Winter Hiking Pants Recommendation

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Bottom line: soft shell pants are fantastic. Very breatheable for when you're cranking and/or it warms up a bit, but still very warm and wind-resistant just when you need it. Magic! In colder temps just add baselayer under and a hard-shell pant over it all for the really extreme stuff. My coldest climb (Denali) pant kit consisted of a medium weight base layer (merino wool, of course), Shoeller pants worn all the time for three weeks (Patagonie guides), a lightweight outer shell pant for when the Big winds came (Goretex pac-light) and for camp, a pair of 7 ounce Western Mountaineering flash down pants. We had -25 degree temps and Big winds a good bit of the time, probably about as bad (or close) the NF whites could do to ya.

Sounds exactly what i'm looking for. I researched the REI Mistral and acme and they don't seem do be currently available at REI. The Schoeller are nice but too pricy for me. I'm sure I'll find something similar at price I can afford.

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[QUOTE=Tipi Walter;1928025]When you say "winter hiking in the Whites", are you talking about backpacking or dayhiking? There's a vast difference between the two since for dayhiking I would take a completely different outfit than for backpacking.

Tipi, I'm not sure I understand why you would dress completely different for a day trip than for a back packing trip other than maybe just a lighter base layer for backpacking as you would be warmer carrying more weight. I'm going to want to carry the same warm clothing for either when I'm at rest day hiking or at camp overnight. Isn't it all about layering? I might be missing something having been away from it for a while.

[Tipi Walter]

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When you say "winter hiking in the Whites", are you talking about backpacking or dayhiking? There's a vast difference between the two since for dayhiking I would take a completely different outfit than for backpacking.

Tipi, I'm not sure I understand why you would dress completely different for a day trip than for a back packing trip other than maybe just a lighter base layer for backpacking as you would be warmer carrying more weight. I'm going to want to carry the same warm clothing for either when I'm at rest day hiking or at camp overnight. Isn't it all about layering? I might be missing something having been away from it for a while.

I've done many winter dayhikes wearing durable heavy pants and even flannel lined blue jeans if it's cold enough but would never consider taking such items on a winter backpacking trip.

In fact, to me regular pants are just not needed and are dead weight when you have shorts and bottom leggings and rain shell bottoms---all the layering a person needs unless he's climbing Denali in the winter---but then you'd need a full down body suit in the $3,000 range. Try climbing a 5,000 foot mountain with a 3,000 foot elevation gain at 0F with a 70lb pack and you'll be in shorts soon enough.

Living in camp at 6,000 feet on a mountain in Virginia at -10F? A pair of pants is almost useless when compared to staying in camp with a good pair of WM down pants over your merino leggings. And in the morning at shove off at 0F out of a ridge camp, sure, dump the down and stay in your merino leggings and slap on the rain pants and get moving. You'll be out of both probably in the next 2 hours.

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[QUOTE=Tipi Walter;1928073][QUOTE=Thinspace;1928072]

In fact, to me regular pants are just not needed and are dead weight when you have shorts and bottom leggings and rain shell bottoms---all the layering a person needs unless he's climbing Denali in the winter---but then you'd need a full down body suit in the $3,000 range. Try climbing a 5,000 foot mountain with a 3,000 foot elevation gain at 0F with a 70lb pack and you'll be in shorts soon enough.

I guess when I say pants, i'm really just referring to a shell layer, not like a pair of jeans or the like. I guess what you just described is kinda what I'm geting at. Don't know about the shorts though. Must be a personal thing. What do you mean by bottom leggings? A base layer or some kind of gaiters?

[colorado_rob]

Sounds exactly what i'm looking for. I researched the REI Mistral and acme and they don't seem do be currently available at REI. The Schoeller are nice but too pricy for me. I'm sure I'll find something similar at price I can afford.

Funny that REI no longer has either the Acme or Mistral... but "Shoeller" is just a particular make soft-shell fabric, there are a bunch of them that are essentially the same this, maybe the Marmot Scree pant ($110 at REI) is very similar, sure sounds like it. What I really really like about soft shell pants in the winter (or very high in the summer) is you can basically wear them all the time, never have to change them out (or put them in your pack) because of their cool/warm versatility.

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Thanks Colorado. I'll probably end up going into REI and check out what they have there.

[juma]

kmart swim suit and 2 pair of long john bottoms, one nylon, one wool.

[Connie]

I find Pearl Izumi "Tokyo tights" are cool or warm, as needed. Uncanny!

I could not find them, so I am waiting for my Pearl Izumi Relaxed Fit tights to arrive.

I only had the Pearl Uzumi Tokyo tights, um, 15 years. Still good, after all these years.

Stolen, with my gear. Backpacks should all be black color to hide, inside the vehicle.

[Tipi Walter]

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In fact, to me regular pants are just not needed and are dead weight when you have shorts and bottom leggings and rain shell bottoms---all the layering a person needs unless he's climbing Denali in the winter---but then you'd need a full down body suit in the $3,000 range. Try climbing a 5,000 foot mountain with a 3,000 foot elevation gain at 0F with a 70lb pack and you'll be in shorts soon enough.

I guess when I say pants, i'm really just referring to a shell layer, not like a pair of jeans or the like. I guess what you just described is kinda what I'm geting at. Don't know about the shorts though. Must be a personal thing. What do you mean by bottom leggings? A base layer or some kind of gaiters?

By leggings I simply mean full long john bottoms in either merino or polypro etc. Icebreaker midweight 260 leggings are part of my winter load and used extensively in camp and on the trail. Since I sleep in them too they are not allowed to get wet and so in a cold rain or sleet at 35F I delayer to shorts and bare legs or the rain pants over bare legs. The leggings cannot get wet, ever.

[Rasputen]

Tipi with Leggings on Bob Bald (11-8-14).

Great day on the mountain...

Tipi- Nov-8-2014.jpg

[Tipi Walter]

Excellent photo Rasputen!! Was wondering how you fared on your trip and where you ended up. I surmised you may of explored the "wedge" camps down by Bob Creek below Cold Spring Gap. And I got a fotog of you too---


Rasputen pulling stove time with coffee on the Bob. And he's proof of wearing shorts in the winter, even though it's only the first week of November.

[Connie]

Fjallraven has great pants.

[OwenM]

What rob said...Marmot Scree are indeed magic pants. I've had no complaints from wearing them at 80F twice now, on trips to Colorado and Utah where they were my only pants, to starting out on many a morning in the teens. The only times I've worn anything except boxer briefs under them for hiking was when daytime temps never got over 12-14F, which called for a midweight baselayer bottom.
They're tough, comfortable, warm, cool, breathable, and reasonably wind and water resistant.
I'm sure there are other softshell pants that the same could be said about, but I haven't used them, and have no reason to change.
One of the few pieces of gear I actually get enthusiastic about, and very much worth a look.

[Poppins]

I have 2 pair of Marmot Scree. LOVE THEM!!!