[at-l] Underwear on the trail.

[icw39@ncfreedom.net (Clark Wright)]

Well, here is my two cents worth!  The right kind of underwear is the
key to life! :)  The REI boxers, made of their capilene equivalent do
the same job biker shorts do, but cheaper and lighter.  With two pair of
those, you can go with your basic $5.00 walmart nylon swim trunks (cut
the liner out if they come with one!) and then buy one good pair of
warmer hiking shorts for the winter (I loved my Zoics - expensive, but
great; I never take long pants, even in below freezing winter on the AT
- just long undies and rain pants).  For my AT hike, I had two pair of
the boxer style REI underwear, one $5.00 pr of Walmart specials, and one
pair of the Zoics - that covered it all (with the addition of the long
undies and red ledge rain pants).

Thru-thinker

Mara Factor wrote:
> 
> Tom,
> 
> If you haven't figured it out beforehand, you'll have over 2000 miles to
> figure it out as you go.  Maybe put a couple options in your bounce box so
> you can switch out as you go.
> 
> I use an option that can work well for men and women.  Bike shorts.  I
> discovered this option by accident one weekend many years ago when I wanted
> an extra pair of shorts in my pack "just in case"...  My cotton shorts got
> soaked so I put my bike shorts on and haven't found anything else nearly as
> comfortable since.
> 
> The lycra legs that can't bunch up or rub prevent chafing so I don't need to
> carry goop.  They rinse out and dry fairly quickly.
> 
> I was a bicyclist before starting to hike extensively and was already used
> to wearing bike shorts sans underwear and that works great for hiking, too.
> 
> If you wear true "padded" bike shorts, get cheap ones with a minimum of
> padding and bulk for hiking.  Ones without an inseam are bonus.  Also,
> little pockets that they sometimes tuck into the waist can sometimes bunch
> up and be uncomfortable under your backpack.
> 
> Many of the hikers I met on the trail who started out wearing underwear
> gave it up as they went.  Invariably, they would get chafed.  A couple of
> days without underwear and they usually didn't go back.
> 
> Men often wore the shorts with mesh panels in them.  Women, just shorts.
> 
> Anyway, while this was neither a boxer nor brief answer, perhaps it was an
> option you hadn't already considered.
> 
> Hope this helps,
> 
> Mara
> Stitches, GAME99
> 
> >From: Tom Mantooth <tomman@attbi.com>
> >Date: Fri, 31 May 2002 20:52:33 -0500
> >
> >This question is concerning the type of male underwear to use on the
> >trail, you Ladies may also have some input.
> 
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