Managing Sweat in Winter

Basically, what the title says. I tend to get sweaty in the nether areas. I've tried synthetics, merino, merino with synthetic leggings over them. I usually just wear my ME Comici pants over this "base" layer. It's annoying enough that I bring a full change of clothes with me, because I will sweat through my bases and occasionally my pants. I can do relatively okay if I slow my pace down a lot, but obviously this can cause issues if trying to reach objectives by a certain time. Most recently, I managed some success with merino + a very light synthetic base. However, towards the end of the descent I did start developing some chafing (different issue, I think, and should be easier to solve). This was 6.5 miles in 5 hours. Boxers were mildly damp, almost non-existent compared to moving at my normal pace. 

Anyone have any other suggestions/fixes? I've even tried powders and creams, but as soon as I start moving at my normal pace, the problem returns. This concerns me as I plan for more demanding objectives, any ideas are appreciated. 

You're wearing boxers for this stuff?  Maybe try the Ex-officio or Smartwool boxer briefs--that's my go-to for ski touring--no issues with chafing, even on long days (I also like a bit of Gold Bond).  Two questions:  is it possible that you are dressed too warmly overall, or that you wait too long to delayer from your torso as you warm up?  And, what kind of pants are your outer layer, generally?  You may need something more breathable, or something with better zippered thigh vents.  For ski-touring (similar to mountaineering, but possibly an even greater need to change layers often), I don't find that I get sweaty on my lower half unless I am really overdressed.  That can be tricky if it's windy, but not consistently windy.  Sometimes you need a shell on the outside but that means you need to take off a mid-layer to balance the overall warmth/heat-loss.  

I suspect that you can manage this in part by being proactive about your layering--every few minutes, you should be doing a quick self-assessment:  am I getting too cold?  too warm?  Don't feel warm, but starting to get clammy?  Is the weather changing, or is the route aspect changing?  Am I about to go from sun to shade, or vice versa, or to be more or less exposed to wind?  If you look ahead and anticipate these changes, and take the time to change layers before you get too cold/hot/sweaty, you'll be more comfortable, but you'll also keep up a more consistent pace, more than compensating for the time it takes to swap a layer occasionally.  Hope some of this helps!  

+1 for the over dressing and boxer briefs. My suggestion is to try swapping out your bottom most mid layer for a vest. This keeps your torso (and therefore blood) warm which promotes warmth at the extremities while allowing for heat to be dumped quickly through pit zips when needed (assuming you’re wearing a shell). Also facilitates more breathability as there are fewer layers for armpit sweat to move through. I’ve also had success shifting to a lighter sleeved midlayer and using a lightweight beanie or even a brimmed cap to trap that little bit of extra warmth when needed.

Leg vents could also be a solution, but given that you’re sweating in an area with high blood flow, it sounds like you’re dressed too warmly.

I guess I should provide the specific clothing I am using, that's my bad. I am using icebreaker anatomica "boxers". They are short, and skintight briefs. I actually start off as cold as possible. For example a 22* start for mount pierce 2 weeks ago had only the helly hensen lifa stripe synthetic top, with the super thin ME lumiko hooded for my top and my bottom had icebreakers + lifa synthetic. The lifa layers are almost a mesh layer, and I added them as an experiment with the hope to provide a barrier between myself and my outer layer, hoping to move moisture away. Cold start, but never felt too warm, and actually had to put some thin gloves on a couple times. I had the best results with this setup so far. I was traveling at likely 1/3-1/2 of my usual pace however, as I didn't want to be sweaty and cold above treeline. As wind picked up close to treeline (10mph sustained below, 35mph above) I added a shell with pit zips fully unzipped, and still never felt too warm. I still sweat on the descent, more than I would have liked as it started to make me cold in the area of sweat. 

My other weekly hike is about 1500' in 1.5miles. I usually only wear a thin sun hoodie for this one, and I sweat through that, and my icebreakers (no synthetic bottom base layer) in 30-45*+ weather. This isn't even at a pace that pushes me, as I get sick of sweating. I can't dress less warmly than this, as I would be in shorts and/or shirtless. 

