Why is Thermal underwear necesary?

[Maxwell Hall]

Possibly a naive question but I shall ask it anyway. Ok, so I'm going to say something that might disturb some of you; I actually don't wear underwear. I stopped wearing them on real hot days because sometimes I'd sweat so much that I'd actually develop a rash. I then gave it some thought and I did not see any practical reason to wearing underwear; the reasons I could come up with is people look down on it, it's a tad bit embarrassing when for whatever reason a hole appears on my pants and if I'm not careful I could "zip" my penis up when finished with the bath room.

I'm planning to go to Tasmania within the next few months though so perhaps the thermal underwear is important?


Thanks in advance

[Lizzy]

if you don't want bits and pieces to freeze off they might be a good idea over the winter but everyone to their own...

[Ent]

Basically the traditional approach is layering with underwear been one of the layers. Good light weight woollen boxer shorts such as the Icebreaker ones are good for avoiding chaffing between the legs but heavier weight full length ones can take on the characteristics of a wet bag so other prefer synthetic ones. The main thing is being warm enough with the ability to strip down when hot. On a windless day you will often see Tassie walkers with t-shirt and sorts slogging up a mountain somewhere in knee deep snow. Actually I generally reserve full length thermals for camp wear for all but the coldest walks.

Cheers Brett

[sthughes]

This might be interesting to you: http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=98&hilit=

I usually only wear thermals when it's very cold. Longer boxers and 'long johns' can help with chaffing between the inner thighs if its an issue. Chaffing was an issue for me the other weekend where a seam in my shorts is located on the inner thigh, never has been a problem previously with the same shorts on dozens of walks. Anyway I put my termals on on the third day and all was good. No underwear is fine most of the time, just ask a 'proper' scottsman

[ollster]

if I'm not careful I could "zip" my penis up when finished with the bath room.

Did that once. ONCE.

I find good fitting thermal bottoms stop me getting chafe/rash. I can't stand polypros though, they are vile, stinky and make me itch. Merino thermals with something over the top to protect them are excellence times 2.

[22F]

Underwear?? What kind of nancy-boy wears underwear??

I learnt not to wear underoos whilst spending a lot of my youth in jungles and tropical rainforest. Sooooo much more comfortable without!! Less chafing, and far less jungle rot moments.

Such, that nowadays, I hardly even wear skiddy's even whilst in civilisation.
Mind you, I'm a big fan of button flies for those *zip*... OoOoOh moments in life.

Although having said that...
In cold weather, I like wearing thermals to keep me warm.
Depends on the environment I'm heading though.

[robl]

They are very important when you are wet.
Having been almost completely soaked a few times in the colder months I found that hydrophobic material (eg polypropylene) next to the skin wonderful.
I will never wear cotton underpants again when bushwalking in Tassie after one particularly wet day near L Vera.

[Liamy77]

HI all! I didn't think this warranted another topic but...

Have any other folk out there noticed that with a lot of thermal long sleeve tops the sleeves are short of the wrist?... (btw i dont have this issue with other items of clothes, i have normal length arms and my knuckles dont drag on the ground that much!...)
I am using WW 240gsm merino mostly... but have followed the wassh instructions etc - i dont think it is shrinkage as much as design..

[Son of a Beach]

My poly thermals are quite short in the arms.

My fine wool thermals are a good long arm length and I actually wear it around like a long sleeve winter T shirt in winter even when not bushwalking.

[Ent]

At the risk of been attacked by a frenzied farm animal, sizing, especially length seams to be a factor of country of origin. My Wilderness Wear Aussie made thermals are long enough for my wing span as is Mountain Design NZ made thermals and the Aussie made Merino skins but stuff of Chinese manufacturer results in a 3/4 sleeve length look. Snowgum stuff is particularly short on me.

Cheers Brett

[Liamy77]

thank heavens i'm not the only one...... i was starting to wonder if i was some kinda monkey-man (more than usual anyway...)
I'll have to try those brands and steer away from the "cheapies" i guess...

[Macca81]

id agree, stuff made in asia does (generally) come back shorter.

if you go and try and buy clothes IN asia, you will find this out even more so. i fit an XL shirt in aus, in thailand or malaysia i found that XXXL was still far to tight around my sexy man boobs... i sent one stall holder on a hunt through the entire night market on a mission to find me a Manchester United jacket to fit me (told him i would pay double if it fitted), 90 mins and an excelent noodle dish and 5 beers later, he came back defeated...

[Liamy77]

shame our aussie companies dont make custom equipment (ie clothes, sleepingbags, etc).....
not sure i'd wanna know what they would charge for it if they did though...

[Cocksy_86]

My last hike I brought two thermal tops and longjohns. When we got stuck out on the ridge at night I put one top on, I turned the other into a beanie, and put the leggings on. It was my saving grace.

The other good thing about thermals is you can wear them when it's pouring rain and they wick the water off you or something. Anyway, they work in the wet.

[ollster]

shame our aussie companies dont make custom equipment (ie clothes, sleepingbags, etc).....

One Planet do custom gear.

[walkinTas]

Actually the new approach is a probably more correctly described as a wicking layer rather than a thermal layer. There are several readers on the forum who would be able to explain the material and concepts better than me.

The thermal approach is a tight weave pattern, sometimes double layered, designed simply to trap body heat. Simple theory really, lose less heat, feel warmer. The emphasis is on keeping warm.

When you exercise you sweat. You sweat in order to cool down. Sweat evaporating from your skin cools you. However, sweat trapped inside your clothing is not only uncomfortable it make you very cold. Sometimes dangerously cold.

The Wicking approach is to draw moisture away from your skin to the outside of the garment using polypropylene fabric or similar. This approach stops the moisture from evaporating on your skin, which would cool you down. Keeping your skin dry and the air next to your skin dry keeps you warm and comfortable. The fabric may also minimises or limit heat loss. Moisture wicking clothing is design for outdoor activity, and not only keeps you warm, but can also help prevent chaffing, sweat rashes, and chills. It can even help prevent hypothermia.

[Liamy77]

just following up.....
I contacted WW re short sleeve length - they got me to measure them and they were too short so they express posted me a new top (the right length) no charge and no further questions etc. Good customer service is rare but definately appreciated!

[John Sheridan]

Are these thermal underwear any good from Lowes ???

http://www.lowes.com.au/search.aspx?q=Thermo

Just found them online, will go and have a proper look soon.

Cheers.

[icemancometh]

To keep you warm, basically a little suit to trap your body heat and not have it exposed to the weather, mainly wind

But I disagree re Icebreaker underwear...some of the most uncomfortable and least durable underwear I've owned bar none. I bought a few a couple of years back and they are the mostoverpriced and overrated things, at least the batch I got.

If you must wear some in the bush, check out Helly Hansen, Skins and dare I say it Kathmandu for synthetics.