Know your gear

Everybody needs this underwear

Not so long ago it was considered rather shabby if your underwear showed. Now, technical undergarments peeking from under team wear have become so acceptable that cricket and rugby teams even get them in the team colours as part of their kit.

The advantages of these undergarments are well-documented and punted by high profile sportspersons — but today they are a piece of identifiable equipment to the everyman and -woman interested in staying in shape or enjoying recreational activities.

This is exactly why the modern base layer technology offers such an interesting new product option for a wide range of retailers, explains Wayne Schonegevel of OBO Sports, local distributor of Linebreak.

It’s not necessarily the top athletes who will appreciate the benefits and WOW factors of wearing technical undergarments as much as the weekend warriors, he says.

“Professional athletes, who have access to all the nutrients, don’t take the same strain after exercising as someone who only rides over the weekend, or jogs with the mates twice a month. It’s the people who are used to stiffness and sore joints after casual exercise who will really appreciate and notice the difference these garments make.”

Today’s base layers are being fine tuned down to the smallest detail, to maximize their affect — for example, with flat-lock stitching to reduce friction during exercise, and an SP Factor 50 to protect the skin.

Performance and endurance

When specific muscles are compressed, oxygen in the blood increases, which brings more energy to the muscles, which in turn increases the average power output, improving speed and strength, and thus overall performance, explains Canterbury SA sales manager, Francois Theron.

There is, however, a difference between a tight fitting undergarment (more readily available) and a compression undergarment, cautions Schonegevel. Too much compression from a tight-fitting garment can restrict, rather than enhance, movement.

Some ranges, like Linebreak, have compression panels aimed at relevant muscle groups, which means that each muscle group is independently supported, he says.

“Canterbury BaseLayer Ionx™ delivers ionic energy to the body and therefore aids performance in sports that require high explosive actions, or where muscles need to respond quickly and effectively, like rugby, soccer, cricket, racket sports, basketball and gymnastics,” says Theron.

Canterbury has also introduced a third generation BaseLayer Ionx™ Compression range.“It enhances performance during training, competition and recovery, as it is designed to reduce the build-up of lactic acid in the muscles and allows for a quicker return to normal levels after competition or activity.”

Compression fit is to be worn as tightly as possible, moulded to hug the body, preventing movement of muscles to prevent energy sapping muscle oscillation, he says. It is suitable for high impact and fast twitch sports like rugby, soccer, sprinting and basketball. This garment also improves body awareness, thereby enhancing skills and coordination needed for sports like basketball, netball, racket sports, and baseball/ softball.

While it is popular amongst professionals for pre- and post-sports activities, it is not available in the market. “It is on offer to retailers, but due to production minimums and the fact that this specialised product is a new concept for most athletes, it is still in its infancy,” says Theron.

Faster recovery

It’s not only their support during sport that make technical undergarments so important for all degrees of athletes, but also the role they play when the game is over.

The recovery aspect of Linebreak is a focal point for the brand — and a feature especially appreciated by an athlete like Ryk Neetling, who often has to compete after multiple long hours strapped in an aircraft.

Long-haul economy class travellers know how important compression socks are to prevent thrombosis: think what it could to the rest of your body!

Runner Norrie Williams, wrote in an article that compression has been a key component of the immediate self treatment for injuries. The Rest, Ice, Compression, and Elevation (RICE) protocol has been shown to speed injury recovery and the Linebreak range are an instantly available source of compression for virtually every part of the body.

This is especially beneficial for the non-elite athlete. “Not all weekend warriors have access to massages, ice baths or high-end nutrition, but anyone can put on a pair of compression tights after exercise and not feel stiff and sore the next day,” says Schonegevel.

Canterbury BaseLayer Ionx™ accelerates recovery by improving blood flow efficiency through flushing out residual waste products, such as lactic acids left in the muscles after high intensity activity, says Theron. “Therefore training or competition can begin again more quickly.”

BaseLayer Ionx™ Compression helps prevent muscle oscillation, which leads to muscle fatigue; it minimises muscle soreness and helps muscle to recover faster than normal. It improves blood circulation which improves heart efficiency, particularly beneficial during periods of inactivity, he says.

Temperature control

You don’t, however, need the muscle-strengthening compression features for all activities, says Schonegevel — in many activities the cooling or heating properties are more important.

Nowadays, there is hardly a distinction between winter and summer sport — sporting seasons have become longer and as competition hots up, practice starts well before the traditional season starts.

Most active people would therefore welcome the temperature regulating features of performance undergarments.

“An hour on the bike, a quick afternoon run, a week on an ocean racer, a month on an Arctic expedition… technical baselayer technology keeps you dry, comfortable and warm,” says Rebecca Laird of Texas Peak SA, local distributor of Helly Hansen.

This Norwegian outdoors company developed the first LIFA® Stay Dry baselayer technology 30 years ago and is still one of the biggest manufacturers of technical undergarments in the world. Their products are worn by more than 25-m athletes and adventurers . Tried and tested in some of the most outrageous temperatures, they are endorsed by the top skiing, snowboarding and sailing athletes in the world.

“LIFA® is one of the most used and trusted baselayer technologies in the world,” says Laird. “It hates water and retains 40 times less moisture than polyester, a fabric often used for baselayers. You therefore stay drier.”

HH WARM is worn for activities involving a lot of stop and go, normally resulting in you freezing due to excessive moisture being built up and then cooled down, she explains. “It consists of two different layers. The inner layer, inspired by the fur of the polar bear, features the unique hollow LIFA® T3 (thermic tube technology) that insulates and allows for superior evacuation of moisture. The outer one features super fine merino wool that doesn’t itch for added warmth.“

Athletes performing high intensity activities that require maximum removal of moisture prefer HH Dry. “LIFA® Stay Dry Technology™ acts like a second skin that promotes the transport of moisture off the body onto the next layer, resulting in you feeling dry and able to perform better for longer.”

HH COOL is the ultimate technical layer for high-energy sports. “It has a bi-component knit to provide rapid moisture transport in one layer. HH COOL has a looser fit, which allows increased venting and comfort for high intensity activities in warmer weather, says Laird.

The bi-component knit of LIFA®Versa, for example, offers LIFA® on the inside with absorbent polyester on the outside. Its endless fibre structure does not trap moisture or residues, which also gives it superb natural resistance to bacteria.

According to Laird, paddling, cycling, athletics and watersports are the activities where Helly Hansen is most often worn.

The initial Canterbury Baselayer was based on the simple concept of keeping athletes dry through wicking moisture away from the body, says Theron. “Innovations have taken place over the years and we have seen the development of Hot and Cold body temperature controlling Baselayers. It conserves vital energy that would otherwise be used to maintain a consistent body temperature.”

He believes there is much confusion in the market around Hot and Cold BaseLayers: Hot is to be worn when it’s hot to keep you cool and Cold is to be worn when it’s cold to keep you warm.

Standard fit BaseLayer Essentials is worn skintight, encasing the body to allow for the control of body temperature, as it promotes efficient wicking away of sweat. It is suitable for endurance and fast and slow twitch sports such as cricket, cycling, running, golf, aerobic sports and angling. “All sports where body temperature matters,” says Theron.

“The Canterbury BaseLayer fabric also includes anti-bacterial agents to keep gear smelling fresh and is thus suitable for sports such as angling and indoor activities such as aerobics and spinning where you maybe in contact with more moisture than other sports activities.”