Are convertible pants necessary?

[MommaDuck]

I'm heading NOBO March 23 and am figuring out clothing. I have Smartwool tights, running shorts, a hiking skort and my Marmot rain pants. If I layer my tights under my shorts/skirt is it really necessary to bring convertible pants? I plan to sleep in my shorts and if it's really cold I could always wear my tights under my rain pants. Those are my thoughts at the moment.
Any suggestions, comments welcome.

[aaronthebugbuffet]

I think you have enough without the pants.

[Tipi Walter]

Pants are way overrated. Depending on the thickness of your Smartwool "tights", you will probably be wearing the shorts/tights combo most of the time, that is: Shorts over the tights. I have a pair of Smartwool merino long john bottoms which are very thin and are used for the three seasons, or summer. I go with a heavier weight Icebreaker bottoms for winter---they are sitting ready for my next trip. You really only need three items for the bottom layer, maybe four:

** Decent comfortable non-cotton underwear---I use a pair of silk briefs from Wintersilks. Some backpackers use no underwear at all, but I take two pair and like the option of washing one out in a creek and hanging it on my pack while wearing the dry pair.

** Shorts---light weight, no belt or plastic fastex buckle---drawstring swim trunk style with pockets and elastic waistband.

** Merino or capilene or polypro long john bottoms---midweight to heavyweight.

** Rain pants over the long johns when conditions turn nasty, cold and windy---and in camp.

** Down pants when things get real tough, like January blizzards at 0F---in camp use only.

[Slo-go'en]

I rarely hike in shorts for a number of reasons - its got to be really wicked hot for me to change to shorts. The only reason I use converta pants is because thier made of nylon and so dry quickly when they do get wet. And on the occasion I do want shorts I can make them so.

Reasons for wearing pants - keeps the legs clean, keeps the bugs off (like chiggers), protects the legs from brush and hides my knoby knees from view.

[Wobegon]

I started with them... ended up sending the convertible bottoms home, and then just got rid of them. If you're like most thru-hikers, you'll be hiking in just running shorts by the end.

[dillard]

My recent hiking partner began with a skort and convertible pants... within a week the skort went home and she continued on the with convertibles instead. Her logic was a skort is basically shorts anyway which the convertibles can become and if you do need a bit more coverage for cool weather you have pants. The zip on legs take up hardly any space and weight very little for the utility of them.

[daddytwosticks]

I use convertable pants with non-cotton underware in the cooler season. When it warms up, I wear hiking shorts w/a built-in liner because I sweat so much. It they made convertable pants w/a built in liner, I'd probably go with them year-round.

[Lone Wolf]

If I layer my tights under my shorts/skirt is it really necessary to bring convertible pants?

no pants necessary. they're way overpriced too

[Spokes]

As Winton Porter says: "You want to ask yourself, What does each piece of clothing do for me? Does it insulate? Does it stop wind? Does it stop rain?" he says. "Nylon zip-off pants don't do any of those three. If you wear a pair of nylon running shorts over lightweight long underwear, now you have pants that weigh 3.5 ounces instead of two to four times as much."

-source: Pack Man-The Appalachian Trail Guru
Backpacker Magazine November 2008

Google the source info to read the entire article online......

[max patch]

Convertible pants are just as important to have as candle lanterns and a Spot GPS.

[BobTheBuilder]

They do! They sell them for $20 as fishing pants at Academy Sports. I think Magellan makes them.

[4eyedbuzzard]

The biggest downside/problem I see with them is that they do neither thing really well. As shorts, the leg holes aren't cut as full and the zippers (even with the trim fabric) tend to rub the tops of the thighs. When worn as long pants, they also seem to fit just a bit odd, again with the zipper seam causing them to lay kind of funny. I've tried them from REI, Mountain Hardwear, Bean, etc and none really feel like either good shorts - or pants. There is also the zipper issue. Zippers are a failure point- dirt, mud, the coils/ teeth can get messed up by rocks (I did this on "The Rocks" in PA north of Wind Gap - snagged a zipper). As almost all my hiking is in the Northeast, I carry a pair of lightweight long pants most of the time now for evenings, cold days, and bugs. Takes very little time to change vs messing with leg zippers.

[tiptoe]

I like my convertible pants. The shorts have lots of pockets, they are durable, and in pants mode, they do block wind and hold in the heat. I like being able to convert from shorts to pants and vice versa without removing my boots. For section hiking in moderate to hot weather, I've found them useful. Like so many things, it comes down to personal preference, I think.

[garlic08]

I rarely hike in shorts for a number of reasons - its got to be really wicked hot for me to change to shorts. The only reason I use converta pants is because thier made of nylon and so dry quickly when they do get wet. And on the occasion I do want shorts I can make them so.

Reasons for wearing pants - keeps the legs clean, keeps the bugs off (like chiggers), protects the legs from brush and hides my knoby knees from view.

Ditto this, especially the part about knobby knees. Sun protection, too. One reason to buy convertibles is they're so popular and go on sale so often, they're often cheaper than regular trousers. And like wearing gaiters and a kerchief around your neck, they make you look like a "real hiker". Good point above about the zipper abrading the thigh--make sure yours are comfortable before your long hike. I can count on one hand the times I've removed the legs from mine, and most of those involved bicycling to the trailhead.

[-SEEKER-]

I like my convertible pants. The shorts have lots of pockets, they are durable, and in pants mode, they do block wind and hold in the heat. I like being able to convert from shorts to pants and vice versa without removing my boots. For section hiking in moderate to hot weather, I've found them useful. Like so many things, it comes down to personal preference, I think.

The key word for me is POCKETS. This year most of the hikers I saw had on either "running" shorts or "basketball" shorts. NO POCKETS! Where do they keep important things or things they may need to access in a hurry?

[Ewker]

They do! They sell them for $20 as fishing pants at Academy Sports. I think Magellan makes them.

check out a Goodwill and you can find them for $ 5.00

[Fog Horn]

I hike in a skort and level one capilene long johns. I have found that it keeps me plenty warm, and works much better for me than pants. Granted I'm biased because I cannot find a pair of pants/ shorts that fit me properly. They're either much too big on the waist but fit the rest of me, or they are a few inches too short on the inseam.

Either way, dress up in your skort and your tights and take a quick 6-10 mile jaunt in crappy weather and find out what works for you

[Fog Horn]

The key word for me is POCKETS. This year most of the hikers I saw had on either "running" shorts or "basketball" shorts. NO POCKETS! Where do they keep important things or things they may need to access in a hurry?

I have my hip belt pockets, which I use, and also my pack's side pockets.

[Sly]

I'd can get rid of the tights, skort and rain pants and only use the convertible pants (and light running shorts for bed, laundry etc.).

[yappy]

I'm w sly I have used mine 4 a lot of trails and wouldn't trade them in the pockets r fantastic...no way wld I give them up amd thy provide some warmth wind protectn anmd cool in the summr.....I luv them