't be too muddy and you won't have wade through the Century lake on the rundown :-)
Yup, I've got them :) Century firing points are quite soft though - even in the summer I used to shoot non-TR in a combat shirt there without elbow issue.
On the jacket, that poly-cotton type material can usually take one of those sprays that make a jacket temporarily water resistant.
Don't use that spray stuff... wax works alot better.
That jacket looks pretty good, but is it as good as an old reindeer hide?
You were the only one in wool, because everyone else was wrong.
The lads tease me because I like "old school"... I give them bad dreams on how they will die of burns if a spark reaches their modern fabrics... I call them "lycra-boys"...but they like me going with them because often I bring "old school" food and cook it for all of us, and, although past mid sixties, I manage to keep the pace with them, stand the cold / hot, have good equipment and try to be nice to them!
You had me at wool.
Nice review of great kit.
Bloke, can you comment on the Woolshell Jacket sizing? I'm ready to pick one up and indecisive between Large and Extra Large regular. I'm 5'9" with 42" chest.
Just to put it in perspective, I'm 5'11, 40" chest, long arms, broad shoulders and I have a Medium Regular there. And I've plenty of room in it.
Perfect! Thank you sir
if not what are some good options for waterproof pants for deep snow
How does the woolshell compare to something like a swedish M/58 jacket? Fabric wize? I'm looking for a hunting suit in wool, it can't be too hot, since I will be staying active, but it needs to be relatively weather resistant.
Nothing beats wool. I mean down is lighter and compacts better, but get it wet? It’s finished for the trip. It’s true it doesn’t smell easily, etc…. Just wish I could afford stuff this nice more often.
It's quite expensive, but buy once, cry once :)
What kind of temp could you be inactive and still feel like the wool shell jacket was warm enough, by itself?
How does wool compare to cotton for a polo?
Way better for warmth, wicking etc.
Would you say that the wool jacket is equivalent to a fleece or more like a Buffalo??
Kinda different to both.
How did the jacket work out on the range? I might be buying one in the next couple of weeks.
It works well - the old ones had the slight drawback if you wanted to put elbow pads in that they were a bit far around, which they've fixed on the new ones that are on sale now.
0:21 huh that's interesting
so it was first 162,99 euro
but then later changed into 200 euro
and then later again due to inflation and rising costs to 239 euro
2:04 again
back then it was 145,99 euro
now it is 209,99 euro
and the brown green colloured and the m05 brown version of both the woolshell jacket and pants are discontinued sadly
interesting Review!
Just the buttons you mention on the trousers wouldn't be my thing. I had trousers once which featured such a "size" adjustement. As i tend to wear a belt, the pressure on the buttons started hurting me after a while.
Can't say i noticed the pressure from the buttons, but then I did have my rucksack resting on the plastic buckle on my equipment belt! :D
Yes, I have cut off offending buttons and those metal adjusters on BDU pants, it used to kill me, we had to wear a belt with the uniform, and have those silly things directly under the belt?
Seems like a very practical and well thought out jacket. Id get one myself if but that kind of qaulity comes at a price i cant afford. I think ill buy a few cans of fish cock instead XD
How thick is the material? Like a pullover or a fleece jacket? Best regards from Germany!
Neither - it's thinner but denser. It's like Loden.
are these good for really deep snow and are they actually really waterproof
No, completely unsuitable for deep snow and not fully waterproof.
@@BlokeontheRange ok thank you for the feedback I was thinking of also getting a Gorka 4 what is that good for really every review is like 5 mins and all in Russian lol
Bloke the fashion blogger
That's very nice but I would be lucky to get two months' use out of that in Florida.
I would just get a belt to deal with the slightly awkward sizing of the pants for your size. At least I am used to having to wear a belt due to being tall and skinny so pants are almost always gonna be too wide around the waist.
I did wear a belt on the hill :)
I guess the pants creeping was caused by steep steps or something then? I am trying to visualize how you'd manage to have the pants creep down otherwise.
I had the belt pack and rucksack strap on over the top, pushing down.
Does the belt pack work with the hoops in the trousers for tension and keeping the trousers up usually though?
