Try Thermal Underwear

All about running underwear for women

Running is a great way to keep fit and healthy, and if you have the right clothes, it is an activity you can enjoy year round. Great sports and running underwear for women is about more than just that old cliché “support”…it is about breathability, comfort, and functionality starting from your toes up.

So, what is the most popular running underwear for women and what makes it special?

Underwear for active people does more than just cover skin, it serves to draw moisture away from the body, and regulate your body temperature. When it is cold good sports underwear keeps you warm, and when you sweat, the evaporation of moisture that gets drawn away from the skin actually cools you off. Modern running underwear for women is typically woven from a combination of wool or cotton, and synthetic fibre such as polypropylene. This combination maintains the breathing function, while adding elastic qualities that are important when running or cycling.

You have probably seen many women (and men for that matter) wearing skin tight shorts when running. These “skins” as they are known are usually worn over normal underpants (light weight cotton is good because it doesn’t chafe) or thermal underwear under extreme conditions, and serve several purposes: they insulate, wick moisture, and provide a steady gentle compression for the large muscles of the thighs and upper leg, which reduces the instances of cramps and later muscle ache. In addition, skin tight running underwear for women of this sort doesn’t ride up as you run or cycle, and also has a positive shaping effect.

Long legged variants of these running skins are also popular, especially in winter. Their insulating properties are obviously better, and many people choose to wear them over regular underwear and under tracksuits or even under shorts. Again, women who are keen runners or cyclists will find that sweat is drawn away from the skin and muscle aches and cramps are reduced, so synthetic skins make excellent running underwear for women.

For upper body underwear, similar characteristics are desirable in terms or moisture removal and insulation. It would be easy to assume that loose or baggy clothing allows air circulation and therefore provides a more comfortable running experience, but in reality tight fitting singlets or sleeved tops offer far superior performance. Singlet or t-shirt style running tops are available for women, which will keep your body temperature at a comfortable level at all times. Good undershirts and running underwear for women should consist of soft fabric that has enough stretch to allow a full range of motion, and should not pull at the elbows, shoulders, or neckline. You should be able to stretch and twist without any tightness in the material.

Don’t forget that running socks should be open weave, light weight fabric with reinforced heel and toe sections. Cotton is the cheaper material, but high grade wool actually wicks moisture more effectively and keeps you cooler – albeit at a higher cost.

Good underwear is so important – without it you will be uncomfortable at best, and miserable at worst! In cold climates you might also want to consider insulated underwear for outdoor sports, to stay warm and flexible even under extreme conditions. Here you can learn more about the best long underwear for cold weather, and find some more info about different fabric types.

What is the best long underwear for cold weather?

Thermal underwear may not get a mention at the fashion parades, but warm long underwear is something that everyone should have in their wardrobe. Feeling cold may be uncomfortable in small doses, and extended exposure can lead to hypothermia or worse. So what is the best long underwear for cold weather, and why? Here is some basic info about the different types of fabrics, to help you decide what will work best for you.

Cotton thermal underwear is soft and comfortable, and as such is a good choice if you want a cheap solution. Cotton pyjamas and tracksuit pants are great for keeping warm in winter, but cotton is not perfect: it has a tendency to act like a sponge, and hold water – after all, cotton is the preferred material for towels and cleaning cloths. Cotton long johns may be the best long underwear for cold weather if you are going to stay dry at all times, but it is not recommended if you are venturing outdoors, say going skiing or camping. Once wet, cotton is hard to get dry, and until it is completely dry, it will actually draw heat away from your skin. So, it’s a great low cost choice for indoors or maybe the workplace, but a no-no for adventure sports. In winter long sleeve thermal shirts for men or women who work outdoors can discretely be worn under business shirts or uniforms.

Polyester is a synthetic fibre that is produced in many variants that come under different names like Polartec, Polypropylene and Capilene, many of which are actually the same stuff but under different trade marks. Polyester is fairly inexpensive (about the same price as cotton) and provides significantly better all weather performance. Wring it out when wet and put it back on, and although it won’t feel great, it can keep you from freezing. Some people swear that it is the best long underwear for cold weather, but it has a slight drawback – it smells after a while! Unlike natural fiber, synthetic fibers are not advanced to the point of being able to “breathe” as well as say wool or silk, and the combination of ammonia from sweat, constant moisture, and naturally occurring bacteria on skin can result in a strong BO smell that is hard to get rid of even with washing. Nevertheless, synthetic long underwear has a lot going for it, being hard wearing and nicely elastic, hence it being used in modern sports and running underwear for women and for men.

Sometimes the oldest things are the best, and wool is a case in point. Wool seemed to go out of fashion in the western world in the later part of the 20th century, as everyone embraced modern new synthetic materials. But ask any serious adventurer and they will tell you that super fine wool simply makes the best long underwear for cold weather hands down. Why? Natural oils and the structure of the fibres means that wool doesn’t hold water, and is resistant to bacteria and therefore bad odours. It doesn’t burn, and high quality fine wool is every bit as soft as cotton. The downside is the price – good long underwear made of merino wool (merino is a breed of sheep prized for their very fine wool) can easily cost twice as much as cotton or poly-cotton blends.

