What to Wear?

[Tad Englund]

I am doing a whitewater rafting trip next month and would like to see what options are out there for what to wear under my shorts/long pants.
I have always used a swim suit for this kind of thing, but my wife thinks that I should start worrying about skin cancer and is making me pack UL long pants (she might have a point).

My problem is what to wear under my pants, being that they will be frequently wet, but hopefully dry quickly.

Normally wearing a liner I haven't had to deal with this and I don't want crotch rot from normal underwear that doesn't dry all that fast. I need something that will dry quick while being worn under my pants.

Any advice would be appreciated.

Thanks,
Tad

[David Thomas]

There are wicking undies sold through, for instance Sierra Trading Post at a discount. I've got some 92% nylon and 8% lycra "Body-sensors" by Terramar. Probably $10-12/pair at a discount. The particular ones I got were thicker and heavier than I'd hoped for.

Then I noticed some Jockey-brand undies in a department store. A low-rise brief in mostly synthetic mesh seemed great but there's not as much volume in the front pouch as their non-wicking version and I was constantly adjusting myself. But if you need less volume. . . .

For that and several other reasons, I prefer Jockey's very thin, very stretchy (80% nylon, 20% spandex) snug-fitting "Jockey Men's Underwear Microfiber Performance Boxer Brief". The style (especially in black) looks remarkably like bicycling shorts and I've worn them, sans-pants, as my one and only shorts. Light (77 grams per unit, size medium) and VERY wicking of sweat in that mode, they also dry super quick after a washing or a fording a deep stream. They are stretchy enough that volume up front wasn't a problem and (just like bicycle shorts) the snug (but not compressing) bit around my upper thigh was just fine. Those under thin nylon pants would dry as quickly as most linings, but if you go for a swim, you could just doff the long pants and dive in (a stealthy way to wash them!). You'd think they'd be immodest, but in black, contours don't show much and the audience would have to stare long and hard (cause we can't we talk undies without a double entendre). Also, since it is just a regular consumer item, there wasn't any outdoors premium on their price. Quick-drying saves weight if you bring less of them and foregoing outer shorts and/or a swim suit saves a lot. Here they are at 2 for $24:

http://www.amazon.com/Jockey-Underwear-Microfiber-Performance-Boxer/dp/B00C391VH2/ref=sr_1_10?ie=UTF8&qid=1372211352&sr=8-10&keywords=mens+briefs+jockey

1) No, I don't look that buff in them and
2) I actually have body hair, unlike an underwear model (shave grams not mammals, I always say).

[BlackHatGuy]

I think I now know much more about you than I ever wanted to know…..

[Justin Baker]

You can pick up some synthetic underwear at target for $10. I have been wearing them every day for a few months now.

[David Thomas]

>"I have been wearing them every day for a few months now."

Now, THAT is some AMAZING odor-control technology!

[Ken Thompson]

These are highly recommended

[Matthew Black]

Thanks, Ken. I may never be able to sleep again.

[Justin Baker]

I'm not joking. I wear the same pair of underwear day after day. I wash it out with soap in the shower every day and wear them dry. No odor problems.

[David Thomas]

>"I wear the same pair of underwear day after day. I wash it out with soap in the shower every day and wear them dry. No odor problems."

I'm good with that. At home, sure. I do it in hotel rooms. The trick in hotel rooms to hand-wringe the UW as much as you can, and twist it in a dry cotton towel (and/or step on a towel-UW-towel sandwich). That will transfer most of the remaining moisture to the towel. Hang the slightly damp UW up to dry over night. My other helpful hint is that any detergent is more effective than any soap.

All of that is harder to manage while BPing because we often have dew-forming conditions in the mountains.

[Tad Englund]

David, thanks for the info, I'll check them out. I think the swimming options might work.
I have thought about a Speedo but the fashion really doesn't work for me and they don't dry that fast.
I'm glad to see there are cheaper options out there- I really didn't want to have to buy a pair of Patty capilene's for a week trip.

Justin, I'll take a look at Target

Ken- I have a similar build as that guy and I think if those UW got wet they would end up around my ankles.

[David Chenault]

No underwear.

While fancy synthetics will dry faster than others, they'll still take a long time with virtually no air exposure. When packrafting in summer I hike in synthetic undies and board shorts, and take the undies off and drybag them for rafting sections.

[Nick Gatel]

I have a pair of Ex Officio long pants with a built in liner. The liner is not continuous in front and opens with the fly. The mesh liner is a fairly open weave. They wear well, since I bought them 30 years ago. Don't know if they still make something similar.

[Tad Englund]

David, great idea but I think the 20 other mates on the trip might not appreciate that style. Most are youth age and these days any exposure no matter how modest is unacceptable.
I have the same concerns about the lack of drying because of the lack of air flow and being sat on.

Nick, I remember those pants. I use to want the pants but never bought them because at the time I didn't want what I thought was a "stupid" liner but they would be nice to have now, except for the $89 price tag for a week worth of wear.

[BlackHatGuy]

"Normally wearing a liner I haven't had to deal with this and I don't want crotch rot from normal underwear that doesn't dry all that fast."

If it's only a week and you're not that excited about buying something new that you don't think you'll need again, perhaps think of it a bit differently – carry something to help prevent bacteria buildup in your nether regions – like liquid glide or some such.

[Tad Englund]

Doug, that is a novel concept that I didn't think about.

I guess if Skurka can lube up his feet to protect them, why not lube up the nads? (please don't anyone go visual about this)

Remember the picture of Andrews feet sticking out of the tent all shriveled up, well some of us start out that way and I'm not going to take a picture of how it looks at the end of the day!

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