College Skiers in Pantyhose

Recently, a member of the Legwear As Unisex Fashion (LAUF) forum posted the following:

I am a charter bus driver in the Chicago area and have been wearing support hose for awhile, with the encouragement of my doctor. Yesterday I drove on a trip to a ski resort in Wisconsin for a group of college student from a major Big Ten school. Many of the students had never skied before and knew little about how to dress for the cold. However, some must have had some 'insider' tips for beating the chill.

When we arrived at the ski resort, the kids began getting dressed in their gear. Several of the guys pulled out packages of pantyhose and began to put them on. Some were with girlfriends and some were not. One girl even helped one of the guys by telling him how to put them on. One guy's girlfriend commented how wished her legs looked as good in pantyhose as his.

In all, there were seven or eight guys who wore pantyhose as a base layer for warmth, yet it was as if it was second nature to everyone concerned. None of the other skiers had anything negative to say, and even the jocks in the back of the bus had no disparaging remarks.

When they finished sking for the day at least two of the guys made comments about how warm they were and noted that, "from now on, the hell with long underwear. It's pantyhose for me."

As we continue to point out here on The Nylon Gene, things continue to improve when it comes to society's views on men wearing pantyhose.

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Stars & Stripes | Can Nylon Stockings Prevent Blisters on Marches? - Military Use for Pantyhose

Soldier being treated by medic for blisters

In the past, we've reported here at The Nylon Gene on the not-so-well-kept military secret that our soldiers overseas have made use of pantyhose for more than just filters to keep desert sand out of engine intakes. Now we read it directly from Stars & Stripes--the primary news outlet of the Defense Department. Jeff Schogol takes a look at this in his Feb. 24th column, exploring the question of whether nylon stockings or pantyhose are effective at preventing blisters on those long marches.

The article's author readily admits his days of long marches are well past, so he can't speak with firsthand authority on this. So he consulted Army Lt. Colonel Christopher Garver, among others, to see how widespread wearing of nylon hosiery is in the military, and whether it works.

Col. Garver, a 10-year infantry veteran, reported “There were guys I know who wore nylons because it worked for their feet.” Currently serving as a spokesman for the Army, he notes that some wear pantyhose and others wear specialized socks that also wick away sweat. The choice depends primarily on individual preference.

Dr. Stephen Pribut, a podiatrist in Washington DC, recommends the socks over pantyhose because the Coolmax socks can keep the moisture away from the feet--which can also contribute to blisters. Of course, in hot climates, pantyhose are going to be cooler than socks.

Pribut stressed that servicemembers should use whatever solution works best for them. “If someone has successfully used pantyhose, it's OK with me. The main thing is it's really important to go with what’s worked well in the past.”

The takeaway from the article is that if wearing pantyhose under socks keeps soldier's blister free, the author says to 'go for it.' He suggests we call them "Freedom Stockings."

Of course, they may not be aware there are options available that are more specifically designed for men than off-the-shelf pantyhose. ActivSkin has long been a supporter of the military, and tries to offer discounts to servicemen and their families sending care packages to them. If you have a male member of the military stationed overseas, consider sending them a pair of ActivSkin to try out. When a father living in my neighborhood shipped out to Iraq last year, I donated two pair of A677s and they seemed to be well received.

An additional item of note: the value of nylon legwear to soldiers on long marches is directly transferable to outdoorsmen as well. A hunter or camper hiking over rough terrain into a distant campsite or deer stand can benefit in the same way. Not only will pantyhose protect from blisters while hiking, they are also effective at keeping ticks off the lower body, and horseback riders report beneficial effects at avoiding or minimizing saddle sores, as well.

So, the rumors are true. Some of our military men have been wearing pantyhose, and they're seeing benefits from it. If you are one who thinks pantyhose equals feminine, I wouldn't recommend saying it out loud to the next Marine you meet... at least until you make sure his M16 is unloaded.

