I've been looking at getting a wool button up shirt but there seem to be many more variables that I first considered and I'm having a hard time telling the difference between different options. I'm looking for something that is between a long sleeve shirt and a jacket, button up so wearing it open is an option when it's not that cold out. I'd like to use it all year as either a light jacket or warm shirt at night, or as an extra layer in the winter or in case we get a cold snap in the shoulder season.

I want to go with wool because it is warm even when wet, durable, and not as bulky. I have a light down jacket I can take during shoulder seasons, but I worry that it would do well with portaging and getting snagged on twigs and branches in the woods. There are so many different kinds of wool too that I quickly get lost when trying to shop for one.

Also, how much should I be spending on this? I've seen these from $40 to $400 online. If I were shopping in person, this would be so much easier, but online it is hard to feel the difference before I buy it. I don't mind spending $100 on something with decent quality, but I have a hard time telling the difference between higher price for quality/function and higher price for brand name/style. I'm not the type that likes to pay for a name on a label.

I'm a fan of Johnson Woolen Mills but Pendleton and LLBean are similar with medium-heavy wool $150+, Woolrich has gotten more expensive and start around $190.
12 (feels like thick flannel) to 21 ounce (feels like coat weight) fabric weight unlined. Heavy weights seem to last forever. I've worn thru 12 ounce at the elbows between 5-10 years but 21 ounce last decades! I have a Johnson caped 21 ounce wool zip jacket around 30 years old that still get regular use early fall till snow flies.
I recommend taking the chance and looking on Ebay for used wool shirts, get a few for much less!

butthead

I have a Woolrich medium weight wool shirt which I have owned for probably 25-30 years. I think it has lasted this long because I only wear it in camp or under a shell when traveling. A great shirt even when damp but I can’t imagine paying current prices for a shirt like this. Too many other ways to remain comfortable at a much lesser cost.

I have a Woolrich medium weight that’s also about 15-20 years old and is my go to shirt for fall and winter camping. I can wear just over a tshirt, base layer, or even combo light and heavy base layer. I just looked at the Woolrich website and didn’t see anything that looked quite like it. Bean shirts look the most like it I’d say. I also have several Pendleton Board Shirts and really like them. I usually bring one of them on spring and summer trips. They are not as thick as the Woolrich, but tighter woven and better wool. Sorry I don’t know the weights of any of them. I do second Buttheads suggestion of watching EBay.

On the more modern end of things, Arms of Andes makes great alpaca wool garments (but order a size or two up). Kora makes some great stuff using yak wool. If you thought merino wool was great, alpaca or yak are even better.

I've been big into wool lately as my old synthetic stuff wears-out, I'm switching over to wool garments and avoiding as much plastic garbage as possible. Even in the summer I favor my Icebreaker wool t-shirt over my synthetic shirts. Wool is so much nicer, and should my AoA shirt ever wear out, it is completely natural including the thread they stitch it with and the dye they use, so as long as I cut the zipper off, I could literally bury or compost it rather sending it to a landfill like you have to do with other textiles.

Given your criteria I'd be looking very hard at the Lester River field jacket.

I have their Boreal/Anorak and it's excellent quality. I also have a Fjallraven Woodsman jacket that is more a jacket than shirt but is a nice piece as well but not made any more.

Fjallraven also makes a nice "Canada Shirt " that might be on the lighterweight end of your needs.

Asbell Wool also makes nice wool anoraks and jackets. My son has their Pathfinder and it's a solid piece for the price. It's not comparable weight to the Lester River Anorak but also half the price.

Oh and to back up my thoughts on buying used, I have a new to me used Vintage Woolrich Men's XXL Red Black Heavy Flannel Buffalo Plaid Shirt Wool USA, If memory serves that is an 18 or 21 ounce wool shirt, $70 and change. It's in the mail to me now!

butthead

goetzc: " needs. Asbell Wool also makes nice wool anoraks and jackets. My son has their Pathfinder and it's a solid piece for the price. It's not comparable weight to the Lester River Anorak but also half the price."

Are they still open? I've emailed, texted, and called, left voice messages, all of this last November before deer season. I second that their stuff is great. Was hoping to get an item that their website said was sold out.

