If you’ve followed me for a while, you know I LOVE gear.
I’m the person who will spend hours researching the perfect pack, obsess over paddle ergonomics, compare trail shoes until my eyes cross, and happily debate the merits of merino versus synthetic.
After decades of adventure racing, mountain biking, paddling, backpacking, and spending more nights sleeping on the ground than I can count, I’ve realized one of the most important pieces of gear isn’t always the one people expect.
Now, don’t get me wrong—I’m NOT about to argue against a great mountain bike, a high-quality paddle, or a pack that fits your body perfectly. I firmly believe that good gear, properly fitted to your frame, can make a huge difference in both performance and enjoyment. There are some pieces of equipment that are absolutely worth investing in.
But there’s one piece of gear that often gets overlooked and not talked about. Your underwear.
Because when you’re moving for 12, 24…or even 150+ hours, your first layer is working every single second. If it rubs, rides up, traps moisture, or holds onto odor, you’ll know about it long before you notice whether your pack weighs two ounces less.
Hundreds of Hours of Testing…
Adventure racing is basically one giant gear-testing laboratory. So much so that I warn companies that I’ll be testing their products to the absolute max, and then beyond what it can do. For example after we tested the then new Neo Air pads from Thermarest in the Patagonian Expedition Race- where we used them as floation to get us down a glacier fed river and then across a glacier lake -Thermarest put in a note in every one of their pads that it is “not intended to be used as a flotation device” after they watched a video of us in the race happily floating and bypassing all of the intense and thick bush.
In short, keep that in perspective when I am reviewing items after a multi day adventure race!
I’ve raced through tropical jungles, snowstorms, deserts (the second largest one in the world twice!), down countless rivers, trekked through multiple mountain passes (which some have even been name after us!), and been on week long expeditions where changing clothes isn’t really an option.
I’ve learned the hard way that “comfort isn’t a luxury—it’s performance.”
Every tiny irritation becomes magnified after hour 20. A seam becomes a blister, a waistband becomes an annoyance and moisture becomes chafing. In adventure racing, chafing and blisters have ended more adventures than lack of fitness ever has.
Why I Switched to Paradis Underwear
When I first tried Paradis, I honestly wasn’t expecting much because, how different can underwear really be?
Turns out…quite a bit. The first thing I noticed was what I didn’t notice: No constant adjusting, no bunching and no uncomfortable seams. There was no chafing after hours of trekking and kayaking. And on the Infinity bike seat? No issue at all.
That’s exactly what you want.
When you’re focused on navigating with your team through the wilderness, racing through the night, or settling into hour fifteen on a paddle, the last thing you want is your underwear demanding attention.
Over time, I’ve tested a few different styles depending on what I’m doing and where I am:
- The Seamless MIQ Brief — Seamless MIQ Brief
This is my go-to when I know I’ll be in and out of water constantly. Swimming, packrafting, river crossings, wet transitions—it handles the wet-to-dry cycle without becoming uncomfortable or heavy. - The Natural Fiber Bikini — Natural Fiber Bikini
This is my everyday, off-duty favorite. Soft, breathable, easy. It’s what I reach for at home, during lighter training days, or when I just want something comfortable that doesn’t think too hard about life. - The Natural Fiber Boyshort — Natural Fiber Boyshort and Seamless Boyshort — Seamless Boyshort
These are what I race in when things get serious. Multi-day efforts. Sleep deprivation. Constant movement. Zero margin for distraction.And honestly—sometimes it gets extreme. Hot weather, long remote sections, river crossings… and a very real possibility that I’ll be racing in my underwear for stretches of time. That’s just part of adventure racing. In those moments, your first layer stops being “underwear” and becomes your actual kit, so it matters that it can do that job well.
Moisture Matters
As endurance athletes, we spend an incredible amount of time wet. Sweat, river crossings, rain, humidity, it’s all just part of the job title. The ability for your first layer to manage moisture makes a massive difference.
The Paradis fabric dries quickly, stays comfortable against my skin, and doesn’t feel heavy after getting soaked. Whether I’m on day four of an expedition race, heading out for a long trail run, or spending another long day on the bike, staying dry means less friction and happier skin.
Less Chafing = More Smiles
Let’s normalize talking about chafing. Every endurance athlete has dealt with it and likely anyone who runs or bikes regularly almost certainly has experienced it! It hurts, it’s annoying and it can affect your running and biking form significantly. I’ve personally had it so bad I had to go underwear less and my teammates too. It’s a very common thing in adventure racing and while it’s funny afterwards, when we are in it, it is quite painful and can slow the whole team down.
Good underwear won’t eliminate every possibility of chafing, but it can dramatically reduce one of the biggest causes. For me, that’s been one of the biggest wins. Less distraction, less irritation and more energy spent enjoying the adventure and pushing hard instead of counting down the miles until I get to change clothes.
They’re Not Just for Racing and Why to Invest in a Pair.
One thing I love is that these aren’t “race-only” gear. They’re what I reach for almost every day. Long mountain bike rides, travel days, camping, running, sleep, backpacking, packrafting, and home life. They’re comfortable enough to disappear into the background or show up in the foreground when I forget my bathing suite or want to take a spontaneous dip in a high alpine lake on a mountain run.
People often ask what piece of gear makes the biggest difference. They’re usually expecting me to say an expensive watch or a carbon paddle. And sometimes it is this, but what the answer always is – is much simpler. Your first layer touches your body before anything else. It can make every mile better or every mile miserable.
For me, Paradis has become one of those pieces of gear I don’t think about anymore because it simply works. And that’s probably the highest compliment I can give any piece of equipment. When I’m chasing adventures, raising a family, exploring new terrain or paddling through the night – comfort isn’t about luxury. It’s about freedom. And freedom for me starts with my underwear.
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What’s one small piece of gear that has made an unexpectedly big difference in your adventures? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!