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DeeHiker
08-23-2007, 10:30
Hi,
I've been hiking for 6 years and have always worn a slim leg jean, but I've never done any backpacking/hiking. I will be starting at Springer in May 08 and hike for 7-8 days on the AT. Will section hike like this until maybe/hopefully I reach Katahdin one day. Anyhow, I notice from pictures on this site that not many women are wearing jeans...what would be the most comfortable type of pants to wear. I like my jeans, but also want something that fits snuggly and moves well with the body. Thanks for your input!

bulldog49
08-23-2007, 10:33
Never hike in cotton. :eek:

Lone Wolf
08-23-2007, 10:35
Never hike in cotton. :eek:

ah bullcrap. i hike in cotton shirts all the time

Gray Blazer
08-23-2007, 10:35
Never hike in cotton. :eek:

Yeah, I don't know how I survived all those years I hiked in jeans. A higher power must have been looking out for me.;)

Jim Adams
08-23-2007, 10:35
jeans will never dry and they will rub and cause blisters.
use nylon jogging shorts, a skirt or nylon long hiking pants but NEVER jeans.

geek

Footslogger
08-23-2007, 10:36
Cotton is comfortable UNTIL it gets wet, either from rain or perspiration. If you want someting that is snug to the skin but won't cause friction consider lycra long leg shorts (like clyclers wear) or long leg tights.

'Slogger

Gray Blazer
08-23-2007, 10:44
Seriously, there should be some info about hiking pants on this website. I know one major problem with jeans is they take a long time to dry out and that could be a problem at the end of a very cool day.

JAK
08-23-2007, 10:54
There are always exceptions that prove the rule. Stuff that is comfortable and manageable for a day trip might not be good for the long haul. I find cotton shirts and even some light cotton shorts or pants are OK for day hikes, as long as you are prepared to wear them wet when they get wet. On a sunny day very thin cotton will dry quite easily, and will be very cooling as it dries. Jeans tend to be the worst though, because the way they wick, and the way they incumber you when wet, even when they are dry really.

But I believe in mixing different materials, and that includes one piece of cotton even when I go on long multi-day hikes. I don't bring any spare clothing, just different layers that could be worn all at once for the worst conditions expected. The one piece of cotton I bring is plaid flannel boxers, which I wear sometimes alone, sometime under, sometimes over, and sometimes even on my head.

Toolshed
08-23-2007, 10:58
I used cotton or cotton poly blend T-Shirts for years without too many issues, Sometimes even in winter, but I finally bought into MicroFibers adn seem much happier.

As far as denim goes, It is a heavier material and I look at each step being made a little more difficult because of the weight of the fabric on my legs (course I hate wearing pants at all. I also agree if it gets wet it takes a long time to dry, it will chafe you if you try to wear them wet and let them dry on you, and again to pack them, they are just too damn heavy!!

DeeHiker
08-23-2007, 11:08
I thought jeans might not be good for a long haul...heavy and not good if they get wet...thanks everyone

JAK
08-23-2007, 11:22
If you are looking for pants for cooler weather and are not too concerned about weight, you might buy yourself a very nice pair of wool hiking pants, no heavier than jeans but a lot more comfortable and warmer when wet, and they can absorb a lot more before the feel wet. Something tweedy looks very good on a woman, in my opinion.

Marta
08-23-2007, 12:06
My favorite hiking clothes are bought from running stores. They don't have pockets, but they are generally 1) knits, which are more comfortable than woven fabrics 2) wicking fabrics 3) warm when wet. The trick is to find ones that dry relatively quickly.

As far as looking good...the fashion police are rare out on the Trail, fortunately for me.

Marta/Five-Leaf

The Weasel
08-23-2007, 13:23
Convertible pants (lower leg removable) are so inexpensive, out of artificial fibers, and they dry in minutes after rain. Comfortable, practical, far better than jeans. Even attractive.

