The Ultimate Backpacking Fabric - Alpaca, Fiber of the Gods

[@tsoonklah]

I live in Alaska, I fell in love with alpaca yarn so much that I started designing & making knitted crafts with it & use the fluffy alpaca boucle lace yarn in place of mohair. :)

[@rodneypantony3551]

Outstanding exposition. An economical application of Alpaca fabric is lining wool or synthetic clothing. Adds value to synthetics superior water and wind resistance AND EXTENDS THE LIFE OF YOUR FAVORITE CLOTHING. I simply lay out the clothing on a table and cut a panel to fit. Seamstress sews it in. Exemplia gratia: Helly Hansen merino synthetic blend hoodie, covering neck and chin is one of my most efficient garments but it's worn and discontinued. I plan to sew panels of Alpaca to extend the life of this garment AND make it a supergarment. Sultan's Fabrics Toronto and other fabric stores sell Alpaca. Patagonia guides apparently use pocket rain shells and that's the most practical waterproofing I've found.

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

Much appreciated! Completely agree with you 💯

[@chipkk7868]

Congrats Doc, and what an outstanding video. You real;y have a talent for this. Many thanks for particpating again in the 12 days of Christmas and I look forward to seeing uour adventures as we move through 2023

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

Thanks much Chip KK! It’s gonna be an exciting 2023!

[@krystenmerten2021]

Miyagi and trips make more videos!!! We are planning our spring/ summer hikes! I’m late to finding this channel! Love love love it!!!

[@spartywarriors]

Hey buddy. Great video! So I've come to the conclusion that Appalchian Gear company pullovers do not last. Had 7 and every single one has failed at the elbows. Simply wears put after a few months. Kind of pissed actually. That's alot of money. Now the Paka is very durable! Much beefier. Now my go to. 👍

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

Paka definitely has some beefy sweaters. I have one I wear on my cold weather trips. I’m willing to bet the sturdier construction comes from the fact that they blend it with other materials along with a heavier weight yarn. Appalachian Gear Company uses 100% alpaca 🦙 which is definitely more delicate than the blends. There’s always a trade off unfortunately. Alpaca as a base layer & accessory pieces (buffs, hats, liner gloves) in my opinion is where true gold is found using this material. As an abrasive resistant outer layer you have definitely found its limitations. I appreciate all your support my friend!! Happy New Year! Give that pup a hug for us.

[@spartywarriors]

totally agree. I use AGC for beanie and gaiter. Check out Zpacks bushtail socks. Been wearing year round for 3 years. My first pair still like new! Did your AGC hoody hold up? Take care buddy.

[@svravenflintlock7526]

Congrats, Doc!

[@homeiswherewepitchit4994]

Thank you for all the great information on Alpaca! Looking forward to crafting some of my own hats and scarves with some Alpaca!

[@HarshmanHills]

heard lots of good things about alpaca fabric. and congrats to the winner

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

Base layers, hats, gloves and buffs are definitely where Alpaca 🦙 excels.

[@InOurElement]

Great informational video! We love our paca socks and app gear co hoodies! Congrats Doc!

[@KevinFryAdventures]

I am bummed that I didn't win, but you outdid yourself with this video! It was so good & informative. Damn good job Miyagi.

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

Thanks so much Kevin! Much appreciated. Happy New Year!

[@kyridgejumper]

Great information that doesn’t get put on you tube thanks for such a informative video

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

I appreciate you tuning in and commenting. Have a happy new year! Fist bumps ~ Miyagi

[@loaferx5409]

This is great information. I have a bunch of alpaca socks and would love to have a couple other garments. Thanks for putting this together. This channel should have 100,000 subscribers.

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

Thanks LoaferX! Much appreciated. I too have a few pair of Alpaca socks & love them. My go to socks for deep winter camping with my Mukluks.

[@AllTerrainCoffeeCamping]

Congrats to the winner!!!! Awesome video as always, thanks for being awesome!

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

Thank you my friend!!

[@alexwbanks70]

Darn! Congrats Winner!

[@BP-dm8ev]

Cool video! I didn’t realize the Alpaca hair benefits.
Congrats Doc! Enjoy the stuff!

