Gear Review: Tilley Undergarments

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She Said:
Space is limited and checked bags are not cheap, so what is an adventurer to do when traveling?  There are many ways to save space and reducing the amount of clothing carried is one way.  Tilley challenges the traveler to reduce their undergarments to just two pairs of underwear, two pairs of socks and two undershirts.  Is it possible to travel comfortably for 10 days with limited undergarments?  Equipped with Tilley’s travel wear, it certainly is possible.



Using Coolmax® fabric, Tilley has designed long lasting undergarments that are odor, stain and bacteria resistant.  The Coolmax® material is silky and cool against the skin, wicking away moisture and sweat quickly while maintaining a nice dry feeling all day long.  Several styles and colors are available for both men and women in underwear and socks.  There is only one style of undershirt for both men and women.

The trick to surviving 10 days with Tilley’s undergarments is to wash one set each night.  The fast drying material helps with overnight drying.  I found that sink washing was a breeze with all three items; tank, socks and underwear. Hanging over a coat hanger worked best but I also found draping over a branch or rock worked equally well when out in the field.  Tilley also suggests washing and wearing the item dry.

My 10-day challenge with Tilley’s travel undergarments consisted of 10 days worth of kayaking in Baja, Mexico.  Ocean water was freely available for washing and worked quite well with the tank, underwear and socks I brought along.  As kayaking is a wet sport, I chose to maintain a dry pair of sleeping underwear and a pair of kayaking underwear. I would wash the kayaking pair and sleep in a dry pair, hanging the freshly washed pair to dry.  Whether they were dry or not I put them on the next morning and continued paddling with them. Some mornings the underwear were damp when I put them on.  They dried pretty quickly once I started moving around.

I had a pair of the Women’s Coolmax® Extreme Brief.  The overall fit was pretty good, but I felt the material in the bum area was a little less then what I am used to.  I thought this would be a problem but it turned out not to be.  Sometimes the leg seam would ride up but for the most part the underwear stayed in place.  The underwear are double lined in the crotch.

I also had the Women’s Coolmax® Extreme Tank.  The tank had a nice fit and feel to it, and was great to wear against the skin.  I received a set of white tanks which so far have remained white.  The arm openings were generous enough for a relaxed fit but not enough to bag open.  I liked the scoop neck which is low enough for comfort but still modest.

The verdict?  I loved the feel of the material and loved the ease of washing.  I wasn't sure if washing in the ocean was going to be a good idea, mostly I was concerned there would be a salt build-up in the material.  This was not the case.  Salt build-up seems to occur when something goes through a repeated wetting without a rinse.  The sleeves of my paddling top would get salt encrusted due to spray but the underwear didn't crust up because I was rinsing them out each time.

Would I use them again?  Yes, without a doubt.  They take up less space in the bag, travel well, work well on adventures and wear comfortably.

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He Said:
When taking off time from work I prefer extreme adventures over relaxing vacations.  This means I need to have clothing and equipment to match my lifestyle so when Tilley (the company known for making those great, comfortable hats) came out with their Men’s Coolmax Extreme Boxer and their travel socks, I was more than willing to give it a try.

Tilley advertisers the undergarments as stain, odor and bacteria resistant, fast drying, lightweight and wicking, all of which appeal to my liking.  I received two pair to try out, one white the other black. The Extreme Boxers are boxer-briefs made of lightweight Coolmax Polyester fabric that has a mesh-weave pattern to them.

I used one of these pair on a 500-mile section of the Appalachian Trail.  I brought along one of Tilley’s Coolmax Extreme Boxer and another silk-weight boxer short that I’ve used for years.  I wore one pair rotating only after I’d had a shower and I had a chance to do laundry (leaving me an emergency, clean, back-up underwear at all times).

The support offered by the Tilley Extreme Boxer is excellent.  Boulder hopping and hiking over the notorious Pennsylvania rocks I never felt my boys or my best buddy bounce or drop awkwardly.  Neither did I have any of said issues during the ups and downs of New York.

The wicking ability of the Extreme Boxer far surpassed that of the silk-weight boxer shorts I had for my back up underwear.  In fact on days where the humidity was moderate to high I found I could only wear the Tilley boxer-briefs because the silk-weight shorts were inundated with moisture and I started chafing.  The Tilley Extreme Boxers are not completely immune to this problem.  On days where it rained for long periods of time I always ended up needing to apply chafe treatment to my nether regions at the beginning or end of the day.  I did notice on a few occasions that the underwear were very damp during a heat wave where the temperatures were the hottest the region had seen in a decade and the humidity was elevated as well.  While uncommon, this environment, combined with my exertion, produced the same uncomfortable chaffing.  This leads me to believe that the wicking ability of the material can be overwhelmed but it still out performs silk any day of the week.

Another product in Tilley’s Travel line is their Unholey Socks.  I know you’re thinking “Socks?  What’s so special about socks?” While they look like normal socks Tilley guarantees that they will dry overnight, last three years without holes and be comfortable.  The socks also have a UPF 50+ but I’m not worried because I am not one of those people who wear socks with sandals. Still these claims are pretty unique among sock manufacturers so it’s worth taking it for spin.

I received two pair of ankle socks (also available in calf length).  They started out white but after 500 miles on the AT I can no longer pretend they are anymore, even after washing them. They are, however, still comfortable and are thin enough to be used as a liner sock or a light hiking sock.  The drying instructions state to wrap the wet socks in a dry towel, then twist the towel for 15 seconds, repeating for faster results.  Then hang dry them in a well ventilated area.  This works fairly well in a hotel setting but backpacking on the AT, this was not always easy to do.  After a day of rain I usually do not have a dry towel.  Also hanging the socks under the overhang in a shelter when it’s pouring rain and 100% humidity gives the socks no chance to dry.  I would not expect any sock to dry under these conditions but it does seem odd for a guarantee to be on the package if it is not relevant to my conditions of use.  They do dry as fast, if not faster than most other socks however.  They do not have any holes yet and I hope I can say the same after three years of having them.  Time will tell.

I must commend Tilley for making a quality adventure product and for going where most others have not gone before…traveling in extreme class.

This story was originally posted August 16, 2010.