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Does Your Man Wear Tights? (TightsPlease.co.uk)

The men's legwear trend has caught the attention of UK-based TightsPlease, the "no.1 destination on the internet for fashion tights, stockings, leggings..." etc. With more than 20,000 items in stock, they are a major web presence when it comes to what's happening in the world of legwear.  The website and blog are viewed by a very large number of people around the English-speaking world.  So, it was no insignificant occurence when they posted "Does Your Man Wear Tights?" on their blog last week (see Jan. 4th posting).  (BTW, I published an article with a similar title for the Examiner back in Nov. 2009, "Ladies, Does Your Guy Wear Pantyhose?... Maybe He Should")

The vast majority of TightsPlease readers are women, so the article and accompanying survey are primarily directed at guaging the attitude of the female customers towards the 'mantyhose' trend.  However, it's also evident from the article that they have a great many male customers, and they ask the question, "what are your men buying tights for?" 

I hope that some TightsPlease readers have made their way here to The Nylon Gene, where we can certainly shed some light on that question...

Having spent some time as director of marketing for the original seller of tights/pantyhose made especially for men (http://www.activskin.com/), I am very familiar with the reasons men are buying tights (BTW, 'tights' in British usage is synonomous with what we in the U.S. refer to as pantyhose, as well as opaque tights).  First, one needs to answer why men are buying so many pairs of tights/pantyhose from a website that sells women's tights/pantyhose?  The simple answer is that there are a great many men who wear them for mainstream, legitimate reasons (see below) who aren't aware that there are readily available brands of hosiery made especially for men--and what the differences from women's hosiery are.  This is most true when talking about mail-order hosiery, since there is no difference from ordering from ActivSkin or a website selling only women's hosiery.  Even the question of overseas shipping becomes moot, because there are British-based distributors of male tights such as Legwear4Men, and several European-based companies.  As awareness of existence of these companies has increased over the past 5-10 years, sales have also grown rapidly.  This trend will continue away from women's tights to men's as awareness continues to grow.

There will continue to be a certain percentage of male tights wearers who stick with those brands they've become accustomed to and loyal.  There are also a good deal of men who prefer to buy their legwear at retail outlets instead of mail-order.  Male legwear has not become pervasive enough yet to enter the retail market, so these men must either buy women's brands or spend the postage money and order from the web.  I mentioned the differences between men's and women's hosiery above.  These include sizing according to male body proportions, somewhat more durable material (men aren't tolerant of the wispy-thin styles that run/tear at the drop of a hat), etc.  However, those men who have not tried any of the men's brands before may not realize what they're missing by settling for women's brands.  They may think there's no real difference because they've never worn anything else. 

So what ARE the primary reasons men are buying tights (aka, mantyhose) in the first place?  They can be summed up in a few categories:

Leg support: Women have known for years of the benefits of support hosiery when they're bothered by the subtle effects of poor leg circulation.  One need not have gnarled up knots of varicose veins to benefit from a good pair of support pantyhose.  They mildly massage the legs and help move blood through the veins to keep it from pooling during the day when on your feet for extended periods or being sedentary for hours on end.  Somehow, 50% of the population has been left out when it comes to providing relief.  Men are as likely as women to suffer from this complaint.  A woman can wear a pair of sheer hose that keeps her legs feeling good at the end of the day and no one thinks a thing of it.  It's now becoming more acceptable and commonplace for men to recognize the value of support hosiery.  And, they need not wear thick black opaque tights--under long trousers--that are too hot in spring/summer, either.  As men's legwear becomes more commonplace in the public perception, men are wearing them with shorts when the weather permits. 

Warmth-Without-Bulk: In colder settings, hosiery provides a thin base layer under outer clothing that is much more comfortable than the long johns that were traditionally the only option available to men.  Thin tights trap a layer of air next to the skin that adds insulation.  When wind is blocked by an outer layer, hosiery is very effective at adding additional warmth without constricting movement.  This is usefule for hunters and fishermen, construction workers, and even office workers.  How many desk jockeys complain that their employer can't seem to find a way to regulate the climate control and sit shivering throughout the day? 

