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Undershaft
03-10-2011, 18:28
I'm looking for recomendations for a set of long underwear. I will be leaving 4/11 from Springer and sleeping in a hammock. I've no doubt I will experience at least a few really cold nights and need some decent long johns to keep me warm. They will be worn around camp under a pair of lightweight nylon pants and a fleece jacket. I don't have any experience with spring weather in the south. It seems everyone uses patagonia capilene. Which would you recomend the capilene 1, 2, or 3? What would you recomend as a less expensive option? I'd prefer not to spend $80 or more on long underwear for the trail. Thanks!

HiKen2011
03-10-2011, 18:32
Check into Terramar products from campmor, I use them, I have the lighweight and medium weight.

johnnyblisters
03-10-2011, 18:52
Check into Terramar products from campmor, I use them, I have the lighweight and medium weight.

I've been considering the Terramar silk long underwear for my sleeping gear. How warm are these compared to med weight normal long underwear. They would save me about a half a # for $40...

Rick500
03-10-2011, 19:45
I have Terramar long underwear and like them, but I don't think they're the silk version.

Bags4266
03-10-2011, 19:50
I like my Terramar silk bottoms for cool to mild weather, weigh in at 3 oz and keeps all the funk off my sleeping bag or quilts.

fredmugs
03-10-2011, 20:34
I only bring cheap long underwear so I can't help you there but you need to be more concerned with the quilt or underquilt you are bringing for your hammock.

I only section hike but I remember one night in SNP when the low got down to 40 (forecast was for low 50s) and I froze my butt off in my hammock. I had on long underwear, a sweat shirt, had to dig out my rain jacket, and my 45 degree bag didn't cut it. I was so cold I almost started night hiking.

Papa D
03-11-2011, 08:20
You will not want to hike in your long underwear - you will get hot - even if it is in the 30s in the day (which by next week, it probably won't be) - I think that just pagagonia mid weight bottoms will be fine for sleeping and around camp - I usually put them on under my trail shorts in the evening - I think that if you have a fleece sweater already that a long underwear top is redundant for the conditions

Bugz
03-11-2011, 08:38
Check into Terramar products from campmor, I use them, I have the lighweight and medium weight.

I recently started buying Terramar products and love them. Their silk products are incredibly comfortable. Haven't tested any of their products in very cold temperatures yet but they are a well-respected company so I'm sure any of their thermal products would keep you warm.

10-K
03-11-2011, 08:46
I'm far, far from a hammock expert but I've taken mine out a few times and if it were me I'd focus on my underquilt and pad more than my long underwear to keep me warm.

I took my hammock out on a 40* night and even though I was in my 20* sleeping bag, completely covered with long pants on my legs got *cold*.

Adding an underquilt and longer pad and I slept in the same temps with shorts on and was warm.

Croft
03-11-2011, 09:45
I wear Merino wool long johns in my sleeping bag (REI occasionally has them on sale for $20 ea). In the summer I usually go "bagless" and they keep me warm even on cool nights with my rain jacket used as a blanket.

scope
03-11-2011, 10:14
The duofold stuff works just fine and is available in a lot of stores. Think it compares with Terramar in price and quality. Personally, I think these should be just as good as the Patagonia stuff for a lot less. Do you nylon pants have a layer of mesh? I find that this type of pant with the long johns works great for me. The mesh seems to help trap warm air around the leg.

Also, on the hammock, I hope you are not considering long johns as your method of keeping warm? Would be like carrying one of those 5hr Energy bottles as your method of hydration.

Grinder
03-11-2011, 12:58
Nobody on this forum ever recommends the bottom end stuff.

I've been using Military Spec EWS long johns since I started to hike five years ago. No complaints. Catch a good sale and they go under $30. (EWS stands for Extreme Weather something)

What he said about hiking in them. You'll be overheating most of the time. Although, two years ago I got caught in 14 Deg F overnight lows and wore them and my rain suit to hike in.

Mostly, I carry them in the drybag with my sleeping bag and quilt and wear them in camp at night.

Bags4266
03-11-2011, 13:13
Well Terramar Silk bottoms weigh 3 oz and costs $20.00 at campmoor. How much cheaper we want to go?

