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Something like this coat? I was wearing it many years ago when trouble struck - my truck broke down after a long day out chasing elk. I was 15 miles from the nearest highway, 20 miles from the nearest ranchhouse, the snow was knee deep and I was soaked with sweat from tromping around all day in it - not to mention tired, and it would get to be -30 degrees F that night. Recipe for disaster right?
Luckily I was smart enough to syphon gas out of the truck's fuel tank and could wake up to light a warming fire when I got too cold - too exhausted to actually stay awake all night though... Search and Rescue found me a little after three in the morning - shared my fire with them, I was in better shape than they after all. They were quite suprised if not downright amazed. Got my truck going and went home. (Preparedness helps, they knew where to look for me becasue I'd laid out my plans with my folks and I was prepared to stay outside - though I wish I'd thought to throw a sleeping bag in the truck to crawl into!)
Swandri's moto goes something like: "If you wear your Swandri long enough it will save your life." Mine did.
This coat's about a half inch thick - but where to buy that kind of wool in bulk I have no idea. Swandri is a New Zealand brand - Woolrich would be right along the same lines here, I think and they might have something similar.
The key to staying warm with such wool coats is layering. Not only did I have that coat on that night, but a wool bush shirt of the same brand, a flannel longsleeve shirt, and regular t-shirt. Jeans and long johns under and Sorel pacs with wools socks (probably two pair though I don't remember for sure)
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