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. 

Updated: December 2, 2025.....
My favorite and oldest Union Suit is Cold Storage not Master.  I don't even remember how where got it. It looks practically new, fits me just right...not too tight, not too loose.  Cuffs are great and it buttons up to my neck. It has white buttons so I always wear it with white socks. Love it....They were manufactfured since 1935 but I've never been able to find another one.  Darn!   It's been washed 50 or 60 times, maybe more...never fades or stretched out. I got it after my favorite Penney's and Sears union suit wore out.  Good luck with the Coldmaster....hope it's good for you.

Here I am buttoned up in my Cold Storage Union Suit:

RLC3.JPG



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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6 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
  5. Hikin' JimNovember 5, 2025 at 9:16 PM

    Hi, Chris, great blog.

    I don't know if you are still monitoring this older post, but I have a question: How does the sizing compare on a Carhartt union suit vs. a Duofold? I'm an XL in Carhartt, but a XXL Carhartt also fits (albeit a bit loosely). Would a XXL Duofold fit the same as a Carhartt XXL?

    ReplyDelete
  6. Union Suit FanNovember 7, 2025 at 10:54 AM

    Union Suit Fans: I have answered Hikin' Jim in an email. The bottom line, is I haven't purchased a Carhartt or Champion Duofold in several years. And, unless you are fortunate to live in a place that has a store that carries union suits where you can try them on, it's nearly impossible to determine if L or XL or XXL is a good fit for you or not. Sorry, but they just don't make 'em like they use to. Canadian Stanfield union suits are expensive but the many guys I hear from who have purchased and worn them, swear by 'em....Chris

    ReplyDelete

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