Have you always wanted to sniff used underwear? Don’t bother with these because they don’t smell. However, they are otherwise very nice green cotton long johns from the Austrian army. Buy these and you can afford better drinks when trying out Finnish kalsarikännit.

In case you are on a recon mission to find cheap long johns but would prefer for them to remain intact as long as possible, the military surplus is your magical ticket. These were made to survive through active military life, and they will survive you, too.

Materials and care

These long underpants are 100% cotton. The tag says that you can wash them at 95 degrees Celsius (203 F) but no need to boil them alive. Normal temperature for cotton clothes is enough, i.e. 40 degrees Celsius (104 F).

Choosing the right size

The size system is not surprisingly Austrian. The larger the number, the bigger the long johns. To clarify things a bit, we put the recommended average waist circumference for each size in the charts below. Note that these are very stretchy at the waist, so finding the perfect fit isn’t precision engineering. A frugal family can manage with one pair that you rotate from one family member to another.

Austrian long johns Metric Units

Austrian long johns Freedom Units

Condition

Used Austrian military surplus but clean and intact.