Panrts on the A.T.

[bishopj]

Hi yet i ask early about rain pants and should i take them with me for a June 4 start.
I also have a nice pair of convertible pant that are water resistance. I figure these could take the place of a pair of just short and if it get a little cold they would keep my legs warm and they are cool enough to wear in hot weather to help keep the bugs off my legs.What do you guys say rain pants or convertible pants. i leave on June 4 gone north
Thank for the help

[Egads]

No need for rain pants. You are kidding yourself if you think convertible pants will keep your bottom half dry

[Blissful]

No rain pants. Convertibles dry quick and offer some bug protection, but they do not keep you warm. But in June, warmth isn't a problem at least summers in ol Virginny.

[Tin Man]

No rain pants. Convertibles dry quick and offer some bug protection, but they do not keep you warm. But in June, warmth isn't a problem at least summers in ol Virginny.

I thought warmth WAS the problem... or it would be if you were wearing rain pants. Leave 'em home, good only for cold rain or snow.

[Blissful]

I thought warmth WAS the problem... or it would be if you were wearing rain pants. Leave 'em home, good only for cold rain or snow.

Right, warm when hiking in them yeah. He also thought they would keep him warm if it got cool. In summers it would, probably. I was thinking of April when I wore mine and I was doggone cold with them in the evening.

[Many Walks]

I took both. We hiked in the rain a lot and when it was warm I wore the convertible shorts. As it got cooler I zipped on the legs. I only hiked in the rain pants a few times when it was a really cold downpour.

They're not good for general hiking as they get too hot really fast.

They come in handy as a windbreaker in the high country with the cold damp wind. They weigh very little and provide some good protection when the weather turns nasty.

When it was cold I slipped on the full rain gear as soon as we hit camp to maintain body temp as we did chores.

They also gave me something to wear when doing laundry in town.

Enjoy your hike!

[take-a-knee]

I would try one of the rain skirts from ULA if I used anything at all, less that three ounces, Last June a silnylon poncho served me well as a pack cover and raingear.

[The Will]

In my experience, comfort is less a matter of dry or wet and more a matter of hot or cold. Rain pants in June while you're hiking sounds like a recipe for a sauna--much less comfortable for me than going bare-legged in the rain.

Bug protection is good rationale for taking long pants in season. If it were me, I don't know that I would get any use out of them other than bug protection. Your legs stay very warm while hiking so I wouldn't be able to give pants in June in Georgia any multi-use status.

Find out about the bug population. If it were not an issue I would leave the pants.

[RockDoc]

We used them (Frogg Toggs) this month more for cold and wind than for rain. I wouldn't carry them in June shorts weather.

[daddytwosticks]

No rain pants for down here in June on the AT. I wear shorts and just get wet. I do carry a pair of very lightweight nylon warmup/wind pants for cool evening or buggy conditions.

[TrippinBTM]

No rain pants. I never used them, on my thru. And my convertable pants kept me plenty warm, occasionally helped along by long johns, in March and April, and September. June, no problem, you'll be in shorts the whole time, pretty much. Think of it this way: wearing shorts, there's less fabric to dry once you get wet.

Besides, you'll be sweating so much, you're going to get wet anyways.

[Doctari]

I carried rain pants for about 300 miles, wore them exactly NEVER. Mostly I thought I would wear them as town pants, never happened.

They are now in my winter gear bag, for extreme cold weather trips as wind pants. Been on 2 trips, still havn't worn them.