This benefit is also valuable to outdoor athletes.  For instance, runners or cyclists who exercise or comete on chilly mornings need to keep the chill off their legs to avoid cramping.  Hosiery provides just enough insulation to do that.  Yet, since most types of athletic tights are thicker than sheer pantyhose, they tend to cause the athlete to feel overheated after body temperature rises during exertion.  Some cycling tights have zip off legs, which is good, but zippers add expense and you still have to stop to remove them and find someplace to store them. 

Performance Enhancement: It's fairly well known in athletic circles that muscle compression helps improve stamina/endurance by holding the muscles in place better and minimizing bouncing against each other.  Support hosiery provides that same sort of muscle compression.  So in addition to the aforementioned warmth-without-bulk benefit mentioned above, they can also enhance a runner or cyclists ability to stay the course longer.  Also, since sheer hosiery wicks perspiration it's insulating effect transforms to cooling when this moisture evaporates from the legs.  Thus, they can also be worn in warmer weather if the benefit being sought is performance enhancement. 

Anti-chafing: When worn under trousers, tights or pantyhose are a great means of preventing chafing of the inner thighs in many circumstances.  It's been an open secret for many years that horsemen often wear women's pantyhose while riding to avoid 'saddle sores'.  Likewise, this same benefit applied for hikers on long marches.  An added benefit is protection against ticks.  They can't get attached to your legs when you're wearing nylon against your skin.  That's also why the military have used them overseas to help ward off sand fleas, etc. 

I've posted the text from the TightsPlease blog, along with a few inline comments that I think will help clarify a few misconceptions inherent in the article:

Does your man wear tights?
It’s come to our attention that more and more men are choosing to wear our tights!

They’re being worn for whole host of purposes, from meeting a basic need like our boys in Afghanistan – wearing tights to protect their legs from desert flies, or wearing tights to make a bold statement, like our cross dressing shoppers, who get a lot of enjoyment from wearing stylish, women’s tights! [As men become more comfortable with the idea of wearing tights, they will add them to their wardrobe for aesthetic, as well as practical, reasons.  However, cross dressing is a very small proportion of the number of guys wearing tights.]

Traditionally, men wearing tights has always been a taboo subject. The only time men in tights is acceptable, is at the pantomime or on our favourite superhero! With the sheer volume of male shoppers that we’ve seen visit the site, it’s unlikely that they’re all shopping for either of these purposes.  [As I've detailed above, men wearing tights is fast losing any of the former taboo. They're wearing them for very practical reasons, and the public is recognizing that fact by taking the sight of a guy wearing hosiery very much in stride]

So what are your men buying tights for? We’d like to find out more! For 5% discount off your next purchase with Tightsplease, fill in our Men In Tights survey now! We’d love to hear your views!! [Nylon Gene readers: Make sure to visit the blog or follow this link, and offer your input for the survey]

Lauren x

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Men's Legwear: Library of Articles

I've written a number of articles, in press release form, over the past nine months or so, with the intent of having them published to a wider audience. However, I thought Nylon Gene readers may appreciate having access to them here on the blog. The links will take you to my Google Docs storage location, where you can read or download these documents. I would encourage you all to share them with acquaintances, colleagues or family members who might benefit from the many and varied practical benefits of legwear...

Click on links below to be taken to a downloadable PDF document. [NOTE: The list is not yet complete. Check back frequently, as I will post the remainder of the documents soon]

Men's Hosiery: A Little Background

Leg Circulation Problems Know No Gender Boundaries

For Runners, Mantyhose Fends Off Chill, Energizes Legs

For Cyclists, Mantyhose Fends Off Chill, Energizes Legs - July 20, 2009

Hunters Turn to Mantyhose for Relief From the Elements

Mantyhose: Golfers' Latest Weapon Against Weather, Fatigue

Ladies, Does Your Guy Wear Pantyhose? Maybe He Should.

Civil Engineer to Mantyhose Marketer: A Very Unusual Career Transition

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MLB Playoffs: Tights Help Players Weather Playoffs

An article at MLB.com asserts something we've been saying for quite some time. Tights are an effective weapon against the cold for athletes. The article, entitled, "Dodgers Ready to Weather Philly's Chill" (see the Media Blogroll for links) includes the following quote.