The Weasel

Gray Blazer
08-23-2007, 14:26
Something tweedy looks very good on a woman, in my opinion.

I prefer to see them in a little black dress.

bulldog49
08-23-2007, 14:31
ah bullcrap. i hike in cotton shirts all the time


You wear a cotton shirt when it's cold and wet?

BumpJumper
08-28-2007, 09:28
Since this is in the WOMENS forum...I will type this. You men go look for some women in little black dresses for a minute and close your sexist minds.


Tight and wet non breathables causes yeast infections. :D

JAK
08-28-2007, 09:55
JAK scampering off to another thread. :)

Cuffs
08-28-2007, 10:52
After a long, hot day of hiking, try pulling off a snug pair of denim jeans. You practically have to peel them off inside out! (Fell in a pool, no, tossed into, wearing jeans, they wont come off!)

Gray Blazer
08-28-2007, 11:15
Since this is in the WOMENS forum...I will type this. You men go look for some women in little black dresses for a minute and close your sexist minds.:D
I'm not really a sexist, just a moron.:o

FFTorched
08-28-2007, 16:18
I used to be a jeans only type of person but for hiking and outdoor stuff I found BDU style pants the best, now they come in synthetics and are lighters and more breathable. Also you can get them in all types of colors so you don't have to run around looking like you are going on a commando raid. Check out www.galls.com or www.cheaperthandirt.com for them. I had a blue ones from my duty uniform with the fire department. Loved those pants and they held up alot of double-stitching and also the knees are layered.

Suzzz
08-28-2007, 16:59
On a weekend hike many years ago I brought a pair of jeans shorts to wear around camp at night time. On the second day I decided to wear them to hike. How bad could it be right? While trying to cross a small brook I lost my footing and fell in the water. It was just after lunch on a nice but overcast day. I didn't bother to stop and change as I figured the shorts would dry as I walked. I felt cool all day but not cold and I thought it was because there wasn't any sun. Minutes after we stopped for supper, I started having the chills. It only took a few minutes for my hiking partners to recognize that we had a situation on our hands. They quickly set up a tent so that my then husband could snuggle with me in a sleeping bag. It took over two hours of the two of us being naked together in that sleeping bag before I stopped shivering. I can't tell you what level of hypothermia I was at but I can certainly tell you that I learned my lesson. Never again. Now when I go on a hike, the jeans stay home.

Programbo
08-28-2007, 21:20
Yeah, I don't know how I survived all those years I hiked in jeans. A higher power must have been looking out for me.;)

I was thinking the same thing...For many decades tens of thousands of people hiked the AT in nothing but jeans and we survived just fine...Never dry?..Why are you swimming in your jeans?...Blisters?..Never got one from my jeans..Of course we didn`t hike in "designer" jeans back then :p

I`m not saying some of the modern fabrics don`t have advantages over jeans but jeans aren`t the horror some people seem to think they are either and may have some advantages

BumpJumper
08-28-2007, 21:35
Gray...I am beginning to believe you could be a trouble maker!:D

7Sisters
08-29-2007, 02:10
I have a couple options for that time of the year. Since early May, you can still get a cold snap, I definitely would suggest bringing pants and they should not be cotton. You increase the chances if getting hypothermia by wearing cotton clothing this time of the year - it just doesn't dry and being cold and wet is a major driver of hypothermia.

Anyway my suggestions are:
1 - running tights (very comfy, warm and will not chaffe)
2 - convertible pants (while I don't like them, a lot of people love them)
3 - Marmot dry precip Pants (advantage is they are light, comfy and are rain pants)

The advantage of option three is that you're going to need to carry rain pants anyway, why not use them as your everyday pant. I find that almost all year round my legs stay very warm when I'm walking and I only need a pant when I stop. This applies down to single digits - you'd be suprised how much heat your body generates with a full pack.

