jocks, boxers or commando....?

[scubabob]

i guess the title says it all, although i don't know where the term "commando" comes from, ( i don't recall running through the scrub in my army days without underwear). Point is, what do people wear on long, trips of several days? I wear jocks in everyday life, can't stand boxers and suffer no ill effects, but i'm not sure about a several day hike. What's the popular consensus?

[Joe]

I'm a boxers man...hiking, or otherwise. commando can lead to trouble with bits getting caught in fly...and jocks just not comfortable for me.

[Son of a Beach]

Great question! I've tried 'em all, at one time or another.

I went pseudo-commando on only one overnight walk (ie, was wearing thermal leggings, but nothing under them). My theory at the time was that thermals should do the job of undies. But I was wrong... they don't fit the same and are not very comfortable after a bit of walking. I would guess that after a few days, this could have become quite painful.

I always used to always wear jocks ('briefs'?), but now go for boxers. NB: These are the skin-tight cotton boxers, NOT the baggy satin style.

I reckon it's important to have a bit of fabric between the top of the leg and the scrotum when doing several days of sweaty walking. Best to avoid the jock itch which can get rather painful.

Apparently (so I've been told) chaffing is just as much, if not more, of a problem for the women folk, and liners are helpful, apparently.

[kantonysen]

I prefer jocks, you can take a number without them taking up much space in the pack. I find cotton ones are best.

[tasadam]

Jocks for me... The regular cotton type like Bonds or Vibes... Usually 3 pair on an extended walk, one to wear, one for night wear which turns into your day wear on day 4 or 5 or whatever depending on your walk duration, and the 3rd pair becomes your night pair at that time, with the luxury of leaving your night pair on for your last day...
Not that I've had any "accident" when walking, you know, with that high fibre diet and all, (and not that I would confess if I had... but I haven't to date) but should one occur, you've got it covered with this strategy...
A plastic bag for this kind of laundry could come in handy!
I've never been a boxer man, things just hang too loose for me, I suppose it's an acquired feel.... Jocks hold things in place much better.
I can't imagine going commando - one extra barrier for the leeches to get through can't be all bad!

As for the popular concensus, whatever works for you would be my advice.

[Penguin]

It is the unusual that takes peoples fancy on these forums isn't it.

Having a bit of psoriasis in the nether regions, irritation has been a problem on longer walks.

I have found the polypropalene/lycra tightish boxers the best. The elastic in the jockey type rubs on the upper thigh and the cotton/lycra boxers maintain to much moisture and so irritate the psoriasis.

The polyprop's are good travelling to becasue they dry in most hotel rooms overnight, so two pair does for the trip.

Commando style just has too many issues!!!!

[tim]

Where are all the commando advocates?

In hot weather it is the only way to be. Being in the army I spend a reasonable amount of time out bush, mostly in hot, manky areas. It is a whole lot cleaner down there without them-air is some quality stuff-, and so long as it is warm you work up a sweat and everything stays 'lubricated.'

I always thought that to go without jocks was just asking to tear your nuts off on some conveniently placed scrub, so the first time I tried it was a last resort - I had some mad jock chaffage going on. Ever since then if it above 25C and I am going out for more than a day I cut the jocks away.

As far as cold climates go, I dont feel the need to let the poor thing shrivel away needlessly. Warmth can be good.

[corvus]

My everday undershorts are satin boxers which suit me ,my walking companion Son wears knit cotton boxers but when Bushwalking we both wear polyprop boxers . Over the past 15 years we experinced various levels of chafing and decided to retify this with the polyprop boxers and for the past five years or so we now walk in comfort .
In addition if you experience chafing,sore bum, or any other ailment in that area or elsewhere I can recomend Lucas Papaw Ointment it works on every orifice check it out

[Joe]

In addition if you experience chafing,sore bum, or any other ailment in that area or elsewhere I can recomend Lucas Papaw Ointment it works on every orifice check it out

correct my poor quoting if i am wrong...but this is awesome. you have more luxury items regarding the nether regions than i carry for my non nethers. Baby wipes for freckle polishing...paw paw for chaffy vas deferens....i clearly havent been paying enough attention to certain areas of my walking.

