underdrawers: to have or have not?

[baerbelleksa]

for a thru-hike, should underwear be taken? and if so, what kind/brand is best?

[Mouse]

On my thruhike I wore lined shorts with no briefs in warm weather and Ex Officio briefs with long pants in cold weather. It worked for me, no chaffing or weird infections or whatever.

[Frolicking Dinosaurs]

I'm a fan of cammando with skirts for hot weather, but I need underwear with shorts and pants. I use a Meroni microfiber brief sold in the men's dept. at Target - no seams in the crotch and breathes well / dries fast.

[Michele]

I haven't thru-hiked yet (next year!!), but I'm planning on wearing $5.00 spandex men's biker shorts. They are long enough to fit over my "chub rub" (a.k.a. upper thighs). I don't know about breathability, but in general I always go commando on a daily basis, except for during exercise due to chafing. I hate underwear.

[dragonfly]

Has anyone tried these? http://www.smartypantsunderwear.com/

They were mentioned in a recent Washington Post article about new workout gear that's supposedly less stinky... I was more interested in their potential to reduce chafing and improve moisture management.

[Johnny Swank]

The ladyfriend is either commando or wearing some of the exofficio drawers. She's a fan.

[Blissful]

I LOVE my ex officio travel briefs. I have two pair and that's what I wore on my recent trip to Italy (and it was HOT there). Wore one and washed the other. They worked beautifully. Worth the price.

[latte]

I love the exofficio underware! I have tried others, but I think it's the best. This summer, we hiked in rain and heat, and I was constantly soaked. I sweated so much, I could ring out my shorts!! They were the only underware that I could use that didn't make me feel like a UTI was developing. Unfortunately, I had only one pair with me, so I had to go commando on the days that they were drying. I'll never try the cheaper undies again!!

[Johnny Swank]

I love em too, and I should probably shut up now!

[StarLyte]

I love em too, and I should probably shut up now!

ha ha ha

They are very nice - but I don't think I want to pay $29. But they ARE nice.

thanks for the link-
Marsha

[KHamilton]

I haven't thru-hiked yet (next year!!), but I'm planning on wearing $5.00 spandex men's biker shorts. They are long enough to fit over my "chub rub" (a.k.a. upper thighs). I don't know about breathability, but in general I always go commando on a daily basis, except for during exercise due to chafing. I hate underwear.

The only concern I would have is the smell. Anything spandex pretty much retains funk/stink forever; a lesson I learned right away. I began my thru-hike last year with underwear, and I ended up throwing them away at Hiawassee. In my mind, it was just one more thing to carry and one more thing to wash in town. I chose to go without, and I wore pants w/zip-off legs the rest of the hike. No infections, no chafing, no irritation of any kind.

[Monster]

I've been wearing EMS brand, but found they were not all I had hoped while camping during the early August New York heat wave. They were constantly soaked with sweat and my "complexion" took 10 days to recover from the constant moisture.

[Monster]

I like the idea of commando under a skirt save for the 'squitoes and "chub rub." Ouch.

[Gray Blazer]

Does Victoria's secret carry a hiking brand?

[Ewker]

Does Victoria's secret carry a hiking brand?

are you looking to buy some for yourself

[Gray Blazer]

are you looking to buy some for yourself

Ewker, what are you doing in this forum!?? I'm outa here.

[gumball]

I haven't thru hiked yet either, but we do quite a few long distance hikes, and I wear running shorts with the underroos built in. Mine also have a nice zipper pocket. They are light weight, and I can carry an extra pair to switch out when we do wash, etc.