Long Underwear recomendations

[puschel]

I recommend woolpower. Expensive but very good. Normaly to warm to hike in.
I just used them once while hiking. As someone else did, combined with very loose fiiting army raingear. Temperature was about freezing.

[AUhiker90]

I had my cap 3 top and bottom the whole thru hike and i loved having them just replaced my top and bottom.

[Undershaft]

Thanks for all the suggestions! I suppose I should have been more specific in my original post. I have no intention of hiking in my long underwear, it's just for wearing around camp and when I sleep. As for staying warm in the hammock I'm toasty down to the mid 50's with just convertible pants, a summerweight polypro long sleeve shirt, fleece bag liner and ridgerest. I'm ok into the 40's with a cheap fleece pullover added. I expect to experience several nights colder than that though, especially in the high elevations of the Smokies. I don't do quilts. I have a 20 degree 750 down bag and a ridgerest pad with a pair of convertible pants, dry (camp only) socks, and a quality fleece jacket & hat. That should keep me good down to the 30's and even lower with the addition of a good pair of long underwear top and bottoms. I've been looking at the Terramar stuff from Campmor, but didn't know if it was any good. I think I'll probably order some this week. Thanks again for the advice!

[johnnyblisters]

My Terramar silk long underwear tops and bottoms just came in today and I'm wearing them as I type. They are VERY thin but surprisingly warm in my chilly apartment. I think I'm going to take them when I leave in 2 weeks for my thru for camp clothes. I just have to remember to cover my "junk" as these garments are not opaque...

[Fog Horn]

If you WERE planning to hike in your LU and shorts on cold days, would you go capilene 1 or would you go merino wool?

I'm not planning on bringing pants, and I was leaning towards the wool because it might keep me warmer when wet but the cap might dry faster?

[Tinker]

I like my Terramar wool long johns, but the bottoms are just a wee bit itchier than my polyester or polypro underwear. I suspect that using a fabric softener would help, but most thruhikers aren't going to want to purchase softener every time they wash their long johns.

[SunnyWalker]

I have bought "longjohns" from Campmoor, etc., before. I still have a set. Right now though I have found that the "longjohns" sold at walmart work just as good! Lot less money! I am talking about the black ones that are usually sold in the camping area or hunting supply area. They are not made out of cotton. What they are made of is . . . . ah, actually it escapes me right now. But they work great. Here in below zero with big wind they work fine. They are thin and lightweight and CHEAP! Of course, if you just gotta spend hundreds on long john UNDERWEAR have at it! -

[MaggieMaeFlower]

I like Patagonia Capilene 2. I wore them around camp without anything on top of the pants and got a hole in the bottom from what I think was a firepit log. Patagonia replaced them for me.

[quilteresq]

Yep - complicated question - I have lightweight silk, wool, and some kind of synthetic probably polyester of some sort of polyester - not polypro - and like them all. For sleeping in spring and fall, I prefer the silk; if it's really cold, then I grab one of the others. (Talking about sleeping in our yurt, where if it's much above 25 degrees at night, I just let the fire go out and it gets down to freezing or so during the night indoors - at home I use regular sleepware) I hiked most of this winter in the silk or the wool with long pants over it - and was hot a lot, especially in the wool, so I'll go with the crowd that says don't hike in them, just use them for sleeping this time of year.

[mgeiger]

Academy Sports- private label stuff comes in 3 weights. Pretty much a rip off of UA. I got the mid weight and am very happy with the quality and performance. $15 for top, 15 for bottoms.

[seadawg]

I have a pair of "Duofolds"....got them from an outfitters about 10 years ago (58 bucks then). I always take them in March and April even in GA (to sleep in...never to hike in). I also wear a pair of "sleeping bag socks".....thick wool blend socks that I bought from an outfitters in '06. Nothing more important for an old man than to keep his feet warm.

[Moose2001]

Why spend big bucks on something that will be total trash when you get done with the hike? As long as it keeps you warm and doesn't weigh a ton, does the name matter? Try Sierratradingpost.com. You can buy good quality stuff for less than $20 per piece. It's all I wear all winter while working outside all day at a ski resort!

[MuddyWaters]

Duofold works and is comfortable. Hot chilis work. Capilene 2 works. Honestly, I think the duofold are my favorite for sleeping warmth and comfort, but they are just a bit heavier than the others, and the lightest wins. (I have lots of different ones I accumulated for skiing) Whatever I wear, in cold weather I leave them on in the morning till I warm up, which doesnt take long. I can hike comfortably in long johns up to about low 30s, I start getting hot above that.

[SunnyWalker]

Leave your pants at home n just hike in shorts w/long johns when u need them. You might go try it out if it's cold enough where you are. Here I go again THREAD RESURRECTION!!!!!!!!! Yaaaaaaaa!

[Prime Time]

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.

+1 I use Ibex, but they're expensive. Patagonia makes them for a little less. The lightest weight would work fine. The advantages to wool are they provide warmth even when wet and they don't get as funky smelling as synthetic types. Also, you can hike in the top if you wanted too. It breathes better then capeline and is more comfortable. Disadvantage is they can't go in the dryer.

[jeffmeh]

+1 I use Ibex, but they're expensive. Patagonia makes them for a little less. The lightest weight would work fine. The advantages to wool are they provide warmth even when wet and they don't get as funky smelling as synthetic types. Also, you can hike in the top if you wanted too. It breathes better then capeline and is more comfortable. Disadvantage is they can't go in the dryer.

I will no longer buy the Ibex, at least the 150 weight. While they are very light, they are also very fragile. I have found Stoic to wear much better.

[fadeaway]

Sierra Trading Post has all brands mentioned at lower prices than Campmor.