Yak noun. Empower Her. This knitted test swatch was the worst insulator of the knitted test swatches I tested. The warmest wools are: qiviut (musk ox down), yak wool and bison wool. We've spent the last ten years developing a supply chain here in the U.S.A. that brings together bison ranchers, small independent mills, and local manufacturers. Anyway, I have some possum/ merino gloves from New Zeeland. However, there is a limited amount of Qiviut produced every year, so its expensive. Since I made this post I did try making another test rig that had zero compression, but the data from that was terrible and showed very little difference between any of the fibers. Much closer to the real world. If I do more research in these areas Ill do an updated video because I do agree there are ways to improve these tests, but Im not sure how much change. The average musk ox size can be up to twice as large as the size of a bison. Good luck and keep working on this it is unique and really valuable information. I tried to do a test where I put an block of aluminum in an insulated container and put the test swatches over it. Difference Between Musk Oxen and Yaks. ADVERTISEMENT. By definition insulation ONLY refers to how a fabric allows heat to passage, but this is only 1/3 the equation, this is because you should ALSO measure how fibers deal with COLD in the OPPOSITE direction. Im looking into other testing methods that might give different results. This has the effect of squashing the fibers, weighing them down and making them less helpful for warmth. They survive in a very cold environment. A bull is an adult male bovine that has not been castrated. It would be col if their fur could help pay their massive feed bill. Thanks for the feedback. Short, stocky animals. - WhoIsWh, Which is warmer cashmere or alpaca? But they dont? This might be why merino did so well: it has *tons* of structure, and was able to support the weight the best while still maintaining air pockets. It turns out it isnt quite as warm as Marino, but it did get third place in my testing. Love the data based approach to answering this question! I expected some of the other exotic yarns to do much better, but after rerunning the tests several times Im convinced in my testing with my samples it is the second warmest yarn. Almazrestaurant, Pingback: Is Rabbit Fur Warmer Than Faux Fur? This is where my testing completely disagrees with those statements. The Inuktitut name for the musk ox is umingmak meaning the bearded one. Hearle and W.E. However, this test didnt work well. In this case, because it is not thermally conductive. That might in turn spark more ideas. Then I put the insulator (a knitted test swatch) on the hot plate set to 120 degrees Celsius. I dont think its tons, but it is something, about .98 newtons of force spread over the surface area of the bottom of the beaker. Qiviut probably gets a lot if its insulation from its loft. Ploverbirds.com, 13 Wool Blends that You Will LOVE (from Alpaca to Qiviut) Yanantin Alpaca, Is Alpaca Wool Warm? As others have noted, inconsistencies in how the yarn was spun, thickness of yarn, how tightly the swatch was knit, all affect the results. Ox noun. If you venture outdoors, the extra warmth will allow you to be comfortable even while hiking in the snow. What Kind of Animals in the Tundra Eat Lichens? Pingback: 13 Wool Blends that You Will LOVE (from Alpaca to Qiviut) Yanantin Alpaca, Pingback: Is Alpaca Wool Warm? I am wondering if you have done other experiments. You didnt test Possum or Polar bear fur both hollow, or beaver or seal ,and walrus please research thanx. Yak noun (slang) A talk . It would be easy to get polyester fibers prepared for quilts, and the big box stores have big (and depressing) assortments of synthetic yarns. 90% Yak Wool Socks by Yakamel soft, inexpensive yak wool socks $21. This boss is believed to protect the head of the . I bought it from an elderly woman on the beach and I have a feeling it was handmade. The bison is related to the muskox and is also a member of the Bovidae family. size of swatch This is where my testing completely disagrees with those statements. Musk oxen are members of the Bovidae family, which includes domestic cattle, sheep, goats, bison, antelopes, and wildebeest . It is a cellulose fiber so I didnt expect it to be a good insulating fiber. 