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#79598 - 12/10/06 03:42 AM good material for long johns
picard120 Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 07/10/05
Posts: 763
What type of long johns are suitable for long term use in winter? i am not sure this topic was discussed before. I did a search for threads over a month but I didn't find any of them.

silk
merino wool / plain wool
microfiber & spandex made by polartec

I use the microfiber version because it dries quickly and more durable, soft to the skin, wicks moisture well.

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#79599 - 12/10/06 05:24 AM Re: good material for long johns
wildman800 Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 11/09/06
Posts: 2846
Loc: La-USA
I still prefer 100% cotton. The rayon/cotton blends cause me excessive itching on the calves and sides of the stomach. Layering is the most important factor to trap your body heat but the cotton will allow your body to breathe better, which will help prevent overheating.
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The best luck is what you make yourself!

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#79600 - 12/10/06 05:44 AM Re: good material for long johns
Albireo Offline


Registered: 11/29/06
Posts: 19
What about the "Cotton Kills" mantra?

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#79601 - 12/10/06 06:10 AM Re: good material for long johns
Frankie Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 09/19/03
Posts: 736
Loc: Montréal, Québec, Canada
I have Patagonia's Capilene® long johns. They are comfortable and hydrophilic. I don't know if it's better Merino wool for long term situations but I do know they are more expensive. I know the underwear should touch the skin and quickly wick moisture away. Then you use wool for the insulation layer. Anyway, good question...

Frankie

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#79602 - 12/10/06 06:19 AM Re: good material for long johns
Frankie Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 09/19/03
Posts: 736
Loc: Montréal, Québec, Canada
Sorry, Capilene is hydrophobic but has a hydrophilic finish or something like that anyway.

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#79603 - 12/10/06 06:50 AM Re: good material for long johns
NeighborBill Offline
Enthusiastic
Enthusiast

Registered: 03/02/03
Posts: 385
Loc: Oklahoma City
Cotton only kills you if you're wet and it's cold out <img src="/images/graemlins/smile.gif" alt="" />
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Member of the toughest, meanest, deadliest, most unrelenting -- and ablest -- form of life in this section of space, a critter that can be killed but can't be tamed. --Robert A. Heinlein

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#79604 - 12/10/06 06:52 AM Re: good material for long johns
Albireo Offline


Registered: 11/29/06
Posts: 19
Ya, I assume since he's talking about "long johns in winter" it would be refering to cold weather...

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#79605 - 12/10/06 08:35 AM Re: good material for long johns
JohnN Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 10/10/01
Posts: 966
Loc: Seattle, WA
Quote:
I have Patagonia's Capilene® long johns.


I second Patagonia Capilene. Their expedition weight offers a lot of bang for the bulk. For max effect, layered with a pair of lightweight or silkweight next to the skin, with a pair of expedition weight over that and then your fleece and then your shell.

Oops. It looks like they've renamed their products, It looks like 'silkweight' is now called 'Capilene 1' and 'expedition weight' is now called 'Capilene 4'.

-john


Edited by JohnN (12/10/06 08:37 AM)

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#79606 - 12/10/06 11:31 AM Re: good material for long johns
Orbital_Burn Offline


Registered: 06/03/06
Posts: 17
Loc: Idaho
I use nothing but silk. I've found it very warm.
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When all else fails,
vote from the rooftops.

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#79607 - 12/10/06 01:27 PM Re: good material for long johns
Old_Scout Offline
journeyman

Registered: 11/03/06
Posts: 95
Loc: Delaware
My vote goes to 100% merino wool from NZ. That's my preference for comfort. I also use polypro but find it less comfortable on a day in day out basis. If I were soaking wet the nod may go to polypro - but then again, I try to stay dry in those kinds of conditions!
_________________________
See 'Ya Down the Trail,
Mike McGrath

"Be Prepared" "For what?" "Why, any old thing!" B-P

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#79608 - 12/10/06 07:31 PM Re: good material for long johns
jshannon Offline
Addict

Registered: 02/02/03
Posts: 647
Loc: North Texas
Snowshoeing- polartec powerdry
Downhill skiing- expedition weight fleece

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#79609 - 12/10/06 07:48 PM Re: good material for long johns
tfisher Offline
Member

Registered: 01/29/01
Posts: 186
Loc: Illinois, USA
I use Polypro,
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If you want the job done right call "Tactical Trackers"

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#79610 - 12/11/06 02:30 AM Re: good material for long johns
NeighborBill Offline
Enthusiastic
Enthusiast

Registered: 03/02/03
Posts: 385
Loc: Oklahoma City
I've used cotton, silk, polypro, and wool.

Hands down, silk wins. Cotton is useless after about a day.

Polypro stinks after a day, and melts when you're next to a fire. Washing it to remove the smell only makes it smaller.

Wool would be fine, but it's thick and makes me itch.

