Recommendations on Undies, Long Underwear, and Wind/Rain Pants for 3 Season Use

– Wind/rain pants: DriDucks Ultra-Lite 2. How useful anything more expensive or tough would be is up to the climate you’re hiking in, and how much you expect to wear them. DriDucks won’t last long if you’re wearing them most of the time to block wind, but I’ve never had a problem with their durability on the 2-7 day trips I take using them as just in case rain pants.

– Long Underwear: Something made out of a griddy Polartec Power Dry, like LLBean’s or First Ascent’s Medium Weight long underwear or Patagonia R1 tights; or, 190-230 weight merino. I lean towards merino bottoms in the winter, the Power Dry for 3 season. The grid fleece allows a me to control how much heat I’m retaining. If it’s exposed to the air, it wicks but doesn’t retain much heat; covered with another layer it retails a lot.

– Underwear: I like boxer briefs. For comfort, convenience and chaffing avoidance I like the legs to be long (half-way down my calves, not stopping at ~ crotch level) and with a fly. I just got a pair of Ex Officio Give-n-Go Boxer Briefs which I really like, so far. Good fit, fabric has a nice feel, fly is positioned and cut well. I don’t abide boxer briefs have a fly that has way too much overlapping fabric. :) I also like the Medalist Silver Max boxer briefs, they’ve proved surprisingly durable compared to the other synthetic underwear I’ve worn- no pilling, no wearing through. Got them on clearance for $5/pair, wish I would have ordered more.

Never weighed any boxer briefs. I count ounces, not grams- if they’re summer weight, they’re light enough for me.

pants … light softshell, a tad heavier than windpants but much more durable … dead bird gamma lts are what i use, patagucci simple/rock guides also work … there are many others … no need for rainpants if you arent gonna be in a downpour … woven softshells are DWR and dry very quickly … just make sure you throw em in the dryer and retreat the DWR every so often

underwear … whatever is on sale at wallymart

long undies … same as above

+1. Pricey (compared to other non-merino options) but worth it IMO, especially on sale. Best "active" underwear I've ever used…and if you look up reviews on Backcountry or another site most people agree.

+1 to Eric's suggestion of the Gamma LT or similar. My pair of Gamma LTs is about the same weight at my Mountain Hardwear Canyon pant, which is a light nylon pant. My only beef with the Gamma LT is the colors- not sure how comfortable the options offered (black and dark gray) would be in the summer sun.

I agree. I started just using them for traveling and now they are all I own. Wash on the trail and they dry very fast. Expensive but are a good deal on sale (2-3 times a year).

At first I was unsure about spending $25 on the ExOfficio Give-N-Go's, but they seriously might be my favorite peice of clothing! So comfortable. You can wear them swimming in the warmer months and they dry in no time. Definitely worth having at least one pair in your gear closet.

Sierra Trading Post almost always has merino base layers from some solid makers on sale. And it's one of the first things many retailers put on sale at the end of winter – probably some good deals still lying around.

I'm a big fan of boxer briefs. I've got tree trunk legs and I sweat a lot. Nothing ruins an outdoor adventure like swamp-butt.

I've become a huge fan of the Starter DriStar compression shorts for both hiking and running. They wick well, dry quickly when washed (or dunked), are comfy against the skin, last hundreds of miles, and have a longer inseam to keep my thighs from rubbing. They're also cheap ($10 at Walmart) and light (3.5 ounces for the 2XL).

I've got one set with a combined 300 miles of hiking and running. They're starting to get thin in the saddle, but they're holding together with no holes. This is probably twice as far as I usually get with Hanes cotton boxer briefs.

I haven't tried the high dollar undies. Many folks swear by them. I wonder if they've tried these and can offer a comparison.

Ken

I'm digging these at $20 a pair. They're not compression, but they fit very snug. The mesh breaths well. I always hike in pants so the 9" inseam is excellent to ward off chaffing and it helps wick moisture quickly from the nether regions as well.

Hot Chilly's makes some bombproof base layer bottoms with a close fit, warm and excellent at wicking. I have had the same pair for 18 years!

My pants: (no-fiddle-factor = win)
softshell pants, add a rainskirt for cold rain

underwear:
running shorts with liner

long underwear:
none

I always wear my softshell pants. They're a great no-fuss option with a wide comfort range and incredible durability. On rare occassions they're too warm (70s and sunny), so I strip down to the running shorts for a few hours.

I tried lightweight pants and windpants/rainpants, but durability was significantly lacking and I spent way too much time taking them on and off due to the amount of time I spend above treeline.

For sleeping, I sleep in my running shorts and hiking shirt. For extra warmth, I have my windshirt, down jacket and softshell pants. If my softshell pants are wet, I use my rain jacket and rain skirt to protect my quilt.

If it's pretty cold, I don't bring my running shorts and bring capilene, instead, to wear under the softshell pants. I often will bring down pants to supplement the quilt in these temperatures.

Can you explain the difference between capilene 1, 2, and 3? Do you know how much it weights? I'm guessing 1 is the lightest. Is it warm enough for 3 season use?

After I re-read your post, I realized you were asking about long underwear sleep layers. I only use capilene 2 as a substitute for the running shorts as a cold-weather layer. I can't speak for it when it comes to sleeping in. However, I'd lean either towards fleece or down pants, depending on factors like warmth, bulk, weight and price.

I've always seen capilene 1/2 as a wicking baselayer for warm winterish conditions, and capilene 3/4 as a wicking baselayer for cold winterish conditions. You don't need high-tech wicking baselayers for sleeping.

If you just are looking for a lightweight clean baselayer to sleep in, consider silk pajamas. They're cheap and lighter weight than the alternatives. That said, nothing is as light as sleeping in your hiking clothes.

Softshell pants are really easy to clean, so mud isn't really a problem and with a well-chosen layering system, you really shouldn't get sweaty, especially after a bit of downtime at camp. Finally, it's really nice to not have to change clothes on cold mornings (hence down pants and down jacket rather than a heavier quilt).

Also, if you decide to choose a high-tech baselayer anyway, don't choose wool for bottoms (tops are fine). I haven't found any of the brands to hold up for very long.

I havent had a whole lot of experience with various shells but i have had some long underwear experience.

I really like my Patagonia Capilenes, one of my favorite pieces of clothing. I believe that Capilene 1s and 2s are sufficient for three season use. Their fairly durable, dont get ranky after a couple days use, and are downright awesome.

But at the same time Capilenes are kinda pricey. Before i got my capilenes i used Terrmar long underwear tops and bottoms. Much cheaper, but still just as durable and fairly comfortable. I lived in these tops and bottoms for a week without too much rank. (BTW i live in California, so YMMV on the layers, but at least for California weather they were more than sufficient)

Linky to the Terramar Top:

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___75185

Link to the Terramar Bottom:

http://www.campmor.com/outdoor/gear/Product___75186

None…get a hiking KILT :)

If only I had red hair…..