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Comment by lukan | Hacker News Reader

"were wearing wool, wood and leather and somehow even managed to do something like mountaineering"

Serious mountaineering is still done with merino wool.

You obviously have no clue about "serious mountaineering" and what you are talking about in general. Even though I do have a couple of merino wool items, they can be replaced with synthetics quite easily (the only real upside of wool is it is very warm and comfortable to sleep in), and no amount of wool will replace the other 95% of my clothing, which is mostly synthetic. Well, except for down, obviously, which is the only thing actually superior to the synthetic counterparts (and even that many people avoid, when travelling in rainy/wet regions). Everything else... It's not even a serious descission, it just isn't something anybody who ever did "serious mountaineering" would argue about, the vast majority of your gear is synthetic, and not because it's cheaper (it absolutely isn't cheap). It just the only viable option. Even something you could potentially replace with cotton (IDK, a backpack?) would weight a ton.

As a mountaineer as well, thank you for capturing my shared frustration. Before synthetic bags, heavy canvas bags were used and typically required hiring a pack mule, donkey, or sherpa. Synthetics made mountaineering and the outdoors accessible to the common person.

Let's also not forget while down is natural, the material encapsulating it is usually not!

I did not claim wool only. The argument above sounded like there is no use case for wool anymore in mountaineering.

"the only real upside of wool is it is very warm and comfortable to sleep in"

Because that is a big upside to me.

So thanks for confirming my point and congratulations on defeating your strawmen.

Yes, but our outer layers and bags are all synthetic.

Yes, and it is useful, I did not claim we go to the mountains plastic free.

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