Okay, so, who doesn’t own 3 or 4 pairs of ill-fitting, uncomfortable longjohns? Do you feel like any of them really do the job well? How many of you have spent good money on ’special’ thermals that do keep you warm, only to accidentally throw them in the dryer and have them come out a size 2?
I answer yes to all of those questions – probably a few times over!
Getting ready for Alaska, I was on a search for thermals that would also double as our pajamas. I didn’t want anything too form-fitting or see-through, the thought of having to run to the campground bathroom in the middle of the night looking like a lumpy middle-aged sausage just didn’t really thrill me.
On an early summer camping trip with Steve, he was wearing what looked like a long sleeved tee shirt. He said it was wool, but it was soft, not at all scratchy. He mentioned the brand was Smartwool, and they were incredible thermal underwear that easily doubled as pj’s.
Order a size larger if you don't want a form fit!
I’d seen these at REI, but after looking at the price tag I thought, “no one is actually crazy enough to spend $90 on a thermal top, are they?”. Well, count us as crazy, because we bought a set each. Fortunately Sportsman’s Warehouse was having a spring sale, so our cost was about 40% less than it should have been.
After nearly a year owning and wearing the SmartWool gear, I’m a believer! In fact, I’m wearing a SmartWool shirt right now.
https://www.smartwool.com/default.cfm
Wash ‘em in cold or warm water, throw ‘em in the dryer with your jeans and tee shirts – they don’t care. No shrinkage, no pilling, no fading. The shirts look the same today as when we bought them.
Used as a layer under your riding gear, it’ll keep in the heat without making you feel sweaty or clammy.
They pack up pretty small, not as small as silk longjohns, but the shirt doubles as regular outerwear, and you can’t do that with silk!
Wait until after hunting and ski seasons are over to start shopping for these, and you’ll find significant discounts, although color and design might be limited, we’re not trying to make a fashion statement, we’re just trying to stay warm!
