Pants question

[radevil5]

Underwear, leggings and shirts? Or underwear, leggings, and pants that zip off into shorts? I'm thinking of just taking leggings, tennis shorts, and rain pants. Any ideas?

[radevil5]

I mean leggings and shorts

[Casey & Gina]

Depends if you like shorts. I don't so I don't have convertible pants or shorts. We use Icebreaker leggings when it's cold enough for them and Prana Zion pants are our main hiking pants. We also have Outdoor Research Helium rain pants if it's wet. Leggings and shorts will work fine and I've seen folks wearing that combination frequently enough.

[bigcranky]

I hike in shorts 99% of the time. Lightweight merino wool long johns under them if it's cold, or rain pants if it's cold and raining. Wool boxer briefs in cool weather, commando in summer.

I do bring something for around camp, so I can hang up my shorts to dry. Usually a second pair of nylon shorts, though when we did the Long Trail I actually brought a pair of very light zipoffs for cool nights in camp, bugs (though we never had any), and travel to and from Vermont on the train. Normally I don't like zipoffs and I wouldn't take them on an AT hike.

[xrayextra]

Get the convertible pants with the leggings that unzip and make sure it has webbing inside. That way you don't need underwear--it's built in.

[Harrison Bergeron]

Personally I like zipoffs to hike in, although I rarely take off the legs because otherwise you're caked in dust all the time. Mine are Exofficio Nomads, which are very light and rugged. I don't really get the hiking in long-johns and shorts thing. I sleep in my long handles when it's cold and I wouldn't want all that dust in my bag -- not to mention they are not remotely rugged enough to hike in. Who can afford to replace a pair of $30 capilene long-johns every other week?

I also take a pair of jogging shorts with pockets to wear in camp and sleep in. I hang a clothesline and air out my hiking clothes (especially underwear) in camp, which makes them much more pleasant to put on again the next day. People tend to point and laugh if I don't take something to change into.

[nsherry61]

I have a hard time staying on trails, and, unless I'm expecting extended cold and wet conditions, I don't like rain pants. So, my preference is very light long nylon pants. I often roll up the legs on the pants making them into shorts without the added complexity of zipping off the lower legs. The light nylon pants aren't the best for serious bushwhacking, but they are far better than shorts or leggings, and they weigh practically nothing. I keep my leggings for sleeping in and wearing under my nylon pants on cold days/mornings.

[squeezebox]

I did a search for Commando brand underwear, and came up with nothing. Is this a DIY project?

[Casey & Gina]

I did a search for Commando brand underwear, and came up with nothing. Is this a DIY project?

Must not have tried very hard:

http://www.amazon.com/s?ie=UTF8&page=1&rh=i%3Aaps%2Ck%3ACommando%20Underwear
http://www.wearcommando.com/