The clothes you wear against your skin is essential in keeping you warm and dry when recreating outdoors. Yet for some reason, many people ignore this and continue to wear plain, cotton underwear in cold, nasty weather. Perhaps one reason for this is the cost of technical underwear, especially merino wool, is expensive. Well, you frugal types now have a good option with the RedRam merino thermal underwear.
RedRam is a division of Icebreaker, a New Zealand company specializing in merino wool garments. They put soft and warm wool in just about everything, from jackets to bike jerseys to socks. Unfortunately, the price of quality wool is a deterrent for many, which is why they’ve released their RedRam line of underwear so the masses can experience merino wool at an affordable price.
I’ve been wearing some RedRam thermal underwear this winter, and have been very pleased with the way it performs. While backcountry skiing, the Long Sleeve Zip Top and Leggings have been my go-to base layer. Seeing as how these are inexpensive merino products, I figured they wouldn’t be as warm or breathable as the higher end stuff… boy was I wrong! The RedRam base layers were extremely comfortable during aerobic activity in the Wasatch Mountains, and kept me dry even during all-day backcountry tours with tons of elevation gain.
But you know what is even better than the RedRam long underwear? The boxers. Even a tech-snob like me wears cotton boxers no matter what the outdoor conditions, but after wearing the merino boxers, I find it hard to comprehend what I’ve been missing out on all these years. Merino boxers are soft and smooth against those sensitive areas down below, and surprisingly, I could feel the difference in overall comfort when my nether-regions were warm. Aside from using the boxers during every day activites at work or play, I’ve also been wearing them with my ski pants for added protection for my bum while sitting on cold chair lift seats.
The only knock I have with the RedRam line is that the fabric is noticeably thinner than other merino wool underwear I’ve used. Perhaps this is how the company is able to sell merino at a low price. I haven’t noticed any decrease is warmth, but I do wonder if the weave will wear out faster. However, after more than three months of hard wear, I haven’t noticed any thin spots or tears.
All of the RedRam garments feature flatlock stitching, gussets for ease of movement, close fit cuts and flatlock stitching. Plus, like all merino underwear, they’re odor free. Available in both mens and womens styles.
So if you live in a cold climate like me, it’s time to ditch the cotton and pick up some merino wool. If you’ve been holding off due to cost, then you now have no excuse thanks to RedRam. For more information, check them out at www.redram.com