Bugz
03-11-2011, 13:53
Nobody on this forum ever recommends the bottom end stuff.

I've been using Military Spec EWS long johns since I started to hike five years ago. No complaints. Catch a good sale and they go under $30. (EWS stands for Extreme Weather something)

What he said about hiking in them. You'll be overheating most of the time. Although, two years ago I got caught in 14 Deg F overnight lows and wore them and my rain suit to hike in.

Mostly, I carry them in the drybag with my sleeping bag and quilt and wear them in camp at night.

You can pick up even the heaviest version of Terramar's thermal underwear for under $30 at campmor.

Grinder
03-11-2011, 14:57
I have a set of those terramar and don't think they are near as warm as the EWS. They are lighter and pack smaller, but I wouldn't recommend them as "the pair of long johns".

I use them as under under wear for really cold weather, which, hopefully, I'll never see.

Praha4
03-11-2011, 15:08
I started last year from Springer on April 18th, and used Capilene 2 for base layer (top & bottoms), but it was usually only needed for nights til middle of May, when a Capilene 1 base layer would have been fine. I did see some nites in high 20s as late as early May, thru the Smokies. Had low 30s night at Roan High Knob shelter in early May.

johnnyblisters
03-11-2011, 18:44
Would anyone recommend silk long underwear for my upcoming thru? I have a pair of cheapo mid weights and the weight savings would be awesome. I know it's all relative, but is a pair of silk LU as warm as a pair of mid weight poly LU?

moonshine2010
03-11-2011, 21:18
Definitely wouldn't go above capilene 2. I used one of these tops on my thru hike and it was a very valuable light weight piece. Very durable too. For my bottoms I went with lightweight merino wool. Smartwool is very expensive, but very effective insulation especially when wet. And you will be wet!

GeneralLee10
03-11-2011, 21:21
Check into Terramar products from campmor, I use them, I have the lighweight and medium weight.


This should be all you will need. I never really used mine that much I had warm sleeping bags, might have used them 7 times that's about it. Hope that helps.

Sassafras Lass
03-12-2011, 16:12
Wickers, available @ STP. I just got a promo for Free Shipping + 30%, I'll email it to you if you'd like.

puschel
03-12-2011, 16:26
I recommend woolpower. Expensive but very good. Normaly to warm to hike in.
I just used them once while hiking. As someone else did, combined with very loose fiiting army raingear. Temperature was about freezing.

AUhiker90
03-13-2011, 00:08
I had my cap 3 top and bottom the whole thru hike and i loved having them just replaced my top and bottom.

Undershaft
03-15-2011, 15:49
Thanks for all the suggestions! I suppose I should have been more specific in my original post. I have no intention of hiking in my long underwear, it's just for wearing around camp and when I sleep. As for staying warm in the hammock I'm toasty down to the mid 50's with just convertible pants, a summerweight polypro long sleeve shirt, fleece bag liner and ridgerest. I'm ok into the 40's with a cheap fleece pullover added. I expect to experience several nights colder than that though, especially in the high elevations of the Smokies. I don't do quilts. I have a 20 degree 750 down bag and a ridgerest pad with a pair of convertible pants, dry (camp only) socks, and a quality fleece jacket & hat. That should keep me good down to the 30's and even lower with the addition of a good pair of long underwear top and bottoms. I've been looking at the Terramar stuff from Campmor, but didn't know if it was any good. I think I'll probably order some this week. Thanks again for the advice!

johnnyblisters
03-15-2011, 16:47
My Terramar silk long underwear tops and bottoms just came in today and I'm wearing them as I type. They are VERY thin but surprisingly warm in my chilly apartment. I think I'm going to take them when I leave in 2 weeks for my thru for camp clothes. I just have to remember to cover my "junk" as these garments are not opaque...

Fog Horn
03-15-2011, 17:01
If you WERE planning to hike in your LU and shorts on cold days, would you go capilene 1 or would you go merino wool?

I'm not planning on bringing pants, and I was leaning towards the wool because it might keep me warmer when wet but the cap might dry faster?

Tinker
03-15-2011, 17:08
I like my Terramar wool long johns, but the bottoms are just a wee bit itchier than my polyester or polypro underwear. I suspect that using a fabric softener would help, but most thruhikers aren't going to want to purchase softener every time they wash their long johns.

