Saturday, December 24, 2011

Patagonia Capilene Silkweight underwear

I have been wearing mostly natural fibers as of late, but wanted to revisit synthetics to see if I could decrease some pack weight and get more wear time. Wool is a great insulator but wears out quickly.       


First, the numbers
  • The top weighs in at 7.60 ounces or 215 grams
  • The bottom is 4.15 grams or 119 grams
The fit
 
Form fitting. The material is very stretchy and adheres to the skin. If you are curvy, this will accentuate all the details. I purchased a large and it is true to size. The bottoms have the same fit and an opening to facilitate urination.
 
Impression and Comments

My very first impression was that this product is a rash guard and Patagonia is expanding it's use to underwear as well. That duality actually makes good sense if your activities include water sports and camping at the same time. I have not tested it as a rash guard, only underwear, and as that it works as an insulator only as a base layer and something else on top. By itself, I feel the coolness of the ambient air temperature, not body heat being trapped, as in wool. The best combination for warmth was my down shirt layered on top. Riding my bike in the low 30s with this combo was very comfy and that's how I will wear it on my next trip. Stayed tuned for a follow up!

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