I agree with the other comments so far and I'm the sweatiest person I know. All of my winter pants have thigh, butt, or full leg zips to vent. These are basically always as wide open as possible if I am on the move uphill or flat and with a load. I have tried full side zip lower base layers so I can do my approach in just unzipped pants and then drop my pants to put on base layer and zip up before climbing. This works pretty well if the weather isn't nuking on you. Additionally, most approaches are done in just my upper base layer and I always bring a fresh upper base layer to change into before climbing. Using this technique I am often pretty chilly for the first 10 minutes and occasionally just cold the entire approach. Cold, but consciously aware and moderating as required. I haven't figured out how to really stop sweating and I think I'm in pretty good shape so I don't think I'm having adaptive issues. Usually by the end of the day my layers are soaked through anyway so I just need to be prepared to be wet overnight if in a survival situation (ebivy, maybe compressor pants or a light synthetic bag on top of my normal layers). For extended overnights, you can usually dry things out in the tent or outside in the wind if there is some sun. If you are on the move with no real time to dry out I keep dry layers to sleep in and only sleep in. My wet stuff I put under my sleeping pad and out of the way. Yes it will be wet, hopefully not too frozen, and in the morning you suck it up and put it back on and immediately start moving (squats, pushups, jumping jacks) to get warm. No point in wearing dry clothes for 10 minutes only for those to get wet too.

It sounds like you're doing just about everything you can and you can't really avoid the sweat. So just need to be prepared and carry extra layers and/or carry extra emergency bivy gear that works when wet. I'm also curious if anyone else has some better ideas.

Jake, I notice you are in Vermont--I think all of these issues are more difficult in more humid, coastal environments than in drier, continental areas.  B C, where's your home range?  

John, White mountains, NH.

Not gonna help for your sweaty bonch but I have a few friends who use a sacrificial “soaker” layer for the first hour of approach or first lap skiing. They then swap out for a dry layer once they are warmed up (and probably a bit dehydrated).

Use soft shells, no goretex. If you run warm you will stay dry and burn off moisture more so than waring sweaty goretex. 

B C wrote:

in 30-45*+ weather. This isn't even at a pace that pushes me, as I get sick of sweating. I can't dress less warmly than this, as I would be in shorts and/or shirtless. 

So wear the shorts and go shirtless, then.  Sounds like you do what I do - basically strip layers until you are the right temperature.  The key is to have those layers and be dialed as even small changes in sun or ambient in these cooler temps and it’s a completely different set of cloths.  You’ll still sweat, but so what - bring a change of base layers and swap if planning to be non-aerobic for awhile - like climbing.

For me this all breaks down below about 0-10F or so and I don’t really think it’s possible to be comfortable and dry while being aerobic much below these temps - so fuck that, I take a rest day, do something indoors or travel to another climate.

Not a sweaty guy but following because I’m interested in adjusting my current layering setup.

Reading the replies though, and just how much you seem to be sweating, makes me think you should go extreme. It might even have several mental and physical health benefits.

Wim Hof is the iceman. I doubt he was sweating as he was barefoot at 24k’ in the himalaya. Or the marathons he’s ran (also barefoot) above the arctic circle.

I’m not even kidding. I think a moderate approach to his methods would be amazing.

I personally don’t like swimming in water colder than 85’. I’m mentally weak and shiver like a chihuahua. But I read his stuff and I’m pretty sure he’s tapped into something special that most of us can’t get to.

Look into it. I’ll feel so soft when you skin past me wearing basketball shorts and nothing else.

I did some things that helped a lot while cross-country skiing:

Never wear actual underwear if you're already wearing long underwear. That's an extra layer in a spot you know to be sweaty. Or drop the long underwear entirely. There's no rule that you must wear longjohns in the winter.

Get a synthetic running shirt, short sleeved, and wear that on top.

Go as light as possible on your shell materials. You want to block the wind, but nothing else. If it's got a wind blocking "breathable" membrane (think Gore Windstopper), you'll hate it. Patagonia Houdini is a great top for this. If you get cold, layer on top of this.

Get lighter gloves. Wear a headband instead of a hat. Roll your sleeves up. Get an enormous insulated parka that you religiously throw on if you stop for more than 30 seconds.

You are aiming for "uncomfortably cold" in the parking lot, not "comfortably cool".

highaltitudeflatulentexpulsion wrote:

Not a sweaty guy but following because I’m interested in adjusting my current layering setup.

Reading the replies though, and just how much you seem to be sweating, makes me think you should go extreme. It might even have several mental and physical health benefits.

Wim Hof is the iceman. I doubt he was sweating as he was barefoot at 24k’ in the himalaya. Or the marathons he’s ran (also barefoot) above the arctic circle.

I’m not even kidding. I think a moderate approach to his methods would be amazing.

I personally don’t like swimming in water colder than 85’. I’m mentally weak and shiver like a chihuahua. But I read his stuff and I’m pretty sure he’s tapped into something special that most of us can’t get to.

Look into it. I’ll feel so soft when you skin past me wearing basketball shorts and nothing else.

