Sometimes going ultralight means only bringing two pairs of underwear on a four month bikepacking trip - one pair for riding in and the other for sleeping in. After quickly wearing holes in every pair of lightweight, synthetic underwear that we've ever cycled in, my partner Mathieu and I decided that on this summer's bike trip across North America on the Great Northern Bikepacking Route (GNBR), we'd go all in on some Ridge Merino wool bottoms and see how they held up.
As of today, we have ridden bikes 8500 km (5300 miles) over the past 83 days, and I am happy to report that both our pairs of merino wool underwear are as comfortable, stylish, and intact as they were the day we left.
In full (possibly TMI) disclosure, I only wear my women's Ridge Hipster Briefs for one week out of the month while I am menstruating, but Mathieu wears his Ridge Boxer Briefs 2.0s under his casual shorts, every single day for at least 13 hours a day, 6 to 8 of which are spent in the saddle.
After all that use, there are still no signs of the underwear thinning out, wearing down or bagging out.
The Benefits of Merino Wool
Merino wool has so many fantastic properties that make it a great natural fiber choice for outdoor adventure apparel.
The Ridge Merino wool fabric is lightweight, super soft and comfortable, wicks moisture from our sweaty skin, and dries extremely fast, allowing them to double as excellent swim bottoms (which also doubles as laundry day!)
Because of its antimicrobial properties, these merino wool undies can be worn continuously without a "proper washing" and do not get smelly or crusty, although we do our best to give them a good rinse every two to three days.
Men's Ridge Boxer Brief 2.0
The Men's Ridge Boxer Brief 2.0 gets its added strength and abrasion resistance from the fact that the Merino wool yarn has a core spun, recycled nylon filament embedded in it, called (m)Force Technology. The fabric also includes a bit of elastane that allows the material to stretch and move with your body, while still retaining its flattering, athletic fit.
The flatlock seams on the Men's Ridge Briefs keep chafing at bay, the gusseted crotch provides comfort and ease of movement, and the elastic waistband shows no signs of bagging out after three months of continuous wear.
The way the front pouch of the briefs is seamed makes for a supportive environment for the loose bits, although Mat doesn't actually use the horizontal crotch opening on these or any briefs (and wonders if anyone does?)
Women's Ridge Hipster Brief
As for me, I love how lightweight, packable and quick drying the women's Ridge Hipster Briefs are — they take up very little space in my pack pod, so although I only wear them once in a while, I don't feel resentful of their presence.
The merino wool material is very comfortable against my skin, which makes the undies easy to sleep in and comfortable under my casual cycling shorts, plus it has the same (m)Force Technology as the men's boxer briefs, making them durable while still weighing next to nothing.
I like how thin the merino fabric is, however the seams along the leg openings are a little thicker than I'd like, which can be a bit uncomfortable when pressed against my bike seat, but I can easily maneuver them around to avoid the pressure. (This is really a non issue for hiking or other activities).
The Hipster Briefs have great butt coverage which allows me to feel comfortable using them as a second pair of swim bottoms.
PROS :
- Lightweight
- Durable
- Pack down small
- Natural fiber
- Antibacterial
- Moisture wicking
- Temperature regulating
- Well priced
CONS
- Seams can be uncomfortable for cycling
All in all, Mat and I have both found wearing Merino wool underwear for cycling and camping to be a comfortable, breathable, durable and much more enjoyable experience than the synthetic choices of our past. And Ridge Merino specializes in creating great-fitting durable wears built for long adventures!
Men's Ridge Boxer Brief 2.0
Specs:
Inseam: 6”
Weight: ~3oz (in size medium)
Materials: 83% Merino wool (175 gsm), 12% Nylon, 5% Spandex
Price: $35 USD
Women's Ridge Hipster Brief
Weight: ~0.8oz (size medium)
Materials: 84% Merino Wool (170 gsm), 12% Nylon, 4% Spandex
Price: $25 USD
Ali Becker is a freelance writer and adventure storyteller who spends half the year backpacking and bikepacking and the other half sleeping in strangers' beds as a professional house sitter. She and her partner, Mathieu, share their ups and downs on their IG channel at @trip.longer and hope to inspire others to get outside, adventure in nature and find their own freedom. You can learn more about them here: triplonger.ca.
