Long Underwear recomendations

[Undershaft]

I'm looking for recomendations for a set of long underwear. I will be leaving 4/11 from Springer and sleeping in a hammock. I've no doubt I will experience at least a few really cold nights and need some decent long johns to keep me warm. They will be worn around camp under a pair of lightweight nylon pants and a fleece jacket. I don't have any experience with spring weather in the south. It seems everyone uses patagonia capilene. Which would you recomend the capilene 1, 2, or 3? What would you recomend as a less expensive option? I'd prefer not to spend $80 or more on long underwear for the trail. Thanks!

[HiKen2011]

Check into Terramar products from campmor, I use them, I have the lighweight and medium weight.

[johnnyblisters]

Check into Terramar products from campmor, I use them, I have the lighweight and medium weight.

I've been considering the Terramar silk long underwear for my sleeping gear. How warm are these compared to med weight normal long underwear. They would save me about a half a # for $40...

[Rick500]

I have Terramar long underwear and like them, but I don't think they're the silk version.

[Bags4266]

I like my Terramar silk bottoms for cool to mild weather, weigh in at 3 oz and keeps all the funk off my sleeping bag or quilts.

[fredmugs]

I only bring cheap long underwear so I can't help you there but you need to be more concerned with the quilt or underquilt you are bringing for your hammock.

I only section hike but I remember one night in SNP when the low got down to 40 (forecast was for low 50s) and I froze my butt off in my hammock. I had on long underwear, a sweat shirt, had to dig out my rain jacket, and my 45 degree bag didn't cut it. I was so cold I almost started night hiking.

[Papa D]

You will not want to hike in your long underwear - you will get hot - even if it is in the 30s in the day (which by next week, it probably won't be) - I think that just pagagonia mid weight bottoms will be fine for sleeping and around camp - I usually put them on under my trail shorts in the evening - I think that if you have a fleece sweater already that a long underwear top is redundant for the conditions

[Bugz]

Check into Terramar products from campmor, I use them, I have the lighweight and medium weight.

I recently started buying Terramar products and love them. Their silk products are incredibly comfortable. Haven't tested any of their products in very cold temperatures yet but they are a well-respected company so I'm sure any of their thermal products would keep you warm.

[10-K]

I'm far, far from a hammock expert but I've taken mine out a few times and if it were me I'd focus on my underquilt and pad more than my long underwear to keep me warm.

I took my hammock out on a 40* night and even though I was in my 20* sleeping bag, completely covered with long pants on my legs got *cold*.

Adding an underquilt and longer pad and I slept in the same temps with shorts on and was warm.

[Croft]

I wear Merino wool long johns in my sleeping bag (REI occasionally has them on sale for $20 ea). In the summer I usually go "bagless" and they keep me warm even on cool nights with my rain jacket used as a blanket.

[scope]

The duofold stuff works just fine and is available in a lot of stores. Think it compares with Terramar in price and quality. Personally, I think these should be just as good as the Patagonia stuff for a lot less. Do you nylon pants have a layer of mesh? I find that this type of pant with the long johns works great for me. The mesh seems to help trap warm air around the leg.

Also, on the hammock, I hope you are not considering long johns as your method of keeping warm? Would be like carrying one of those 5hr Energy bottles as your method of hydration.

[Grinder]

Nobody on this forum ever recommends the bottom end stuff.

I've been using Military Spec EWS long johns since I started to hike five years ago. No complaints. Catch a good sale and they go under $30. (EWS stands for Extreme Weather something)

What he said about hiking in them. You'll be overheating most of the time. Although, two years ago I got caught in 14 Deg F overnight lows and wore them and my rain suit to hike in.

Mostly, I carry them in the drybag with my sleeping bag and quilt and wear them in camp at night.

[Bags4266]

Well Terramar Silk bottoms weigh 3 oz and costs $20.00 at campmoor. How much cheaper we want to go?

[Bugz]

Nobody on this forum ever recommends the bottom end stuff.

I've been using Military Spec EWS long johns since I started to hike five years ago. No complaints. Catch a good sale and they go under $30. (EWS stands for Extreme Weather something)

What he said about hiking in them. You'll be overheating most of the time. Although, two years ago I got caught in 14 Deg F overnight lows and wore them and my rain suit to hike in.

Mostly, I carry them in the drybag with my sleeping bag and quilt and wear them in camp at night.

You can pick up even the heaviest version of Terramar's thermal underwear for under $30 at campmor.

[Grinder]

I have a set of those terramar and don't think they are near as warm as the EWS. They are lighter and pack smaller, but I wouldn't recommend them as "the pair of long johns".

I use them as under under wear for really cold weather, which, hopefully, I'll never see.

[Praha4]

I started last year from Springer on April 18th, and used Capilene 2 for base layer (top & bottoms), but it was usually only needed for nights til middle of May, when a Capilene 1 base layer would have been fine. I did see some nites in high 20s as late as early May, thru the Smokies. Had low 30s night at Roan High Knob shelter in early May.

[johnnyblisters]

Would anyone recommend silk long underwear for my upcoming thru? I have a pair of cheapo mid weights and the weight savings would be awesome. I know it's all relative, but is a pair of silk LU as warm as a pair of mid weight poly LU?

[moonshine2010]

Definitely wouldn't go above capilene 2. I used one of these tops on my thru hike and it was a very valuable light weight piece. Very durable too. For my bottoms I went with lightweight merino wool. Smartwool is very expensive, but very effective insulation especially when wet. And you will be wet!

[GeneralLee10]

Check into Terramar products from campmor, I use them, I have the lighweight and medium weight.

This should be all you will need. I never really used mine that much I had warm sleeping bags, might have used them 7 times that's about it. Hope that helps.

[Sassafras Lass]

Wickers, available @ STP. I just got a promo for Free Shipping + 30%, I'll email it to you if you'd like.