Without long pants?

[Micha]

Hey anybody,
I'm planning my Thru-Hike in 2015. I now it's still a long time
I often see pictures of people in April who already wear shorts...
My question is: Is it possible to walk without long pants? I want to start in the beginning of April and I am thinking about taking only running shorts together with long underwear, for the cold days. While walking I am usually very warm, so that I don't need long pants. At camp I would then put on rainpants if it is too cold or add a second long underpant. But actually I have never been to the United States before and don't know about the weather conditions in Georgia in April in detail
I would be thankfull for answers,
Greets Micha

[fins1838]

I usually wear convertable pants (hardly ever wear the bottom halves though) & 1 pair of Under Armour winter gear long underwear that will have you sweating at 20 degrees. But everyone is different when it come to cold/heat. My opinion; no, you can do without long pants.

[Spokes]

Take a look at this tried and true AT thru-hike cold weather gear list. (Ignore the pop-up). Fleece cap and gloves are givens. Add a trash compactor bag for a liner and you're good to go.

Most convertible pants are worthless since they don't offer protection from rain, wind, or cold. You generate heat while hiking so shorts are just about all you need. Wear a base layer if its frigid and thrown on some rain pants for wind protection.

[DavidNH]

rain pants can double as long pants. But You don't want to thru hike with ONLY shorts. Even starting out in April.. a thunder shower in the smokies or in the New England mountains can get things chilly fast. When I thru hiked back in 2006 the cold portion of the entire trip for me (save for frosty mornings at the start) was hiking up Mount Rogers (just north of Damascus, VA) in early May. It was windy, rainy and so cold. temps were probably in the 30's. Not only do you want rain gear (with long pants) you want a fleece hat and gloves, and a fleece jacket. You want to double bag your pack ( a pack cover is NOT good enough), you want a sleeping bag rated down to at least 20 F ( or -15 C). While it in the south you can get up into the 90's in April.. you can also get down to the teens (a possible temp range in celcius from + 35 down to -15). I'm not kidding!

Oh while I am at it, let me second what Spokes said about convertible pants. Don't bother. All you need is for the zipper to stop working and they lose their value. Even if the zipper does work, they aren't water proof or windproof.

DavidNH

[RevLee]

I started first of March two years ago with just shorts and long underwear. Sometimes if it was too windy or too much snow while hiking I would need to wear rain pants, but by April shorts should be fine.

[10-K]

It is very possible but I think I'd bring a pair of long pants if I were on the trail for a long period of time beginning the first week of April or at least a pair of merino wool long underware to wear under my shorts. It's easy enough to ditch them when the weather warms up for good.

I read about people hiking in shorts in 15* weather or whatever but the reality is when it's cold most people wear long pants.

[Slo-go'en]

Personally, I wear long pants all the time, unless it is ungoddly hot. Long pants protect the legs from all kinds of stuff you might brush up against along the trail. Chiggers are one - tiny insects which borrow under the skin and make a rash which iches like crazy.

[10-K]

Personally, I wear long pants all the time, unless it is ungoddly hot. Long pants protect the legs from all kinds of stuff you might brush up against along the trail. Chiggers are one - tiny insects which borrow under the skin and make a rash which iches like crazy.

Poison Ivy is another....

[Slo-go'en]

I read about people hiking in shorts in 15* weather or whatever but the reality is when it's cold most people wear long pants.

One evening when I was winter caretaker at "The Knob", I heard a noise outside the door, but it didn't open right away, so I went to investigate. I opened the door and saw an old guy standing there wearing nothing but a pair of wool shorts, a backpack and plastic double boots. I looked across his shoulder to the themometer on the tree behind him and said "It's friggen 25 below zero out there! Get your butt in here and put some clothes on!" Which he did - all wool of course.

[Prada]

I've found through trial and error that I don't really like the zip off pants either. What works best for me is long spandex type pants with shorts over. Still protects the legs but gives the flexibility of wearing the shorts or the combo.CIMG1723.jpg

[atmilkman]

Poison Ivy is another....

Trail dirt and duff down in the shoes is another.

[Deadeye]

I use convertible pants in cold weather or warm. I can hike in shorts and put on the legs at night for a bit of warmth and to keep the bugs off.

[Malto]

I also would not do convertibles. Get a pair of lightweight running shorts and lightweight pants. You can wear one or the other in town and you don't have the stupid zipper sticking you while you sleep. Having said that, I hiked with a couple of folks that only wore shorts and rain pants if it was really bad. How do you tolerate cold on your legs?

[ChinMusic]

Personally, I wear long pants all the time, unless it is ungoddly hot. Long pants protect the legs from all kinds of stuff you might brush up against along the trail. Chiggers are one - tiny insects which borrow under the skin and make a rash which iches like crazy.

Same here but I would add one more reason.........out of respect for my fellow man, is case they don't have sunglasses.

[Velvet Gooch]

Put on some long pants, son. This ain't grade school

[Smooth & Wasabi]

Since you said you would bring long underwear and rain pants the answer is yes you'll be fine. That time of year I was fine in shorts 99 % of the time. As long as your sleep system does not presume always having your long underwear dry I can't imagine you having problems. Have fun

[chiefduffy]

Trail dirt and duff down in the shoes is another.

Stinging nettles is another.....

[Micha]

Thank you so far for all the different opinions! I think I have to balance the advantages and disadvantages before I come to a conclusion. Luckily I have nearly three years time to think about that issue

[Dont Panic]

I hiked 99% of my hike wearing only shorts, but had a pair of wind pants for when the weather got really cold (like these: http://www.montbell.us/products/disp...3&p_id=2305123). I started in late April and finished in early September, so I did not see much bad weather. The advantage of wind pants over other options, is they stuff away to nothing when you aren't wearing them, and weigh only about 2 1/2 ounces. I probably wore them into while doing laundry more than on trail.

[moocow]

Weather on the trail is too unpredictable. This year, in February it was warmer than much of the trail was in April. About the third week in April we had a cold front where I was just south of Franklin in 20 degree weather with snow and strong wind. Later I learned that the same front brought the smokies down to 9 degrees one night.
At Muskrat Creek Shelter we were wearing all of our layers in a two day rain storm that had us freezing.
Not to mention the poison ivy that can down right piss you off because you use all of your efforts to avoid it, but you can't avoid an overgrown path to the water source.