I am looking for something a little lighter weight. It might be a little misleading when I say jacket, but to put it in perspective, I wear a lighter weight North Face jacket all winter and am looking for something on the lighter side of that. I could go with another fleece, but I'd like to give wool a try. I've never had a flannel shirt, so I guess I'm not sure how heavy or light those are.

butthead: "Oh and to back up my thoughts on buying used, I have a new to me used Vintage Woolrich Men's XXL Red Black Heavy Flannel Buffalo Plaid Shirt Wool USA, If memory serves that is an 18 or 21 ounce wool shirt, $70 and change. It's in the mail to me now!


butthead"

Great suggestion, I need to remember to do the same going forward.

Recommend you look at the LL Bean line of Guide shirts and canvas shirt jacs. High quality and looks to be in your price range. I've used them for years. Maine formal wear.

Pendleton Board Shirt. I really like my fifteen year old one but my thirty year old one fits the best. Get one a little larger then you think because it is going to shrink/felt with age. The board shirt doesn't have shirt tails, it is cut square around the bottom so it doesn't need to be tucked in all the time. I wear my board shirt and my lined Carhart jeans from Labor day to Memorial day, they keep you insulated and let your natural body temperature prevail so as not to get too warm

A1t2o: "I am looking for something a little lighter weight. It might be a little misleading when I say jacket, but to put it in perspective, I wear a lighter weight North Face jacket all winter and am looking for something on the lighter side of that. I could go with another fleece, but I'd like to give wool a try. I've never had a flannel shirt, so I guess I'm not sure how heavy or light those are."

Beware that most shirts listed as flannel are actually cotton. For what it’s worth, I’ve got several fleece jackets of different weight, but I’ve really been going with wool more and more over the past few years for all sorts of items; base layer, pants, shirts, sweater, caps, and hooded jackets.

Doesn't sound like this is in you price range but an interesting small company that makes wool products in Duluth.
Empire Wool and Canvas Company

New to me via Ebay wool shirt. Weighty, clean, tags read-able, no signs of wear.


butthead

A1t2o: "I am looking for something a little lighter weight. It might be a little misleading when I say jacket, but to put it in perspective, I wear a lighter weight North Face jacket all winter and am looking for something on the lighter side of that. I could go with another fleece, but I'd like to give wool a try. I've never had a flannel shirt, so I guess I'm not sure how heavy or light those are."

You don’t know it yet but what you want is a ”shirt jac.” Woolrich made a boatload of these that were the best value in the category. Then a couple years ago the company ended up in the hands of some European owners who kicked the whole line of warm, durable wool clothing to the curb and started selling overpriced cotton goods to unsuspecting lumbersexuals. (Yeah, I’m bitter about what has been done to the brand.)

Get thee to eBay. Set up search alerts for what you want. Pounce on opportunities you like. Some of us have been doing this for years. :-)

I'd take a look at this Merino Wool Shirt from Woolx. I have several of their garments and they are excellent!

WoolX 330 Shirt

gravelroad: "You don’t know it yet but what you want is a ”shirt jac".

Get thee to eBay. Set up search alerts for what you want. Pounce on opportunities you like. Some of us have been doing this for years. :-)"

I figure A1t2o knows what he wants, not everyone like shirt-jacs. I have six wool button down shirts and no shirt-jacs, which I do not care for. I do have a wool jacket, but it is not a shirt-jac.

Ebay though is a favorite source for me!

butthead

BoxofRain: "Pendleton Board Shirt. I really like my fifteen year old one but my thirty year old one fits the best. Get one a little larger then you think because it is going to shrink/felt with age. The board shirt doesn't have shirt tails, it is cut square around the bottom so it doesn't need to be tucked in all the time. I wear my board shirt and my lined Carhart jeans from Labor day to Memorial day, they keep you insulated and let your natural body temperature prevail so as not to get too warm"

I finally ordered myself a Pendletond Board Shirt this fall after pining over one for several years. Don't know why I waited so long. I love it. Works great over a t-shrit for shoveling snow down to ~15F. As mentioned above, it does a great job of self regulating temps. I'm going to add another to my closet. My tip is to order them in the late summer for the greatest choices in colors and sizes. They seem to start selling out of all the colors I like when I remember to look for them around November/December. This year, I ordered around September and got the one I wanted. I also like the square cut so I can wear it untucked. Heck, even if it wasn't square cut, I'd wear it untucked like all my other ones :) Now you guys have me checking out the woolrich ones. Maybe I need one to go with my wool woolrich bibs, right?