SunnyWalker
04-24-2012, 00:22
I have bought "longjohns" from Campmoor, etc., before. I still have a set. Right now though I have found that the "longjohns" sold at walmart work just as good! Lot less money! I am talking about the black ones that are usually sold in the camping area or hunting supply area. They are not made out of cotton. What they are made of is . . . . ah, actually it escapes me right now. But they work great. Here in below zero with big wind they work fine. They are thin and lightweight and CHEAP! Of course, if you just gotta spend hundreds on long john UNDERWEAR have at it! -:)

MaggieMaeFlower
04-24-2012, 00:40
I like Patagonia Capilene 2. I wore them around camp without anything on top of the pants and got a hole in the bottom from what I think was a firepit log. Patagonia replaced them for me.

quilteresq
04-24-2012, 00:52
Yep - complicated question - I have lightweight silk, wool, and some kind of synthetic probably polyester of some sort of polyester - not polypro - and like them all. For sleeping in spring and fall, I prefer the silk; if it's really cold, then I grab one of the others. (Talking about sleeping in our yurt, where if it's much above 25 degrees at night, I just let the fire go out and it gets down to freezing or so during the night indoors - at home I use regular sleepware) I hiked most of this winter in the silk or the wool with long pants over it - and was hot a lot, especially in the wool, so I'll go with the crowd that says don't hike in them, just use them for sleeping this time of year.

mgeiger
04-24-2012, 06:56
Academy Sports- private label stuff comes in 3 weights. Pretty much a rip off of UA. I got the mid weight and am very happy with the quality and performance. $15 for top, 15 for bottoms.

seadawg
04-24-2012, 15:30
I have a pair of "Duofolds"....got them from an outfitters about 10 years ago (58 bucks then). I always take them in March and April even in GA (to sleep in...never to hike in). I also wear a pair of "sleeping bag socks".....thick wool blend socks that I bought from an outfitters in '06. Nothing more important for an old man than to keep his feet warm.

Moose2001
04-24-2012, 16:52
Why spend big bucks on something that will be total trash when you get done with the hike? As long as it keeps you warm and doesn't weigh a ton, does the name matter? Try Sierratradingpost.com. You can buy good quality stuff for less than $20 per piece. It's all I wear all winter while working outside all day at a ski resort!

MuddyWaters
04-24-2012, 22:24
Duofold works and is comfortable. Hot chilis work. Capilene 2 works. Honestly, I think the duofold are my favorite for sleeping warmth and comfort, but they are just a bit heavier than the others, and the lightest wins. (I have lots of different ones I accumulated for skiing) Whatever I wear, in cold weather I leave them on in the morning till I warm up, which doesnt take long. I can hike comfortably in long johns up to about low 30s, I start getting hot above that.

SunnyWalker
02-23-2013, 18:34
Leave your pants at home n just hike in shorts w/long johns when u need them. You might go try it out if it's cold enough where you are. Here I go again THREAD RESURRECTION!!!!!!!!! Yaaaaaaaa!

Prime Time
02-23-2013, 21:41
I wear Merino wool long johns in my sleeping bag (REI occasionally has them on sale for $20 ea). In the summer I usually go "bagless" and they keep me warm even on cool nights with my rain jacket used as a blanket.
+1 I use Ibex, but they're expensive. Patagonia makes them for a little less. The lightest weight would work fine. The advantages to wool are they provide warmth even when wet and they don't get as funky smelling as synthetic types. Also, you can hike in the top if you wanted too. It breathes better then capeline and is more comfortable. Disadvantage is they can't go in the dryer.

jeffmeh
02-24-2013, 08:32
+1 I use Ibex, but they're expensive. Patagonia makes them for a little less. The lightest weight would work fine. The advantages to wool are they provide warmth even when wet and they don't get as funky smelling as synthetic types. Also, you can hike in the top if you wanted too. It breathes better then capeline and is more comfortable. Disadvantage is they can't go in the dryer.

I will no longer buy the Ibex, at least the 150 weight. While they are very light, they are also very fragile. I have found Stoic to wear much better.

fadeaway
02-24-2013, 10:13
Sierra Trading Post has all brands mentioned at lower prices than Campmor.