Long Undies

[yolfer]

Maybe it was psychosomatic but yesterday evening my legs felt cold, so I put on some long underwear and felt much better.

I live in the temperate Pacific Northwest, so it's rarely cold enough to need long underwear for long stretches of time. But for those of you in colder climates, do you own multiple pairs? Wear something under them so you can wear them a couple days in a row? Hand-wash them nightly? Inquiring minds need to know! Or perhaps this is a TMI question?

[CNM]

I live in Santa Fe, NM which is high altitude and we definitely have winter here.  I only wear long underwear if I'm going to be outside for a long time, like if I'm going skiing or hiking.  Otherwise, most places I go (work, home, library) are adequately heated so I only need to wear pants.  As for laundering long underwear, because I use them infrequently and usually for sports-related activities, I wash them after wearing them and then put them back in my ski gear box.

[kt]

as a girl i just wear thick tights under my jeans and find they definitely make a difference. i work from home and the heating is only on morning and early evening so without them i am definitely chilly by lunchtime.

[johnnylighthouse]

I am outside a lot and wear long underwear daily through the winter.  I strongly prefer wool as I overheat much less when I come in and they don't smell as much.  I'll wear them for a couple of days as long as I don't break a sweat.  I have a couple of pairs too but I'll typically wear one until I'm ready to wash it.

[boy_bye]

i have a few long undies options, listed in here in order of how much i need to be freezing my ass off before i put them on under my jeans.

- microfiber tights
- thick cotton leggings
- silk long underwear
- thick wooly tights

i wash the tights after every wear. may squeeze 2-3 wears out of the leggings / silkies before they need to be washed, depending on how stinky i got 'em :)

[arebelspy]

I'll wear them for a couple of days as long as I don't break a sweat. 

Ditto.  I don't sweat much, so mine stay reusable for days in a row.

YMMV.

[Kriegsspiel]

I slept in mine when it was cold at night.  I have military issue polypros, and the thing silks. 

[herisff]

I've always had really cold legs. I live in the PNW but feel the cold when fall hits. I live in my fleece-lined jeans. I do have a pair of flannel-lined jeans, but they're usually not enough by November. So all winter I live in my fleecy jeans. If I didn't change in/out of clothes so much and could stay dressed in street clothes all day, I'd just put thermals or long underwear on, but I change into and out of scrubs at work, so take the convenient route.

[darkelenchus]

I wear upper and lower body thermal underwear from about late September or so until late April or early May. Milwaukee is pretty cold during the winter months, but it's also very windy during winter and early spring. The added layer definitely helps to keep warm and comfortable. I've got four pairs of pants and usually get a good 5 days out of them before they need washed. I change shirts more frequently, as the upper body tends to perspire more. It all depends on the demands that the climate makes on your body.

[velocistar237]

I started wearing long johns again after the article. It gets pretty cold here, but I've been biking in rain pants, which completely stop the wind. (Helly Hansen Voss, if you're interested. Durable and cheap, they're a good option if you don't need breathability.) Wearing long underwear at home definitely helps.

I'd like to pick up some more pairs. Does anyone have a brand recommendation for decent, low-priced long johns that fit a slim, 6-foot guy and have long enough sleeves? Right now I'm wearing Duofolds, and they stop mid-forearm.

Teh snow, it's coming. If anyone in the Cambridge/Somerville area needs help tomorrow afternoon because of wind damage or whatever, feel free to PM me.

[anastrophe]

I live in an area where it's usually above 20F/-7C in the winter but sometimes it's in the teens for weeks, so I wear long undies quite a lot. I've always had multiple pairs. When I was a kid we had those waffle-knit cotton ones and washed them every wear. Now I wear wool and silk under my jeans and wash them, um, embarrassingly infrequently. But I really don't sweat at all, if I was a more sweaty person I'd probably wash them more like every three wears or so. I hang them on a hanger overnight to air out and in the morning they seem fine.

[strider3700]

also in the pacific northwest.  I'll second the fleece lined jeans. way warmer then regular jeans but won't cook you when you go back inside.  I sometimes wear them while working in my basement office which can be quite cold. Throw in a sweater and things are toasty except for my frozen fingers which can make typing difficult.

[No Name Guy]

Don't forget that running or biking tights also work well for this role.  I use them when I need more warmth than just the patti-guchi capaline long johns provide. 

Long johns are a standard part of the backpacking gear for me - provides the 3rd layer on the legs (long johns, nylon convertible hiking pants and rain pants over the top of that - a very warm combination when doing any outdoor activity, hiking, kayaking, biking, etc.)

[onemorebike]

Any recommendations on affordable but nice long johns?

I've been rocking my really cheap long johns for a few years but don't like them as much for more regular use. I work from home and have been trying out the long john theory - and I could save a lot by wearing these instead of keeping the heat up.

[johnnylighthouse]

I'm currently wearing terramar wool skins.  Was given a set from filson before which were great but i think have a higher price tag.  I find the bottoms wear out after a couple of years but the tops last indefinitely, so i guess I would economize more on the bottoms knowing that even the good stuff will have a limited lifespan.  Might just be the way I use them though.

[MafiaPrincess]

I'm a ski instructor.  I wear a base layer 5 days a week, but I wear snowpants on top as I'm outside 7-10 hours a day 5 days a week. 

I have 6-7 options for top and bottom base layer pieces of varying weights, I throw them all in the wash, and don't re-wear as they have generally wicked sweat away. 

I too find my tops last better than my bottoms. 

[Scottma]

Thought you all might be interested in this article I ran across:

http://www.lowtechmagazine.com/2011/02/body-insulation-thermal-underwear.html

[cosmie]

Any recommendations on affordable but nice long johns?

Wanted to second this recommendation request.

Particularly, what material to look for. I stopped wearing the last pair I owned because they left my leg hair feeling excruciatingly painful after a day of wearing them.

[unplugged]

After MMM posted that I got the cheap Walmart ones that sort of look like under armour. I don't even know anyone here in the south that wears thermals but maybe they all do? Anyway, I LOVE them and have lowered my thermostat 2 degrees. I got my daughters some too and will soon get my guys some. Sams has some on clearance but I could not find the sizes I needed or the colors.