Pushing water sports into winter with Thermals

Alex Jones — Mon, 22 Mar 2010 00:10:43 +0000

Well guys, winter is coming on strong in Australia now, and we all know what that means. As you know I love being outdoors, but like most everyone else I always end up with a cold or flu within a week of the weather turning nasty. It doesn’t help that I’ve just bought myself a Canadian canoe to add to my menagerie of outdoor hobby horses (as if the bikes etc weren’t enough). So I’ve taken the little boat on a few trips on local rivers, and while it’s great it brings home just how cold it gets on the water. Nothing breaks the wind at all, and I got pretty chilled last time despite it being a reasonable day.

I find it really awkward paddling in bulky garments, and even avoid life jackets unless I’m in fast or choppy water. I find that coats or jumpers ride up and end up chafing your underarms and torso after an hour or so of paddling, plus I am a bit phobic of falling in the water and being weighed down with baggy clothes. My solution is the same as for my other outdoor activities, thermal underwear of course. it fits the bill perfectly. It’s light weight, doesn’t rub or chafe like a baggy jacket, and you don’t get your fingers caught up in loose material (this always happens with jacket, your thumbs catch on the drawstrings or zip pockets). It makes me feel a lot safer to, in terms of swimming if I have to.

I admit I have not tried swimming in thermals, but it is actually on my list – I will try it soon and post about it! Leggings and tops are so light and close fitting they don’t feel like they would drag me down though. The good thing is I can wear shorts and a T shirt over the tops and bottoms, which gives easy free movement. What I do is roll up the legs and arms so as not to look like too much of a weirdo, but this is up to you of course!
No more excuses for colds and flu’s now. Water sports can be pushed right into the colder months as long as you keep that body heat in. Just wear thermal underwear instead of those summertime mens swimming trunks! ;)

Thanks to alexgoodey for the image!

Compelling reasons for having thermal underwear in your wardrobe

Alex Jones — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 00:48:12 +0000

You are probably now aware that for skiing and for looking great yet feeling warm in winter, thermal underwear is THE way to go. However, I bet that some of these reasons are likely to surprise you. It’s always good to look at things from a different perspective.

Wear it…

to prevent hypothermia if you are camping in a sub zero conditions
when the zombies attack – you will be sleeping out in the cold at least some nights
to wick moisture away if you’re sweating from hiking in cold conditions
to save on heating costs if you’re trying to save money, for instance if you are a student or are on a pension
to celebrate National Thermals Celebration Day – okay I made that one up
to be very cool like me and Count Rumford who invented thermal underwear (internal link here)
to keep warm at Christmas
for men shorts are an ideal bottom half if mobility is required for instance with running in winter, but they can be worn with a thermal top
to feel like a snake that can sked its skin (when you take off your thermals)
to wear less bulky clothing in winter and still keep toasty and warm
ever considered getting thermal underwear to wear under an evening dress? Don’t laugh – it can be done – some thermals are made to only go around your middle, thus not showing anything away yet keeping you warmer than the other fashiona gals Fashion and women’s clothes can be made warmer by thermals underneath and nobody will need to know.
to go with your groovy comfy cashmere socks
when you go motorcycle riding, generally an activity where you want plenty of insulation in layers
survival skills if the world comes down with a case on early-onset apocalyptica and you have to run away to the country and live in a handmade hut with no way to make fire
to survive if peak oil and rising fuel prices affects your city (it may well do)

Ladies, yes you can get pretty thermals!

And which kind of thermal underwear is right for which occasion?

That’s right folks there is more than one kind. If you read my article, the history of thermal underwear [internal link here] you will know that it works its magic by trapping air and thus your own body heat. So, you can get different types made from different kinds of fabric. Here are some examples of the kinds of thermals that you can get.

You can get it made from cotton, best for lazing around at home and keeping snug on cold winter days. Cotton is not so good for any occasion where you might sweat because cotton does not wick moisture away fromy our skin, it lets it stay there so you would probably just get clammy and cold, defeating the purpose of wearing thermals.

You can get it made from wool. Arguably the best sort, and there are varying grades of wool, probably the top kind being Merino wool, almost always from Australian or New Zealand Merino sheep. Some of the best thermal underwear is made from a blend of polypropylene and Merino wool. They are soft, thin, light and warm. Wool does not wick moisture like synthetic fibres; it’s different – wool can hold about 33% moisture without feeling damp. Of course if you are out running in winter or you are running on an electric treadmill on a cold day, you will want wicking so you might want to go for the synthetic… There are many kinds of synthetic (man-made) fabrics now used to make thermals. You may automatically go for a natural fibre but remember that synthetic fabrics generally have better wicking properties than natural fibres. Sometimes you can get clothing made from fabrics which are natural, with a thin layer of sythetic bonded to them or sewn over so that you get the best of both worlds. One kind of synthetic fabric used for making thermal underwear is polypropylene, which may then be mixed with cotton to make a comfortable and affordable cold weather solution.

Try Thermal Underwear » insulation in layers

Pushing water sports into winter with Thermals

Compelling reasons for having thermal underwear in your wardrobe