..Poole, however, said he's not aware of any player who will wear thermal underwear.

"They're wearing the Nike tights," he said. "They wick the moisture off the body. No one wears thermals anymore. It's the new technology. The tights are thinner and can be worn under the uniform and they are more like skin.

Basically, the article says Major League Baseball recognizes that thermal underwear (i.e., 'longjohns') is yesterday's technology. It keeps you warm at the price of having bulky material under your clothing or uniform that inhibits movement and doesn't feel too good in comparison to tights.

A similar article by the Associated Press describes "How Ballplayers Stay Warm When Playoffs Turn Cold". In it, California Angels equipment manager Ken Higdon recommends, among other things, to "...wear tights."

Of course, that's precisely what we've been saying at ACTIVSKIN all along. 'Warmth-without-bulk' is a great benefit for athletes who need an insulating layer that allows complete freedom of movement. And, they come in both opaque and sheer fabrics to provide greater or lesser levels of base-layer insulation, respectively. While Nike or Under Armor cite materials technology that may tweak a bit more wicking action out of the material, it comes at a premium that also drives the price much higher. ACTIVSKIN provides similar insulation value and wicking action at a much lower price. Not everyone is an MLB player or Olympic athlete--nor does everyone have Major League or Olympic budget for athletic wear, either.

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Supplies Shipped to Troops Include Pantyhose

I noted in a recent article in the Gadsden (AL) Times (Movers and Shakers Ship Supplies to Battalion Stationed in Kuwait) that among the items being shipped to troops stationed in the Mideast are pantyhose. Anyone familiar with The Nylon Gene, or ACTIVSKIN, may not be surprised at this news, but the average person on the street is not likely to be familiar with the benefits provided by nylon/lycra pantyhose for the soldier.

Back in 2003/04, there was a flurry of media coverage of the use of pantyhose by U.S. troops stationed in Iraq as a defense against sand fleas, as well as chafing and blisters caused by boots and rough uniforms in that sandy climate. As a result, ACTIVSKIN received many orders from Stateside loved ones sending them to their men in uniform.

Discussion of military life has seemed to fade a bit to the background in the past couple of years. Yet, they are still there carrying out their mission. It was good to read this story about people assembling packages of goods to send over to them. I'd like to take this opportunity to also remind readers that if you have a loved one serving in the Mideast who has had to deal with sand fleas and such, you can order a few pairs of our ACTIVSKIN A677s to send over in your next CARE package--or, we can send them directly if so directed.

When ordering, be sure to take advantage of the 20% discount we offer for all active duty military. Just go to the "Great Deals" tab on the ActivSkin website. BTW, there are many styles that would do, but I suggested the A677s because they are sheer, and therefore cooler; they have a fly opening; and they glide well under pants and would be very good for avoiding blisters and chafing.

In closing, I'd also like to reprint a very good letter I received several months ago from a retired military person in support of our ACTIVSKIN legwear:

April 23, 2009
Mr. Newman:

Just want to congratulate you on your endeavor to get men's hosiery into the mainstream.

I have purchased some of ActivSkins products. They were just what I needed for several endeavors. We here in the military (I am both a former Marine and Army paratrooper) have worn pantyhose for several years... simply as a means to an end, i.e. keeping leeches off our genitals during swamp training... and also as the first layer of clothing during cold weather training. Myself and others do not wear them outwardly (you are a brave man Mr. Newman!) but pantyhose are a lifesaver for us fellas in the military. BTW. Navy SEALS started to wear pantyhose for protection against leeches as early as Vietnam! Not to mention... many Marines wear them to protect aginst ticks at Camp Lejeune, N.C.

I myself have worn pantyhose during long force marches. We generally 'ruck up' with a ruck sack that weighs nearly 50 lbs or more... to include our helmets, rifles, web gear, etc. Comfilons [former brand name] hose have quite literally saved my feet and legs from all kinds of complications that come with long force/road marches. My legs feel invigorated, warm, and I love the support! Not to mention... the nylon on our feet prevents blisters, as they are a guard against socks slipping and sliding in our boots.

