# Traveling with underwear **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [August 24, 2017, 6:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527 "2017-08-24T06:22:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/21 "2017-08-24T15:00:04Z")
Don’t buy new undies on the road and wear them without washing them first; could be life-threatening. Saw something similar on “House.” It wasn’t Lupus. ---
**Author:** ![Enright3](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/enright3/32/2897_2.png) [@Enright3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Enright3)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/22 "2017-08-24T15:09:37Z")
I too voted ‘Other’ because first of all; how is wearing my partner’s underwear any kind of solution. I wouldn’t wear them if they were clean. Second of all; I would be OK going on an overnight trip and the only thing I pack would be to drop a pair of undies into my cargo pants pocket. They take up virtually no space. How silly. ---
**Author:** ![Drunky\_Smurf](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drunky_smurf/32/449_2.png) [@Drunky\_Smurf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drunky_Smurf)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/23 "2017-08-24T16:46:02Z")
Who the hell wears a clean pair of underwear everyday? I go through like 2 a month at most. I don’t know about others but I for one don’t shove my undies up inside my butt. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/24 "2017-08-24T16:48:32Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Who the hell wears a clean pair of underwear everyday? I go through like 2 a month at most. I don’t know about others but I for one don’t shove my undies up inside my butt. 99.99% of the population ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/25 "2017-08-24T16:49:04Z")
Wait, what? All this time I thought underwear was a single-use item. Hmm. This could save me a fortune. ---
**Author:** ![Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tastes_of_chocolate/32/3232_2.png) [@Tastes\_of\_Chocolate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tastes_of_Chocolate)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 4:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/26 "2017-08-24T16:49:43Z")
Better idea. Leave toothbrush and toothpaste at home (they weight about the same as underwear) and buy new ones when you get to your destination. Pack clean underwear. Or better yet, wear the same pants and shirt for both days, and only pack the clean underwear. That way you can pack in a sandwich bag. ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 6:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/27 "2017-08-24T18:10:30Z")
> [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > Who the hell wears a clean pair of underwear everyday? I go through like 2 a month at most. I don’t know about others but I for one don’t shove my undies up inside my butt. You wear the same underwear for two weeks? That’s not good. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 6:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/28 "2017-08-24T18:19:14Z")
> [@Jophiel](#): > > Went with “Other” since nonsensical wasn’t an option. While gross, the “ew” factor didn’t even register through the “What the hell, but that makes no sense” portion of the theory. > [@Slash1972](#): > > Yeah, I don’t understand why you would wear each other’s underwear the 2nd day instead of just wearing your own again. Agreed on both. > [@Drunky\_Smurf](#): > > I don’t know about others but I for one don’t shove my undies up inside my butt. Who’s butt are you shoving them up, then? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/29 "2017-08-24T18:27:49Z")
How much room does an extra pair of underwear take up? Pack one for each day. ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 6:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/30 "2017-08-24T18:34:10Z")
If you were planning on packing hats in case of hot or cold weather, you could always forego them and instead each take an extra pair of underpants, which could then double up as headwear should the need arise. ---
**Author:** ![BeeGee](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5a626/32.png) [@BeeGee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeeGee)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/31 "2017-08-24T18:35:20Z")
> [@Little\_Nemo](#): > > You wear the same underwear for two weeks? > > That’s not good. Well, that way they can walk to the dirty clothes hamper under their own steam. So to speak. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/32 "2017-08-24T18:36:17Z")
> [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](#): > > If you were planning on packing hats in case of hot or cold weather, you could always forego them and instead each take an extra pair of underpants, which could then double up as headwear should the need arise. I thought you were going to say use the hats as underwear. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/b487fb/32.png) [@Walken\_After\_Midnight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Walken_After_Midnight)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 6:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/33 "2017-08-24T18:37:57Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > I thought you were going to say use the hats as underwear. ☹ That would just be silly - no legholes. ---
**Author:** ![Oredigger77](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/oredigger77/32/3181_2.png) [@Oredigger77](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oredigger77)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/34 "2017-08-24T19:10:46Z")
When I’m backpacking I typically will only bring two pairs of wool boxer briefs for the trip. I’ve never tried to go past a week with this strategy. At least wool is anti microbial and with two pairs I can wash one and let it dry while I wearing the other. I can’t imagine a situation where I would want to wear someone else funk not to mention I wouldn’t want to be with someone who was my size. ---
**Author:** ![StarvingButStrong](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/starvingbutstrong/32/335_2.png) [@StarvingButStrong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StarvingButStrong)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/35 "2017-08-24T19:14:17Z")
Slight hijacking: I have never understood the reasoning behind turning your underwear inside out to get a second wearing of them. Huh? Underpants accomplishes two main functional purposes: 1. It’s made of some material that’s softer/more comfortable to your skin than most outerwear is. 2. It serves to absorb stuff (sweat/skin oils/other secretions/remnants of urine and feces) so as to keep them from reaching your outerwear. Sacrificial victims, as it were, to keep your outerwear cleaner and able to be worn more than once between washings. But, if you re-wear them, inside out, aren’t you just taking all those substances the underwear absorbed to keep them from your outerwear and proceeding to rub them against the outerwear?? In essence, all you’ve done is time delay the contamination by one day? Seriously, people. Just wash the underwear out in the sink, and hang them above the heater/airconditioner unit. They’ll dry overnight. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/36 "2017-08-24T19:26:24Z")
> [@Slash1972](#): > > Yeah, I don’t understand why you would wear each other’s underwear the 2nd day instead of just wearing your own again. What he said. ---
**Author:** ![UncleRojelio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unclerojelio/32/3160_2.png) [@UncleRojelio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleRojelio)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 8:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/37 "2017-08-24T20:46:08Z")
> [@peedin](#): > > Really. If one must travel with a single pair of undies, wear a pantyliner (even men), and hand wash the undies at night. Because username. ---
**Author:** ![snoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@snoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/snoe)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/38 "2017-08-24T20:54:36Z")
I feel bad for humoring the OP and voting “Ew.” ---
**Author:** ![What\_Exit](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/what_exit/32/10652_2.png) [@What\_Exit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/What_Exit)\ **Post date:** [August 24, 2017, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/39 "2017-08-24T23:31:28Z")
Seriously, underwear? The lightest clothing you could bring? Just makes no sense at all to me. ---
**Author:** ![Ruken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f475e1/32.png) [@Ruken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ruken)\ **Post date:** [August 25, 2017, 2:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527/40 "2017-08-25T02:28:32Z")
Why wait for vacation to swap undies? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-with-underwear/794527.md?page=3)