One of Joan’s favorite pieces is the Squak Women’s Woolie Merino Hoodie.
We’ve had a long relationship with Utah-based Squak. Last October, two of the owners, Alli and Hamilton, generously gave Joan and me Woolies during an interesting time for us, simply as a “we’re thinking of you two” gift. There was no expectation of a review. Very generous, and very much appreciated!
Here’s Joan’s view a year later. —PM
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The Squak Woolie
I’ve been using the Squak Women’s Woolie Merino Hoodie for about a year now, through a lot of cool and cold-weather hiking and backpacking. It has become one of those layers that fills a useful niche in my clothing system.
Squak describes the Woolie as somewhere between a base layer and a lightweight mid-layer, and that’s pretty much exactly how I use it. The fabric is 85% merino wool, 12% nylon, and 3% spandex, with a fabric weight of 150 gsm.
How do I use it?
Most often, I wear the Woolie as a second layer over a very thin hiking shirt. I used to fill this role with a fleece, but there are many times when a fleece is simply warmer than I want.
That happens frequently during winter here in Utah. In the dry conditions we get in November, December, January, and February, I often want something warmer than my thin hiking layer but not as warm as a fleece. The Woolie fits nicely in between.
For backpacking, I’ll typically hike in a thin base layer with the Woolie over it. At night, I take off the base layer, which is usually sweaty and a little damp, and wear the Woolie next to my skin. I try not to get the Woolie sweaty during the day so that I have a clean, dry layer for sleeping.
And it feels really good to sleep in. The merino is soft and cozy against my skin, something I especially appreciate during the long winter nights when I may wear it for many hours.
I also wear it on its own as a base layer, especially on cold day hikes. It’s comfortable directly against my skin, and I’ve found that it stays warm and comfortable if it gets a little damp from sweat, rain, or generally moist conditions.
The fabric
The fabric might be my favorite thing about the Woolie.
I’ve owned other merino layers that seemed too thin and delicate for the kind of hiking I do. The Woolie hits a sweet spot. It isn’t too thin, but it still has some stretch and doesn’t feel bulky. The nylon and spandex in the fabric probably help explain some of that durability and stretch.
Winter is also when we do a lot of our bushwhacking. With the leaves down, we spend time poking around side canyons and pushing through thick underbrush and willows. I was initially a little concerned about wearing merino for that kind of hiking, but the Woolie has done surprisingly well. The fabric doesn’t seem to snag easily on brush like many modern Alpha or Octa fleeces.
After a year of regular use, I’m impressed with how good it still looks. It hasn’t become pilly, stains have washed out well, and it hasn’t developed residual odors.
Fit and hood
I really like the fit. It’s distinctly feminine without being restrictive, and there’s enough stretch to move comfortably while hiking.
The hood is also very comfortable and adjusts well. I probably wear it more often than not in colder weather because it does a good job of keeping my ears and neck warm without requiring another layer.
That pocket!
I love having a kangaroo pocket on a base layer.
In winter, I always seem to have more stuff to juggle. Gloves come on and off, snacks need somewhere to go, and I want things accessible without digging through my pack.
I also get very cold hands, so being able to tuck them into the pocket is particularly useful during the first and last hours of a winter backpacking day. And when I’m not wearing my gloves, the pocket gives me an easy place to stash them.
It’s such a simple feature, but now that I’ve had it on a merino layer, I don’t want to give it up.
Not just for backpacking
One unexpected use has been traveling.
The Woolie is great for holiday trips when we’re flying somewhere to visit family. I can wear it hiking, but it looks nice enough that I don’t feel like I’m obviously wearing backpacking clothes when we go out to dinner, walk around town, or spend the day traveling.
And because it doesn’t hold onto odors, I can wear it repeatedly without feeling like I’ve brought my backpacking funk to Christmas dinner with the family!
Joan likes her selfies. 🙂 As mentioned, I also received one. I wore mine mainly in Rhode Island and around Moab after my New England jaunt. -PM
Overall
After a year, the Woolie has become one of my favorite cool- and cold-weather layers.
What makes it useful for me is its versatility. I can wear it over a thin hiking shirt as a light mid-layer, directly against my skin as a base layer, or as my clean sleeping shirt on backpacking trips. It’s warm without being as warm as a fleece, comfortable when slightly damp, and has held up much better to bushwhacking and regular use than I expected from a merino garment.
The comfortable hood, feminine fit, and especially the kangaroo pocket make it even more useful.
Most importantly, it’s just really comfortable. On a long winter night in the backcountry, that’s something I appreciate quite a bit.