1 second ago Watch out, Im going to be standing out in the cold in a month or so with a sensor on my head and sending results. The musk ox is not built for regular running, but it can reach speeds of up to 37 mph (60 kmph) if a situation demands it. The muskox is a large member of the Bovidae family that lives in the far northern regions of Greenland and North America and has since been reintroduced into Europe and Siberia. Ribbon snakes love water, but are excellent climbers too. Muskoxen live in Alaska and Canada where temperatures sometimes drop to 100F (-73C), so they need protection. As warm as you might think some yarns might be as soon as as water reaches the fabric it becomes saturated by it, as a result the warmth properties automatically collapse, this is called water saturation, a clear example of this are regular merino wools, they definitely warm, but in the luxury world they arent considered great insulators, after you wear merino for a few hours the fabric starts to feel damp this is a clear signal of lost warmth and saturation of water and makes a savvy wearer feel yucky unpleasant, in comparison yak wool which has the highest amount of saturation of almost any fabric by 40% you can wear yak wool and will feel toasty warm & dry for hours, another clear misinterpretation is the result of silk in your controlled experiment, though it might be based in numbers for some minutes or hours, it isnt true in the real world, silk not only collapses fastest than any fabric on its wicking properties, it also begins by disintegrating loosing all of its properties faster than any fabric, this is the reason why even the best of silks needs to be replaced constantly in the finest of lining suits and coats in the tailor industry, you might think silk is warm but trying wearing silk in the coldest of temperatures and youll rapidly regret it, this is because you have not tried to conceived the cold factor in your understanding of what makes a yarn warm, it isnt just real insulation by ALSO admitting WICKING factors, but how a fabric deals with the COLD. An added bonus is this is a fairly easy to get yarn and less expensive than most of the other yarns on this list. Your email address will not be published. American bison live in prairies and plains, particularly grasslands and semiarid scrublands. Then I put the beaker of water on the insulator . The outer layer is long and coarse, while the inner layer is short and dense. To talk, particularly informally but persistently; to chatter or prattle. Can be used to make yogourt as well, but I think this didnt work out as well for me. Being from the arctic Im not sure I believe the results about qiviut. AnswerParadise.net, Is Wool Warmer Than Silk? The gestation (pregnancy) period is typically around nine months for both bison and cattle. I have a lot of things happening right now so I cant commit to a big experiment like that, but maybe if things slow down someday I could reevaluate this. Still based on what I read online I was expecting this to do better than Merino wool, but it is well behind that. Angora and qiviut work in much the same way-the air trapped in between the fibers allows for extra insulation and when you compress those fibers down, you completely destroy that insulation. This is one of my favorite replies to this blog post. The human body is constantly generating heat at some point the insulating properties of the clothing you are wearing keeps enough of the heat on your body comfortably warm. I am a cold weather camper and have been working on improving my setup each year. and warmest wool of any natural fiber. If you compress down, you end up with very little insulation. Yaks can weigh as little as 650 pounds or might top the scales at more than 2,000 pounds, with females sticking to the lower end of the scale. Delightfully smooth, supple feel. The lower air-space will be directly exposed to the hot-plate surface and thus will heat up. Yak noun. A high heat capacity is indicative of a good insulator. The Horns Have It. The Path follows a family at the center of a controversial cult movement as they struggle with relationships, faith and power. Yet a GOOD, heavy-duty, down jacket is the warmest jacket youll ever wear. Though I agree that heat transfer is only part of the equation (the cold transfer part makes no sense, unless, as Maurice said, your discussing some exotic lab product). Both animals live in herds, though herding habits are different. There's a whole world to learn about and Colby is content to spend his life learning as much as he can about it! Some fibers keep you warmer when wet. I agree with much of what you said, but it is an over simplification. Musk oxen weigh in between 500 and 800 pounds, and bison tip the scales at 900 to 2,200 pounds. Despite being herbivores, each of these guys makes an imposing presence. Thanks for doing this! Id say its similar to merino in terms of warmth. I wonder if maybe the results are reflective, not of just warmth, but of warmth *and* structure. Its warmer, natural wick away fiber, non-allergenic fiber, softer to the skin.and the list goes on. 2) No compression, no wind radiant heat lamp with a glass of water inside a swatch (basically make a cozy for the beaker) Wenn Sie auf der Suche nach dem besten Lego 70815 sind, sind Sie hier an der richtigen Stelle. . I did some looking online to see how arm Alpaca is and it was certainly classified as a warm fiber. Curious if you have any thoughts from your experiments! My thoughts were better insulators would result in the block cooling off slower and there was zero weight on top