What kinda underwear you wearing?

No, I am not a perv.... <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />....just wondering if you wear tighty whities on the trail or is there something better? I ask because I unexpectedly found myself swimming today and I have on my polyester shorts and my cotton briefs and the shorts dried very quickly but my skivvies stayed wet for HOURS.

Jockey makes some nylon briefs that dry in an hour and are cheaper than travel/hiking underwear. I hike and travel in Brooks running shorts with a sewn in brief. They weight almost nothing, you can wear them as shorts, and they hand wash easily and dry quickly.

Patagonia Cap boxer briefs on the trail. I like them enough now that I wear either the boxers or boxer briefs all of the time. At first, I cringed at the price, but they last forever. Well worth it IMHO.

Oh baby. They'll change your life!

I wear REI synthetic boxer/briefs and undershirt on the trail. They are inexpensive, comfortable, and durable. Whatever you wear however, make sure it's anything but COTTON! Cotton loses the ability to keep you warm when wet, which can turn into a possible disaster. Some people like synthetic, some like wool.

Good ol' Target sells synthetic boxer briefs in the athletic clothes section. The brand is Champion "C-9", and is actually marketed as meant for hiking.

You don't have to go to a backpacking outfitter to get skivvies.



Tom

I like Patagonia, too. Only I'm a briefs guy. The new capilene with the Gladiodor treatment is well worth the dough. I buy a pair or two whenever I see them on sale (they're great for golfing in hot weather, too).

I've stopped wearing cotton altogether. I picked up some Terramar briefs from Campmor for daily wear.

I was at a local university and got stopped by a statistics class student doing a survey,

Student: do you wear boxers or briefs?
Me: nope.

You and Ballzout should have the same screen name? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

With the weather we're having up here right now, I want my underwear to be long and warm!

I wear Duofold boxer briefs from Campmor, but I se they are not available on the website. Just stay away from cotton! I use the boxer brief because it eliminates chaffing on my upper thigh. I also buy gray or black so that they can double as swimwear.

ken

No cotton underwear. Not only does it get wet and stay wet for hours -- when cotton gets wet, it gets very abrasive. Guess what it's abrading?

In any sort of reasonable weather, I wear trail running shorts with a built in mesh liner. If it's particularly cold and nasty, I'll wear zip off pants with either merino wool briefs or very light wool or synthetic long john bottoms. (While I like my merino wool tops, I didn't think it would be a good choice for underwear -- but I've been very pleasantly surprised. And it *never* starts to stink.)

Underwear? <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif" alt="" />

I saw that happen to a guy in my hiking group - we had to wade a creek and he had a wet bum for miles. I got the greatest glare when I suggest a thong.

nylon boxer-brief style.

no cotton. wandered the bush for years worrying wear I sat or having a wet butt.. no thanks.

can't do the commando thing when my winter kit includes british navy watch pants - likely the most itchy and abrasive wool known to mankind - after all they were made of the wool
that when they made horse blankets out of it the horses got cranky...

The only short pair of underwear I carry is flannel boxers, which are cotton. I think one pair of flannel boxers is quite manageable. If they get wet, I take them off. I use boiling water from my Kelly Kettle to wash them. I wear them on my head to dry them. Wearing them without anything over them works also, either alone or over a long skin layer instead of my hiking shorts. They are plaid, so as long as you do up the button they are quite respectable in the event of a chance encounter with civilized people. One piece of cotton is manageable. Two is a pain in the butt.

Long underwear with legs cut off can be a good option, or even long combi's with arms and legs cut off. There is often a better selection in long stuff. The trick is chosing layers that can nest comfortably within one another. As a rule I like to be able to wear everything I bring all at once, for the climate extreme of that month. So I try to avoid two skin layers. Better if one is snug and the other less so. Also best to avoid too many bottoms with low waists. Higher waists with wide elastics or draw bands is a good feature. Combi's are also good. If you could find a long enough undershirt that might be a good way to go commando, or regimental if your into kilts.

Shorts with built-in mesh liners, and no undies unless they are long johns.

Icebreaker Bodyfit 200 Boxer/briefs. yup. Wool Underpants. Or maybe nothing if I'm wearing my kilt.

I swear by wool as my next to skin layer. Socks, underpants, t-shirt. Love it.

I have noticed that some of those mesh liners have gotten alot more comfortable. I have a pair of black swim shorts made by Speedo that are very comfortable to hike in. Much improved.

I forgot about that! Yes! I have a few pairs of light weight swim trunks with built in liners that are really comfortable to hike in. Easy to care for too. Swish the whole unit in some water and they are clean. Even if you put them on wet, they dry in minutes. On some, I removed the wide elastic waist bands and put in draw strings. Makes them lighter and more comfy still! Good point.

Under Armour Heat Gear Compression Shorts or commando. Who swims with clothes on?! <img src="/forums/images/graemlins/cool.gif" alt="" />

I switched over to running shorts with a built-in liner and haven't regretted it.

Adam

True but this was at a kids camp so I was in the pool with a bunch of kids ranging from 5 to 15 years old. I would have been really popular with the local authorities had I jump in the pool in the b-day suit.