Does Under Armour work?

[swampthing]

Stinger most of thoe people that write those articals either work for the company or are paid off by the company, don't see much science in there claims, lot of hypnosis but no real science. Although they do say it helps with chaffing. Besides it's imported. Do you trust where it comes from? I Don't.
The problem is you are not stopping the heat from penetrating your garments.
Keep the Sun rays from hitting you, that is what will overheat you, find an insulating clothing that will keep the rays from heating your skin, sorry guys poly is not a great insulator, they call it Under Armour for a reason.
Breatheability to vent off heat is paramount but it must also insulate you from the heat. Much like a cooler in the sun you put ice in there it stays cold, you put a temperate body inside sun insulating clothing "and" allow it to breathe you'll stay cooler, longer, with less water useage than trying to keep an evaporative cooling action going.
Ya Under Armour "works," works ya two ways, first you pay for it, than to pay to keep it going...
Not telling you what to do but I would look elsewhere for clothing to use on an adventure they could span more than a few hours in the heat.

[johnnyk71]

all i know is that when bow season starts here, it's mid 80's to 90's, and the humidity is still about 90%. i could be sopping wet in a cotton t-shirt, and i would be neither cool nor dry.

heck, most days it's so humid here, if you spit on the ground, it starts raining!  

[Mike Vines]

I have spent 20 plus years as a carpenter, and ifyou expect to get paid, you work in all conditions you are able to.  After a few years of feeling like a baboon (they make "Monkey Butt" powder for a reason), I switched over to the Bass Pro version of UA underwear, and have never thought about going back to cotton skivies again.  I have never tried the UA brand, but after reading some of the responses, I wouldn't mind dropping the $ if it works like so many say.  

Yes, cotton has a place, but not on a hot and humid sweat filled day.

[Reaper TN]

I stopped by Hibbets sports today and bought a UA grey tech t-shirt, 25 bucks plus tax.  I'm going to ATAR in WV on Friday, supposed to be a little cooler by then, only 90 degrees.  Now I've got to figure out if I'm going to wear it by itself or under a white t-shirt.

[Ryan Rothhaar]

Dunno if it works or not, don't own any...but it IS a FANTASTIC example of marketing.  Great way to take old technology (Polypro has been in clothing/underwear for at least 20 years) and repackage it for targeted market segments.  Put those tight clothes on a nice looking woman or a strapping guy showing off his abs in the Cabela's catalog and it will sell.

I'm glad somebody likes the "athletic" cut of the clothes - everybody I know that wears the UA would be doing EVERYONE a favor NOT to wear the "athletic" cut, if you know what I mean.  Personally I couldn't imagine wearing something cut like that - I would feel and look like a big ol' pork loin wrapped in Saran wrap!

To each his own....just be careful with that stuff around campfires.  If you doubt me put a hotdog in a ziplock bag and set it on fire.  Now imagine YOU are that hotdog when you are wearing polypro that catches a spark from your campfire.

R

[Reaper TN]

LOL....That's why I got the tech style t-shirt, it's loose fit, no compression tight fit for me.

[wahoo]

They said it a bunch.If your moving it's fine if you plan on sitting in a tree or ground blind your going to freeze. I wear it skiing or snow shoeing but sitting still - buy wool.

[Brian Krebs]

I use under armour as a base layer; and use the hot weather stuff year round. I really like the ability to cover tuff terrain and not overheat in the netherlands.
 I hunt in an area that can get hot( I think the record for the year is 100 degrees- but 95 can kick your butt). And I am walking all the time when spot and stalking; and the two- the low humidity here and the hot temperatures might change the results from others experiences.
  I wear wool over the under armour; and goretex over that when I am just going to be sitting in a blind.
 Yes; you feel cold; but its just an illusion - your not really cold; just not feeling warm.
 Nothing beats wool completely - but wool 'underwear'... do they make it?

[DWT]

I love the cold weather gear, it is a great base layer, but that is all it is. I have worn it elk hunting, late season here in michigan for deer and coyotes which we hunt throughout the winter and last winter wore them in canada wolf hunting at 42* below zero and they do what they are designed to do. I have also wore polypropelene for years after my marine brother turned me on to it for cold weather. The stuff does what it is supposed to do and yes its quite flamable but have found that when I wear it it is under about 2 or three other layers and not exposed most of the time. AS was said earlier if you were it and then strip layers it will flash cool you as the moisture cools. At 42 below it will frost up as your getting undressed at the truck.  In my opinion I love it, it is light, as a base layer works great but it is a bit pricey as far as clothing goes but like most clothing it is not supermans cape it is a tool, not magic.Don

[hillbilly61]

I'm going to try it. Visited my dad this past weekend and he was wearing the long sleave. I looked at him like he was crazy, and asked if he was hot? He said he has been wearing the this whole time the weather was been in the 90's Said it keeps him cool and comfy. This is a 77 year old man telling me this. I'm going out this weekend and getting a couple pair.

