Introduction:
These are dark (nearly black, called "graphite" by the manufacturer) boxers of non-scratchy, stretchy "superfine" merino wool. You can find a more detailed description in my Initial Report.

Field Experience:
I've taken these for a few longer walks during the long-term testing phase, including one overnight hike in which I wore them exclusively, including at night. Terrain was hilly, though the altitude no more than maybe 400 m (1300 ft) above sea level. The temperatures were around 20 C (70 F) for the dayhikes (where I wore them under my thinnest pair of Nylon pants). On the long overnighter, temps topped out well above 30 C (85 F) and I wore the shorts as my only layer.

Looks:
I had remarked in my Initial Report, that the "underwear look" of this piece of underwear made me reluctant to wear it as an only layer. While I still do not fault this underwear for looking like underwear, I had hoped to get more multifunctional use out of it. Wishing to give these a decent test, I resolved to wear them even once summer reached its peak around here. This required wearing them as an only layer. I decided not to worry so much, wore a long T-shirt with it and hiked my hike. This seemed to work - of the people I encountered, no one made remarks on my attire (though a number of people remarked that they felt it was too hot to be out hiking). Maybe everyone's gotten used to joggers and bikers in tights that the difference to the Roaster Boxers wasn't remarkable.

Fit/Comfort:
They still fit much like I have described them in the Initial Report. They have neither shrunk (though having been washed repeatedly) nor relaxed their stretchiness. So the fit has remained unchanged, a kind of relaxed hugginess that I've become to appreciate lately. When worn as an only layer, or under baggy pants, they don't feel like much - which is to say, that their presence is easily forgotten. No itches or pinching - very nice.
Their relaxed stretchiness also made it easy to check myself for ticks by touch (I had forgotten my signal mirror which usually does double duty in this regard), without having to take them off. This somewhat reduced the necessary hammock gymnastics and was quite welcome.

Warmth:
In warmer temperatures (around 20 C/70 F), with the Roaster Boxers worn under either thin long pants or thin shorts (depending on wind and sun conditions), my midsection was nicely warm without overheating. From my experience, wearing my standard briefs would have resulted in less warmth in that area, without necessarily being more comfortable. On one memorable overnighter (memorable for a number of unrelated reasons) I decided to wear these as my only layer. When I encountered the first (and only) thermometer on this trip, temperatures had just dropped below 30 C (84 F) in the evening at 20:00 (8 p.m.). I hiked well into the night before hanging my hammock. I went to sleep in the Roaster Boxers and continued hiking the next day in them. I was very comfortable in them all night. During the day, I was sweating a lot - all over my body. While my crotch seemed particularly sweaty, this - along with my armpits - is where I sweat the most when physically exerting myself on hot days, anyway. I did not have the feeling that these boxers contributed to excess sweating at all. I find this remarkable, as I recall that they did add welcome warmth on colder days.

Moisture Throughput:
The Roaster Boxers only felt soaked on my body once, when I entered water while wearing them. While they were okay to swim in, they did take on a lot of water, which made them heavy and more clingy. While not see-through (and even darker when thoroughly wet), this made them rather ... "showy". The weight they had taken on, combined with their relaxed hugginess, also made it feel as though they were in danger of sliding down (I did not walk around for an extended period of time to experiment whether they would indeed slide down). In this instance, I needed to find a secluded spot where I could take the Roasters off to wring them out (my fault for trying this in a public area). Once wrung out, they stopped feeling wet pretty soon and dried easily on my body.
They also did not feel wet when I arrived at my parents' place after my hot overnighter. The seat cushion I sat down on after my arrival thereafter needed washing, however - apparently the Roaster Boxers had been soaked with sweat. That I did not notice this until I got up and saw the result of their prolonged contact with said cushion, speaks well for the Roaster Boxers' comfort.

Odour:
The only time the Roaster Boxers seemed to develop a smell was on that long, hot overnighter. I will admit that the circumstances (lots of steep uphill hiking in very hot conditions, for two days without a rinse in between) were extreme (the sun had reduced several watering opportunities to zero, so I had a very dry camp). When I took them off thereafter, they decidedly did smell when held up to the nose, though I feel confident that I had not (yet) become repulsive to other hikers. However, I found it easy (as I had water again on my arrival) to wash them with a bit of shampoo, then rinse them out, wring them out and presto - no more smell. I put them right back on (after having taken a shower myself) and let them dry on my body. Very relaxing.

Durability:
As reported above, the boxers have maintained their fit. This even though they have been washed regularly, and not always according to their care instructions (see my Field Report). The colour seems to have faded just a little (though this is difficult to ascertain, with nothing but memory to go on). They seem to have developed a tiny amount of fuzz, which might also explain why they appear to be a little lighter coloured than they used to be. Burs cling and clung to it, though taking them off did not seem to put an undue burden on the fabric.

Pros/Cons:
Pros: Add warmth when needed, without overheating. Good moisture management, odour resistant. Easy to care for.
Cons: Could be a bit huggier. Apparently no longer manufactured (listed - as of today - only under "outlet").

Personal Biographical Information:
Name: André Corterier
Gender: M
Age: 33
Height: 1,85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Weight: 80 kg (175 lb)
Email: andreDOTcorterierATfreenetDOTde
Home: Bonn, Germany

Backpacking Background:
I began backpacking in my late teens using Europe’s "InterRail"-System – weight hardly mattered, as we were on trains a lot. I recently rediscovered backpacking and have started out slowly – single-day 15 mile (24 km) jaunts by myself or even shorter hikes in the company of my little daughter. I am getting started on longer hikes, as a lightweight packer and hammock-camper. I’ve begun upgrading my old gear and am now shooting for a dry FSO weight (everything carried From the Skin Out except food, fuel and water) of about 10 kg (22 lb) for three-season camping. Not quite there yet.

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Long Term Report

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