On serious note the poly prop boxers...these just bought from backpackers barn type stores? Ive never seen them but being a cotton boxer guy the idea of these really appeals. Are they tight fit like the thermal long johns? And if so do they tend to ride up?

[corvus]

The polyprop boxers are available from all good BW shops and in my experience dont creep up.

[Joe]

The polyprop boxers are available from all good BW shops and in my experience dont creep up.

sweet learn something everyday. another item to add to my xmas wishlist.

[corvus]

In case anyone is interested we expat (what does that mean) Scots can claim to commando as the Highland Regiments in the early Days were inspected and charged if they were caught wearing underwear (check out WALLACE ) as Kilt wearing Scouts in Scotland we tried this out both in Scotland and Overseas and Quickly put oor breeks back on as the daft element of the old women kept lifting oor Kilts ,I dont know what for except that they were interested in checking out oor hairy (whatis)
Not allowed to say Rude words
corvus

[little_blue_man]

there is nothing better then a pair of fast drying trunks, i once wore a pair of seamless bonds trunks on a 6 day walls trip without chaffing

[Joe]

there is nothing better then a pair of fast drying trunks, i once wore a pair of seamless bonds trunks on a 6 day walls trip without chaffing

That has to be up there with the best 1st posts of all time. Nothing says camping better than wearing same undies for 6 days

[corvus]

I guess the key word was fast drying so the whiff would have been controled by immersion prior to the fast dry,interested to know what the outcome would be on a week long WET Tassie walk in the Walls.

[walkinTas]

Oh no - another thread rapidly degenerating to an all to familiar theme.

[corvus]

Hey walkinTas its the type of thread that would dry up without comment frivolous or otherwise and it did get a further post

[Joe]

Hey walkinTas its the type of thread that would dry up without comment frivolous or otherwise and it did get a further post

Good to keep the thread dry I would say...too moist and it would chafe

[tas-man]

I have found the found that on walks longer than 2-3 days, chaffing in the groin region can seriously impact upon the joy of extended walking trips. My most "chafing experiences" were several week long walks in the tropics of PNG in the 1970's, and commando style was the only solution then with lots of antibiotic/antifungal powder applied regularly. On a five day Tassie summer trip in 1992, the "jock rot" reared its ugly head and I had to resort to more than just a "no undie Monday" with cortisone anti inflamitory ointment and a jury rigged jock strap made from a spare sock to prevent further chaffing! Necessity IS the mother of invention! I reckon that there would be a big market for bloke's jocks that if comfortable for a week in the bush, would be brilliant for everyday wear. I have sometimes wondered that with all the design effort that goes into women's support equipment, why bloke's gear couldn't get similar attention for more practical and comfortable underwear.

[Lynda Moir]

My everday undershorts are satin boxers which suit me ,my walking companion Son wears knit cotton boxers but when Bushwalking we both wear polyprop boxers . Over the past 15 years we experinced various levels of chafing and decided to retify this with the polyprop boxers and for the past five years or so we now walk in comfort .
In addition if you experience chafing,sore bum, or any other ailment in that area or elsewhere I can recomend Lucas Papaw Ointment it works on every orifice check it out

Vaseline does the job too.
Lynda

[corvus]

My everday undershorts are satin boxers which suit me ,my walking companion Son wears knit cotton boxers but when Bushwalking we both wear polyprop boxers . Over the past 15 years we experinced various levels of chafing and decided to retify this with the polyprop boxers and for the past five years or so we now walk in comfort .
In addition if you experience chafing,sore bum, or any other ailment in that area or elsewhere I can recomend Lucas Papaw Ointment it works on every orifice check it out

Vaseline does the job too.
Lynda

Tas -Man,
By your ATAVAR and 1970t's walking experience I believe you are are of my Vintage and with respect I suggest you really check out my "boxers "solution" they leave a sock for dead !! they are really comfortable can be rinsed out each night and they will dry very quickly (I always carry a spare JIC) and the Pawaw Ointment is excellent and suitable for more than the very good Vaseline that Lynda mentioned.
Hope this helps from a fellow sexagenarian

[norts]

When I was doing alot of running in heat in the Army I would always run in bike shorts. Stopped any chaffing.
When I bushwalk I always wear cotton jocks and change them as regularly as possible. In hot weather usually every day, you can recognise me by the jocks and socks hanging on my pack. When the weather is wet it could be a long time between changes. Only ever carry 2 pairs of jocks. Then you can recognise me, I am the bloke sitting alone !

