Branwyn Innerwear Review
For Hikers

By Diane Spicer

Welcome to this Branwyn Innerwear review for hikers.

We're going to take a very close look at a bra and hipster Merino wool combo that was put through its paces on several hikes.

But first things first.

Disclosures in this
Branwyn Innerwear review for hikers

This company is new to me, but after looking at the Branwyn website, I was interested in trying a bra and panty set from the perspective of a sweaty, tired hiker (me, and probably you, too).

Hiking For Her received an Innerwear set from Branwyn in exchange for a free, fair review.

• Innerwear? 
• Well, it is the innermost layer of your layering system, so let's go with it!

Hiking For Her is not an affiliate of the company.

All the photos and comments here are unbiased, honest, and shared with you, a virtual female hiking buddy, in mind.

That's the way Hiking For Her rolls on each and every review!

What is being reviewed

This Branwyn Innerwear review for hikers focuses on 2 pieces of hiking underinnerwear, in a lovely chocolate color called Dark Nude:

• Essential Busty Bra: available in sizes XS (28 - 30) to XXL (44)
  
• Essential Hipster: available in sizes XS (0 - 2) to XXL (16 - 18)
  

Product specifications

Because this is a hiking performance review, let's start with a close look at the fabric and design of these two pieces of clothing.

The Merino wool blended fabric is designed to tick all the right boxes for a hiker:

• moisture wicking
• odor neutralizing
• breathable
• temperature regulating
• fast drying
• lightweight
• soft against the skin
  

The knit blend includes 81% extra fine Merino wool, 12% nylon, and 7% Spandex.

The wool is sourced from New Zealand, where it is produced in a regenerative and sustainable way.

The design features no seams, versatility and lots of coverage.

The top of the story

At first glance, this bra doesn't seem like it can do the job on a hike if you're chesty.

But rest assured, the Essential Busty Bra provides a supportive four-way knit stretch, with extra cup coverage.

See the 2.5”-wide band at the bottom of the bra? That keeps everything in its place.

There are 0.75”-wide straps which are easily adjustable and reversible. Use the straps as is (which is what I did), or cross them X fashion for more support.

There are no padding pockets or extra fabric to roam around and cause trouble, hurrah!

No underwire or seams to restrict movement or lead to chafing, either.

The bottom of the story

Hikers need bottoms that play nicely with hiking pants while providing good coverage.

This hipster gives you both: full hip and butt coverage with no sliding.

No stopping to (ahem) rearrange things in the back, either.

The generous waistband lies flat and is designed to prevent rolling (you know that feeling, ugh).

This design allows you to customize your fit: wear these snug around your hips, or pull them up higher for more tummy coverage.

Performance notes in this
Branwyn Innerwear review for hikers

The first thing you will notice is the snug fit, both the bra and hipster.

That compression is by design, thanks to the fabric.

In fact, it was amazing how much support these lightweight garments provided.

Maybe too much snugness? That's for you to decide, and then order up a size if you're not a fan of firmness.

The hipster sort of disappeared from my awareness after a few minutes of the "oh, new sensation" feeling.

So did the bra, but it took a bit longer, and at times during my hikes I did notice the compressive feeling.

What about coverage?

Not only do I want to forget about my underwear, I want it to cover me even when I'm bending over or lifting my legs high to get over an obstacle.

No bunching, no twisting, no chafing, no worries, that's all I ask!

This bra and hipster combo did in fact avoid ALL that negativity, hour after hour on several hikes.

Note the bra straps, not too skinny but not too wide, making them comfortable on the shoulders.

I didn't notice them underneath my backpacking straps.

And they stayed where they belonged.

What about the hipster?

It sat just at the waist and disappeared, so to speak, beneath my pants waistline.

And here's what's most important: I felt fully covered from front to back.

• Like the bra straps, the fabric stayed in place, no matter how much I moved or sweated, thank you very much.
• Sounds like a little thing, but it's a lot to a female hiker!

Three things about the bra
that might be important to you

There is no modesty panel or lining in the bra, so nipples are visible through a light colored shirt.

There are metal buckles on the bra straps. If your skin has experienced contact sensitivity, you might want to contact the company (see what happened there?) to learn more about the metal components.

The bra is recommended for low impact sports.

Mostly, hiking is low impact - unless you're moving fast (mixing in some trail running or trying to beat darkness to the campsite) or tackling some challenging terrain (as in losing a lot of elevation quickly, which leads to bouncing).

Things for hikers to love about
Branwyn Innerwear

The Merino wool is soft, soft, soft against the skin. So lovely!

This fabric does not need to be washed after every each hike to eliminate odors, meaning on a backpack trip you won't have to be washing your undies (innies?) every day.

• Bad weather, extreme fatigue, better things to do... you get the picture.

The support is real. Even though the fabric is super lightweight, you're going to be held snugly and fully covered.

A few notes on care in this
Branwyn Innerwear review for hikers

Taking good care of high quality hiking clothing pays off in the long run.

If you're at home after a hike, use the washing machine but not the dryer.

While on a hiking trip, use mild soap like Dr. Bronners. Wring out excess moisture with a towel, and hang (in the tent overnight, on your backpack during the day) to dry.

• Be sure to rinse thoroughly, as soap against the private areas can lead to trouble while you're away from showers.

Expect this Merino wool to dry quickly in all but the most extremely damp conditions.

The Branwyn company

This is not a "business as usual" company, which is the main reason I wanted to share a review with you.

A lot of thought goes into their choice of fabric and design for their products.

Merino sheep wool grows back once it's harvested during shearing, providing a sustainable and renewable resource that you can wear on your next hike.

Did you know that you can recycle wool underwear in your worm bin or garden? It's biodegradable.

• Note: Small amounts of nylon and elastane are added to the wool to provide you with hiking underwear that is stretchy and durable.

The method of seamless knitting used to produce this innerwear avoids fabric waste.

Their shipment methods focus on being kind to the environment, using recycled materials for the mailing envelope and glassine bags (material that breaks down quickly) to hold your innerwear.

But here's the best part.

Branwyn focuses on empowering women. A minimum of 1% of all sales is donated to nonprofit Empowerment Partners.

Their blog is worth a look for its encouraging and helpful information, too.

Conclusions:
Branwyn Innerwear review for hikers

It's important to note that this hiking underwear is not the cheap polyester stuff you find at your nearest big box store.

Do you resonate with this statement?

• I choose high quality, durable and well made hiking clothing as a conscious investment in hiking comfort, as well as to protect the environment we all share as hikers.

If you said yes, this Branwyn Innerwear is for you.

And yes, you will pay more for this type of quality, durability and sustainability.

Compare Branwyn with other companies that make Merino wool garments for hikers, and you'll notice that the price is in line with the market.

I'm adding it into my hiking clothing rotation. I hope it works for your hiking plans, too.

Thanks for reading this Branwyn Innerwear review for hikers!

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Branwyn Innerwear Review For Hikers