hiking in bathing suit...

[hatchet toe]

ok so its not a bathing suit but lightweight pants that have a line like a bathing suit... anyway I am planning on hiking about 30 miles over the weekend and did not know if this would be ill advised sans underwear with a liner (dont wanna be chaffed after all you know)

thx

[LIhikers]

I've been using water shorts to hike in for years, they work well.

[rgarling]

Bring some Vaseline or similar product just in case!

[Gray Bear]

They make runners shorts that are pretty close to what you described above. Some of these might be worth a shot.

http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/...orts&roaxmen=1

[hatchet toe]

I was planning on bringing a pair of underwear in case not to mention goldbond. any one tried this in a humid climate? (im in FL, its always humid here)

[FlyFishNut]

I was really hoping you were a girl and there would be pics. Sorry, I'm a pig.

Anyway - lots of distance runners wear those shorts and I have run fairly long distances in the mesh lined shorts but don't care for them. They rub a bit - I prefer the synthetic brief type under shorts (but the most breathable type you can find - I like the REI brand).

Some Glide or Bag Balm on the rub areas (and there WILL be rub areas at that kind of mileage) .

I suggest you field test before your hike - you don't want to find out your set-up doesn't work on the trail.

[fastfoxengineering]

My preference is lightweight running shorts with exofficio give-n-gos. I've never had a problem. However bathing suits work for many people. They also have better pockets.

[Rain Man]

Some hikers avoid chaffing by "going commando." Not me. I have the opposite result. For me, tight-fitting underwear (think bicycling style or "Spandex" knock-offs) avoid chaffing. So, it depends on the hiker.

I also advise both powder (non-medicated Gold Bond is popular) and a "lubricant" (Body Glide is popular). They help if you find you are chaffing (or, to try to avoid it in the first place).

You won't know for sure until you do some long-distance hiking in all seasons.

[4Bears]

I have hiked in similar but I had cut out the inner mesh and wore some briefs instead. Much more comfortable for me. The nice ting about hiking in a bathing suit is that they dry in a matter of minutes if the get wet.

[ChrisJackson]

Smartwool underwear has been great so far in the cold temps. Will have to see how this summer goes. It's the most expensive underwear I've ever bought but so far...worth it!

[gbolt]

I cut out the mesh liner in both shorts and long pants. It decreases the weight as well as the time it takes for the material to dry. I also found that chafing was greater with these liners in. I tried to hike sans liner and underwear but quickly learned that I suffer less in Underarmor Exofficio Boxers. So now, I wear a pair of those under everything. Cost me a little weight for the boxers, 2.35oz. 64g, but not sure how much cutting the liner out saved.

[fadedsun]

I hike in central Florida regularly. Although sometimes it feels more like wading. So I will often use swimming shorts. My advice is cut that cheese-grater like mesh out go with a pair of briefs like the Exfoicios mentioned above.

Your results may vary and you will never know for sure until you run an experiment.

[Hangfire]

There were several of the younger rebel types on the trail last year that swore by the commando method. I really couldn't knock it because I didn't try it, but most of them seemed comfortable with it. I went with smart wool boxers, 2 pairs lasted me the entire trail and they some how some way really don't get stinky...

Board shorts/pants are an excellent choice for hiking, light weight fast drying and pretty rugged.

[Just Bill]

Most swim trunks end up being a bust. The elastic in the undies is kinda bad, but mainly the mesh isn't really a good quality.
Not to say they can't work- but bit of day hiking and around town wear would be the wiser starting point.

Running shorts tend to work.
Commando (with a skirt) is great, until you hit your 30's and gravity makes it less and less great.
Ex Officio are the king undies for a reason. They are $12-14 on amazon- so don't pay $30 at REI.

[Namtrag]

I hike with wicking underwear and columbia board shorts. Love it.

[futureatwalker]

I've done a lot of hiking (and running, for that matter) in swim shorts with a liner. I have some Speedo shorts (not the tight kind! the kind that look like shorts), and they work well. But you should try them out for a few miles beforehand to see if they work for you.

[juma]

I've used kmart swimsuits for years with the mesh. the key is safety pinning the crotch of the suit up to the bottom of the net. then the nylon protects your thighs. I pin and unpin throughout the day as needed.

[Feral Bill]

Whatever you do, do not use cotton briefs. They are like sandpaper when wet.

[NY HIKER 50]

If you do, one caution. The ones with the mesh are great but watch where you sit and carry either a spare pair or have something to cover where it tore. It's really happened to me. I like to slide down on rocks. Somehow the rocks or the wood like to grab at the shorts.