The key to staying warm this time of the year will not be what pants you wear, but keeping your hands and head warm. Make sure you have some options and a good system for keeping head and hands warm as the majority of heat is lost thru head and hands, not legs.

Gray Blazer
08-29-2007, 07:34
Gray...I am beginning to believe you could be a trouble maker!:D
Thankyou, that's the nicest thing anybody's said to me in a long time. The last time was when Sgt Rock said I was definately a trash hiker.:banana

Rain Man
08-29-2007, 13:34
... I felt cool all day but not cold and I thought it was because there wasn't any sun. Minutes after we stopped for supper, I started having the chills. ... It took over two hours .... before I stopped shivering.....

Not to dispute that the cotton clothing could have contributed, but I've had this happen to me more than once after a long, hard day of constant hiking. Indeed, it happened earlier this month and had nothing to do with cotton clothing (I had none on) nor with getting wet (I had not).

But I arrived at the hostel very very tired, "collapsed" onto a bed, covered up with a comforter, and shivered and napped for two hours, then was fine. It was not a cold day.

I've decided it has something to do with my body chemistry, and burning up energy and creating heat for hours on end, then suddenly stopping on an empty tank. I had eaten very little that day, as hiking causes me to lose my appetite the first day or two.

Anyway, I've had the same symptoms, but not the cause of wet cotton clothing. For what it's worth. Good thing in both cases we had warm, dry places to recuperate!

Rain:sunMan

.

Suzzz
08-29-2007, 16:29
Not to dispute that the cotton clothing could have contributed...

"collapsed" onto a bed, covered up with a comforter, and shivered and napped for two hours, then was fine.

I had eaten very little that day...

Anyway, I've had the same symptoms, but not the cause of wet cotton clothing. For what it's worth.
Rain:sunMan.


For all we know you may be right Rain Man. I was always under the impression it was hypothermia but now that you mention it I had also had very little to eat that day. Either way it scared me... a lot. And yes I agree, having a nice warm place to recuperate made a big difference.

Roots
10-20-2007, 21:05
I just found this thread and thought I would give my 2 cents :). I have tried several types of pants for hiking. I remember when I was younger I saw people wearing jeans and always thought that had to be uncomfortable. When I started hiking, I couldn't wait to try convertible pants. I LOVE THEM! I simply added some cheap discount store biking/compression shorts underneath-just for moisture wicking purposes- and love it! No problems with rubbing or pants staying wet. They dry very fast!:)

River Runner
10-20-2007, 23:57
I vote for nylon convertible pants. Great comfort, quick drying, light weight.

Lightweight wool base layer pants (which are good for sleeping in) can always be worn around camp under the convertible pants for lounging in cooler weather, or for the ultimate long distance hiker chic, wool base layer pants worn with just the shorts part of the convertible pants. :cool:

take-a-knee
10-21-2007, 09:21
The army's research lab at Natick Mass has what they call the "brass man". It is a life-sized brass likeness covered with electrodes that determine heat loss. They found out the when the brass man was wearing blue jeans in hypothermia inducing conditions, he lost heat faster than when wearing nothing. Like John Wayne said, "Life is hard, it's a lot harder when you are stupid".

rafe
10-21-2007, 10:02
I`m not saying some of the modern fabrics don`t have advantages over jeans but jeans aren`t the horror some people seem to think they are either and may have some advantages

Cotton in general is a disaster on the trail, except maybe in the most benign weather. A cotton tee shirt on a hot day is no problem, but that's because heat loss is a plus in that situation. Denim has no place on the trail, IMO. Cotton kills. And I didn't make that up.

envirodiver
10-22-2007, 10:47
Another factor is that jeans weigh a lot. They are very heavy and when wet are very very heavy. I

'm also a fan of the convertable pants. I hike with shorts on all day then slip the legs on at night. I wear light spandex compression shorts underneath also. Helps prevent chafeing and along with the nylon covertable pants dry very quick.

