Good non-chaffing baselayer shorts?

Up to now I've been getting by with using polyester boxers for my base-layer bottoms. Unfortunately they have a habit of getting a bit damp and clammy towards the end of the day as well as "salty" and irritating. So last week decided to upgrade to a pair of lycra cycle shorts.

However, this turned out to be one of the worst kit decisions I've ever made.  After 6 hours in the Wicklow hills last Saturday I was sorely regretting my purchase. The back seam of the shorts had chaffed so severely against both faces (so to speak) of my "posterior cleft"  that walking was becoming painful.

 I would have gotten out of them at the first sign of real discomfort but as anyone who has visited Lugnaquilla will know there is next to no cover and I didn't want to risk frightening the deer...  Eventually I got down to the treeline and was at last able to duck under cover and peel the evil things away from my poor hide.

To say the least it was an experience I hope never to repeat.

With that in mind can anyone recommended me a pair of base-layer shorts that are guaranteed not to chafe?

I don't think there's anything that doesn't chafe in really sweaty conditions. I get 'hot' down thereabouts and have suffered too.

I use Kalenji running baselayer pants from Decathlon. They work well for me and at about £9 a set they're good value; mail order available too.

In hot weather though I do use a protective cream in certain areas as well and that certainly helps!

If conditions are so hot n wet that chafing is likely I go commando  Though being a skinny type, there's not so much surface area to chafe!

Walking/working in rain, I usually wear M and S microskin hipsters or slips (they do 'trunks too)

Many suggest Ex-Officio  I haven't tried them yet but plenty folk reckon they are the 'King of Pants'   

Ex-Officio are superb - I've been using these for 6 years for all my trips (not the same pair I hasten to add).

Just got a couple of pair of the Rohan trunks (as modelled by Parky) to try as sleepwear and 'backup' undies (?) for my next trip.

Thanks for the advice guys! i've ordered a couple pairs of the Marks n' Sparks as recomended by Mole. I expect they'll do a better job of keeping me comfortable than what I was using anyway.

I decided to stear clear of the Kalenji's as they have the exact same stiching in the rear as the pants that chewed my backside up last saturday.

I would have very much liked to try the Ex-Officio or the Rohan trunks but both companies want £15 for posting them to Ireland! And that's on top of a price of £20+ a pair...

Recession anyone?

 Office manager, What kind of "protective cream" do you use? Plain old vasiline or some of the fancy (4 times the price) "Chamois Creme" favoured by cyclists (sometimes indelicately referred to as "minty arse lard")? 

 http://www.amazon.co.uk/Chamois-Creme-140ml-4-73-fl-oz/dp/B001O19E2E/ref=sr_1_1?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1339177103&sr=1-1

I won't be venturing out again this summer without  some sort of axle-grease smeared on, that's for sure. 

Tadgh,

I've used all sorts including 'Ultrabalm' from Lush, the shop that sells smelly stuff to wash with etc. It was fine but I found it melted and went slushy in the heat. As I've usually got a bit of 'soreness' I tend to use good old-fashioned 'Savlon' antiseptic cream which 'cures and prevents' as it were!

(Other antiseptic creams are available!!)

I've found football baselayers easily the best - I play a lot of footy, so I 've been through plenty of these things.

Nike Pro basic 6" short - they're brilliant things. I've been as far as wearing a pair for footy, then walked an 8-miler then played footy the same evening in them. No chafeage, no soreness. You barely realise they're on.

They're usually ten quid or thereabouts on Sports Direct.

Good buy imo.

Just to update, the Marks n' sparks were the cheapest. I tried them in the Alps last week and they didn't fail me. 

 I also tried the under armour and the ex officio. Both were good. The ex officio were my favourites, they can actually be worn for a few days in a row without ponging too much and when you wash them they dry in a couple of hours. The only drawback is they are very expensive...

Lanacane anti chaffing gel, fantastic stuff, always keep a tube with me just in case. been caught out once a long time a go, very painful!

I also use football shorts turned inside out, no seams to chaff.  

Following on the mention of anti chaffing gel/cream decathlon do two specific products these are:

anti chaffing body cream

anti chaffing foot cream

both come in 100ml squeeze tubes and retail at £4.59 each, see website for futher details.

Hi, Ed. I was in Gran Paradiso National park in Italy, Saas Drung in Switzerland and Mont Blanc.

I first climbed Gran Paradiso. Then drove to Saas Drung in Switzerland and attempted Weissmies, didn't summit though and on the way down I had a bit of an epic;

 On the way back down to the Almagaler hut the route crosses a glacier (at about 3500m).By the time I got there it was near noon and I found the snow too soft and deep to walk in; I was sinking  to mid-thigh in the snow and was getting too exhausted to continue.

I had no option but to return to the ridge and try to find an alternative way down the side of the ridge (of which there are 2 routes that I know of). Unfortunately the task of locating one of those routes proved to be beyond by capabilities. I ended up stepping onto a steep gravel gully which I was trying to walk down and slipped and slid for 10-15 meters. I came to rest above a 20-30 meter cliff. I had no rope to climb down and was unable to climb back up due to the steepness of the gravel gully.  Unable to go up or down, I was stuck so I decided i had no option but to call for helicopter rescue.

 It was 2pm by this stage and clouds were threatening to cross the ridge into the valley which would have obscured my position from view.In fact between my calling swiss rescue and the helicopter arriving clouds did indeed briefly cross the ridge above my position. It was a scary moment as I was ill-equipped to spend a night on the mountain. other than the usual climbing attire I had a blizzard bag, some nutregrain bars and that was it.Fortunately the clouds cleared again I was able to be rescued.

The story doesn;t end there though. I am currently in the process of applying to the insurance company for the cost of the helicopter rescue which is about €4500. The Irish Alpine Club insurance won't cover it and i'm now hoping that the insurance I took out with my flight will.  Oh well, you live and learn. 

After that I headed to Mont Blanc.I spent 3 days in Tete Rousse hut waiting for an opportunity to go higher but didn't get one. Returned on the 2 of July. I heard from someone who I was there at the same time as me that they managed to summit on the 3rd of July! Ah, well Mont Blanc will still be there next year..