Caning on the bare bottom by the way hurts a little bit more than through underpants and shorts or trousers, but not a huge amount.
I agree completely, and it is a topic I have been planning to raise for some time. There is very little that can stop a cane from hurting. Loose trousers are the most effective, but by the time you are bending over, they fit fairly closely anyway. There is a school of thought that very tight shorts actually make things worse.
Slipper: … Getting it bare makes a pretty big difference.
I agree completely, but it also depends on the texture of the slipper sole. A smooth, well worn slipper seems to grip and burn the surface of the skin.