Thermal Underwear – the Most Important Layer in Cold Weather Dressing

Being cold sucks, the end. Just a couple of days ago I read about a kid who lost both his legs as a result of the freezing cold, because he decided he was going to sleep in his car after walking around in the snow and getting his socks wet. And as tragic as it may be, I think that everyone who has read that story, learned a valuable lesson that freezing temperatures are no joke, and being properly dressed for cold weather can sometimes make the difference between life and death. Especially if you’re hiking or camping far away from civilization.

That being said, you should always dress warm in wintertime, starting from your underwear all the way up to your pants and winter jacket or coat. Many people don’t realize that the underwear is probably the most important piece of clothing when it’s freezing. This base layer is the closest to your body, and unarguably protects you better from the blistering cold than any other piece of clothing.

When it comes to underwear thermal regulating materials, like polypropylene and bamboo, offer supreme comfort, warmth, and numerous other benefits. All you have to do is find the right fit that will support but not constrict your movements, because the underwear basically functions as a second layer of skin. Otherwise, it can create hot pockets instead of distributing the warmth evenly all over your body, thus making you uncomfortable.

Additionally, underwear thermal regulating materials come in different weights, depending on the fabric. Based on your needs, you can pick between fabrics that are ultra-lightweight (for mild to cool conditions), lightweight (suitable for cool to moderately cold weather conditions), mid-weight (for moderately cold to cold weather conditions), and heavyweight (ideal for extreme cold and frigid temperatures).

As aforementioned, there are various different thermal regulating materials thermal underwear can be made of, including: bamboo, synthetics such as polypropylene, spandex, lycra, nylon (all of these are usually combined with other natural fibers), wool, silk and cotton. Generally, the warmth to weight ratio of synthetic materials are about 5 times higher than woven or knitted fabrics like cotton and wool.

Regardless of what type of thermal underwear fabric you end up choosing, it’s important to read the manufacturer’s instructions on how to take proper care, in order to get the most out of it. Some are harder to maintain than others. Synthetic fabrics, for instance, are easily washable with both warm and cold water, and they dry quickly. Cotton, on the other hand, should be washed in cold water to prevent shrinking, and it also dries up slower.