I would venture to say that wool is as good as many synthetics in many regards, not the least of which is warmth and breathability and it maintains some of its insulating values when wet. At -20C, wool may be the only material that will breath.

Witness the resurgent of wool base layers in recent years. I even saw a shirt the other day that was a wool / synthetic blend - it was Mountain Hardware or one of the other major makers of outdoor clothing. I think we will see more of this in the future.

The other major advantage of wool and cotton for those of us here is durability. Winter camping in these climes usually includes fire - be it a wood stove or open fire. If you've never seen Pertex burn and shrivel up - well its not a nice sight. As I say, survival and comfort means fire and that means cutting wood. Nothing is more upsetting than to snag a Gore jacket on a branch.

There is also the cultural differences that we find amongst ourselves. Folks from nothern points, and I include those from places like Minnesota, Maine, Wisconsin, etc. are heavily influenced by our indigenous neighbours. These folks would be on the land for months during the winter season. It would be foolish to ignore their skills, clothing, and practices.

Having said all this, I would not be willing to give up my Primaloft and hard shells. Some of us are an interesting and sometimes confusing mixture of old and new.