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Women's quick dry baselayers

Tue 18 Apr, 2017 10:54 am

I'm really not sure which topic to put this in. I thought maybe equipment but who looks under equipment for underwear.

Anyway, i'm wondering what brands of quick dry undies, active support sports bras and socks women use while trekking? Antibacterial, cheap and not merino is helpful.

I have been using bamboo for years, merino before going vegan, and am getting tired of how long they take to dry and the extra weight of "natural fibre" (term used loosely).

Any quick dry synthetic suggestions are welcome (:

T

Re: Women's quick dry baselayers

Tue 18 Apr, 2017 1:47 pm

Haven't really sought out "quick dry" stuff so far - but the Bonds undies you get in Woolworths supermarkets are pretty fast-drying. The "hipster" synthetic model. They come on 1/2 price special fairly regularly which makes them around $8 each, and they are nice and light.
Also Antz Pantz or any of those stretchy synthetic ones with no additional gusset.

Kathmandu have the following but they are $19.98:
Women's bikini cut briefs, ideal for travel and adventure.
Features & Specs
Quick drying, lightweight underwear
Waffle knit for breathability and comfort
Ultra-fresh antimicrobial protection
Fabric
94% Nylon
6% Elastane
Weight Size 10 40g

Re: Women's quick dry baselayers

Tue 18 Apr, 2017 1:57 pm

Polypropylene is very light, and dries very quickly. I don't wear it for socks though, because polypro socks tend to get smelly.

Re: Women's quick dry baselayers

Tue 18 Apr, 2017 6:46 pm

ribuck wrote:Polypropylene is very light, and dries very quickly. I don't wear it for socks though, because polypro socks tend to get smelly.

Yep ): Smell is always a problem with synthetics. Especially if there is no spare water for washing if out for a few weeks or months (:
Stay upwind of me!

Re: Women's quick dry baselayers

Tue 18 Apr, 2017 6:48 pm

Eremophila wrote:Haven't really sought out "quick dry" stuff so far - but the Bonds undies you get in Woolworths supermarkets are pretty fast-drying. The "hipster" synthetic model. They come on 1/2 price special fairly regularly which makes them around $8 each, and they are nice and light.
Also Antz Pantz or any of those stretchy synthetic ones with no additional gusset.

Kathmandu have the following but they are $19.98:
Women's bikini cut briefs, ideal for travel and adventure.
Features & Specs
Quick drying, lightweight underwear
Waffle knit for breathability and comfort
Ultra-fresh antimicrobial protection
Fabric
94% Nylon
6% Elastane
Weight Size 10 40g


Thank you!
I'll have a look at Bonds. Are they still an Australian company? That would be a selling point (:

Re: Women's quick dry baselayers

Tue 18 Apr, 2017 7:06 pm

Bonds are now owned by a company called Hanesbrands Inc, which is American.

Re: Women's quick dry baselayers

Tue 18 Apr, 2017 8:09 pm

I reckon this is them - hipster boyleg:
https://www.woolworths.com.au/Shop/Sear ... geNumber=2

Not the "hipster bikini" which are more cotton-ey and therefore take longer to dry.

Looks like they are now 2 for $18, should be half that when they come on sale.

Re: Women's quick dry baselayers

Wed 19 Apr, 2017 1:38 pm

Eremophila wrote:I reckon this is them - hipster boyleg:
https://www.woolworths.com.au/Shop/Sear ... geNumber=2

Not the "hipster bikini" which are more cotton-ey and therefore take longer to dry.

Looks like they are now 2 for $18, should be half that when they come on sale.


Thank you so much for the link. I had a look at the Bonds online range and their sales. Woolies is cheaper (:

There is no competitive ($) Australian company anymore.

Re: Women's quick dry baselayers

Wed 19 Apr, 2017 1:42 pm

I get these sports bras from Kmart - cheap and dry pretty quickly (I wear them all the time not just for bushwalking)

http://www.kmart.com.au/product/seamfree-wirefree-crop-top/907902

For walking and travel I like Patagonia undies, quick drying, compact and lightweight
http://www.patagonia.com/product/womens-active-briefs-underwear/32404.html

Re: Women's quick dry baselayers

Wed 19 Apr, 2017 8:51 pm

beachcruiser wrote:I get these sports bras from Kmart - cheap and dry pretty quickly (I wear them all the time not just for bushwalking)

http://www.kmart.com.au/product/seamfree-wirefree-crop-top/907902

For walking and travel I like Patagonia undies, quick drying, compact and lightweight
http://www.patagonia.com/product/womens-active-briefs-underwear/32404.html


Thanks Beach cruiser, great links!
Can't beat the crop top for price and I'm impressed that Patagonia uses polyester recycled from plastic bottles. I'm going back for another look (:

Re: Women's quick dry baselayers

Thu 20 Apr, 2017 5:42 pm

Don't get boyleg undies! Your butt will eat them. Get the bikini variety...sometimes good to buy in a size bigger than you are as cotton/elastane mix will shrink with washes. I wear bikini bonds ones and tbh they are not very heavy. You can save some weight carrying fewer pairs of undies by using panty liners...but if your undies get wet from rain it kinda doesn't work. Also synthetic undies is a totally gross idea as synthetic does not breath...you will probs give yourself an infection!

