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Sweaters?

Messages
16,799
Okay, hook me up with the most massive, heaviest, thickest, highest quality sweaters that you can think of. The kind of stuff I won't need to wear a jacket over. I really would vastly prefer if the maker was located in the European Union as it simplifies things for me but any brand in general that makes really good stuff would be appreciated as maybe I could score something used here.

Thanks!

Photo belongs to @marker2037

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BlackboxR12s

New in Town
Messages
6
I do have a few heavy knitted ones made by Murphy & Nye. ( started out as sailmakers and got into making clothing for sail and yacht crews )
These were a thing years back and I do appreciate a thick warm sweater in winter
Owned these for quite some years, the things are indestructible.
I see the brand still exists, not sure if the heavy sweaters are still around.
 
Messages
16,799
These are very heavy sweaters. I have a few and they are super warm.
https://www.inverallanknitters.com/

THIS is exactly what I was looking for! Thank you much. I think someone on TFL mentioned this maker a few years back, now I recall drooling over their sweaters before but that was years ago and I completely forgot about it. I could only think of Aero but I wanted something less military and more fun.
 
Messages
10,607
I have an Eastman Mechanics sweater that is nice. Scored for decent price on eBay. A few chunkies out of NZ (?) that are thick and awesome. I can check the labels tonight. I too love thick sweaters.
 
Messages
17,483
Location
Chicago
I’d be looking on eBay for Canadian made Cowhican sweaters. I have three. Get one that’s lined. They are essentially wool jackets. Insanely warm and surprisingly water repellent
 

Guppy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,333
Location
Cleveland, OH
Outdoor Knitwear
Aero Leather
Pendleton
North Sea Clothing
Black Sheep

There's a variety of Irish brands that do hand knit fisherman sweaters... I don't know them all very well, but have picked up a bunch of different ones over the years through ebay (Carraig Donn, Gaeltarra, Blarney Woolen Mills, Aran Crafts, Fisherman Out of Ireland, Bonner, etc., etc., all about the same in terms of quality, style, weight, color options, etc. and all quite good.)

American brands, like LL Bean, Lands End, Orvis, all have some decent sweaters that vary year to year.

And of course Guernsey styles. The Norwegians have some good colorful styles as well.

When it gets down into the 40-50F range, it is a good time of the year.

Wool is the best.
 
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dwilson

A-List Customer
Messages
320
Location
LA
I have a few SNS Stark cardigans. Really warm and look quite nice too. Not sure if the quality has dipped over the years though since they became a pretty big fashion brand.
 

Grayland

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,080
Location
Upstate NY
I have a few SNS Stark cardigans. Really warm and look quite nice too. Not sure if the quality has dipped over the years though since they became a pretty big fashion brand.

I really like SNS Herning. I have a zip cardigan, a button up cardigan, a turtleneck, a zip neck pullover, and I'm waiting on a crew neck I just bought off ebay. Not as bulky as the Irish sweaters but I find them even warmer as the weave is tighter. Since they are a little thinner, I also find they are easier to wear under jackets.
 

scurvyfreedman

Familiar Face
Messages
60
A couple winters ago I bought a rollneck from Ó’Maille in Galway Ireland. They make the most traditional Aran sweater around, with hand knitting done by women in their homes. Each sweater is MTO (a true cottage industry). I went with oatmeal, but many of the other colors look great too. I think it was about 4 months from commission to delivery. Not as expensive as I thought it would be for a handknit. It starts out itchy, because the wool still has lanolin. But it does soften with wear. The lanolin makes it pretty water resistant. Also, not only is it MTO, you also give them your basic measurements so that it fits better than OTR.

Very heavy and definitely worth checking out if you're looking for traditional makes. FWIW, I think it weighs about twice as much as my Inis Meain Aran and 3x some of my other Inis Meain sweaters and other brands wool sweaters.
 
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Schambach

Practically Family
Messages
570
Location
Ithaca, NY
Check out Dachstein sweaters, the Austrian military used them, so you can find them reasonably priced as surplus here and there. I have one and it's the warmest sweater I've ever owned, that and a base layer keeps me very warm in upstate NY winter.
 

Kenan

A-List Customer
Messages
374
This is gonna be quite a bold claim, but this brand makes the best heavy Marino wool sweaters in the world. Never handled anything even close to the quality of their knitwear and I’ve handled A LOT of knitwear in my 20 years in retail.

https://andersen-andersen.com/
 

Guppy

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,333
Location
Cleveland, OH
So much to look into! Y'all really came thru. I'd like to get a few new ones & avoid eBay...
I bought most of my sweaters from ebay, and had great results. Like new condition, and maybe 1/3 the price. Some of the hand knit makers are REALLY expensive, $300-400 new, but you can find them used for $50-70. Quite a bargain.

Of course, I now own four plastic tubs full of sweaters, so maybe avoiding ebay is advisable if you lack impulse control. Browsing ebay I always find something unique that I just can't pass up because I don't know if I'll ever see the like of it again, AND it's at an attractive price that I just can't say no to...

I need an intervention. And some decent cold weather so I can wear these things out.
 

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