Now you may be wondering about the difference between a llama and an alpaca. Llamas, along with alpacas, vincuñas and guanacos are all camelids (i.e. related to the camel, but humpless), yet there are marked physical distinctions between them. Besides being about double the size of an alpaca, llamas have two coats—a course outer layer and a soft inner one—while alpacas have a single fine coat—a miracle fiber that besides being warm and luxurious, is also water-repellent, fireproof, and hypoallergenic. The reason? For many centuries Alpacas have been bred for their fiber, while llamas—those uncomplaining beasts of burden—have always been bred to carry the heavy load. Read Less