[NoCams]

DWT,
Good news brother.... we found "Superman's Cape", several years ago..... It is as jonsimoneau said in his post. Ullfrotte' wool long johns ! I tried the military polypro for years cause we could get it cheap around here due to the factory being right down the road. Was it okay, heck yeah especially for the $$$. We could buy a top and bottom for $20 years ago. However, it would give you a chill every now and then and just does not breathe as well as wool. Did I mention the smell !!!

jonsimoneau is correct about the odor control of wool. Don't believe me, wear a pair of good 80-100% merino wool boot socks for 3 days and smell them... Then try that with some man made recycled plastic ! The confrot range of wool is superior. When we walk out at noon and the temp has went from 15 degrees to 50 the wool just does not sweat you up like polypro. JMHO

nocams

[wahoo]

woolpower-ostersund- ck it out

[swampthing]

Just ran a few miles in a cotton t-shirt, shorts too, ya I was wet, but I wasn't hot. That nice wetness keeping me cool.
    Don't forget to put a breathable wool insulating layer over your thin cotton in the heat. Thats the part all of my critics convienently leave out when they explain how miserable they were in cotton, YOU MUST INSULATE YOURSELF FROM THE HEAT!!!

[Stinger]

Well, it's like bows - some won't shoot anything but a recurve and others won't shoot anything but a longbow.  To each his own.  All I can say is there is a reason that most of the pro Football teams and the US Military now issue Under Armor Heat Gear to their people. I would rather be dry and comfortable than wet and chaffing.  ....but, the comment about getting it near a fire is on the money - you don't want to do that.

[huntin_sparty]

IMO Yes very well I've got the cold gear compression fit and have been very happy with it early and mid season.  Late in December here in MI, it is my base layer then a layer of merino wool with my Day One fleece bibs and bowhunter coat overtop been in some real cold stuff with that and no problems.

[Talondale]

One thing I will say about wet cotton is it will cause blistering and chaffing fast.  If you have a wet cotton shirt (or under shorts) and they get wet and there's a lot of movement you are likely to be rubbed raw.  That's why you don't wear cotton socks while hiking.  Everything has it's pros and cons.  I have remington brand version of the shirts I got on clearance just to try and I can wear the long sleeve mock turtle during opening of bowseason and be comfortable, I can't say that about cotton.  For serious outdoor use cotton isn't your best option.  Synthetic or wool according to your preference or need.

[30coupe]

For cold weather, it is hard to beat silk under wool longjohns. Neither one holds odor.

Cotton is a stink factory. Iowa summers are hot and humid. I wear cotton tee shirts because I have tons of them, but not because they keep me cool or odor free. If I wear one all day outside, frankly, I stink! I don't think it's just me either. When the humidity is in the 90s, cotton is NOT cool either. My shirts are soaked and stay that way. Nothing evaporates, so nothing cools. I haven't tried the UA stuff, but it is tempting. I do have a couple of poly fishing shirts that offer sun protection and wick moisture. I can wear them all day and they never stink. If that is an indication, then poly would probably work. I wouldn't want to see me in one of those skin tight things though    

[Jeremy]

I played tennis for 2.5 hours last week in one of the wicking synthetic shirts - stayed dry, comfortable and didn't overheat despite near record breaking heat and humidity.

Played tennis today for 2.5 hours in a cotton T.  I was thoroughly soaked and hotter than H$*@, despite it being 10 degrees cooler and not as humid as last week.  Cotton holds onto the moisture and prevents evaporation (and its cooling effect).

I bought two of the knock-off cold weather compression shirts last year to try out.  They seemed to work great as a base layer.

[darb]

I swear by UA and the cheap-o version from Target.  The Walmart version does seem to get an odor.  I wear UA under a kevlar vest daily and will tell you that I cringe when there are only cotton Ts left in the drawer at the end of the week. For military/LE aplications UA is overwhelmingly accepted as effective, regardless of the science of heating/cooling.  For hunting use there does seem to be a few more who arent as sold on its effectiveness.

That being said, when I used to participate in Civil War re-enactments I was always amazed at how well a wet cotton undershirt worn under a heavy wool coat,actually kept you considering that you were also wearing wool trousers.  That same cotton under shirt worn under the wool killed ya when it was cold out though.  

For hunting, UA and layers of wool have worked very well for me. The colder- the more layers of wool. I like old school stuff, but for my base I am sold on the performance of UA, I just hate the price and the hype of it.

Also I have had the opposite experience regarding odor.  Only the off brand UA have ever stunk up quickly for me.  I can usually wear UA far longer than cotton before it begins to stink.  Wool definitely does not seem to smell from body odor but will hold the smell of a campfire for quite awhile.  

I think it is the X-static line of under garments that really seems to do well in the odor category.  I wear it as a base layer during early season hike in hunts. Our bike patrol shirts are made of it as well and I could easily work two hot shifts without really needing to wash it.