Silk Thermals
 

I'm off to Beijing in Mid-January and I need to get some thermals if I plan to survive the cold. When I went to Marks & Spencer here in Manila (one of the few places that carries thermals in this tropical country) I saw these silk blended thermals which were thinner and lighter than the older ones that I used to have which were wool or cotton blends.

Although they are thinner and lighter, they cost more. 1 pc is the same price for a 2-pack on the cotton blends. I'm really tempted to buy it because it will save a lot of space and weight on my bag...since I need to bring puffy jackets and wool coats too.

I want to know if its just as good or better than the other stuff.

I have 100% silk thermals and love them. They breathe, yet still keep you warm when it's needed. They're so light I don't even know I have them on.

If you have access, a source I have used is www.wintersilks.com. They have many different styles and weights.

Thanks Mary2e! unfortunately I have to settle for the silk blends by Marks & Spencer. Being in the Philippines, its very hard to find winter stuff and it might take a few weeks before my package comes in.

You should be able to find them in beijing when you arrive....try Beijing's Silk Market [no pun intended].

Silk works very well as an underlayer. I have the M & S ones. I do hand wash them and hang them to dry.

Don't forget to wear a hat as well!

Merino wool (I love IceBreaker brand) is an excellent top layer over silk.

Much better. They take up less space, they are just as warm, and they breathe much better than most other materials if you're planning to wear them under normal clothing. Plus they actually fit under normal clothing. Thicker thermals sometimes make my normal clothing uncomfortable.

As an added bonus, you can also wear them under dark or patterned tights so your legs can stay warm in skirts!

Another testimonial to silk long underwear. I have been tucking them in my travel bag for years. They are warm, lightweight and feel great against the skin. I am also a fan of Winter Silk's. They sell a low rise style bottom that has an attractive waistband, i.e. no nasty piece of elastic.

Thanks guys! I'll go ahead and get some for myself later today. Since they normally just carry one size of one style per store...I might end up running around the city to get 2-3 thermals.

:D

Can you hand wash these in a sink and dry them by hanging?

I throw them in the washing machine and dryer and they're perfectly fine.

When I'm home, I use the hand wash cycle on my washer and air dry. When traveling, I wash in my sink (with hotel shampoo or Dr Bronners) and air dry. I usually don't need a warmth underlayer on top but always throw in a pair of light silk bottoms - they take up so little space and are great under pants on cold days when I'm outside all day.....

Nah, I just toss them in with my regular stuff, usually my work tops and sweaters on a delicate, not hand wash, cycle. Low setting on the dryer for the same load of clothes. Nothing happens to them. They are intended to be washed. At least those from wintersilks.

If you wanted to wait until you get to Beijing there will be plenty of options. Uniqlo (Japanese clothing store) is in Beijing and sells thermals but they are non silk. They also sell cheap down jackets. The store is very reasonably priced.

If you don't want to be bothered with searching around Beijing for thermals get them in Philippines and save the hassle. I have a pair and they are great.

Not silk, but I'm personally a fan of Patagonia's Capilene 3 for cold weather layering. Check it out here: http://www.patagonia.com/us/product/...0-038&pcc=1128

Well, "regular stuff" for me tends to go in the hand wash cycle, so in theory we're doing the same thing (not doing a special load) for the silks:D And I don't use my dryer for most of my clothing at home either. Just habit.

PS The original post here was from December 2011, planning a January 2012 trip. Assuming s/he doesn't need help finding thermals for Beijing anymore....