The Unique Insulating Factors of the Muskox

It's a fact, the muskox has the longest fur of any mammal in North America. 

“Omingmak,” the Inuit name for muskox, means “animal with skin like a beard.” That name is fitting because they have an insulated wooly undercoat (qiviut) that can grow to 40 inches long!

In addition to their unique undercoat, their outer coat can grow to similar lengths, providing a protective coarse hairy layer to the qiviut. The unique wooly makeup of the muskox allows them to function normally in snowy and windy conditions down to -40°F. 

In warmer months, muskoxen lose their woolly undercoats, keeping only their outer coats. This shedding of the undercoat leaves the muskox shaggy and ragged-looking for a few weeks.

These unique insulating factors of the muskox are why we have modeled much of our cold weather gear after the mammal. In particular, our Wrangell Puffer Jacket allows you to stay active in -1°F conditions, and our Foundation Quick-Dry, a performance base layer built to keep you warm and dry.

Learn about our work to help conserve American's muskox herd.