Roger

[Drifting]

What underwear do you all use, and how does it stand up to multi-day use?

Ta!

EDIT by Admin, merged underwear topic into existing topic after discussing with Drifting.

[Tony]

Hi Drifting,

I use Icebreaker 200wt boxer shorts winter and summer, a lot of my 3 season walking is combined with flyfishing and I spend a lot of the day walking in rivers and sometimes in not to warm water or temps, the icebreakers are warm when wet, dry very quickly, are very comfortable to wear, are not hot to wear on hot days.

Though the longest that I have worn them is only 4 days.

Tony

[ninjapuppet]

Hi Drifting,


..the longest that I have worn them is only 4 days.

Tony

is that by
day 1: wearing them,
day 2: then turning then back to front,
day 3: then flipping them inside out,
day 4: inside out back to front ?

Tony, you're a genius!

[dancier]

is that by
day 1: wearing them,
day 2: then turning then back to front,
day 3: then flipping them inside out,
day 4: inside out back to front ?

Tony, you're a genius!

Multiply that by 45 and you've got the longest recorded wearing of an icebreaker product, that was some time back so it might be more than 180 days now.

[Taurë-rana]

I used Icebreaker undies for a few days last walk, they were very comfortable. I have to admit, the undies were the only thing that got changed permanently - the same wet socks every morning for 7 days (dry ones at night), the same damp/wet longjohns, and after putting it on the first evening, my Icebreaker lightweight first layer didn't come off until I finished the walk. By the end of the walk, we didn't want to be anywhere near ourselves, let alone each other, but with little water and freezing winds even when it wasn't raining, washing would have been a huge test of character!

[johnw]

Always used synthetic briefs undies for bushwalking. Usually polyester or nylon coolmax. Mainly for reasons of quick drying, more comfortable, less sweaty. Even in cold weather I find that they moderate the temperature quite well, but generally wear thermals as well for sleeping in tents.

[Macca81]

i guess the title says it all, although i don't know where the term "commando" comes from,

because your always ready for action

not unusual for me to go like this on a day to day basis, much more comfortable, cept when its hot and sweaty...

I have found the polypropalene/lycra tightish boxers the best

totally agree, cant go wrong with these! i hate normal loose fitting boxers because IMHO they do nothing except feel like your wearing too many clothes, jocks i dont like because they tend to chaff where the elastic runs up between the leg and scrotum. these offer the support needed when walking, dont chaff and tend to wick the sweat away somewhat.
walking and sports will always have me wearing these. (usually "maxx" branded i think, from target)

and so long as it is warm you work up a sweat and everything stays 'lubricated.'

i disagree! sweat, when used between 2 pieces of skin in constant contact and movement, is THE most abrasive substance known to mankind! it may not be proven, but ill stand by it! id rather put sandpaper between my legs than walk around with my sweaty thighs rubbing together! (and my thighs rub together quite well, so i know all about it...)

In addition if you experience chafing,sore bum, or any other ailment in that area or elsewhere I can recomend Lucas Papaw Ointment it works on every orifice check it out

this man knows what he is talking about! i cant agree more! refer to my above sentence and you will see that i can attest to this



on another point, i notice that i have made no real contribution to the new half of this thread, all my quotes have come from years ago

[sthughes]

Tried all types over the last few months, reckon briefs are worst even though that's pretty much all I have worn my whole life. Everything else ('tight' boxers, satin boxers, commando) all work well for me. After getting a bit chaffed on day 2 to Frenchmans I wore satin boxers on day 3 and commando on the last day, both were ok but I reckon satin might be a bit low stretch for lots of steep uphill.