With the backpack resting a bit against it I'd not imagine it does much but still.
No, the belt pack goes over the top of the trousers. I had a normal belt through the trouser loops underneath it.
You’re wearing my Jacket... give it back!!
Could you tell me how tall you are and what size it is please ?
I gonna by one. Nice jacket.
1m80 (with long arms), medium regular.
@@BlokeontheRange Ok, its gonna be perfect for skiing.Thanks a lot.
What size it the polo you are wearing? Thanks
Medium
Is it flame resistant?
13:47 Those pockets are deep enough that you could get arrested while looking for change.
they're really good - and keep the contents out of the way :)
Good reinforcment may be for wearing over a helmet, particularly with lights/strobe/IR or NVG set up. The counter weight, mounts and velcro on a brain bucket could ruin the wool over time.. not dissimilar to the first spear wind cheater hood design which is fairly light and would rip easily under duress I think from my experience with it on the flat range
Wool felt is jack of all trades and master of none.
Wool (this isn't felt, it's serge or similar) is absolute master of warm-when-wet and wind-cutting-but breathable :)
@@BlokeontheRange Oh, i thought it was felt. Thanks for the clear up.
Try swanndri nz merino wool
Are there any regulations whilst camping? Specifically camp fires etc...
Yes. Public land or permission of the landowner / renter. It actually varies from municipality-to-municipality but if you're high, away from people and cows, you can pretty much get away with anything non-destructive.
Thank you for the quick and informative response.
And no loud noises ;)
Kit for the kit god!
...sarma...so they named that clothe after the meal from balkans?
pretty delicious and legendary meal, might i add.......thts awesome....everybody loves sarma
No, "Särmä" is Finnish military slang for someone whose on point whit their clothing, bed, actions and so on.
Heh, woud've been nice, but Särmä sounds is closer to Serme.
Good god... I did 8.26mi/13.3km and 2850ft/863m yesterday and my legs won't stop screaming.
wool is antibacterial. Your waist will grow to fit.
Very niiiice
The patches can be waxed.
Perkele intensifies
Yes, yes it does...
Trousers modelled in the British Trousers Lightweight. Everyone loved those until they found that they melted into the skin when Mr petrol bomb popped over to say hello.
More like Windproofs I think, not Lightweights ? The windproofs are what were issued for Norway, and what rich bods bought after going on Sennybridge in the Winter for the first time.
Yeah, they're based on the windproofs not the lightweights.
Mery no ?
You mentioned in this vid and a previous one about CSR in UK and using a No4 conversion in 7.62, if possible can you please do an equipment video, very interested as I have a Parker Hale T4 which is very accurate and would be fine for CSR. Thanks
I will do, but the rifle hasn't even arrived yet, let alone been customised. I'll be shooting the Tikka T3x Arctic
Bloke on the Range - Metal sights?
Of course :)
Bloke on the Range - good man shoot well, Cheers
Thanks
I thought you were wearing trousers not pants.... but if they are in fact pants then indeed a very long pair of pants!
No snow = T-shirt and shorts.
Your just being fashionable with your tact gear .Trousers chrunch down near your knee is a moden look ..
Commercial ad :(
Try braces with the pants
I can't believe how you speak Swiss and/or standard German but you can't pronounce Ä ;)
Trying to pronounce it the Finnish way and mangling it would be lame... In any case, Swiss German has several uses of ä, depending on dialect, one of which is the same as High German and never appears on the end of a word (seriously, try it - I can't do it), another is close to a short "e", common on Bernese place names at the start and always written Ae (e.g. Aeschlen, pronounced Eschle), one of which is kinda like an "-er" sound missing the r, and which does occur almost exclusively on the end of words (der = dä in eastern dialects). So which one am I supposed to be using? :p
@@BlokeontheRange All of them at once, I suppose ;)
@@BlokeontheRange Finnish Ä is pronounced basically like the A for example in the word apple
British "apple" or American "aaaayyyple" though? :p
@@BlokeontheRange The Finnish Ä is like the A in "man" (unless you're Jamaican). And the Finnish R is a rolling R, like in "perkele" :D