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The Other Fly –The Ridiculous One in your Baselayer
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Dec 3, 2013 at 8:26 pm #1310555
Not the tent's fly, your underwear's fly–I am looking for baselayers without flys. I hate them! Do other guys really use these? What's wrong with just pulling down your pants? That's more reasonable than asking your unit to take two or three reverse bends! On most of my baselayers I immediately sew up the fly, but am still left with an unnecessary wad of triple layer fabric in the front. I have been threatening to switch over to women's baselayers — which seem MUCH more reasonably constructed — but my wife says they probably won't fit. So: Any men's baselayers without the barn doors? Or will women's baselayers fit a man? I'm serious!!
Dec 3, 2013 at 8:50 pm #2050590I like the fly
as does the little guy
Dec 3, 2013 at 8:57 pm #2050591I like the fly too. Keeps me from having to undo my packs hip belt. Cause then if I undo the hip belt then I might as well remove the pack all together. And get more water. And sit down for a snack.
Flys keep me moving.
Dec 3, 2013 at 8:58 pm #2050592AnonymousInactiveI've found women's pants hit or miss. Sometimes they have had a too high of a rise crotch which isn't too comfortable, or too low rise waist. Definitely size up at the very least a size up than the men's stuff, often times better to go two full sizes up. Thankfully most baselayers tend to be on the stretchy side, so there is some leeway there.
Not sure what the problem with flys are though. Kind of nice when it's really cold out, not to dump extra heat by pulling pants down–you definitely dump much less heat via opening up flys.
Dec 3, 2013 at 9:13 pm #2050595I've never used a fly. Oh, once or twice I've tried, but contorted positioning and imperfect drainage put me off. I prefer UW and base layers without flies, but some styles just always seem to come with them.
Women's bottoms are typically shaped differently – wider hips, narrower waist, short legs. Most problematic, I find, is that there isn't enough "volume" in the crotch area. And, as someone noted, the rise (crotch to waist length) is longer in women's models than men's.
Perhaps search on "unisex" sizing – that would probably not have a fly and would be some intermediate or simply male-biased sizing.
Dec 3, 2013 at 9:30 pm #2050599Sparing you the intimacy, I've also found that the fly doesn't give me enough room to evacuate pants when nature calls, but the loss of volume in women's tights (I've tried Under Armor) threatened to end my family line.
You could sew the fly up along the seam of the fly's "door." Then, cut off the door. That way, the extra rectangle of material is removed and your pants are sealed up.
This is one of those things that I didn't remotely think about as a problem until you mentioned it, but now that I have, all I can think about is how many layers my Smartwool briefs have… THANKS.
P.S. my Go-Lite rain pants are women's and they both fit perfectly and have a fly. More relevantly, perhaps the women's Go-Lite baselayers will suit the male form.
Dec 3, 2013 at 9:36 pm #2050604I make our (Sue and I) bush clothing – there are MYOG articles on it. But I don't think I have ever bothered to put a fly in. Couldn't see the need.
Cheers
Dec 3, 2013 at 9:44 pm #2050608That's another reason to make your own : )
As far as usage goes, either way works, but since no fly works, why put in a fly?
I've made underwear but I like the pre-made ones better. The fly on them isn't so bad, not so many layers of fabric, but I never use it.
I think flies are just convention. Several hundred years ago they became fashionable, and now they just keep making them because that's how it's done.
Dec 3, 2013 at 10:21 pm #2050616How else am I supposed to pee while wearing a harness? And since my hiking clothes do double duty as climbing clothes, they sure as heck had better have a fly.
Dec 3, 2013 at 10:27 pm #2050617"Couldn't see the need"
He must be a little fellow :)
Dec 3, 2013 at 10:43 pm #2050623"Couldn't see the need"
He must be a little fellow :)"
No – you're the one that says you have a little fellow : )
Dec 3, 2013 at 10:48 pm #2050624So! A lot of guys actually use the fly.
OK, as you were, gentlemen. I won't inveigh against tradition. If your mouse runs through the maze, more power to you.
I will continue my girlish ways, and try the Go-Lite, search for "unisex," or just sew my unders up and remove those silly extra layers.
I swear, the most recent baselayers I purchased had a pad in front, the thickness (and flexibility!) of a catcher's mitt. Ugh! Returned. I confess to staring at the women's underwear in the Campmor catalog with envy.
Dec 3, 2013 at 11:09 pm #2050629Icebreaker makes wool briefs and boxers w/o a fly.
Dec 3, 2013 at 11:42 pm #2050633one thing to note is that the doubled/tripled fabric actually serves a purpose …
for those who perform do high intensity outdoor sports in winter … cold groins are no laughing matter .. this is especially true of people like runners or cyclist who wear winter thermal tights … extra fabric there helps keep a high heat loss sensitive area a bit warmer …
Whether you're hiking, skiing, or mountaineering, keeping your extremities warm is a crucial part of winter survival. Much attention is paid to various combinations of hats, gloves, mittens, boots and socks but, unfortunately, they all overlook another important extremity, the male appendage.