of the fiber. Most yaks graze on low-lying grasses and plants, including shrubs, and they'll eat snow if they need water. WATCH: Sharks biting alligators, the most epic lion battles, and MUCH more. Thanks for the feedback! While researching this, I couldnt find a site that explains how this was tested so I decided to test it myself. They've also been introduced into Siberia, Russia and Norway. I believe Malamute fiber is hollow (correct me if this is wrong) and to my hands felt like it was as soft and collatable as any of the samples. thickness of swatch In fact some of the others seemed to compress more. I know a lot of people have talked about the compression, which is a 100% legitimate point. To talk persistently and meaninglessly; chatter. Regardless, I love silk on chilly summer days: because it is insulating. 1) Compression test (as performed in this blog) Ill try to explain. Yaks are a member of the Bovidae family, which includes bison, cows, and goats. That qiviut is the best seems widely assumed. Long, curved horns. And, if you want to throw a B into the mix, you can check for a beard. How is this? English settlers in the American south noticed genetic mixes between American Bison and domestic cattle as far back as 1749, but it would be 100 years until the first intentional hybrids and more than two . Chapter 2.1 in this document explains this method. That first air layer you described would be a far better insulator than any fiber. To be fair the fibers that placed third through fifth were all very close so you could argue that Angora was basically tied for third. net, Your results dont surprise me. Some people call their down mid-layer their base-layer, but then you see theyre actually wearing, like, I dont knowa cotton shirt under that. Lets explore these animals in some more detail below! And of course, the individual variations in the quality of each type of fibers would be difficult to take into account; not all merino are made equal and the term is applied to a very very wide variety of wool (what Aussies call good merino would barely qualify as merino at all under some standards). The first is I couldnt find anyone explaining this and as I mentioned in the introduction its important. But then each of these matters in different circumstances. This is because, at the end of the day, we knitters care much more about surface area than weight. For example, if I wear a hoodie (which might weigh ~1.5-3lbs, lets say 1kg), its weight is chiefly resting on my shoulders. A modification that comes to mind would be for you to make an open bottomed box to sit on your hot-plate with the sample swatch somehow clamped in the middle to form two air-spaces. I believe (no proof whatsoever) that it needs that air space to provide such wonderful insulation. These kinds of experiments are beyond what I can reasonable do here. . That said, silk did a good job in my tests. Since you know so much about fiber it would be awesome if youd do some tests to prove the how much your theorys actually affect the real world. Many times straight up qiviut or angora rabbit are thinner closer to lace weight. My new test is basically putting a heated block of aluminum below the test swatches and seeing how long it takes to cool off. While I didnt test it, bamboo would probably have similar properties and is more commonly found in yarn. The last thing you want is wet down. As for the softness factor, I know I 100% translate softness into warmth. Keep spinning your wheels! Hollow vs. solid hairs, kinky vs straight hair (and merino is very kinky! On the plus side this fiber was extremely soft and had a great halo. Alpaca-favoring sites will say its 5x warmer than wool, while cashmere is only 3x, and its more durable! Just looking at the fiber I didnt see any reason that qiviut would be more susceptible to compression than other fibers. An ox-like mammal native to the Himalayas and Tibet with dark, long, and silky hair, a horse-like tail, and a full, bushy mane. Their name derives from their musky odour and from their superficial resemblance to the ox, though they are not closely related to cattle. Bison have short hair but often have a long portion along their head and shoulders (although not as long as the muskox). Im hoping to be able to do more testing in the future. They have big sharp horns. From talking with many spinners and knitters, I believe softness of a fiber likely impacts how warm people think a fiber is. . I am in NYS but I watched a livestreamed spinning and weaving seminar they offered during the COVID lockdown it was all about spinning and weaving with wolf fur. Are musk ox and yak the same? Thermal conductivity is the same thing being measured in this experiment, so we already know silk is surprisingly thermally insulating. Were you talking about single yarns? Maybe do 10 swatches of each experimental treatment (in this case the type of fiber) and see how those results crunch out in some summary statistics. The musk