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

Alpaca 🦙 Rules!!!

[@BackcountryPilgrim]

Congratulations Doc!!!

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

Lucky guy!

[@AdventureswiththeMarine]

It was nice meeting you and Trips up at the Wisconsin Frozen Butt Hang. Great informational video. I’m going to be checking out alpaca wool.

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

Great to finally get a little time together in the piney woods. Thank you my friend! Was a pleasure meeting you!

[@brodiereed2574]

Congrats Doc and thanks for the content!!! Look forward to the next video

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

Thanks Brodie!

[@hattiespring1419]

Love the video! I was wondering about alpaca, just hadn't done a deep dive yet... now I don't need to! Thanks!

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

It’s sooooo warm! You’ll love it Hattie! Fist bumps ~ Miyagi & Trips

[@SalmondOutdoors]

Great information and congrats Doc!!

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

Thanks Salmond!

[@adelekhagna]

Thank you for this throughout video !

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

I appreciate the support Adele. Happy New Year!

[@MtnWanderer-TieDye-]

Congrats! Great job on the video.

[@gracemartin7797]

Just ordered some paka socks, so even though I didn't win, I kinda did. Ty for the discount code! But now I want an alpaca, they're so cute!

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

That’s funny Grace! Trips and I have been trying to figure out how to start our own Alpaca 🦙 herd. I don’t think our neighbors would be happy. 😂 😂

[@karyn4875]

Thanks for this great information about alpaca wool. I have Appalachian Gears sleeping bag liner and hoodie and socks and sweaters from Alpacas of Montana. I highly recommend giving alpaca a try. I love it.

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

I’m curious to know how you like that sleeping bag liner. I’m very interested in purchasing one myself.

[@karyn4875]

@@MiyagiontheTrail I love the liner. It is soft and stretches for side sleeping. I don't feel tangled up in it like I did in a silk liner. I've used it over my shoulders as a wrap when sitting in camp. It's not light weight but it is versatile. The company says it adds 10 degrees to your sleep system.

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

Sold!! Thanks so much Karyn. Sounds like just the thing I’ve been looking for!

[@cachemacstrailtime]

Love your opening. You have some mad editing skills!

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

Much appreciated!! Fist bumps ~ Miyagi

[@stonedapeadventures]

great video!! extremely well done.

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

Thanks much! This was a fun one to put together. Learned a few things myself along the way.

[@alexwbanks70]

Dude you should have a show on Discovery Channel. I'm watching this right now and really hope I won.

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

Thanks Alex!! Much appreciated!! Fist bumps ~ Miyagi

[@AndyParrishOutdoors]

Congrats Doc!!!
Those Alpaca have some big teeth!!! and yes Maude seems to be a fan favorite...
I'm not going to ask how you measured Rob's Stache, although there is a rumour floating around about a hot tent and Jif Peanut butter...
Happy New Year and Great job on the video. Top Notch!!! 👏

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

😂 😂. Thanks Andy! Rob’s mustache hairs are like Walrus whiskers.

[@MaryTravels53]

Congrats Doc Watson! Can I borrow a pair of socks?

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

😂. Alpaca socks 🧦 are so soft and fluffy.

[@CharlesBlank]

Well I sadly didn’t win. But I just ordered some of those paka socks.

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

Your gonna love them Charles!!

[@justinw1765]

You said that science says that alpaca is up to 3x warmer than merino. I would like to see the study/research that shows this.

