Recommendations for (ahem) 'Unmentionables'

[Melissa]

I a looking for recommendations for underwear (men's and ladies') for traveling, as well as bras. My DH is VERY susceptible to athlete's foot requiring 6-mo+ of oral medications to eradicate, so I am concerned about 'jock itch' while traveling in hot, humid locations (same fungus). For myself, I would like to find a moisture wicking bra WITHOUT any wires for a 34D bust. I REALLY hate wires; I know many love them for support, but I find them uncomfortable. Both of us need moisture wicking and quick dry undergarments.

What are your faves, and why?

[monkeylady]

My husband wears ex officio unders, the soft ones. He has similar health issues, so he has built up a sizeable pile of them for everyday wear, not just travel. Using them doesn't eliminate the fungus problem, but has significantly reduced the problem. I also wear ExOficio unders and have likewise built a stash for everyday wear. They wear like iron, but not place in dryer. For bras for travel, I use sport bras: no underwires, quick drying and moisture wicking. There are likely regular bras that might do this, but I got tired of the time and expense of trying to find them. The sports bras work just fine.

[monkeylady]

For travel in tropical areas, using deodorant WIPES in the nether regions cuts down on the mugginess....


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[ArnieJB]

While I can't speak about women's underwear, I can say that UnderArmour Boxerjocks are the most comfortable underwear I have ever worn. In fact, it is the only underwear I will purchase now. They are moisture wicking and do not bunch when putting on pants whether they are jeans or khakis. They are absolutely worth the money they cost and can probably be purchased for less at their outlets.

[Miking]

I really like the Patagonia Active boxer briefs although they are getting hard to come by. They feel more like regular cotton boxers except more breathable, more wicking and quicker drying. I have never been a fan of the slick Patagonia, ex officio and under armor shorts. They feel too clammy and the shiny material doesn't help your jeans stay up! This might not be a problem for those with J-Lo-esque booty...

[Le_Pied]

here's 2¢ from a guy-sitting-around-drinking-beer's perspective...
Sox: I've used various cotton, cotton/poly blends, Smartwool hikers, Smartwool hiking liners, Icebreaker City, and REI wool. My preferred material, by far, (for all weather) is merino. It's ability to transport moisture and resist odor is outstanding. I find the Smartwool hiking liners to be perfect for my travel and work needs. They are thin, black, resilient, and very comfortable. They wash easily, and dry quickly. I can use them for business casual as well as casual wear. They have held up over the years quite well. Only recently, I've used them for cold-weather long boarding (10 - 15 miles a pop) and this has started to stress out the toes a bit.
t-shirts: I've used various cheap quick dry shirts from sports brands, merino, cotton, "dry" cotton, and Uniqclo's "Heattech". I have not tried the "travel" brands for t-shirts. The Uniqclo Heattech stuff is great! They are thin, light, transport moisture well, resist odor, and are damn comfortable. These are becoming my standard undershirt, regardless of being for travel, cold weather base-layer, or loafing around in slippers.
briefs: I've used all sorts of stuff except merino. The ExOfficio Give and Go line is a wonderful material. It's resilient, odor resistant, and fairly comfortable. I don't prefer the ExOfficio for two reasons. One, the material is a wee bit thick and forces the seams to be a bit bulky which can cause irritation after wearing the same shape for a few days, and two, the material holds moisture more than my favorites. The Uniqclo stuff is good and very light and moisture resistant, but they aren't terribly resilient or odor resistant. The C9 brand mesh sport briefs are my favs. They are light, wash and dry quickly, and the "mesh" is, apparently, quite effective. One thing that I notice (or, don't notice) is that they do not hold moisture for long at all. (I say this as a drummer. i.e., someone who is sitting while getting all lathered up, then walks around sipping a beer and shaking hands.) The only downside is they aren't as tough as the ExOfficio stuff, but they are by no means fragile and they are relatively inexpensive.

side note 1: I just noticed ExOfficio released a new line of lighter weight fabric. This may prove to be the pinnacle. I need to give 'em a shot.
side note 2: I haven't tried merino for briefs, but I'm not eager to. Considering the care and lack of "shape memory" I've found in wool shirts and sox, I can't see wool beating the well made synthetics in the briefs department. Some day, I'll drop the cash on a pair of underwear that costs more than a case of beer, but not right now.
side note 3: If you're concerned about fungus feeding, I would think the primary concern is moisture and heat. Both of those are mitigate by breathable fabrics. The mesh and natural fibers (NOT COTTON) are definitely the way to go. Even if something is "quick dry" or "moisture wicking" it may be more of a panel of fabric that isn't really doing much good.
side note 4: Good luck!

[Trailhiker]

I used to use ExOffico unders, the wicking type, until I found from Dutluth trading the exact same item for less than half the price. After I ordered a couple of pairs the first time I put them side buy side and stitch to stitch the only thing different was the name on the elastic band.
Men's Buck Naked Performance Briefs - Duluth Trading

For women,

http://women.duluthtrading.com/store/womens/womens-underwear/womens-undies/womens-undies.aspx

[Le_Pied]

Oh, and another thought (side note 5)... do the mid-day change. Carry a spare (sox, undies, etc.) and change them out when you get a chance mid-day, mid-flight, etc.

[Toblerhaus]

I wonder if Coobie has bras that would dry quickly.

Also, check out Hanky Panky for women. Mine dry just as quickly as the Ex Officio stuff, and are pretty.

[monkeylady]

Oops! I misspoke. Mr. Monkeylady wears Tilley's briefs. They're soft like sheer cotton.


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[notmensa]

Icebreaker merino wool briefs (men and women) are fantastic for both everyday use and travel.

[Moose]

I second Trailhiker. Duluth Trading anything is great. I'm especially fond of their long tail shirts. I LOVE them. Socks, Smartwool is good but so are REI or Bean's version. They wear as well and are sometimes a smidge less expensive. Bean ships for free too. I like Bali's Comfort Revolution for bras. Not sure how quick dry they are but they are comfortable and hold up surprisingly well.
Moose

[Ginkgo]

I'm not sure if all sports bras are quick-drying per se, but probably much quicker than padded bras. You're full in the cup, which may pose some challenges finding a lightweight wireless bra that's sufficiently supportive. (I'm a 32D, and I used to work in a bra shop, so I pay extra attention to bras!)

If you don't anticipate too much bouncing around, Donna Karan 35237 is a light sports bra with no underwire. Light in material, and light/medium in support. It comes in my size; I'm assuming it will also come in 34D. If I can think of any others, I'll post more!

[Melissa]

You guys are great!!! I have ordered boxers from Duluth for my hubby, ex officio underwear for myself, and a sports bra from Patagonia. We have three trips this summer for true performance testing....Italy, Chicago, New Orleans. All VERY warm in summer.

[Melissa]

Thanks, Ginko!!! I had a "lift" some years back, and although I am a voracious daily walker (2-6 miles daily), I don't do any high impact workouts. Maybe because of the surgery, I can't tolerate underwire support. I usually wear t-shirt bras, but with the molded cups, they won't be great for traveling since I'll be laundering while traveling and the bras need to be quick dry.