Under Armour?

[Ram]

I've seen a lot of people around work wearing "under armour" shirts under their bags. Ever seen the stuff? Really thin fabric...like a polyester/spandex blend that's supposed to keep you cool and wick water away from your body and keep you dry when you're sweating.

Well, I know that dudes in Iraq are lovin the stuff for under their BDUs, and professional athletes totally swear by it. I used to wear it as an under shirt when I'd run a lot, and I loved it. What about pilots?

As far as safety, I've heard two schools of thought. Some people think that the flammability factor isn't really huge when you have a nomex bag over it, but our local flight docs aren't huge on it. I was asking a flight doc about it last week, and he pretty much yelled at me for even bringing it up. I quote: "That stuff melts. I'd hate to get to your crash site and have to peel that off your penis." <---DIRECT QUOTE :eek: :eek:

So what's the word? Anyone wear it on a regular basis?

[Guest flecth033]

"That stuff melts. I'd hate to get to your crash site and have to peel that off your penis." <---DIRECT QUOTE

I actually wear it on my penis on a regular basis and it feels pretty good. Feels a little snug at times, but it does keep everything nice and warm.

[ 01. May 2005, 23:03: Message edited by: flyguy ]

[Guest kylejustin]

Are they authorized to wear in BDUs? Im going to Tyndall for field training in July and it would be great for the heat down there.

[Ram]

You won't be able to wear it for field training. Nothing but standard issue brown shirts while you're there.

I went back as a CTA and wore it, though. It's the sh!t.

[LJ Driver]

Talk to the Life Support people, not the flight docs. The docs don't approve what we can wear. I think there is some reg that says cotton undergarments, but I don't know which one.

[Guest KillYourself]

Go ahead and wear it at FT. Get the black one with the turtle neck and the "UA" in white letters. While you're at it, buy a new pair of boots and a pair of sunglasses. You'll be the coolest guy in your flight...guaranteed.

[Guest beylund]

Now THAT'S the kind of ultimate sarcasm I've come to love and expect on this board. I've always thought it was funny how people get their blood pressure up about dumbarse things like old boots having polish on them because it's a fire hazard. If it gets that damn hot my face is going to melt far before my old cadet shoe polish ignites. I know life support has good intentions, but after a certain point...

[HercDude]

I'd say a good 80% of my squadron wears that stuff every time they fly in the AOR. In the summertime anyway - which started a month ago and ends around Halloween. I don't care what you fly, if you wear a cotton BDU shirt under your bag, it will be drenched by the time you even get to your bird to preflight.

I wore the cotton in the colder months, but it's Under Armor all the way these days. Yes, I have heard that there is a reg saying you are only authorized cotton. I don't know where it is, I have never bothered looking for it, and I've never heard anyone telling anyone they can't wear Under Armor.

And I agree with KillYourself on this one . . . showing up to "camp" with your UA shirt will show some pretty high SA - you'll be in the running for DG right off the bat!

[Guest forcemac]

I would avoid any spandex/poly material, just for sake of fire hazard on a plane. We have these nomex flight suits for a reason, granted I bet not very many people can say they were in a no kidding fire on board the aircraft, but taking the risk of being wet, or having a chance of spandex melted into my skin permenantly, is something I don't want to risk.

[Guest Remy1492]

Hercdude is up the same street as me in the AOR here. HOT HOT days and lots of dehydration. I use the Green and Brown underarmour cool gear shirts for working out and flying.

Since I dont have many I use the Underarmour if we do a day flight or pre-flight in the heat. if its night I will wear my normal cotton black Tshirt.

I would say 10% of the people I see on base have underarmour on and 40% of the people in the Gym do.

I agree that its probably not that good against fire, but I fly C-130s, fire is the least of my worries out here.

The winter weather underarmour with turtleneck is GREAT in Afghanistan winter month ops too!

But if everybody else has cotton shirts in training you dont want to be that "guy"

[Gas Man]

You mean we wear these bags because they are fire retardant? I thought we just had them around so all of the ROTC guys could go around looking cool with their scarves and their Ray Ban sunglasses having the same old argument "I thought it was my turn to be Mavric today, and your Goose".

There is a reservist IP down at Corpus that looks just like Bill Murry. He was in an airplane crash over in Southeast Asia someplace. I think he was jump seating at the time and lots of the passangers died. Anyway where ever he was wearing cotton it had pretty much turned to ash and he was hardly burnt at all. Where he wasn't wearing cotton, like his poly company pants he had on, it stuck to him and he said it wasn't pretty. He was also wearing a ring, and the ring melted into his finger. I can't remember the details very well as it's been a while. One of you Corpus Studs help me out with this story.

