View Full Version : Light weight long underwear
Hi do you guys take a piar of long underwear in the warner months just in
case it get a little cold is it worth the weight. I am talking about may thur june :D
Cabin Fever
03-06-2009, 23:27
I have a full set of Under Armour Cold Gear. I don't take the pants in the summer, but I often take the shirt. Easy to sleep in with my arms hanging out of the bag.
Kerosene
03-06-2009, 23:31
Generally no, not unless I expect temps below 40F.
Funkmeister
03-06-2009, 23:40
Top always. It's my long sleeve shirt.
Bottom usually. Unless it's a two or three day hike and I am certain of the weather. I figure it stuffs to the size of my fist, fits in my sleeping bag stuff sack, weighs a coupla dozen grams, why not? At the very least, it puts something between me and a damp sleeping bag.
I'm not a gram weenie.
4eyedbuzzard
03-06-2009, 23:42
Hi do you guys take a piar of long underwear in the warner months just in
case it get a little cold is it worth the weight. I am talking about may thur june :D
Where? Here in NH, yes. Also serves as sleep insulation if it gets unusually cold and my 40 deg bag isn't enough. I think this is pretty dependent upon where (and what elevations) you're hiking at though.
Hot peppers just before bed:)
I always bring a wool shirt and leggings. Hypothermia can come on quickly even in moderate temperatures.
MileMonster
03-07-2009, 10:21
I usually have some capilene unless it is summer time and I know the temps will be warm. On long distance trips I usually have at least silkweight capilene in the pack even if I expect it to be warm.
daddytwosticks
03-07-2009, 15:23
In the warmer months, I don't take long underware tops or bottoms. I still like to have something in camp to cover my arms and legs (skeeters/bugs) and something to wear to bed to keep the bag clean and to keep skin-on-skin contact (think flabby legs/thighs) to a minimum. With that said, I use a very lightweight pair of unlined nylon wind pants and a lightweight Starter brand long sleeve T shirt...both purchased from the Evil Wal-Mart. :)
Layer evenly. Delayer unevenly.
In summer I wear an 8oz wool sweater and pack some 8oz fleece pants.
My minimal mid-summer would be
normally worn...
8oz merino sweater
hiking shorts with boxers
thin wool socks
normally packed...
8oz 100wt fleece (or lighter)
2nd pair of thin wool socks
light brimmed hat
rain poncho/tarp
sometimes a light wool hat and neck tube depending on my sleeping system
A practical dilemna for me in summer is what to have for my legs should I need to bushwack through brambles or tall grass and raspberry canes. Almost calls for hiking pants, which always seems redundant, as they tend to be rather heavy and clammy. Rain pants are also heavy and clammy. Wind pants if light, can't hold up to brambles. I don't like convertible hiking pants because of the zippered hem. The hiking pants are the best compromise. If I bring them I bring a lighter set of polyester leggings, like 4oz, rather than the 8oz 100wt fleece.
May thru June anywhere on the AT can be chilly. Mid 40s is not uncommon. In any case, silk-weight, if not silk, long johns make sleeping in hot weather a bit more comfortable, IMHO, because you don't stick to stuff. If it gets cold, having a thin base layer is a plus.
That's a good point. On a short trip you can have nice weather, but on a longer trip or if you go up to altitude you have to be prepared for 40F, and have better rain and wind protection also. My rule of thumb is an oz of insulation for every degF below 85F, so for lows of 40F I would want 40-45oz total of wool, fleece, skin layers, but not counting wind or rain shells or shoes. You can push it a little in summer because the lows tend to be at night, but if you go up to altitude its different. I agree also that if you might need an extra layer, a thin skin layer is really easy to pack. The layers over that can still be light but can be looser, and can be worn most days without the skin layer. Using the rule of 1oz of insulation for every degF below 85F, for lows of 40F, that would be 45oz.
When wearing it all evenly, in the worst scenario, coverage might be...
Top Layers: 45oz x 5/12 = 19oz = 5oz skin layer and 14oz wool sweater
Bottom Layers: 45oz x 4/12 = 15oz = 4oz skin layer and 8oz fleece layer (and 8oz hiking pants counting as 4oz of insulation)
Head, hands, feet: 45oz x 3/12 = 11oz = 4oz wool hat, 2oz gloves, 5oz in socks, or 7oz in socks and no gloves
... not counting shoes and wind and rain layers other than hiking pants mentioned
Jim Adams
03-08-2009, 15:26
I carry a light weight smartwool top and bottom set in the summer. I use them to sleep in. They keep my bag cleaner, keep me warmer on the odd cold night and can be used for hiking in a cold day scenerio if needed.
geek
jak you gotta remember. summer in canada is different than summer in maryland/pa
you say you wear an 8oz sweater in summer, but down here you'd be absolutely roasting in that from june-august. not knocking your wool, just an observation that locations are different
StubbleJumper
03-09-2009, 21:24
I bring my capilene long underwear. If it is a bit chilly overnight, or if my sleeping bag gets a bit damp, it's a wonderful piece of gear to have. It does weigh a pound or so, but it really provides warmth for those 30-40 degree nights in September.
I hike alone most of the time, so hypothermia is not something that I want to play with....don't worry about the bears, don't worry about the bogeyman, but hypothermia is real.:o
River Runner
03-15-2009, 00:43
I've seen temperatures down close to freezing in May in the mountains, and cold snaps with overnight low's in the 40's in May. I almost always take at least a silk weight base layer. I now have thin (140 wt?) wool and will be using that. I like to stay warm.
Hi do you guys take a piar of long underwear in the warner months just in
case it get a little cold is it worth the weight. I am talking about may thur june :D
Where are you hiking? Maryland? Northern New England? Down south in the Smokies?
As the saying goes..It All Depends. :)
Hiker Chris
03-24-2009, 13:43
I have both Mid-weight and Light-weight EMS techwick long underwear, keeping the light stuff in summer.