As for your detractor's... I see that women wear everything that we men have in our wardrobe (to include our underwear, i.e. 'boy shorts') and society is just fine with that, no friction whatsoever. Yet, let a man wear ActivSkin openly, and the hoots of derision begin. Again, I applaud you for your efforts.

Just thought I'd drop you a line to encourage you and thank you!
Don't Quit!

Mike

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First Day of Autumn: Men's Legwear is IN-Season - Examiner.com

September 22nd is, of course, the first day of Fall. If you haven't yet, you'll soon be feeling that chill air on your legs. Especially when you go out in the morning with your shorts, guys. If you've been thinking of giving the new men's legwear a try, now's the time. Opaque tights can extend shorts-wearing season well into November in many areas

There's been a growing amount of media coverage of the emerging men's legwear trend. We've read of regular guys wearing sheer pantyhose--or 'mantyhose'--for leg support to provide relief for poor leg circulation. Some wear them with shorts, others aren't quite up to it and only wear them under trousers. In any case, these guys wear them year-round because they help their legs feel better--and they may find that they just plain like the feel of them as well.

Runners Want Warmth-Without-Bulk
As temperatures begin to drop, other men will start to pull on a pair of tights, too. They may be less motivated by leg health concerns and instead want something to take the chill off their legs without resorting to something heavier and bulkier. Runners and cyclists like the sheer or thin opaque tights sold by companies like ACTIVSKIN because they provide just enough insulation to help ward off cramps when September and October air first hits their bare legs, yet doesn't cause overheating after they've warmed up during exercise. Some makers of higher-priced dedicated running tights, such as CW-X have even acknowldged this aspect by incorporating sheer mesh panels into some of their products.

Since many of these products come in moderate- and full-support styles, athletes using them also get the benefits of muscle compression. Many athletes are already aware of the beneficial effect of compression shorts on stamina and endurance. Support tights provide this same benefit for the entire lower body.

Outback Tights
Hunters, campers and other outdoorsmen also like them for a base layer under their outerwear when they're hiking around in the 'outback'. Not only that, but the form-fitting garment is an excellent defense against ticks and similar backwoods pests. Fall is the time when the hunters head for the woods, yet there are still a lot of hikers and campers out there well into the colder months. As men's legwear continues to make inroads with the 'regular guy', there will continue to be more and more who may just surprise you when they roll up the pant leg of their Carrharts to reveal some nice comfy tights underneath.

The foregoing article appeared on my Examiner.com page today. Please pay a visit.

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How Can Pantyhose Be Cool & Also Keep You Warm?

I've been asked on several occasions how sheer pantyhose can both keep you warm, yet still be cool enough to keep you from overheating, too. A good question, and one that seems to point out a contradiction in some of the claims made about the benefits of men's pantyhose and tights.

Basically, sheer pantyhose work best when worn under other clothing, such as for hunting or camping in below-freezing temperatures. Opaque tights are a little warmer, and so can more easily keep you warm when worn with shorts. The knitted nylon fabric will trap a thin layer of dead air within the matrix of the material. Because of it's body-hugging characteristic, this insulating layer of air is held securely against the skin, providing an insulating layer. The pink fiberglass insulation in the walls of your house work on the same principal, except on a larger and thicker scale. The outer layer(s) of clothing keep wind from blowing through the nylon and replacing the dead air--which would lower the insulating value considerably and chill the skin.

For runners or cyclists on chillly mornings, when temperatures are above 40 to 45 degrees (F)and not very windy, the pantyhose fabric still provides that same layer of dead air and slightly insulates the skin. In this situation, not much insulation is necessary--just enough to keep the sharp chill off the legs long enough for exercise to elevate body heat. Avoiding that chill on leg muscles can reduce the incidence of cramps.