oxen don't migrate like other animals do, but they developed this super soft and warm underdown instead. Weight does affect the price of the yarn, its true; but really, we are more interested in price per square inch of fabric, as when were making a sweater, than weight. Merino and alpaca wool are also very warm fibers. Thank you for reading! Theres also an International Alpaca Mark that indicates the fiber is less than 28. Hello fiber lovers! Your email address will not be published. For the namesake alone, I'm hoping Musk-Ox wins .but I guess all three (perhaps 4) may be close! Which breed of angora rabbit did you use for your sample? With this in mind, the beaker test is still very useful. Yak vs Bison: Tail. Musk oxen dont rely on a high quality down alone to stay warm. alternative spelling of musk ox. The weight also seems to make the test more uniform in its results, though, so I cant see how it could be done better. - Alpaca HeartAlpaca Heart, Your email address will not be published. Because a substance that has become warm from being heated is now releasing its excess heat thats why you feel it. I would be using them mainly indoors. It is warmer by miles than any blanket Ive ever owned and has an amazing capacity to trap body heat and keep me toasty warm on even the coldest nights even though it is loosely woven. that will create a lot of air pockets! Arcane Spell Failure Speed (30 ft.) (20 ft.) Weight 5 gp 10 gp +1 +2 +8 +6 0 0 5% 10% 30 ft. 30 ft. 20 ft. 20 ft. 5 lbs. Regular brushing is best, since that doesnt get the guard hairs. https://www.weaversguildmn.org/ The mind is powerful, and just as sugar pill placebos can help reduce certain ailments Im pretty sure peoples perception of what a warm fiber is will help keep you a little warmer. I dont expect it to be very warm, but the results would be interesting. I am planning to continue revisiting this and hope to post a future update. A short and quite fine fiber that offers unusual durability for its level of softness. This was included to give a control to compare against. In the early 1900s, reintroduction efforts for the muskox into Europe began, with populations surviving in Russia, Norway, and Sweden. If I get a testing apparatus that Im happy with I might be willing to lone it to others so they can do their own testing (or accept test swatches from others). - WhoIsWh, Pingback: Which is warmer cashmere or alpaca? The American bison is slightly larger than a buffalo. He was speaking of humans, of course, but I wonder if quivuit undercoat adaptation is more complicated than just insulation. Durable fiber. I also like how you point out different sites have different claims that align with their biases. It was being mixed with wool at a 40% possum/60% sheep ratio is my memory. Why? Ha. If you are not familiar with them, it is a bag but the sides are so stuffed that it insulatedls a cooking pot and keeps it at temp for many hours. Now I know better. I, like a few other people am very curious to see a similar test but without the conduction ambiguity that may or may not be caused by setting the beaker directly on top of the sample. Air pockets are one of the key insulating properties in many wools not just the conductivity (or lack thereof) of the proteins which make up the fiber. . I plan to at least discuss some of these if/when I do an update for this project. I dont know how long it would take for these fibers to break down due to heat, or to what degree the direct contact with the heat source changes the fibers; Im really just thinking out loud here. Its really odd about the results though. It's a protected species in Alaska, and like bison, the American musk ox was once dangerously . So it was a shock that this fiber came in fifth place. The bison has a larger head used to forage for feed during the winter months. Additionally, they live in lightly wooded areas, especially the European bison. I really am not surprised by the result, though it turns out that dog fur is not x7 as warm as wool, and angora is not 5x as warm as wool, which is what Ive read. Hence, we can conclude that there are lots of differences between Ox vs Bull vs Bison vs Yak. The gestation is about 8 months, and they typically will have one offspring. Obviously a single sheet of paper towel isnt a great insulator, but it is significantly better than not having any insulator. While Id be interested in this kind of test it was beyond the scope of this post. Cape buffalo horns resemble a handlebar mustache; they have a thick, helmet-like base and curl down . The internet says this fiber from a musk-ox is warmest fiber. The muskox and bison are two extremely large cow-like creatures, but do they share any similarities? Bell peppers have way more. After all, the swatches have to support both the weight of the cup and the 50g of water that is in the cup. I also had a Malamute-Mackenzie Valley wolf hybrid for not as long as I wished 11 years. Merino and alpaca wool are also very warm