Looking for a Wool Underwear Product Tester

Actually Eric i would disagree. Lycra shorts are a marketing success. What really killed wool shorts was not the wool, but the natural (hrd to take care of chamois.) There are still a number of cyclists who wear wool shorts, myself included. A Nice pair of wool/ycra mixed short with a modern synthetic chamois is a wonderful thing. Just one example:
http://shop.ibex.com/Apparel/Mens-Ride/Arrivee-Bib_4

Of course what do I know, I also wear wool underwear, particularly for alpine and winter climbing.

Wool underwear is fine expect for it's tendency to stretch out.

I don't like synthetic underwear because it gets super nasty and you can't really wash synthetics well because they are hydrophobic and don't absorb water.

I wear a pair of 90/10 cotton and spandex underwear from Adidas. It's fine in dry weather, I've never had an issue with sweat accumulating in uncomfortable amounts. And it stays cooler than synthetics or wool.

OK James, to each his own. I well know from reading BPL that many people prefer wool.

As for synthetic retaining "odour", I've never, ever, in 25 years of using everything from acrylic to polypropelene to polyester to nylon had any of them "retain odor" after washing. Maybe it's just my body chemistry (my f@rts don't smell either ;o) but I've never had that problem.

"Actually Eric i would disagree. Lycra shorts are a marketing success. What really killed wool shorts was not the wool, but the natural (hrd to take care of chamois.) There are still a number of cyclists who wear wool shorts, myself included. A Nice pair of wool/ycra mixed short with a modern synthetic chamois is a wonderful thing. Just one example:
http://shop.ibex.com/Apparel/Mens-Ride/Arrivee-Bib_4

Of course what do I know, I also wear wool underwear, particularly for alpine and winter climbing."

Have to disagree with you on a few things there James.

First off, there is nothing stopping manufacturers installing different liners in cycling shorts, so if a manufactorer wanted to produce wool cycling shorts then they could easily make a range with artificial chamois inserts.

I've been a very active cyclist for 30 years now, i've toured, raced, trained, i've been a member of several cycling clubs, from BMX through MTB and touring clubs, the vast vast majority of my good friends are also very active cyclists.
What with races, tours, randonnée etc i meet a fair few cyclists all the time, as a gear head inevitably any chat goes straight onto gear.

In the last 20 years i've met 2 guys that preferred wool cycling shorts.
One was riding/pushing a fixed wheel bike up Alpe d'Huez, the other had a moustache wider than my handle bars and wouldn't wear a helmet because he's "never worn one before"
Granted 2 is a number, in the context of how many wear lycra be that as cycling shorts or undergarments (MTB) it's a insignificant amount.

This despite the fact that several companies do still produce wool cycling shorts, many like Ibex use a more modern mixture, still the vast vast vast majority prefer man made fabrics.

So in my opinion it has absolutely nothing to do with marketing, it's simply about people choosing what works.
Lycra is cheaper, easier to clean and maintain, wicks moisture better, dries quicker, holds it's shape better and doesn't itch.

THAT's why wool cycling shorts have died a death.

I wanted to like wool underwear but I had a few problems. First, all these skinnier pants and jeans made these days mean that the pants are going to ride up higher in the crotch area… effectively this causes more rubbing and I've literally worn out new pairs of wool underwear in a matter of 2 days of wearing. They always rip in the crotch area because of the fact that they rub against the jeans seam every time you take a step.

Also, I have a problem with the heat factor. Wool underwear just doesn't wick that well compared to the others I've tried. I always feel hotter and sweatier when wearing them. Even the 150 merino is noticeably hotter than wearing synthetic underwear.

This part is personal for me, but I assume others feel the same thing – boxer briefs made of synthetic, especially wool materials don't allow for direct air exchange, and they ride up on people with fatter OR more muscular thighs. If you're walking around or hiking in shorts, you want the airflow to reach your crotch area with each step. I find that boxers that are NOT briefs do a significantly better job of keeping you cool and sweat-free on those really warm summer days. Sure the ex officio sports boxer-briefs are the most breathable I've found, and the long version really stays in place, but any other "regular length" boxer briefs tend to ride up and bunch up in the crotch area, making it even worse for breathability. Time to make boxer briefs with wider legs, or size-specific to skinny people vs regular people vs larger legged individuals.

Overall I just find that ultra-light shorts with the built-in bathing suit style brief is by far the best option for me. No sweating, no chafing, no extra underwear to think about, its all built right into the shorts…

My two cents;

I do not find 150 wool underwear any warmer at all when compared to synthetics, though I will agree that they feel different, so a psychological difference may exist for some people. I prefer them to cotton and synthetics. When it's 90ºF+ I wear ex-officio for the moisture wicking, but anything under that and wool is fine for me.

I wear wool cycling shorts. There's lycra in the crotch and seat, and wool everywhere else, and it's tightly woven with spandex. I've worn them for 7,000 miles of riding and they're still great. At 1,500 miles, I had them replaced by Icebreaker for a run along a seam, then the new pair is still in use. I sewed up two pinholes from a crash that surely would have shredded lycra.

As for stretch,

SPANDEX.

Icebreaker weaves 6% spandex into their underwear, and just as much into their shorts. It holds it's shape perfectly with no stretch at all. I cannot speak to the W&P underwear since I haven't tried it, but to everyone complaining about the stretch, it's easily avoidable if you know what you're buying… just get the right brand with a 94%/6% mix.

My Icebreaker ones are great for hiking and running because they keep their shape, so they offer good support.

Signed,

Max "Wool Underwear" Dilthey

Ol' Mutton Nards has a nice ring to it.

I've found hat ex officio briefs hold up extremely well under a variety of conditions, and they are my go to's for hiking, travel and normal attire.

Haven't tried merino briefs, would be an interesting comparison. Have a lot of smartwool pieces for shirts, gloves, long johns. I find the midweight to be the best in performance and durability.

Prefer briefs for the cut. Some boxer briefs are too long for me.

Let me know if Icahn help.

Woahhh! Didn't realize that the topic of underwear on Backpacking Light would stir the pot so much. This is really good stuff.

For the sake of privacy, please email help@woolandprince.com with your address, size, and how you plan on testing the underwear. (grinding away at the office, hiking every weekend, wearing them for 10 days straight, etc)

We'll select a few of you to send samples to.

Max, you are an underwear celebrity!