It was a sunny day in the mountains; we enjoyed an eight mile hike and built up a sweat. Now we are at a patio restaurant. The sun is still shining and my outer clothes are dry. But the breeze picks up, and I begin to get cold. I feel the dampness of my unmentionables. Earlier in the restroom, I also had difficulties pulling them up and down because of the dampness of them sticking to my skin. Later I know that I will have a painful rash. It is at least three hours before I get home and can change.
I believe that this is a common problem, but nobody really wants to talk about it. It is embarrassing to talk about the rash that is so much like a diaper rash or the dampness that clings to the cotton clothing for too long making us uncomfortable. There is a fix for the problem though.
It took me some time and reading before I even knew that there was an alternative to the traditional undergarments. Of course I knew about sports bras, but not being an athlete, I didn’t know that there were undergarments that could help alleviate the problem. But, reading blogs and personal experiences, I started picking up on the fact that there are indeed moisture wicking undergarments as there is clothing. I have a few shirts, and I like how they keep my back from becoming soaked during a hike. So, I went to my favorite place to investigate purchases, Amazon. I found a large selection of underwear and began reading the feedback. Basically what I found out was that the preference was a very personal thing. I looked at the comments regarding the durability and the ones posted by curvy women. Then I finally chose by cost and durability. I bought a three pack of Balanced Tech Women’s Seamless Bikini Panties. Then I looked at the moisture wicking sports bras. I found the same issue there and used the same criteria for that purchase. I bought Champion Women’s Curvy Show-Off Sports Bra Mesh.
When my package arrived, I was excited to try out the garments to see if they would help me. I planned a hike, donned my clothing, and set out. The underwear was very comfortable and light. They fit well, almost like I wasn’t wearing them. They never slipped nor bunched. At the end of the hike they were damp, but they slid over my skin without any sticking. Later in the day I was still comfortable in them, and I never got a rash.
The sports bra wasn’t as pleasing as the underwear. First the fit was off. I had more coverage in a bikini, and that is not good for an overweight full figured woman hiking over the hills. Then I noticed that I was damp, and the dampness didn’t go away very fast. I think I had the same results with my normal sports bra and better coverage. I didn’t notice the damp marks on my clothing though, but that is not a typical experience for me. That only happens on the hottest of the days hiking.
So the results: I would spend the extra money on the moisture wicking underwear but not on the sports bra. Trial and experience are the best lesson for me, and I am happy to have found a solution for the rash and dampness.