Silk works.
_________________________
Member of the toughest, meanest, deadliest, most unrelenting -- and ablest -- form of life in this section of space, a critter that can be killed but can't be tamed. --Robert A. Heinlein

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#79611 - 12/11/06 03:05 AM Re: good material for long johns
Chris Kavanaugh Offline
Carpal Tunnel

Registered: 02/09/01
Posts: 3824
Long Johns are the transpiration layer to wick chilling perspiration off the skin ( unless you buy into vapour barrier lining theory.) As such, cotton actually works well if you are garanteed 20 degrees or lower. Anything above and it slowly begins to earn it's 'cotton kills' reputation. Another option are fishnets, invented in Scandinavia and available from Brynje and Wiggys. The theory is the netting allows VERY rapid moisture transfer and traps larger pockets of warm air in that initial layer. Longjohns also come in various wieghts for different temperature ranges. There is no reason not to try and even carry more than one set for true versatility.

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#79612 - 12/11/06 07:45 PM Re: good material for long johns
Misanthrope Offline
Member

Registered: 09/08/05
Posts: 156
Loc: Chicago burbs
Only experience I have had is with either the old-fashioned cotton thermals and polypro. The cotton worked fine until it became the least bit damp, then it was just cold and uncomfortable.

Poly-pro seems to work well with 2 cautions, after a couple of days it really begins to stink and it seems to loose it's effectiveness. I usually pack at least 3 pairs for cold weather: one for sleeping, one for wearing, and one to be rinsed out.
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#79613 - 12/11/06 08:32 PM Re: good material for long johns
Schwert Offline
Old Hand

Registered: 03/13/02
Posts: 905
Loc: Seattle, Washington
I have switched to wool for the most part. Smartwool to be specific, longs are excellent. They are super soft and non-itchy and handle moisture very well. I have almost completely abandoned my capiliene in favor of these and have absolutely done so in dry cold. I have two weights of Smartwool bottoms and both are superior in every way to any plastic underwear I have ever used.

Byrnje poly string is excellent for high mositure activities like cross-country skiing, and combined with Smartwool on top of them it is a super combo for very cold.

The wool tops I use are: Icebreaker, Smartwool and Filson. The first two are much softer wool than the Filson which I only use as an outer layer top.

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#79614 - 12/11/06 10:07 PM Re: good material for long johns (about wool)
Ron Offline
Member

Registered: 02/04/05
Posts: 171
Loc: Georgia, USA
Just a note to second what you wrote about Smartwool.

One misconception about wool is that it is scratchy. That is true in some cases, but not always. Not all wool is created equal.

Different breeds of sheep produce wool fibers that are different lengths and diameters. The price of raw wool is based to a large degree on fiber diameter. Small fiber diameter is best for high quality, soft materials. Course (cheap) fleeces go to applications like carpet and rugs.

The Merino breed produces a fine diameter fiber. Smartwool is Merino wool.

I once had a wool army overcoat that would sand paper my neck every time I wore it. Rag wool sweaters are course and scratchy. The wool US army blanket is made of courser wool. Some cheaper XYZ-Mart undergarments use cheap wool. Cheap wool socks can also give wool a bad rap.

But, good quality wool undergarments ($$) can be very soft if they are made with the right kind of wool. I just spent the weekend camping. My Smartwool hiking socks were a pure pleasure.



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#79615 - 12/11/06 10:48 PM Re: good material for long johns
91gdub Offline
Member

Registered: 11/12/06
Posts: 172
Loc: South Jersey (the 51st state)
I've been wearing silk longjohns for years. Very comfortable, lightweight. Used to buy them from LL Bean, not sure where the wife get mine now.
Cleaning is PITA, hand washing though.
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Bill Houston

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#79616 - 12/11/06 11:40 PM Re: good material for long johns
Old_Scout Offline
journeyman

Registered: 11/03/06
Posts: 95
Loc: Delaware
For active wear I put wool undies over Wiggy's fishnet. Heaven!

Get the best grade wool you can find - Smartwool OK - fine gauge Merino wool from NZ - better. Make sure you get the thinner. NFL teams wear it at Lambeau - 'nuff said!
_________________________
See 'Ya Down the Trail,
Mike McGrath

"Be Prepared" "For what?" "Why, any old thing!" B-P

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#79617 - 12/12/06 07:31 PM Re: good material for long johns
paramedicpete Offline
Pooh-Bah

Registered: 04/09/02
Posts: 1920
Loc: Frederick, Maryland
You may want to look at some of these products:
REVELATION A/M™ ANTI-MICROBIAL

MEDALIST® SILVERMAX™ TACTICAL SHIELD UNDERWEAR

There is also this product, which it looks like there are not selling to the public at the reduced price, they might at regular list price (you would need to check):
GEAR FOR A WARRIOR™

Pete

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