Shortly after exercise begins, body heat quickly builds up. At that point, the athlete can begin to feel overheated under thicker Under Armor tights or sweatpants. This is why sheer legwear is well-suited to wear with running or cycling shorts on chilly mornings. You know you'll soon be perspiring and the sun will be rising higher in the sky. At that point, perspiration can easily wick away from the skin and evaporate. If you took physics in high school, you'll recall that evaporation of liquids causes a cooling effect.

I've heard anecdotal tales of soldiers in Iraq taking advantage of this scientific fact by wetting their Army socks and tying them to truck mirrors while driving. Even the 130+ degree air moving past the socks causes evaporation, which then cools the socks. Afterwards, they pull on a pair of cool socks and say, "ahhhh..."

To summarize: If you're engaged in athletic activity on Spring or Fall mornings, sheer legwear with shorts is a good bet. As the temperatures drop later in the season (or if you're more sensitive to the cold) you're well advised to switch to opaque tights with shorts, or maybe even under sweatpants.

If you're hunting, it's likely during a cold time of year. You should be wearing either sheer pantyhose or opaque tights under your hunting clothes--not with shorts. Sometimes readers have misunderstood, and failed to realize we are not recommending going hunting out in the dense brush and brambles with short pants and tights/hosiery. They wouldn't last two minutes before being shredded by thorns and branches. For hiking, you can go with shorts if the weather's not too cold, but only if you're not hiking in dense brush. For camping, tights or sheer pantyhose are great as a base layer, and can be worn alone when you get into your sleeping bag at night, depending on the expected low temperature. An added benefit here--and any time you're hunting, hiking or camping--is that ticks can't get beneath the tight-fitting legwear.

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ACTIVSKIN Introduces New Style

ACTIVSKIN is pleased to introduce another new product and a totally new concept in men's legwear. Style A560 is now available for immediate shipment. A560 is like no other legwear we know of, and we've sampled a lot of hose in the past 10 years! They are somewhere between opaque tights and sheer pantyhose. The fabric is less transparent than typical pantyhose, yet much more sheer than opaque tights. These are full-support legwear and feel great as they massage your legs all day. When we first tried the prototype shipment, I was very pleased with how well they energized my legs, and I'm sure you'll be glad you tried them as well. You won't want to take them off!

The most noteworthy feature is they're sheer to the waist (STW). Typically, STW pantyhose do not provide good leg support, tear or run easily, and tend to slide down throughout the day*. These are very durable, provide good leg compression, and stay up as well as any control-top legwear. They also have a wide, comfortable waistband and sheer toe (known as 'sandal foot' in women's pantyhose). With such robust fabric, the A560s don't need reinforced toes. I don't think I would be exaggerating at all if I said this is one of our best products yet!

The A560 fabric has only a moderate degree of shine. Because of the opaqueness of the material over the skin, the Tan-colored variety appears darker than our more sheer products when you put them on. They feature a crotch gusset (a diamond-shaped piece of material to avoid stress concentrations) for strength and longer life. Although STW, the hip and waist area still provides comfortable control to hold up the abs and minimize the flab. A560 comes in five sizes (M, L, XL, XXL, and T) and three colors (TAN, BEIGE, BLACK). The photo at right shows how they'll look in black if you wear them with shorts. It's a sharp look for autmn, as we start to get into those first few chilly mornings.

Best of all is the economical price. Despite generous amount of costly spandex, these are priced at only $11.99. There's no telling how long the introductory price will remain, so hurry and order a few pairs today. You won't regret it. As with all our products, ACTIVSKIN offers a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee, meaning if you purchase and do not like the product it can be returned for a full refund of purchase price within 10 days.

You can check it out at: http://www.comfilon.com/catalogsheerpantyhose.asp [SCROLL DOWN TO A560]

TWITTER DISCOUNT: Attention all Twitter users! I've been posting Tweets announcing the new Style A560. Get on Twitter and follow me at 'newmansa' and look for one of my posts. I'm offering an Offer Code that's good for a 10% discount (until Aug. 31st) on any order of three or more products that includes at least one pair of A560.