So, the choice really comes down to cost.

If you can afford it, buy wool. It is comfortable, versatile, and hygienic and makes great insulated underwear for men or women on the go. Equally good indoor and outdoor, from lounging in front of the television to canoeing in Alaska, wool is a tried and true solution.

For a cost effective indoor or fair-weather solution go with inexpensive cotton. For its reasonable price tag it is the best long underwear for cold weather to wear under your business attire or casual clothing when going out in winter.

If you need a low cost outdoor solution, a synthetic blend can tick all the boxes for you – just wash it often, and hand it out to air well to prevent it from starting to smell. You might be able to find a wool/polyester blend, and these can make a good compromise, although you will find that as the amount of wool in the garment increases so does the price tag.

Keeping warm at work with insulated underwear and long sleeve thermal shirts for men

Winter has come round again and everyone who works or plays outdoors is looking for a practical and economical way to stay warm. If you lead an active lifestyle then thermal, or insulated underwear, and thermally insulated clothing is for you. Lets talk briefly about fabrics and materials so you can make an educated purchase.

Cotton is a great fabric that gets used in almost everything ranging from bed sheets to socks. Tightly woven, fine cotton (or “high thread count fabric”) is quite good at trapping body heat close to the skin, and thanks to its soft texture it makes great insulated underwear for men, women and children. It is fairly cheap, and durable – it washes easily and doesn’t require special treatment. You can find high grade short or long sleeve thermal shirts for men or women at low prices that are warm, comfortable and affordable. So – should you pack cotton thermals next time you go camping? Maybe not – for all its good attributes, cotton does have a significant drawback, this being its tendency to absorb water and then lose its thermally insulating properties. Cotton fibres will soak up water, sweat, or any other liquid for that matter, and unless you can dry it out again, it will very effectively conduct heat away from your skin. So if you are stuck out in the cold and then get wet, you could be in serious trouble. So, although cotton makes great insulated underwear for men who work indoors or just want to keep a bit warmer during the workday, it is not good for situations where you are likely to get wet. Long sleeve thermal shirts for men are a great alternative to regular business attire, but just remember – cotton is only good if you can remain reasonably dry.

Wool is a fibre that people have been using for thousands of years, and we aren’t about to stop, with good reason. The physical structure of the individual fibres and the naturally occurring oil in wool give it not just excellent thermal properties, but imbue it with water shedding and antibacterial properties too. Fine wool is not as cheap as cotton, but makes very warm clothing including insulated underwear for men. Woolen underwear? You heard right! Fine wool actually feels quite like cotton, very smooth, and actually “breathes” better than normal undies do. Long sleeve thermal shirts for men that made of merino wool are absolutely great if you are into adventure sports, since wool manages to maintain its insulating ability even if you happen to run into bad weather. Unlike cotton, wool doesn’t act like a sponge and hold water. Even if you fall into a creek or get totally drenched in rain, woollen thermal underwear can still keep you warm. Take it off, wring it out, and put it back on, and although it feels quite clammy and horrible, you will still be able to get warm again. Sure you might be miserable – but you will be alive to tell the tale. Woolen insulated underwear for men, women or kids is the premium choice for camping, canoeing, and trekking. Wool is equally good in thermal gloves and scarves.

Synthetic insulated underwear for men and women has certain advantages and disadvantages. Synthetic fibers try to imitate all the good qualities of natural fibers, and do away with the negatives. There are too many proprietary brands and trade names out there to talk about each one individually, but they all have common features: Firstly, synthetic materials are very lightweight and robust. Secondly, they perform well when wet or damp. These two attributes combined with a relatively lower price than woollens make them an attractive option, but be aware that synthetic underwear and long sleeve thermal shirts for men do not breath very well – the result can be a perpetually clammy feeling, and unfortunately, they start to smell a bit after a while! However, the elastic properties of this material make it great in sports underclothing. Modern running underwear for women (those tight leggings and shorts) are very stretchy and comfortable. Just be aware that synthetic insulated underwear for men (or women) who work with or around heat sources can represent a hazard since Polyester and all of its variants that are used in clothing fibres shrink and burn quickly.

Quite often you will find that thermal underwear is made of a blend of different fiber types. Commonly wool and polyester are combined to produce cheaper and more vibrant looking garments. Should you buy these blended fabrics? To a certain degree a wool/ synthetic blend makes insulated underwear for men who wok outdoors more practical, but have a look at the blend ratios before you buy – I personally avoid anything that is more than 25% polyester, since it feels quite plastic like after a few wears. The same goes for long sleeve thermal shirts for men, anything that is more than 20 or 30% polyester is more a cost saving measure from the manufacturer than a performance modification for you.

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