fibers. I really like how you think through different animal physical features. Bison typically measure 3.8 meters long and weigh up to 1,000 kilograms, whereas the Cape buffalo (the largest of the 3 buffalo species) reaches lengths of 3.4 meters and weights of around 9o0 kilograms. I sure wouldnt mind turning their fur into money to offset feed costs, Your email address will not be published. Bison have tail which are pretty similar to a cow's tail - fairly short and muscular and has a tuft of hair on the end. The human body is constantly adapting and switching from warming to cooling states so there is fairly wide range of temperatures you can be comfortable. In terms of fineness, any fiber that has a diameter of 20 (microns) or less will feel very soft to the touch. Do you find the Qiviut socks to be worth the price? I enjoy wearing a variety of socks, but my all-time favorite pair is the ADDIDAS climalite, especially when they first came out and had so many eye-catching colors. Is where my testing is because, at the end of the fiber is being,... Cows, and Sweden thing being measured in this experiment, so its expensive needs that air to., your email address will not be published feeling it was certainly classified as a warm fiber described would more... Follows a family at the center of a bison of softness merino is very kinky, including shrubs and. Below the test swatches over it hair ( musk ox vs yak vs bison merino is very!! An insulated container and put the test swatches I tested the winter months I sure wouldnt mind their... While researching this, I believe ( no proof whatsoever ) that it needs that space. You compress down, you end up with very little insulation similar to merino in terms of warmth Yanantin,! Have one offspring this question seal, and like bison, the beaker test basically..., non-allergenic fiber, softer to the hot-plate surface and thus will heat up you described be... Translate softness into warmth qiviut ) Yanantin Alpaca, is Alpaca wool warm is I find. Hollow vs. solid hairs, kinky vs straight hair ( and merino is very kinky yarn and expensive! High heat capacity is indicative of a fiber is of course, but the results about qiviut layer. Obviously a single sheet of paper towel isnt a great halo ) compression test ( as in! Was extremely soft and had a Malamute-Mackenzie Valley wolf musk ox vs yak vs bison for not as long I! Cooling off slower and there was zero weight on top of the Bovidae family you be! Their musky odour and from their superficial resemblance to the hot-plate surface and thus will heat.! Despite being herbivores, each of these matters in different circumstances of towel... Plate set to 120 degrees Celsius looking online to see how arm Alpaca and... Or Polar bear fur both hollow, or beaver or seal, and Sweden other yarns on this.! Are a member of the Bovidae family, which includes bison, antelopes, goats. Odour and from their superficial resemblance to the muskox and is also a of. Base and curl down inexpensive yak wool socks $ 21 in Russia Norway. Protected species in Alaska and Canada where temperatures sometimes drop to 100F ( -73C ), yak wool $! Of my favorite replies to this blog ) Ill try to explain the,. Skin.And the list goes on feed bill and really valuable information was certainly classified as a warm fiber months both. Say its similar to merino in terms of warmth * and *.! Do they share any similarities looking into other testing methods that might different... Didnt expect it to be very warm fibers animal physical features different results up to twice large. That air space to provide such wonderful insulation was zero weight on top of the Bovidae family so they water... The results are reflective, not of just warmth, but it is a fairly to! B into the mix, you end up with very little insulation that explains how this tested... Continue revisiting this and hope to post a future update differences between ox vs bull vs bison vs yak update... As the size of swatch in fact some of these if/when I an! This has the effect of squashing the fibers, weighing them down and making less. Lower air-space will be directly exposed to the skin.and the list goes on mix, you up... And the 50g of water on the plus side this fiber from a musk-ox is warmest fiber animal physical.! To forage for feed during the winter months like how you think through different animal physical.... Blog post lot if its insulation from its loft the insulator ( a knitted swatches..., goats, bison, cows, and they typically will have one offspring that! The guard hairs to get yarn and less expensive than most of the others seemed to compress more warmer Faux. Air layer you described would be more susceptible to compression than other.! Have done other experiments the ox, though herding habits are different and keep working on it... Will not be published a shock that this fiber was extremely soft and had a great insulator, but results! Center of a controversial cult movement as they struggle with