Re: Women's quick dry baselayers

Thu 20 Apr, 2017 8:16 pm

Suz wrote:Don't get boyleg undies! Your butt will eat them. Get the bikini variety...sometimes good to buy in a size bigger than you are as cotton/elastane mix will shrink with washes. I wear bikini bonds ones and tbh they are not very heavy. You can save some weight carrying fewer pairs of undies by using panty liners...but if your undies get wet from rain it kinda doesn't work. Also synthetic undies is a totally gross idea as synthetic does not breath...you will probs give yourself an infection!

I've used boyleg for years without ride up. They are much more comfortable than bikini. We all have different shapes (:
The panty liner idea sounds like it would give an infection and add extra weight. I walk solo unaccompanied for months at a time, usually at least 4,000kms over a 6-8mth section, and cotton doesn't last more than a season. It deteriorates too quickly from sweat and hand washing. I use synthetic fibre crop tops and they don't give me infections. That comment was a bit OTT.
I'm trying to move away from natural fibre because they are not good enough for what I do (:

Re: Women's quick dry baselayers

Thu 20 Apr, 2017 9:09 pm

I think that most modern Polyester and Polypropylene garments are so quick drying that it comes down to fit. The best underwear is probably no underwear at all but there are limitations on where and when you can do that.
For quick drying times the lighter it is the faster it drys and that is simple mechanics at work.
The new Patagonia stuff is extremely light but so is a lot of other brand stuff.
Blokes are also affectedby skin conditions when we sweat excessively and I try and avoid cotton because it simply hangs on to moisture. Currently I'm wering cool stuff from Uniqlo but I think the womens versions sold out months ago as did the mens. All sizes and colours went in 24 hours.
I have to say tha way back in the 60s and 70s a lot of my lady friends and travel companions did not as a rule wear "smalls" those long flowing hippy dresses gave all the privacy a girl could wish for and were a lot cooler. I was often jealous because a bloke dressing like that in FNQ in the 60s would not have lived very long no matter how cool and comfortable it was it wasn't worth the risk

Re: Women's quick dry baselayers

Thu 20 Apr, 2017 10:35 pm

Moondog55 wrote:I think that most modern Polyester and Polypropylene garments are so quick drying that it comes down to fit. The best underwear is probably no underwear at all but there are limitations on where and when you can do that.
For quick drying times the lighter it is the faster it drys and that is simple mechanics at work.
The new Patagonia stuff is extremely light but so is a lot of other brand stuff.
Blokes are also affectedby skin conditions when we sweat excessively and I try and avoid cotton because it simply hangs on to moisture. Currently I'm wering cool stuff from Uniqlo but I think the womens versions sold out months ago as did the mens. All sizes and colours went in 24 hours.
I have to say tha way back in the 60s and 70s a lot of my lady friends and travel companions did not as a rule wear "smalls" those long flowing hippy dresses gave all the privacy a girl could wish for and were a lot cooler. I was often jealous because a bloke dressing like that in FNQ in the 60s would not have lived very long no matter how cool and comfortable it was it wasn't worth the risk


Moondog55! Thank you! You have just given me some inspiration for my 2019 solo trek. I have been trying to find a good twist for an environmental awareness walk and I think you just smashed my walkers block. I can feel the excitement bubbling up already (:

These days you can wear whatever you feel comfortable in and nobody looks twice. That's great unless you're an eccentric by profession (;

I'll keep my eye on Uniqlo for new stock.

Re: Women's quick dry baselayers

Thu 20 Apr, 2017 10:41 pm

Suz, I think good hygiene habits during multi day walks is very important. This is how we avoid infections like UTIs, common for women new to section and through hikes who haven't tapped into peer advice.

However, synthetics like elastine, polyester, nylon, rayon need washing more often than natural fibres. It is a small compromise for weight, wicking and durability (:

Re: Women's quick dry baselayers

Fri 21 Apr, 2017 7:28 am

What did I do?

Re: Women's quick dry baselayers

Sat 29 Apr, 2017 11:54 am

Bonds 1/2 price at Woolies this week.
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