Which Underpants?

[steven andrews]

What do you wear?

I must admit that over the years I have overlooked one area of base layering..the underpants.
I have always worn cotton briefs and have therefore suffered from sweaty, soggy pants.
For some reason I have always resented paying a lot of money for pants (and socks), but it is now time to change that.

My job as a firefighter means that I have to wear thermally protective overtrousers whilst at incidents and during training, and this leads to a very hot and sweaty nether region.

It is time to buy some wicking knickers!

I am a big fan of Merino wool and think that this is the material I'd like my pants to be made of.
I'd like briefs ..no boxers.

I have found a company called Ortovox who do Merino briefs, but I can't find a UK stockist of them

 

[Toddy]

You could try silk Comfortable, wicking, light....

http://www.patra.com/ProductList.asp?CatID1=37&RP=0&CatID2=0&C1=2&C2=0&C3=37

Cheers,
Toddy

 

[addyb]

You're a firefighter? Well, that rules out you taking my advice, unless you fight fires in the bush. But here it is anyway:


Don't wear underwear in the bush, at least not in the summer. It's a real fast trip to getting crotch rot. (Well, if you sweat)

Oh, and now I have a question for you: What kind of materials are your overtrousers made of? NOMEX? Borax-treated cotton?

Adam

 

[steven andrews]

Oh, and now I have a question for you: What kind of materials are your overtrousers made of? NOMEX? Borax-treated cotton?

Adam

Adam, they are PBI Gold with a Gore-Tex membrane,lightweight thermal wadding and a "wicking" liner.
And these on top of poly-cotton trousers.
No wonder we get sweaty cacks!

 

[Andy]

Have you tried lycra gym shorts? I know they aren't briefs but they hold your kit in place

 

[wilekayote]

What about the ones Felix wears in Viz comics. I've seen him use them as a rucksack, tent, poncho and food larder.

 

[Roy's Badger]

Guess it depends what you need them for. If it's to keep your sweets warm in the arctic, then go for wool (the non-itchy kind). If it's for fire-proofing, cotton every time, but make sure they are only cotton. A friend of mine had his best m&s 'cotton' undercrackers on when he was involved in a fire- although the cotton survived, the comfort lycra m&s had thoughtfully provided did some serious and lasting damage to his nether regions!

 

[BorderReiver]

If there's any risk of you getting more than sweaty hot,I would think that natural fibre is the safest option.
Have a lot of pairs available,change frequently and powder your bits.

 

[arctic hobo]

If you want good underwear, try Craft of Sweden (www.craft.se) or Devold of Norway (www.devold.no). Both make wonderful kit

 

[Rebel]

I'll second the "powdering your bits" idea. I used to live in the tropics and often got a rash between my legs from heat and sweat even though I showered everyday (as one does when they live in the 34C heat with 90% humidty).

IMO cotton or silk is the best material for underwear but putting talc all over my genitals stopped me getting rashes. I'm not a fan of any kind of synthetic next to my skin whatever wonderful claims the manufacturer's make. Possibly for firefighters synthetics could even be dangerous.

 

[pumbaa]

I was on a trip with cadets doing the 100 km van eype (in belgium) and was wearing boxer shorts . After a few miles they ride up the crack of your botty and then start to rub back and forth causing a nasty blister (not that easy to rearrange ones boxers in public) . The advice that i was given was to apply vasaline , although in hind sight this may have been a bit of a joke (although it did work) . So i would have to recomend breifs or going commando . You dont want to go round a foreign army camp asking for vasaline for your butt , believe me !
Pumbaa

 

[BorderReiver]

I was on a trip with cadets doing the 100 km van eype (in belgium) and was wearing boxer shorts . After a few miles they ride up the crack of your botty and then start to rub back and forth causing a nasty blister (not that easy to rearrange ones boxers in public) . The advice that i was given was to apply vasaline , although in hind sight this may have been a bit of a joke (although it did work) . So i would have to recomend breifs or going commando . You dont want to go round a foreign army camp asking for vasaline for your butt , believe me !
Pumbaa

No joke Pumbaa,vaseline is great to prevent rubbing and chafing when on a long walk/run.Well recognised preventative.
Again no,you don't want to go round a foreign army camp asking for vaseline.

 

[Rebel]

You dont want to go round a foreign army camp asking for vasaline for your butt , believe me !
Pumbaa

Or any other "camp"!

 

[Andy]

the stuff you get for babies to prevent nappy rash tends to stay in place a bit better. It's a pain to get off but I guess you can't have it both ways.

 

[Celt_Ginger]

vaseline is definately good for reducing chaffing. If you buy it in the small tins usually marketed for applying to lips is also in a small durable easily carried container. Just forget about then using it on your lips though Cotton briefs work for me if I'm on a long walk, as boxers do indeed ride up your backside and chaff.

 

[steven andrews]

the stuff you get for babies to prevent nappy rash tends to stay in place a bit better. It's a pain to get off but I guess you can't have it both ways.

I borrowed some of our baby's Sudocrem after my "try-to-cure-sweaty-bum-by-shaving-hair-off (without shaving foam)" experiment went terribly wrong
That little tub of Sudocrem was worth its weight in gold!!

 

[steven andrews]

You could try silk Comfortable, wicking, light....

http://www.patra.com/ProductList.asp?CatID1=37&RP=0&CatID2=0&C1=2&C2=0&C3=37

Cheers,
Toddy

Thanks for the link Toddy. I've ordered some briefs to try. I'll give them some tough field testing.....If they don't work I'll send them back

 

[BorderReiver]

I borrowed some of our babies Sudocrem after my "try-to-cure-sweaty-bum-by-shaving-hair-off (without shaving foam)" experiment went terribly wrong
That little tub of Sudocrem was worth its weight in gold!!

That stuff is the puppies privates for all sorts of cuts,grazes,rashes,bites etc.
I can't recommend it too highly. (I have no connection with whoever makes it )

 

[Andy]

I borrowed some of our baby's Sudocrem after my "try-to-cure-sweaty-bum-by-shaving-hair-off (without shaving foam)" experiment went terribly wrong
That little tub of Sudocrem was worth its weight in gold!!

Too much info

 

[clcuckow]

Cheapo running short I got from Aldi or lidl or one of them there shops.