*NOTE: Tights and pantyhose tend to slide down because the material is stretched when you pull them up to your waist and they want to contract back to their original shape. STW legwear provides very little (beside the waistband) to prevent this. Control-top (CT) pantyhose do more than hold in your stomach. They also squeeze your hips and waist and tend to resist that sliding down tendency. Although they are STW, ACTIVSKIN A560 tights resist sliding down because they fit so snugly against the body.

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Field & Stream Magazine: Mantyhose for Hunters

Field & Stream published an article yesterday on their online edition on use of men's pantyhose by hunters. It's called, "Mantyhose: Would You Wear Them? While the article is not entirely favorable, it's not altogether negative in tone either. The guys who hunt, fish, camp can tend to be a hard sell on this, because of concern over whether it's going to cause them to be perceived as less masculine because they wear pantyhose, even if made for men...

If you read blogs on various hunting/outdoorsman websites, you'll note that the guys involved in the discussion tend to fall into two major groups. Those that will take advantage of whatever works to get the job done, whatever that may be--in this case, wearing pantyhose as a base layer to help keep warm; and those who would never don a pair of nylons in a million years, even if it might mean death or serious injury from hypothermia.

Obviously, I would side with the first group, but that would go without saying wouldn't it? I would suggest that the guys in the first group are probably the more 'manly' of the two. Does that seem contradictory? I don't think so. The reason is that guys who are willing to wear pantyhose under their Carharrts to keep warm--even if there were no such thing as men's pantyhose--are probably more confident in their manhood. They don't feel a need to 'prove' their manhood, or worry about someone mistaking them for a girly-man because of what he's wearing to keep warm. Contrary to some of the comments you might read out there, none of the hunters wearing pantyhose for warmth are going to be doing any 'prancing about' in the woods.

Oftentimes guys that act the most radically macho are actually not very confident in themselves. They feel a need to constantly prove that they're a real man. Even a single lapse of wearing the wrong style of shirt, satiny underwear, or (Heaven forbid) pantyhose, might cause the whole facade to come tumbling down and cause them to be revealed as an imposter. Mind you, I'm talking about what's going on in some guys minds, not reality. The reality is that if you're a guy who's behaved in an authentically masculine manner all along, something like that will not cause everyone to think you're not who you seem to be. But that's the fear in some guys' minds.

One thing we're trying to accomplish at ACTIVSKIN is to continually push back the misconceptions that once surrounded the phenomenon of men wearing pantyhose, so that the guys who genuinely want to wear them for practical, non-sexual reasons can do so without people suspecting the worst of them. When we first started out on this journey, the de facto assumption when one learned that a guy was wearing panthyhose was that he was a closet cross dresser, etc. That's no longer the case, in large part because of the work we have consistently done with the media and our website. Today, it is much more likely that a person will first assume that a guy wearing hose is doing so because of some medical reason, or for athletic benefits. That's obviously much closer to the truth than the former assumptions, although there are still some who may assume the worst. We see that reflected in some of the hunting/fishing/outdoors blog comments I referred to above.

The encouraging part is that there are as likely to be as many commenters who acknowledge that they've worn pantyhose and, by darn, they work for them. As more guys develop the confidence in themselves to own up to it, and let the chips fall where they may, the rest of those hunters will finally lose their old stereotypes and misconceptions. As it said in the article, if the truth be told, there's probably a whole lot more nylon legwear out there under those overalls than anybody's willing to admit.

You can read the full text of the press release here

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Pantyhose: First Layer of Clothing for Sub-Zero Hunting/Camping

I found this very interesting video (see below) on eHow.com regarding the use of women's pantyhose as a first layer of clothing while hunting/camping in sub-zero temperatures. Rich McNutt (appearing in video) is the author of “Hunter’s Choices: Choices You Can Make to Improve Your Big Game Hunting Success.” He's also a past president of the Red Rock Bowmen Club and has extensive public speaking experience on hunting and outdoors issues.

Of course, I'm working on getting Rich information on ACTIVSKIN Legwear and it's applications for hunting, fishing and camping in cold weather. You can view Rich's profile and other videos here (click link)


Sub Zero Hunting: First Layer of Clothing -- powered by eHow.com

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