This is nothing to laugh about; it's quite painful! If you've been unfortunate enough to experience a frozen frankie, you know this is a serious matter. Few other weather-related injuries can make you curl up and beg for death. Of course, this "condition" only makes itself known after you're miles from the trailhead and committed to your route.
http://www.headbaby.com/icepick.htm
its enough of an issue that the make a polartec thermal pro "sock" for the male anatomy …
;)
Dec 3, 2013 at 11:43 pm #2050634I was spending the night in one of those pretty fancy tent rentals in Yosemite one time (this on was at white wolf, so not even one of the ones away from the road) with a woman I was hanging out with at the time. There was a small wood stove provided, but it was pretty cold before I got it stoked up, and she didn't really have any long underwear, and was freezing. I had an extra pair of patagonia tights that I assumed would be just the ticket, and offered them to her. When she saw that they had a fly she refused to wear them. She would rather freeze than even put on long underwear with a fly. Anyway, that was the moment I knew she wasn't the girl for me. LOL Too high maintenance!
So not only you Delmar!
Still they do seem very old fashioned. I can't remember the last time I used one. Rather than being a convenience they seem, um, kinda fussy and awkward to actually use. Possibly I was inadequately potty trained in my youth, but I am as likely to make a mess of it as not attempting to make use of one. And what do they protect when using it anyway? The most sensitive stuff gets exposed to the elements. I think they are like the marble Greek temples that maintained stone representations of the features of the old wooden temples, like the places where the wooden cross beams had been, 500 years after the last wooden temple – just cause that is how it was done.
I've also had a pair of tights with an additional rear "fly", and not the old style huge buttoned flap grampa had in his long johns. It was the same "mazey" design as briefs, just bigger and in the back. What's with that? If I can't safety use the front one with equipment that can write my name in the snow, why in the world would I try to use the rear fly?
Dec 4, 2013 at 3:53 am #2050647Cutting out the fly to save weight? That brings new meaning to the term "gram weenie." :P
FWIW I have some inexpensive Costco baselayers, Paradox brand, with no fly. They are 11-12% merino and the rest synthetic.
Dec 4, 2013 at 5:43 am #2050654>"I confess to staring at the women's underwear in the Campmor catalog with envy."
I do it because the colors are always nicer…
Dec 4, 2013 at 5:43 am #2050655Why oh why did they put a fly on the undies that covers my willy?
I can bend and roll and still miss the hole, so the (w)hole thing seems rather silly.
What's even worse, and seems like a curse, is the damn thing won't even catch leaks!
So I'd prefer, I suppose, if they just made them closed, and leave flies for the stream beds and creeks….Sorry, it's early and I'm not quite awake yet…..
Dec 4, 2013 at 6:15 am #2050661Those fly openings are not large enough for my multitool.
Dec 4, 2013 at 6:16 am #2050663I swear, the most recent baselayers I purchased had a pad in front, the thickness (and flexibility!) of a catcher's mitt.
Really. You swear that? :)
I use the fly in my base layer. And the fly in my pants as well. I find it useful when it's thirty below and the wind is howling. No reverse bends are necessary if you hold the fly(s) open during use.
And Eric has a point. Running or skiing in extreme cold in Alaska I've often added a layer in the fly area and I know many other men who do as well.
Dec 4, 2013 at 6:18 am #2050664As long as the fly is well covered, I can skimp elsewhere and save weight.
Check out the Houdini Wind Boxers.Dec 4, 2013 at 6:19 am #2050665i have several pair of running tights (including patagonia), none of which have a fly. i also have several pairs of under armour heatgear boxer briefs, which do not have a fly. ua also makes men's tights and leggings that are sans fly. my favoirte style of fly in technical outerwear are the ones that go from bottom up as well as from top down so your waist belt or climbing harness doesn't get in the way of the zipper.
Dec 4, 2013 at 6:37 am #2050670Delmar,
A lot of men's compression shorts will not have a fly. I can only vouch for Underarmour since I have it, but I know I've seen other brands in stores without. Another option is underwear marketed to gay men. If you're considering women's underwear already, I assume the Undergear catalog won't be an affront to you. Plus they also come in fun colors. :)Dec 4, 2013 at 7:11 am #2050677"Why oh why did they put a fly on the undies that covers my willy?
I can bend and roll and still miss the hole, so the (w)hole thing seems rather silly.
What's even worse, and seems like a curse, is the damn thing won't even catch leaks!
So I'd prefer, I suppose, if they just made them closed, and leave flies for the stream beds and creeks…."Hey Doug, put a sock in it! (so to speak)
Dec 4, 2013 at 7:21 am #2050680"Hey Doug, put a sock in it! (so to speak)"
Okay, but remember, you told me to….
Why not just use a sock to cover your ….. stock? Seems like it'd work just as well.
Wool would be keen, but don't use neoprene. That's one place you don't want VBL…. -
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