Do love my jeans at other times though.

faarside
10-22-2007, 15:45
I ALWAYS hike in convertible pants - the kind where the legs zip off and the pants convert into shorts. There was a time I carried two different types of convertible pants - one pair in a heavier, cotton blend (warmer), and one nylon pair (lighter, for hot/humid weather).

I eventually settled on carrying two pairs of nylon convertibles. In cooler weather, I simply put on a thermal underlayer to stay warm. When these nylon pants get wet, they DRY QUICKLY. Cotton will not.

Items similar to the Columbia Titanium Challenger Convertible (Campmor Item# 78458), or the Columbia Titanium Omni-Dry Venture Convertible (Campmor Item# 77998) are good choices.

Hope this helps. Enjoy, and Happy Trails!

Bootstrap
10-22-2007, 18:10
the fashion police are rare out on the Trail

But the cotton police are everywhere!

Jonathan

River Runner
10-23-2007, 00:35
But the cotton police are everywhere!

Jonathan

Now that's funny! :D

nitewalker
10-23-2007, 07:53
cotton will do you no harm during the summer months. it will actually keep you cooler if your hiking with cotton because it will get damp and stay damp. at the campsite a nice cotton shirt and ltwt sweat pant would be nice to hang around in. now if your going to use cotton during the winter you are just asking for some trouble, if it gets wet the miniute you stop all will freeze solid. i seen it happen to a hiking friend of mine.

we went up cannon mtn thru four feet of snow blazing the trail all the way up. well he had sweat pants so by the time we arrived at the bench in the woods just below the summitt we had to stop to put more gear on. i was fine but he took his gloves off and put them on the bench. they froze solid and stuck to the bench also his wet sweats were solid. i could knock on them and hear the sound of thud thud. luckily it was a day hike and the ice sheet around his legs actually kept him somewhat warm and no wind could penetrate the ice sheet. if i didnt have my extra gloves who knows what would have happened... anyhow we made it back down......synthetic convertible pants are the way to go..........peace out, nitewalker

Mad Hatter 08
10-23-2007, 22:11
imo another big reason not to take jeans is the amount of space they take up. Jeans don't pack down into small sizes. most convertable pants i've found have also been "packable" meaning you can stuff the whole pant into one of the back pockets. you then have a small square roughly 3x5 that is your pants where your jeans could never get that small

Spirit Walker
10-25-2007, 11:18
A lot depends on where you are hiking and on what kind of trails. In India - or any type of hot environment - cotton is good. I started hiking in the desert in Arizona. Besides the heat issue, there was heavy brush that would destroy most nylon pants. So I wore denim. I soon learned that fashionable jeans were a disaster because of the brass brads under the hipbelt. But for years I wore lightweight denim work pants from Sears to hike and backpack.

I brought them on the AT in 1988 and was fine. I switched to shorts when it got hotter since brush wasn't the issue I expected, but I still carried the long pants for evenings. It didn't kill me. I wore cotton on my second AT hike as well, since that was all that was available at the time. My only issue was that the cotton tshirts took forever to dry. But if it was cold, I wore long underwear, and if it was hot, that dampness was a good thing.

Soon afterwards I was introduced to Supplex pants and loved them. I've worn them for most of my hiking since - with some exceptions.

On the PCT I started with Supplex pants and shirt, but couldn't wear them in the desert because of the heat. I felt like I was in a sauna. I sweat so much it was dangerous. I ended up wearing a cotton shirt and shorts instead. Hiking in Utah I also wore cotton at times. It was so hot and dry that the cotton dried very quickly and I sweat less in cotton than in nylon.

Now I mostly wear convertible pants for hiking, but I've noticed in dense brush that they are very little protection against the sharp sticks. They also have an issue these days with the zippers breaking. I rarely take the legs off because it is likely that I won't be able to reattach them. Ten years ago that was less of a problem as they used better zippers.

