Tights w chamois or without?

[amb]

Hi ladies! Taking a poll of the fine gals here....for cold weather, do you wear tights with a chamois or do you layer tights without chamois over shorts? I'm planning to buy one or the other (scored a PI friends and family code - yeah!) but I can't decide which might be better. Currently, I wear knee socks under my knickers and that gets me to about 45 deg without totally freezing. My thighs and butt do get cold with just the one layer but of course, it is not a thermal layer. So, do I go with just chamois thermal tights and hope that one layer is enough or do I layer tights over shorts to have two layers at my cold parts? I rode the other day with said knicker/knee sock combo as well as some columbia pants on top in 37 deg and I was still a little chilly in the legs. Core was no issue at all. Would love to hear what works of you before I drop the cash.

Thanks!

[Crankin]

Thermal tights (3 different weights) without chamois and shorts underneath. This way, the tights are also used for hiking, running, snow shoeing, and nordic skiing.
I have a pair of knickers with chamois (which are almost tights on me) and my butt gets cold when wearing those, even when it's in the 50s.

[maillotpois]

Same here. I have a number of pairs of knickers with chamois, but for long tights, I use non-chamois shorts under. My favorite for cold and rain are the PI AmFibs. Very wind blocking.

[OakLeaf]

Same (except no knickers). Putting tights over shorts means I can wear the same tights more than once between washings. And the one pair of tights with a chamois I had back in the day, it seems like anything that goes below the knee pulls on the chamois more during pedaling than shorts, increasing the chance of chafing.

[Catrin]

...for long tights, I use non-chamois shorts under. My favorite for cold and rain are the PI AmFibs. Very wind blocking.

Same here. I've the AmFibs for cold temps and lighter weight tights for warmer temps, I really like that neither have a chamois so I can use them for multiple purposes. My Sugoi mid-zero tights fit well under my jeans - I used them that way at a mountain bike event this past weekend that I was volunteering at and the combination kept me nice and warm.

[Marquise]

Definitely with chamois for me. Thermal tights are very warm and I can't stand layering, although when it's really cold I've worn knee warmers under my tights because the cold can be hard on knees.

[Owlie]

I'm broke, so I got non-chamois tights and layer those over my shorts. I only have to buy one, and I don't have to do laundry if I want to ride multiple days in a row.
Also handy when I wore them when I couldn't find my leg warmers. It turned out it was too warm for the tights and I ended up taking them off in a bathroom near the trail and stuffing them in a jersey pocket for the rest of the ride!

Catrin, how are the AmFib tights in comparison to the MidZeros?

[zoom-zoom]

Catrin, how are the AmFib tights in comparison to the MidZeros?

Not Catrin, but I have SubZeros and the Amfibs are MUCH warmer, at least on the fronts with the wind-blocker panels. I haven't yet broken out my Amfibs. I imagine the MidZeros are similar to my UA Frosty tights, which are good (for me) down to low-40s.

[Owlie]

Not Catrin, but I have SubZeros and the Amfibs are MUCH warmer, at least on the fronts with the wind-blocker panels. I haven't yet broken out my Amfibs. I imagine the MidZeros are similar to my UA Frosty tights, which are good (for me) down to low-40s.

I've worn my MidZeros down to upper 30s, and my legs were the warmest things on me on that ride. My legs must run warm! Where I need the wind-blocking is my chest and feet.

[zoom-zoom]

Yup, feet, for sure!

[Kiwi Stoker]

I have tights with chamois. If it's cold enough for tights it means they are not coming off. It also means only only elastic around the waist. I ride down to about 2 degrees C. Anything colder than that and I am on a windtrainer inside!

[Bike Chick]

It's tights without chamois for me with bike shorts so I can wear them for running too. When it's really cold, I will wear panty hose as my first layer, then bike shorts, then wicking long underwear, then tights. If I get cold in that, I stay home and get on the the trainer.

[Catrin]

It's tights without chamois for me with bike shorts so I can wear them for running too. When it's really cold, I will wear panty hose as my first layer, then bike shorts, then wicking long underwear, then tights. If I get cold in that, I stay home and get on the the trainer.

That is truly the advantage of tights without chamois, being able to use them for more than one activity. I am glad this combination works for you Bike Chick, my knee complains enough with tights on, I think it would totally rebel with all of those layers :o

Considering I can't really hunker down on the bike with my neck as it currently is, I have to avoid riding in stronger winds. Right before my injury I bought my Amfibs and have been thinking about using them for other activities. My Sugoi tights fit fine under jeans, but the Amfibs aren't that tight. I am thinking they might work well for hiking - and perhaps they don't need jeans :)

Owlie - I am impressed - my MidZero tights start getting cool (to me) at about 42 degrees or so. I seem to get cold a bit earlier than some.

[lph]

I commute daily and will only run a full washing machine, plus I need tights for running and skiing. So I have 5 pairs of shorts or so, put in the washing hamper after a day or two of use, rotated underneath tights without chamois that I very rarely wash.

eta: yes, butt and thighs do get cold even with shorts+tights. When it starts getting cold I add a pair of wool boxers in between, and even colder a pair of wicking long underwear. When it's really windy I may add a cut-off pair of rain pants.

[pll]

I have both types, with and without chamois. I use shorts with the Sugoi Firewall tights when it is colder, in the upper 30s, lower 40s. I use the tights with chamois when the temperatures are in the upper 40s to mid 50s.

When I use shorts + tights, I prefer to use bib shorts, so I don't have two waist bands bothering me. I would say that the latter (two waist bands) is the downside of layering; on the upside, it gives you some extra warmth.

[goldfinch]

I truly love my Terry tights with chamois because they seem to work in a wide range of temperatures and they are petite in length. I wish they had the same version without a chamois because I am going to wear them out washing them so often!

[DebW]

I just cut the chamois off a pair of tights and like them better now.

[nscrbug]

Definitely with chamois for me. Thermal tights are very warm and I can't stand layering, although when it's really cold I've worn knee warmers under my tights because the cold can be hard on knees.

X2 for me. I don't like the feeling of 2 waistbands digging into my tummy. I also had the problem of tights sliding down on me and would end up having to wear suspenders to keep them up because the material from wearing shorts underneath them was too slippery and caused the tights to slide down. Could just be an issue with the combination I was wearing, but I finally got so frustrated with it, that I switched over to wearing padded tights last winter and haven't looked back. The most comfortable for me are the PI Thermal cycling tights and for slightly milder conditions, the PI Select cycling tights.

Linda