Anyway, with all of that being said, I also wear "UA" as it is so soft and silky and just feels better than cotton. I do make sure to keep it away from my organal area though and only wear cotton down there. After all, I only have one of those and without it you might as well kill me anyway.

[Guest RoninCo]

Life support reg says cotton or nomex undergarments. That being said, I wear the UA on the ground and in the air. That or the Nike equivalent. Summer here at Kadena (and most of the Pacific AOR) is a b!tch. I would say that 75% of the pilots, navs, FEs in my squadron wear some form of UA or UA knockoff.

Hercdude is right. I dont even have to do a walkaround (thank god the FE does it) and just jumpin on the jet and gettin the checklists done in general will soak your bag. I carry a hand towel to wipe my face(sts) and that is about it anymore for hot wx crap.

-RoninCo

[Guest Milamber]

My understanding is: cotton, aramid, wool, and silk are all approved. Does anyone make anything similar in aramid?

[AFCS_Actuator]

Originally posted by kylejustin:

Are they authorized to wear in BDUs? Im going to Tyndall for field training in July and it would be great for the heat down there.

You know you can get the UA in brown, right?? Seriously, you should definitely spend $100 bucks on 'em. They're a breeze to fold too; it'll make life easy. Besides, when your FTO and CTA see you wearing brown UA they're going to think, "now there is a cadet that's so cool we've got to make him a DG."

[ 02. May 2005, 22:28: Message edited by: Goin2UPT ]

[Guest KillYourself]

KYS

[Guest lightning4eva]

I would let someone wear it timing the Flt/cc how fast he can see "one of these cadets is not like the other"

It might even be considered cheating...like using leather luster , or ironing the sheets, or ironing the shirts in the drawers, or setting your alarm for 10 min before reveille..........

[LJ Driver]

Do you guys have any suggestions on good places to buy UA stuff? I am in Little Rock now, but I assume that the internet is the best place anyway.

[M2]

Our BX has it, but you can also try Ranger Joe's (turn your speakers down, otherwise the "HUA" gets annoying) or Brigade Quartermasters.

I like both the compression and HeatGear shorts, I wear them under my uniform and when I run; but find the HeatGear t-shirts too cool for subterranean life... However, I did buy several for my next assignment in San Antonio.

Cheers! M²

[Guest kylejustin]

Originally posted by Goin2UPT:

You know you can get the UA in brown, right?? Seriously, you should definitely spend $100 bucks on 'em. They're a breeze to fold too; it'll make life easy. Besides, when your FTO and CTA see you wearing brown UA they're going to think, "now there is a cadet that's so cool we've got to make him a DG."

[M2]

As a favor to everybody else, could we exchange all these witty insults via PMs or emails, instead of posting on this forum? Honestly, it really isn't doing anyone any good...

Thanks! M2

[Ram]

^what he said. I wanna know about FLYING with UNDER ARMOUR...

...NOT going to ROTC day-camp. Post that crap in the ROTC forums, PLEASE, and let us talk about the manly business of flying in here.

Thank you, that is all. Good night.

[Guest Rainman A-10]

Fury,

Your flight doc is creepy. He works for the squadron commander. I would bring that up next time you are in the bar.

Remember, the flight doc is like the 1CO behind the ops desk or the crew chief. They don't tell you how to fly or what to do to get the mission done. They are there to support.

A word of advice for some of the younger folks around here. Don't take things out of context. The last thing you want to do is enter a pissing match with someone by saying "well, they are wearing this/doing this over in the COMBAT AOR." Lots of things happen in the AOR that will never be kosher back home.

[herkbum]

I bought 2 UA shirts while in the AOR, black and brown. I wore them when we flew during the day and they were a lot cooler than cotton t-shirts. I like how quickly they dry. 100 degree heat, with the flak vest, you tend to get a little warm. Once leveled off, remove the vest, unzip your flight suit and aim the AC vent to hit you square in the chest. The shirt would dry in a few minutes. I highly recommend them!

[Guest Rainman A-10]

Originally posted by herkbum:

Once leveled off, remove the vest, unzip your flight suit and aim the AC vent to hit you square in the chest. The shirt would dry in a few minutes.

I wish. Can you add "get a cup of joe and take a piss standing up" in there just to rub it in?

[herkbum]

Rainman,

I feel for you bro! Sometimes I forget the little luxuries of the airlift world.