Programbo
10-25-2007, 23:53
imo another big reason not to take jeans is the amount of space they take up. Jeans don't pack down into small sizes. most convertable pants i've found have also been "packable" meaning you can stuff the whole pant into one of the back pockets. you then have a small square roughly 3x5 that is your pants where your jeans could never get that small

Sounds more like an argument for not hiking with a small pack :p

Programbo
10-25-2007, 23:55
Another factor is that jeans weigh a lot. They are very heavy and when wet are very very heavy.

"Very heavy" and "very very heavy"?..So like 10 pounds dry and 15 wet? :-?

d'shadow
10-26-2007, 13:49
I used to hike in jeans:eek: , times have changed. I recommend convertable slacks. I have Northface slacks I love, or you could use Columbia. They are
expensive, however, you can layer under during cold snaps and they are light weight for warmer temps. they also dry in minutes after a storm, and,
when hiking, you will get wet.

warraghiyagey
10-26-2007, 13:59
I used to hike in jeans:eek: , times have changed. I recommend convertable slacks. I have Northface slacks I love, or you could use Columbia. They are
expensive, however, you can layer under during cold snaps and they are light weight for warmer temps. they also dry in minutes after a storm, and,
when hiking, you will get wet.

How well do they dry after a storm but in heavy humidity or when the temperature is below 50?

Frolicking Dinosaurs
10-26-2007, 14:22
Sara (Programbo) makes a good point - people hiked in jeans for many years before polyester and nylon were around - us dinos included - and we didn't die from wearing the 'killer cotton'. Since she did her thru in 1977, I'm sure she saw many in jeans.

He dino still dayhikes in jeans sometimes (though she-dino always makes sure we have enough gear to keep both of us from freezing to death in the event the weather turns really wet and cold suddenly)

envirodiver
10-26-2007, 15:24
"Very heavy" and "very very heavy"?..So like 10 pounds dry and 15 wet? :-?

Sorry I should have said it better. What I meant to say was much mo heavier when wet.

Bootstrap
10-26-2007, 15:56
I used to hike in jeans:eek: , times have changed.

I used to hike in jeans, and carried a WWII army surplus canvas tent, an axe, and a dutch oven. The tent dripped badly when it rained.

I don't do those things anymore ;->

As others have said, when humidity is low, cotton is great. Not in North Caroilna in the summer, though ... it wasn't so bad in Western New York or Michigan, where I did most of my hiking in jeans.

Jonathan

rafe
10-26-2007, 16:13
I have a photo of myself in jeans at Amicalola. I sent 'em home from Suches.

Erin
10-26-2007, 17:10
Zipoffs are great. For the zipper challenged like me (which leg IS this) the tabs on each leg that identify L or R leg are very helpful when it is time to zip them back on. Ditto above comments. Jeans are heavy to carry if it warms up and they never dry. Zipoffs, wash or rinse, hang on a branch and they dry in no time at all. Easy to wash in a baggie too when doing baggie laundry too.

Swirlingmist
12-15-2007, 01:36
Sorry I should have said it better. What I meant to say was much mo heavier when wet.

:D That sums it up nicely. Personally, I loved jeans when going through brush since it was much harder for me to get snagged. However, a dunking in a snowmelt river quickly demonstrated just how HEAVY jeans are when wet. They didn't stand a chance of drying out on the trail either since it rained the rest of the day before changing to sleet. I borrowed a pair of lightweight convertible pants that were about 8" too long for me. Even with the extra cuff-length picking up snow/ice on the hike out, they never came close to the weight of the jeans stuffed in my pack.

Panzer1
12-15-2007, 12:34
"Very heavy" and "very very heavy"?..So like 10 pounds dry and 15 wet? :-?

My warm-weather nylon hiking pants with zip-off legs weight just 16.5 ounces. And thats with a built in belt and many pockets and with zippers at the ankles so you can put them on while wearing boots.

Panzer