I've switched to Brynje Thermo mesh base layers for winter. The mesh is faster to allow moisture to escape, faster cooling when you open vents or take off the upper layers, and limits how much wet material contacts the skin if you wet out with sweat. The air pockets also insulate very effectively when used under other layers. 

Have you talked with your doc about prescription -strength anti-perspirants? Or, failing that, Botox injections? Lots of drawbacks, especially the Botox ($$$ and needles, yikes!) and I have no clue if either are appropriate for the nether regions, but both approaches have helped other folks with extreme perspiration. Or so I hear.

B C wrote:

Basically, what the title says. I tend to get sweaty in the nether areas.

That's strange.
My sweatiest body part is my head.
My torso may be relatively cool, but I will still have a lot of sweat on my head.
Is there a way to train to decrease such sweating?

Good point regarding the mesh base layers. I've been meaning to try these. Try to find materials that wick super quickly, like the mesh. For now I'm using Patagonia Capilene Air upper base layer and Polartech Alpha base/mid layer. These do get wet of course, but they push sweat fast and dry fast when given the opportunity. I do my best to have no liner on the midlayer or just a thin super permeable layer for backing material (~pertex quantum air or similar). I think the ideal layering system would be a series of mesh, air capilene, polartech alpha and then finally a wind or water layer only on top, as necessary.

The problem with anti perspirants is that we would have to put them everywhere, so just using them would be a pain. I'm not sure what the effect is on your body if you can't sweat anywhere.

@yury - I think we all just sweat in different places. I'm also curious regarding potential training and adaptation. Some wimhoff method could have potential.

Be bold, start cold. Can you also do a warmup jog for a few mins and then change into your adventure suit?

Get an outer layer that has side vents and pop them open whenever you can. You're just going to sweat faster than anything can wick away to your top layer, and that moisture's gotta go somewhere. Same with top layer. Pit zips or no go for me.

For baselayers, try something made of a wool blend, which will dry slightly slower, but should keep a lot of moisture away from your skin, making you feel a little more comfy. There's a lot of different long underwears now that have paneled areas that are more ventilated but are still warm overall. Also look at 3/4 lengths so you're not doubling up your socks and your bottoms. The Smartwool Intraknits have a 3/4 options - my review for $LARGE_WELL_KNOWN_WEBSITE is pending on those. 

Just speaking for myself, as it's not something you shared, nor I'm asking, but the better shape I got, the better I was thermoregulating, regardless of clothing choices. Part of that is body fat % being lower, and muscle being higher. Have less insulation and more to be insulated can really mean a lot. Also not sure about you, but deserts are not my friend - I tend to overheat very quickly, which is why I enjoy higher altitude, mountain stuff. 

On the same topic, do people find nylon, or polyamide to be more breathable? Going to try to lighten each layer where possible, and a lighter wind protection fabric is a good start (although I rarely wear this layer for hikes below treeline). I'll also try only wearing the mesh-like base layer I have, without undergarments (which I'll pack and hide somewhere to change if it's terrible) to see if that helps. 

I really do start cold, I was starting to shiver on my last hike while getting ready. Not sure if I'd want to be even more cold than that, although I can if that seems like a good change to make as well. 

B C wrote:

On the same topic, do people find nylon, or polyamide to be more breathable? 

From chemical point of view nylon is the same as polyamide.
Breathability depends on a type of a fabric weave.

Jake woo wrote:

@yury - I think we all just sweat in different places. I'm also curious regarding potential training and adaptation. Some wimhoff method could have potential.

I haven't personally tried Wim Hof breathing protocols, but have done Buteyko breathwork and mouth taping at night for 15 months now.  So I am interested in Wim Hof. I did a little searching just now and found the following re. sweating and hyperhidrosis. I hadn't heard of hyperhidrosis until now.

https://www.reddit.com/r/Hyperhidrosis/comments/5h851d/breathing_exercise_reducing_hyperhidrosis/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Hyperhidrosis/comments/d5y70m/wim_hof_method_made_my_hyperhidrosis_disappear_oo/
https://www.reddit.com/r/Hyperhidrosis/comments/f5f1s0/on_the_wim_hof_method\

Not mentioned in the links above, but I would be sure to use nasal breathing for Wim Hof methods - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9RnE86rx6O4

Seems like I'll have to go a bit more extreme with the weather we have been having. Shorts and maybe a base layer for the bottom, and pack the pants. Did 2 different hikes recently, one was 30* with a mesh only base layer, no merino boxers, and had to slow down to avoid being too sweaty. I was only using a mesh top layer for this hike too. The only way I could vent better, would be to start removing more things from my lower or short sleeve mesh upper - so I think shorts + base layer will be a good start.