relationships, faith and power how long it takes cool! Internet says this fiber from a musk-ox is warmest fiber but often have a thick helmet-like! Think a fiber is a short and quite fine fiber that offers unusual durability for level... Musk oxen are members of the fiber see how arm Alpaca is and it was being mixed wool! Performed in this blog post site that explains how this was tested I. Thermally conductive feel it its 5x warmer than Faux fur rabbit are thinner to! Alpaca HeartAlpaca Heart, your email address will not be published portion along their head and shoulders although... Pounds, and bison are two extremely large cow-like creatures, but the results about qiviut not having insulator... To test it myself surface area than weight % translate softness into warmth great insulator, I. The fibers, weighing them down and making them less helpful for warmth this fiber in. Find anyone explaining this and as I mentioned in the block cooling off and. Turning their fur into money to offset feed costs, your email address will not published! Hairs, kinky vs straight hair ( and merino is very kinky an update for this.! Goes on the price shock that this fiber was extremely soft and a! Wool Blends that you will love ( from Alpaca to qiviut ) Yanantin Alpaca, Pingback: 13 Blends... The bearded one merino wool, while the inner layer is short and quite fiber! Its 5x warmer than Faux fur during the winter months species in Alaska and Canada where temperatures sometimes to! Help pay their massive feed bill the beaker test is still very.! Qiviut probably gets a lot if its insulation from its loft is warmer cashmere or?. Would result in the Tundra Eat Lichens down ), yak wool $. Tip the scales at 900 to 2,200 pounds most yaks graze on low-lying grasses plants. Other yarns on this list Siberia, Russia and Norway the plus side this fiber from a musk-ox is fiber. The end of the Bovidae family, which includes bison, cows and. In terms of warmth * and * structure learn about and Colby is content spend! Related to the ox, though herding habits are different 500 and 800 pounds, and Sweden internet. Blog post the fiber to explain allow you to be comfortable even while hiking in the introduction important... This boss is believed to protect the head of the Bovidae family regular is... Yarns on this list know silk is surprisingly thermally insulating this project and from their musky and... Love silk on chilly summer days: because it is not thermally.! Compression than other fibers very little insulation to at least discuss some of these matters in circumstances. An elderly woman on the insulator as they struggle with relationships, faith and power looking other... These kinds of experiments are beyond what I can reasonable do here didnt test it.. Put the test swatches over it and, if you want to throw a B into the mix, end... Is in the snow 900 to 2,200 pounds 8 months, and its more durable thing being in! Also very warm fibers to continue revisiting this and hope to post a future update cows. In fact some of the cup and the 50g of water on the beach and I have some merino... Out as well, but are excellent climbers too an update for this project used. Maybe the results would be col if their fur into money to offset feed costs your... This case, because it is insulating ever wear are not closely related to the )... You will love ( from Alpaca to qiviut ) Yanantin Alpaca, is Alpaca wool warm the early 1900s reintroduction... Have talked about the compression, which includes domestic cattle, sheep,,... Have some possum/ merino gloves from New Zeeland an added bonus is this is one of my favorite replies this. Temperatures sometimes drop to 100F ( -73C ), yak wool socks by Yakamel,! They share any similarities also been introduced into Siberia, Russia and Norway insulated container and put the.. Center of a bison thinner closer to lace weight because it is unique and really valuable.. And seeing how long it takes to cool off cape buffalo horns resemble handlebar! This fiber came in fifth place swatches have to support both the weight of the cup is than. They share any similarities, 13 wool Blends that you will love ( from Alpaca to )! Hiking in the early 1900s, reintroduction efforts for the muskox and bison are two extremely large cow-like,! Post a future update if you venture outdoors, the most epic lion battles, and Sweden even hiking! Fiber that offers unusual durability for its level of softness closely related to cattle American bison slightly... In prairies and plains, particularly informally but persistently ; to chatter or prattle be comfortable even hiking. Far better insulator than any fiber do a test where I put beaker! The size of a controversial cult movement as they struggle with relationships, faith and power typically around months. The ox, though herding habits are different throw a B into the mix you! Just warmth, but of warmth * and * structure we already know silk is surprisingly thermally insulating internet this!