Skirts and Compression Shorts

[RedwoodRoots]

I love wearing a skirt when I backpack. I also like wearing compression shorts under my skirt to prevent chafing.

I really like the skirt sports shorts that are built in to their skirts for the pockets, but I don't like that the shorts and skirts are connected. I would rather have two separate pieces.

Does any one have any solutions/alternatives that they know about?

[kameyosekmoon]

My only suggestion would be to ditch the compression shorts and use an alternative method for chaffing. As a runner with thighs chafing is inevitable, so I use body glide which works wonders. I don't know if that helps your pocket situations, women's clothing woefully devoid of pockets. I've come to realize women's clothing sucks!

[Traffic Jam]

I love wearing a skirt when I backpack. I also like wearing compression shorts under my skirt to prevent chafing.

I really like the skirt sports shorts that are built in to their skirts for the pockets, but I don't like that the shorts and skirts are connected. I would rather have two separate pieces.

Does any one have any solutions/alternatives that they know about?

I hike in a skirt too and have been looking for athletic skirts without built-in compression shorts. They aren't easy to find but I've seen two potentials, Purple Rain and Lucy. Again, It's not easy, but you can find compression shorts with pockets.

http://www.purplerainskirts.com/adventures
http://www.lucy.com/
http://www.roadrunnersports.com/rrs/...ession-6-short

[sbhikes]

I'm learning to sew. Skirts are the easiest thing to sew plus you can add all the pockets you want and you don't even need a pattern. In fact, patch pockets are so easy you could easily add them to a store-bought skirt. This lady has a tutorial for her hiking skirt and if nothing else, you can follow her directions for the patch pocket. http://ramblinghemlock.blogspot.com/...ing-skirt.html You can even seam-rip some patch pockets off a pair of thrift store pants and sew them onto your skirt, even with just a needle and thread. There are also tutorials out there for how to add internal pockets into a side seam.

As far as the thigh-chafing goes, I find if I keep moving I don't have a problem. It's if I stop in the hot sun and start sweating that it becomes a problem. I have a thin pair of leggings I cut to shorts length that I can wear in a chafing emergency.

[B4its2late]

Has anyone tried skimmies by Jockey for this? Not quite full on compression shorts, lighter weight.

[Just Bill]

Later this summer/Fall- I will have "Not A Kilt" available for sale. Had some good feedback from a few hikers and runners so far so I'm going to go to production with the design and see how it goes. Obviously I'm biased, but it is really hard to find a decent, light, versatile skirt to hike in.

No liner, two big pockets, five sizes and adjustable length so that you have modesty/warmth at camp (about calf length) but have a shorter length for steep trail or warm weather (roughly upper thigh). Weighs 3 ounces, dries very fast, should be well under $40 but I'm still working on the final tally. I'm hoping to sell them closer to $30 if I can. It will be made from HyperD ripstop nylon- strong enough for me to build bridge hammocks out of, but very soft and comfy.

I'll be making "Just a Skirt" next season. About kneecap (18" side seam) length, 2 ounces- hopefully cheap too.
Figured I'd start with the more versatile one, but having a simple skirt to wear is handy. I think more-so for women who are more likely to slip on some wind pants or similar at the end of the day or in cooler weather. The Not A Kilt length is my winter skirt, but when I only carry one bottom piece it's much more versatile overall, and let's be honest- I'm probably one of the few jerks wearing a skirt in the winter.

To answer part two of the OP- If you can find a good running or cycling shop you will be able to find the compression shorts all by their lonesome.
Just be careful of the yoga style look-alikes. The cotton/spandex/lycra contents will probably be bad, I.E.- decent for a day at the gym and into the laundry bin- but not good for days at a time on the trail.

[sbhikes]

Adjustable length sounds awesome. I can't stand showing everything when I sit down. I made a skirt with an adjustable length ability but it's cotton.

[Traffic Jam]

Later this summer/Fall- I will have "Not A Kilt" available for sale. Had some good feedback from a few hikers and runners so far so I'm going to go to production with the design and see how it goes. Obviously I'm biased, but it is really hard to find a decent, light, versatile skirt to hike in.

No liner, two big pockets, five sizes and adjustable length so that you have modesty/warmth at camp (about calf length) but have a shorter length for steep trail or warm weather (roughly upper thigh). Weighs 3 ounces, dries very fast, should be well under $40 but I'm still working on the final tally. I'm hoping to sell them closer to $30 if I can. It will be made from HyperD ripstop nylon- strong enough for me to build bridge hammocks out of, but very soft and comfy.

I'll be making "Just a Skirt" next season. About kneecap (18" side seam) length, 2 ounces- hopefully cheap too.
Figured I'd start with the more versatile one, but having a simple skirt to wear is handy. I think more-so for women who are more likely to slip on some wind pants or similar at the end of the day or in cooler weather. The Not A Kilt length is my winter skirt, but when I only carry one bottom piece it's much more versatile overall, and let's be honest- I'm probably one of the few jerks wearing a skirt in the winter.

