Help Wanted: Motorcycle Travel-Friendly Undergarments and Socks

Womens Underwear - Corset ModelWomen’s undergarments have a long history of being cruel, hateful things. Whale bones, laces, wires – all of them evil, all of them found in ladies intimates. Sitting on a motorcycle all day can really showcase just how uncomfortable a pair of underpants can be.

For an upcoming trip, I am looking to find some new travel-friendly socks and underwear that provide all day comfort in the saddle. With luggage space being a premium, I’m specifically looking for items that can easily sink-wash and dry overnight so that I can pack less of them.

Wash and Wear

For underwear, the Ex-Officio Give-N-Go bikini briefs on REI.com get great reviews as do the Patagonia Active Briefs. I think they’ll be on my short list. See what I did there? Hopefully the elastic in the legs openings don’t become a problem after sitting all day. If you have experience with either of these pairs, brands or fabrics  – please comment below!

The same applies for sports bras. I’m looking for a sturdy and supportive wash and wear options that can carry me through the week on the road. I welcome any suggestions.

For socks, I’m a little up in the air. I don’t know what to pick. I like SmartWool socks very much but the ones that I currently have are a little bulky to pack several pairs. Also, I’ve yet to wash them in the sink to see how quickly they dry. Is there something better, something slimmer, something that can do a fast wash and wear overnight? I’d love to hear your thoughts!

Let’s hear from you:

  • Do you have tips or tricks on how to bring less clothing without “suffering” on a road trip?
  • Do you have any experience with any particular products that we should know about?

Fuzzygalore

Rachael is the whimsical writer behind the 20+ year old Girlie Motorcycle Blog. As a freelance blogger, she is on a mission to inspire laughter, self-examination, curiosity, and human connection. Girlie Motorcycle Blog can be found on several Best Motorcycle Blog lists.

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15 Responses

  1. Jeremy says:

    I love smartwool socks. Love them! They do make thinner socks than you linked to though. I wear what are probably considered smartwool “dress” socks. They are thinner and breath really well.

    As for underwear, I think the following link is a bit different than you were thinking but I was thinking of buying these in the very near future. (that’s a lot of thinking). http://www.ldcomfort.com/ They claim to be easy to wash but most of all, comfortable on longer trips.

    If you do get them, let me know how you like them. Good luck and happy riding.

  2. Having never put on any article of women’s undergarmets (I may have removed a few. Nudge, nudge), I’m not of much use, but that won’t stop me from chipping in. FWIW, I’ve been wearing only Ex Officio and Wickers brand men’s briefs for the last 5 or 6 years (on and off the bike) and they wick well, dry very quickly and wear like iron. I can no longer bear to wear cotton.

    Socks are more asexual (or is it bi?) of course. Like you, I like Smartwools, but they won’t hang up in the motel and dry overnight. For warmer-weather riding socks, I like TechSox. They’re very supportive (left and right foot specific), comfy and will stay amazingly dry. The 1st generation of Roadgear’s Cocona (coconut) socks are comfy and also remain amazingly dry (and resist odors even if worn on successive days!), but they’re onto a 2nd generation design now with which I’m not familiar. Anything with Coolmax can be nice as well, but depending upon the blend may not hang up and dry overnight like Techsox or the Roadgears.

  3. DUC748 says:

    If you have to have “underwear” try the below link. Wash in the sink, wring out, dries super quick. I prefer no oonderpants and just wear the black leggings (heat/cold gear depending on temps) underneath.

    http://www.underarmour.com/shop/us/en/womens/apparel/underwear-and-socks

  4. Stacy says:

    This is rapidly diving into the TMI side of things, but I prefer “boy-short” style undies for wearing on the bike vs briefs. Boy-shorts put the seams in more comfortable locations. Ex-officio makes a nice pair that I get at REI.

    I wear basic Patagucci sports bras, but I’m also looking for a better option.

    Pretty much any lightweight merino blend of sock will work well per your requirements. I have a bunch of ultralight Teko socks that I bought at discount from steepandcheap.com. They probably won’t last as long as my SmartWools did, but at $2 a pair I can’t complain too much.

  5. AtlasRider says:

    For long rides, I wear bicycle shorts with the integrated padding. Even if your bike’s seat isn’t comfy the padding in the shorts can make the ride a little more bearable.

    Given that they are intended for constant movement on a bicycle, they often come in spandex, have no seems that can dig into your skin and cause chaffing.

  6. Becca says:

    Sorry I can’t help, but I’d sure love to see the final list of supplies you end up with.

  7. DesmoDiva says:

    My $0.02.
    By far the best technical garments I have found over the years are Icebreaker (www.icebreaker.com). They are merino wool garments from NZ (via China). The company has strict environmental and ethical work regulations that govern their Chinese factories, all available to read on their website. You can even trace the wool in your garment back to the farm.
    They are warm in the winter and cool in the summer. I can go days in the same shirt and it doesn’t acquire that “funk” we’re all familiar with. Their undies are awesome!! I no longer get swamp ass from long days in the saddle. It doesn’t itch, the fibers are so fine it feels like silk. You do pay more for these than regular technical clothes, but I feel its worth it. YMMV.
    Best sports bras are CW-X or Moving Comfort.
    Safe travels!

  8. wendyvee says:

    I don’t wear anything special; but I have thought about buying cycling shorts as I’ve seen suggested before.

    I just posted in the Rumble Sisters forum …. maybe some of my Sisters can chime in 🙂

  9. OG says:

    You know I am a big fan of the Ex-Officio stuff. My “pair and a spare” have worked flawlessly now for many trips and they are damned comfortable. For socks, look at these guys http://www.wrightsock.com/products.html I use the heck out of their stuff for running and cycling. I am going to try some of the longer products they sell for moto travel.

  10. ArcDeDucati says:

    Under Armor. Nuff said. Just started using it too as I refused to take part in the moto fad. They make wicking socks that are cheaper then the moto specific ones to. Undies the same, DUC748 got the right take. Or yoga undies. Basically the same underarmor though. Take your leathers off and throw on a pair of shorts and you can grab a bite comfortably. Although maybe not at a five*, but I would 😉

    Good luck with your undies. This is way to personal a subject.

  11. Tom says:

    http://www.coolclothingusa.com/ Maybe find something here? Bicycle shorts, as mentioned, work pretty well too!

  12. Kate says:

    I go the opposite route of many, and have invested in microfiber thong undercrackers. The across-the-ass seams on many bikini-style underwear really digs in after hours in the saddle; thongs eliminate that entirely.

    Thong underwear also pack really, really small. Yoga pants over them, then riding pants over the yoga pants, and I’m good for a series of 400+ mile days.

    I’ll echo the smartwool sock sentiment but also, Hot Chillys socks (they come in winter and summer variants) are AWESOME.

  1. August 5, 2010

    […] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Motorcycle Stuff, FuzzyGalore. FuzzyGalore said: Blog Post: Help Wanted: Motorcycle Travel-Friendly Undergarments and Socks http://goo.gl/fb/qDLaH […]

  2. August 8, 2010

    […] asked for advice on different brands and styles of wash and wear, comfortable underwear and socks that would be good for motorcycle traveling […]

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