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

References
ANTONINI, M. (2010): ‭ ‬Hair follicle characteristics and fiber production in ‭ ‬South American camelids. Animal 4, 1460- 1471.
DOI: 10.1017/S1751731110001035
CENA, K., J. A. CLARK (1973): Thermal radiation ‭ ‬from animal coats: coat structure and measurements of radiative temperature. Phys. Med. Biol.‭ ‬18, 432-443.
CENA, K. (1974): Radiative heat loss from animals and man. In: Heat Loss from Animals and Men: Assessment and Control. (Monteith J. L., L. E. Mount, Eds.), London, Butterworths, pp. 33-58.
CZAPLICKI, Z. (2012): Properties and structure of polish alpaca wool. Fibres Text. East. Eur. 20,
8-12.
FRANK, E. N., M. V. H. HICK, C. ‭ ‬D. GAUNA, H. E. ‭ ‬LAMAS, ‭ ‬C. RENIERI, M. ANTONINI
(2006): Phenotypic and genetic description of fiber traits in South American domestic camelids (llamas and alpacas). Small Rumin. Res. 61, 113-129. DOI: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2005.07.003
GERKEN, M. (1997): Application of infra-red thermography to evaluate the influence of the fiber on body surface temperature in llamas. European Fine Fibre Network, Occasional Publication‭ ‬6, 65-71.
GERKEN, M. (2010): Relationships between integumental characteristics and thermoregulation in South American camelids. Animal 4, 1451-1459.
DOI: 10.1017/S1751731109991443
Vet. arhiv 89‭ (4), 519-528, 2019‬
M. Soroko et al.: Thermal insulation of alpacas and sheep
McARTHUR, A‭. ‬J., J‭. ‬L. MONTEITH (1980): Air movement and heat loss from sheep. II. Thermal
insulation of fleece in wind. Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series B. Bio. Sci.
1980; 209: 209-217.
DOI: 10.1098/rspb.1980.0091
McCAFFERTY, D‭. ‭ ‬‬J. (2007): The ‭ ‬value of infrared ‭ ‬thermography for research ‭ ‬on mammals: previous applications and future directions. Mamm. Rev‭. ‬3, 207-223.
DOI‭: 10.1111/j.1365-2907.2007.00111 ‬
McGREGOR, B. A., K‭. ‭ ‬‬L. BUTLER (2004): Sources of variation in fiber diameter attributes of Australian alpacas and implications for fleece evaluation and animal selection. Aust. J. Agric.
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DOI: 10.1071/AR03073
MOORE, K‭. ‬E., D. BLACHE, S‭. ‬K. MALONEY (2011): Fibre diameter and insulation in alpacas:
The biophysical implications. Small. Rumin. Res. 96, 165-172.
DOI: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2011.01.01
POLISH STANDARD PN-72/P-04900 (1972): Methods of textile raw materials tests, wool (in
Polish).
REIS, P., J. T. SAHLU (1994): The nutritional control of the growth and properties of mohair and wool fibers: a comparative review. J. Anim. Sci.‭ ‬72, 1899-1907.
SCOBIE, D. R., A. J. GROSVENOR, A. R. BRAY, S. K. TANDON, W. J., ‭ ‬MEADE, A. M. ‭ ‬B.
COOPER (2015): A review of wool fiber variation across the body of sheep and the effects on
wool processing. Small. Rumin. Res.‭ ‬133, 43-53.
‭ ‬DOI: 10.1016/j.smallrumres.2015.10.025
SHAKYAWAR, D. B., P. C. PATNİ, N. P. GUPTA (2007): Studies on animal fiber blended handmade felts: Part II- Frictional, compressional and thermal properties‭. J. Fibre Text. Res. ‭32, 301-305.‬‬
SHARMA, A., ‭ ‬S. PANT (2013): Studies on camel ‭ ‬hair - merino ‭ ‬wool blended knitted ‭ ‬fabrics. Indian J. Fibre Text. Res. 38, 317-319.

[@justinw1765]

@@MiyagiontheTrail you just threw a bunch of random studies at me. Which one of these actually compares specifically sheep wool and alpaca hair and saw a three times thermal resistance difference?

[@atgirl]

Oh come on...doc watson?Watson?! Doesn't he already have everything he needs? This was staged! Lol...just kidding...and just jealous. Congrats doc!

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

😂 😂. I know right!!?

[@Wondering_Fireball]

They don’t have the color or my size. Contacted company.

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

Danngit!!

[@Wondering_Fireball]

@@MiyagiontheTrail, they said there working on it.

[@MiyagiontheTrail]

I just picked up some Alpaca underwear and midweight gloves from Arms of the Andes and I’m incredibly impressed with the quality and tight knit of the items. This is definitely my favorite new company by far.

[@Qb7deepsea]

Congrats, Doc!