Fisherman's Jumper vs Aran Jumper: What's the Difference?
Ask for a fisherman's jumper in a British shop and you could be handed any one of three things: a cream, heavily cabled Aran, a dark, close-knit gansey, or a plain, chunky rib like the Tarbert. The name covers all three. They come from different places, they are knitted differently, and they do different jobs. Here is how to tell them apart, and how to choose.
The Short Answer
An Aran is defined by its pattern: panels of cables, diamonds and moss stitch, traditionally in undyed cream wool, from the Aran Islands off the west coast of Ireland. A gansey is defined by its density: a fine, tightly knitted wool sweater, traditionally navy, worn by fishermen around the coasts of Britain and the Channel Islands. A fisherman's rib jumper is defined by its stitch: a deep, plump rib that makes a thick, stretchy fabric. "Fisherman's jumper" is the everyday name for all three.
| Aran | Gansey | Fisherman's rib | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Defined by | Its pattern | Its density | Its stitch |
| Traditional colour | Undyed cream | Navy | Plain, usually dark or natural |
| Look | Cables, diamonds, honeycomb | Smooth, with a patterned yoke | Deep vertical rib, no cables |
| Weight | Heavy | Fine and dense | Heavy |
| Fit | Generous | Close | Relaxed |
| Best worn | As the outer layer | Under a fitted jacket | Over a shirt, under a jacket, or on its own |
The Aran Jumper
The Aran is the one most people picture. Cream, heavily textured, with vertical panels of cables, diamonds and honeycomb running from hem to shoulder. It takes its name from the Aran Islands at the mouth of Galway Bay, and it reached a wide audience in the twentieth century.
You may hear that every island family knitted its own pattern so that a drowned fisherman could be identified. It is a good story. There is little evidence for it.
An Aran is warm and it is distinctive. The cables add bulk, so it sits best as the outer layer rather than under a jacket, and cream shows every mark from the yard and the dog.
The Gansey
The gansey is the plainest of the three and the most fitted. It is knitted in the round from fine, tightly spun wool at a high stitch count, so the fabric is close and dense, made to stand up to work on a boat. Most are navy. Any decoration sits in a band across the chest and shoulders. The name is usually traced to Guernsey, and the jumper was worn in fishing harbours right around the British coast.
A gansey is trim and neat under a jacket. It is a finer, flatter knit than the other two, so it feels lighter on.
The Fisherman's Rib
Fisherman's rib is a stitch rather than a regional garment. Each stitch is knitted into the one below it, which doubles the yarn over itself and produces a deep, plump rib. The fabric is thick, it stretches, and it springs back into shape. The air trapped in that double layer is where the warmth comes from. Fisherman's rib jumpers are usually plain, with no cables and no pattern panels.
This is the family the Tarbert Fisherman's Jumper belongs to. A heavyweight 5 gauge fisherman's rib, with raglan sleeves for easy movement, a rolled selvage collar cut with room for a shirt collar underneath, and a relaxed fit. No logos, no fuss.
What Gauge Means
Machine knitwear is described by gauge: the number of needles per inch on the knitting machine. The lower the number, the chunkier the knit. A 12 gauge jumper is fine enough to wear under a blazer. A 5 gauge is a proper heavyweight, the kind you wear as the outer layer on a cold morning. In feel, a gansey sits at the fine end of that scale, and an Aran and a fisherman's rib sit at the heavy end.
Which One Should You Buy?
- Choose an Aran if you want the most texture, you will mostly wear it as the outer layer, and you want the knit to be the point of the outfit.
- Choose a gansey if you want something trim to wear under a tailored jacket or a close-fitting coat.
- Choose a fisherman's rib if you want a heavy, plain jumper that goes over a shirt, under a jacket, and from the yard to the kitchen table without looking like it is trying.
What It Is Made Of
Traditional Arans and ganseys were knitted in pure wool. Whichever you choose, ask what a jumper is made of before you buy it.
The Tarbert is a working blend, and we say so plainly: 30% recycled polyester, 30% polyamide, 20% wool, 20% viscose. The recycled polyester and polyamide give the strength, so the rib keeps its shape through daily wear. The viscose softens the handle. The wool brings the warmth. It is not a pure wool jumper, and we do not sell it as one.
How to Wear a Fisherman's Jumper
Over a flannel shirt, with the collar out. The Tarbert's collar is cut with room for one underneath, and a Brae Flannel Shirt or a Munro Flannel Shirt sits inside it cleanly. With jeans or heavy cotton trousers and a cap. On the colder days, under the Arkle Wool Jacket, where the rib sits flat beneath it.
For the hill, the shore, the garden, the boat and the cold commute.
Common Questions
Is a fisherman's jumper the same as an Aran jumper?
Not always. An Aran is one kind of fisherman's jumper, defined by its cable patterns and cream wool. "Fisherman's jumper" is also used for the gansey and for plain fisherman's rib knits like the Tarbert.
What is the difference between a gansey and a guernsey?
They usually mean the same thing. Gansey is the dialect form of guernsey, and both describe the dense, fitted wool sweater worn by fishermen.
Should a fisherman's jumper fit tight or loose?
A gansey is cut close. An Aran and a fisherman's rib are cut with room, so they go over a shirt. The Tarbert is a relaxed fit in sizes S to 3XL, and full measurements are on the product page.
How much is the Tarbert?
The Tarbert Fisherman's Jumper in Slate is £115, in sizes S to 3XL.
The Tarbert Fisherman's Jumper in Slate, £115. Free UK delivery over £150. Bought once. Worn often.
Shop the Tarbert Fisherman's Jumper