Our two most-reviewed products are both bush shirts with the same cut, the same collar and the same lace-up front. The only real difference is what they're made of: the Wilder II is a windproof fleece, the Wool Wilder is New Zealand wool. People ask us which one to buy more than any other question, so here's the proper answer.
Short version: for most people, most of the time, the Wilder II. For serious cold, wet conditions, or if you simply prefer natural fibre, the Wool Wilder. The long version is worth reading, because the right choice depends on how you actually use it.
What's the same
Both are the classic Kiwi bush shirt shape. Pull-over, generous cut so they go over a thermal and a fleece, high collar, lace-up front for venting, long in the body so your back stays covered when you bend. Both are windproof — that's the whole point of a bush shirt and both nail it. Both are built to be worn hard and handed down.
So you're not choosing between two different garments. You're choosing between two fabrics in the same garment. That makes the decision cleaner.
Fleece: the Wilder II
The Wilder II is a tricot fleece bonded to a windproof layer. Tricot is a tight-knit fleece with a smooth face — less fluffy than a cheap polar fleece, more hard-wearing, and it doesn't pick up every burr and seed head you walk past.
Where fleece wins:
- Weight. It's lighter than wool at the same warmth. On a long day that adds up.
- Drying time. Fleece dries in hours. Hang it by the fire or over the back of a chair and it's ready for the morning.
- Washing. It goes in the machine, comes out the same shape, and doesn't need any special care.
- Breathability. When you're working hard, fleece moves sweat out faster than wool.
- Price. It's the more affordable of the two by a clear margin.
- Durability against abrasion. Fleece doesn't pill the way wool can, and it handles fences, dogs and ute trays without complaint.
Where fleece loses: it's not quite as warm as wool in the deep cold, and when it does eventually wet right through, it holds less heat than wool does. It can also hold odour after a few days of hard wear, where wool stays fresher.
Who it's for: farmers, tradies, hunters who move a lot, anyone who wants one bush shirt they can wear every day without thinking about it. It's the one our customers describe as the piece they "wear every day to work". If you're buying your first bush shirt, this is it.
Wool: the Wool Wilder
The Wool Wilder is the traditional article: New Zealand wool, windproof, in the same Wilder cut. It's the direct descendant of the bush shirts that kept cullers and musterers alive for most of the last century.
Where wool wins:
- Warmth in the cold. When the temperature really drops, wool holds more heat. Standing in a maimai at dawn in July, sitting on a tops ridge waiting for a stag, a winter night on the boat — this is where wool earns its keep.
- Warmth when wet. Wool keeps a surprising amount of its insulation when it's soaked. Fleece keeps some; wool keeps more. For fishers and divers, that's the deciding factor.
- Odour. Wool is naturally odour-resistant. You can wear it for a week in a hut and it won't offend anyone. Fleece won't make that claim.
- Fire. Wool doesn't melt. Sparks from a camp fire or a hot exhaust leave a mark on wool; they leave a hole in fleece.
- The feel of it. Some people just prefer natural fibre. It's heavier, denser, and it feels like what it is.
Where wool loses: it's heavier, it takes much longer to dry, it needs a gentler wash, and it costs more. It can also pill with heavy abrasion over time, so it's a less obvious choice for fencing work.
Who it's for: fishers, divers, duck shooters, high-country hunters, and anyone who spends long periods cold and still rather than moving. One customer wears his "on the boat fishing, and after diving" — that's the Wool Wilder's natural habitat. Another, a farmer, told us he smells of sheep wherever he wears it and it's "a great conversation starter". We'll take it.
Side by side
| Wilder II (fleece) | Wool Wilder | |
|---|---|---|
| Fabric | Windproof tricot fleece | Windproof NZ wool |
| Weight | Lighter | Heavier |
| Warmth (dry, cold) | Very good | Excellent |
| Warmth when wet | Good | Excellent |
| Drying time | Hours | A day or more |
| Breathability when working | Excellent | Good |
| Odour after days of wear | Noticeable | Minimal |
| Washing | Machine wash, no fuss | Gentle wash, dry flat |
| Abrasion / pilling | Resists pilling | Can pill with hard wear |
| Near fire or sparks | Melts | Chars, doesn't melt |
| Price | Lower | Higher |
How to decide in thirty seconds
Ask yourself three questions.
Am I mostly moving or mostly still? Moving — fleece. Still — wool.
Will I be wet a lot? Showers and drizzle — either. Standing in spray on a boat, or soaked and a long way from the hut — wool.
Do I want to think about washing it? No — fleece. Don't mind — either.
If you answered fleece twice, buy the Wilder II. If you answered wool twice, buy the Wool Wilder. If it's a split, buy the Wilder II first, because you'll wear it more days of the year, and add the Wool Wilder when you've got a specific job for it.
Or just own both
Plenty of our customers do. The Wilder II lives by the back door and goes on every day. The Wool Wilder lives in the truck or the boat and comes out when it's properly cold. Between them they cover every day New Zealand can produce, and both will outlast most of what else is in your wardrobe.