Thursday, May 19, 2016

Me and My Union Suit

Me and My Union Suit

Regarding union suits, I am often asked which ones are best. I don't consider myself an expert but I have worn union suits since my grandmother purchased one for me at Sears when I was a fourteen year old boy. That suit was warm and comfortable and was just like the long-handled button-up underwear grandpa always wore! I have been wearing one-piece long underwear exclusively ever since. Two piece thermal underwear is inferior as far as I am concerned. At least with a union suit if you have to bend over outside on a cold winter's day, your bare back won't freeze like happens when wearing the two piece long underwear kind. I've tried a variety of union suits over the years and must say my favorite makers are Carhartt and Champion Duofold. Duofolds are the union suits with a cotton / wool blend...warm and comfortable!

Me, wearing an older
Carhartt Union Suit


That being said, if I have to choose, Champion Duofold union suits are superior to all others I have purchased and worn. They have plenty of buttons up the front of the suit and the last one my wife gave to me this past Christmas has a two button vertical flap! The wrist and ankle cuffs have the just the right snugness and don't stretch out. 

 If you've never purchased or worn Carhartt or Champion Duofold Union Suits, you may be missing out! 


Update Added February 7, 2023:  
Fellas:  I have purchased and worn at least four Duofold Union Suits, oatmeal heather, red and navy blue. Loved them at first. Unfortunately, all of them wore out at the elbows much sooner than I would have anticipated. It may be because of their wool blend, not sure. At any rate, I am still wearing a Carhartt union suit which has little wear at the elbows. It is at least 10 years older than the newer, torn Duofolds. I'm not sure I will be purchasing either kind again: the Duofolds because of the elbows wearing out way too soon and the Carhartt's since they went to a straight, get this, elastic horizontal butt flap without any buttons. You just drop your pants, reach around, grab the elastic and yank down.... No thank you. I would hate that style. 
I have also purchased an Indera Union Suit recently but within a month or two it has lost three buttons!  
What to do?!?!?!  (Sigh)... Chris



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4 comments:

  1. Union Suit FanMay 23, 2016 at 12:32 PM

    Pete emailed me to ask what is my most unfavorable Union Suit. I would have to choose Indera.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Union Suit FanMay 23, 2016 at 7:29 PM

    Indera Mills Union Suits are inferior to other union suits I have purchased and worn because of the thin material, too few buttons up the front resulting in gaping, and a loose fit around the neck. I want my long underwear to be of heavier material with no gaping in the front, plenty of buttons, and a nice snug fit at the neck so cold air doesn't seep down to my body. The second time I put on my Indera Union Suit I noticed a tear in the crotch area. Stay away from these union suits.

    ReplyDelete
  3. AnonymousJanuary 24, 2021 at 12:14 PM

    I like the 40% wool Duofold union suit underwear best of any I have worn over the past 30 years. But the older sytle Carhartts are great too. Red is my favorite color but I have "Heather Oatmill" and navy blue unions too for wearing much of the winter here in Olympia (Wash.)...Kyle

    ReplyDelete
  4. AnonymousApril 29, 2021 at 5:08 PM

    Chris, I use to like Carhartt union suits too but have decided, more recently, I like Duofold's better. For me they are warmer in that they are two layer and 25% part wool.... Dale (Allentown, PA)

    ReplyDelete

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