The light stuff is usually quick-drying. Have you tried looking at an outdoor gear store? My favourite local store lists some men's underwear that may be what you're looking for:

http://tinyurl.com/yeebnrw

So why don't you hand wash underwear? What if you go for eight weeks?

Or what about visiting a laundry matt or drop-off service mid-trip?

Sorry, I don't have a suggestion for you, but you're really planning to pack 40some pairs of underwear? Each?

Not just pack. I can't imagine OWNING that many pairs!

Seriously now where is this 6-week trip taking place? I have never been anywhere that you couldn't find a way to get a load of laundry done. Either coin-op DIY or drop-off service where you leave them for the day and pick up later on or a hotel as a last resort. I can't imagine traveling with more than 1-week's worth of undie things.

Thanks for the link, ShelliDawn. I checked it out, but a little costly for me, $17 for 1 pair (the silk ones). The other ones won't work for what he likes to wear, which is just regular full rise (no legs) jockies. But, kind of you to give me the info.

I did find a lite weight blended fabric, that might work, but I didn't order them that day (3 pairs for $16) & now they are no longer on sale = $22. Isn't that much more, but I might as well just keep watching for another sale - Penneys.

Re: how many undies we take with us - totally we pack one 26" bag (checked) & one carryon size bag, plus we each take a carryon backpack. However, sometimes we switch the 26" for a carryon size, which gives us each just a carryon, plus our carryon personal item (small backpack) (sadly TSA may permanently change it to only 1 carryon item pp!). And, we never go to Europe for less than 4-5 weeks because we cruise over & back & want at a minimum 2 1/2 weeks in Europe for the land part.

On our previous 5 week trip, yes, we packed undies to allow for a clean pair every day without handwashing. Our first week was transatlantic on the QM2 which has a laundramat, so at the end of the week we laundered the dirty clothes, which meant that 4 weeks of underwear were packed for this trip. As I said, my silk underwear takes up very little room, so why handwash? But, men's cotton jockey shorts add quite a bit of bulk & weight......thus, that's why I posted & I'm looking for a less weighty material.

Re: packing less underwear & doing laundry in the countries we visit during the land portion of our trips - why? All of our clothing, except hubby's underwear, is travel clothing - less weight/less bulk. Therefore, I am looking to find a travel weight type product for our only bulky item - hubby's underwear. Once I find this product (at a cost I'm willing to pay), issue resolved, because I know we will have luggage room for such no matter how long we travel - I don't see us traveling for more than 8 weeks. So, yes, I understand that we can use laundry service during our travels, but except for the time we are stuck on a ship & just lounging around anyway, I don't see any need to take up our touring time on land to do laundry.

Thanks for everyone's time & suggestions, Julie

Look at TravelSmith & Magellen & Territory Beyond mail order or online. They have all kinds of travel specific clothing including men's undies.

Sorry about mentioning doing laundry. I guess I just assumed for a 6 week trip you'd need to wash your clothes as well as the underwear situation.

oops that would be Territory AHEAD
www.territoryahead.com
www.travelsmith.com
www.magellans.com

Haynes has some that are 50% synthetic and 50% cotton. Usually comes in packs of 3 for about $10 (as I recall). Really nice and they do dry overnight.

Maybe you should try wintersilks.com they make men's underwear.

"So, yes, I understand that we can use laundry service during our travels, but except for the time we are stuck on a ship & just lounging around anyway, I don't see any need to take up our touring time on land to do laundry."

On the other hand, others don't see any need to follow your choice to drag around four weeks of clean/dirty underwear. It takes five minutes every few days to rinse out a few days of quick-drying undergarments in a hotel sink. To me and others, that makes for more effective travel than packing all those extra undergarments and dragging them from place to place.

My male traveling companions switch to mens' quick-drying briefs for a trip. While this style of undergarment is not their usual choice, they accept the change for the duration of the trip since it makes packing and laundering easier.

ellenem, before posting I understood that some "others" do hand laundry. I discovered that while researching these boards, before I posted. And, I understand that....

"others don't see any need to follow your choice to drag around four weeks of clean/dirty underwear. It takes five minutes every few days to rinse out a few days of quick-drying undergarments in a hotel sink. To me and others, that makes for more effective travel than packing all those extra undergarments and dragging them from place to place."

However, we 'obviously' don't choose to do it the way you and "others" do. Therefore, on this post, I specifically requested info on men's lite weight underwear. And, knowing how some Fodorites handwash, I specifically posted that we are not interested in hand washing. No where in my post was I advising anyone to follow my "choice". Sorry, but I don't really care how others 'handle' their underwear! So, I really don't understand why you felt the need to advise me that I am not an "effective travel"er because I drag around needless underwear - good brief! We're just talking underwear here, not world peace!

Advice is welcomed, but let's recognize that we don't all wear our underwear the same way, and that is definitely OK.

Julie

Sorry if you mistook my meaning. I guess I mistook yours.

Can't get any lighter than commando....

Can't get any lighter than commando....

The other day I ordered the newest boxers of Bjorn Borg. They are AMAZING! They're so thin, you can hardly feel that you're wearing them. They have them there for pretty good prices http://www.onlineunderwear.nl

You can't beat commando, but this is the closest thing you will find!

<<<thursdaysd on Jan 7, 10 at 9:01am
Not just pack. I can't imagine OWNING that many pairs!>>>

I can't say anything to that as I have well over 40 pairs of undies. There's a Vanity Fair outlet near me and well, when it's $1-3 for a pair of undies and they're cute... Yes, I need a 12 step program!

As for the original question, while I can't imagine hauling that many pairs of undies on a vacation, it's your bag so pack whatever you want! If you want to carry that many pairs of undies and weight isn't a concern, put them in ziplocks and squeeze all of the air out. Multiple quart size bags compact fairly well and are easier to pack than one large gallon size bag. Fold neatly, shove as many pairs into a bag as will fit, sit and seal.


I do have to admit to being confused by the idea of packing enough for a 6 week vacation without doing laundry. Maybe I'm missing the obvious but if you're going to go that long do you either A) wear the same stuff over and over and over without ever washing it or B) wash the clothes but don't want to wash the undies??

If you wear them inside-out the next day, you only need to bring half the number you thought you needed!

I think Magellans sells disposable undies. If you absolutely positively refuse to wash underwear, get the kind you can throw out. That way you'll never have to deal with them again.

Or instead of disposables just buy some cheap ones & throw them away.

I still think the blended cotton/poly Stafford brand (use to be Towncraft) from Penny's is the best choice. They are as lightweight as any men's full cotton briefs and my husband loves his so much that he wears them everyday.

Since I do handwash on our travels, the cotton/poly blend dries easily overnight.

I think the ones at Penny's, when not on sale, run $20 for 5 pair.

http://tinyurl.com/2d9pmj2

Mr.Piggy usually wears polyster/elastine mixed boxers from Under Armour. They are very light weight and marketed as performance underwear, but Mr.Piggy wears them when he's playing tennis or dressing up. Zegna also has great light weight underwear made of very soft thin cotton.