To answer part two of the OP- If you can find a good running or cycling shop you will be able to find the compression shorts all by their lonesome.
Just be careful of the yoga style look-alikes. The cotton/spandex/lycra contents will probably be bad, I.E.- decent for a day at the gym and into the laundry bin- but not good for days at a time on the trail.

Excuse my ignorance, but how does ripstop nylon perform when you are sweating?

[nonameslob]

B4its2late - I've hiked in skimmies before and I honestly don't like them for the trail. They feel lightweight to the touch, but they certainly aren't "performance" material. They start to feel hot and don't breathe. I much prefer bike shorts, the kind that Just Bill mentioned.

OP - I had an awesome skirt from Royal Robbins a few years back made of quick-dry material with a bunch of pockets, some of them were mesh. Got it at REI.

[Just Bill]

Excuse my ignorance, but how does ripstop nylon perform when you are sweating?

Short answer- depends, but pretty awesome.

Long answer-
I think you're asking because it depends on the flavor which can make it confussing?

Ripstop just means that there is a grid of heavier denier threads in the weave to prevent a tear from spreading or in the case of some of the hammock fabrics- give it some additional strength or control stretch.

From there you can then:
Calendar- run it through a hot roller to tighten up the weave. This process makes a fabric more downproof and improves wind resistance for outdoors stuff, otherwise it's just used to make one surface shiney in regular fabrics. (like satin)

DWR it- apply a DWR for water resistance (and improve downproofness typically)

Dip it- apply Sil or poly coatings to truly make it waterproof.

Plain old ripstop is what nearly all camping related pants are made of. Performs great in heat, sweat, etc. Dries fast.
Same with just calendared ripstop.

Coated fabrics is where you start to trade wind/water/down properties for breathability.

Sil-nylon is generally fully waterproof, but can wear out at some point and comes with various levels of success in terms of thickness of coating and eventual Hydrostatic Head (water resistance).

Nylon coated with Poly (and Sil) has more permanent waterproofness but is heavier than Sil-Nylon.

Skirts/shirts/pants specifically-

I have made lots of skirts out of plain jane 1.9 ounce ripstop nylon from Jo-Ann- works great, drys fast, starts stiff, but softens up after a few dozen washes and a hundred or so miles. Wind resistance is fairly low though, but otherwise it's a pretty good choice, especially when it's hot.

I used to make some skirts from M50, which is a .67 ounce Nylon Taffeta with DWR. On the plus side- they weight about an ounce and pack super small. But...
The taffeta is a plain weave, no ripstop, and calendared finish. It is awesome fabric for sleeping gear... not so much for a skirt as it can get a bit sticky/clingy. It is also too light to stay put in a skirt- but is fine for a wind pant or jacket fabric. You actually have to put stuff in the pockets to keep the skirt on you when you sweat, it gets clingy so ultimately it's a bust IMO.

The ripstop gives the fabric a little more stiffness than plain taffeta. Maybe personal perception only, but the ripstop also goes a long way to prevent cling and improve drapeability (how the fabric lays on you).

1.1 ounce ripstops have proven too light though, both durability and ability to stay put in a skirt.

1.9, or 2.3 ounce is pretty safe and would be a better choice for rough duty- but other than me- I don't see many people bushwhacking in a skirt. My initial 1.9 ounce skirts though are holding up well 3+ years later, the 2.3 ounce prototype shows almost no wear.

So- brings us to 1.6 ounce per yard HyperD. The D stands for diamond, as in the ripstop grid runs at a 45 degree angle in a diamond pattern. http://ripstopbytheroll.com/collecti...erd-dark-olive

Besides being pretty cool looking, especially in an A-line skirt, I think it's a very nice weight to balance everything out. It's also strong enough to hold my 225 pound butt in a high stress bridge hammock, so no real durability concerns. It was developed by Kyle at RBTR specifically for hammocks.

It is calandered- which improves wind resistance.
It drapes very well- which helps keep it from sticking to you when say a chubby dad from the midwest hikes in Georgia in the summer. It's stiff enough that a breeze doesn't make it take off, but not stiff enough to get in your way. Very soft/silky so it slides easy on a big step or as you walk.

The only thing I don't personally like, since it is designed for hammocks it has a DWR coating on it. Initially this causes a bit more static than I'd like. On the plus side the initial water resistance is pretty high. Personally I beat them up a bit, wash them often early on, and after a bit the DWR wears enough that the static issue goes away. Eventually I plan to order a run with no DWR- but otherwise the fabric was perfect so I'll live with it.

A very clever tester from WB actually figured out that the skirt made a good water scoop because of the water resistance- so maybe a bonus, lol.

The main thing though if you made it this far- It's a skirt- nothing breezier or easier when it's hot out.

Asked before- answered again- if you will be in tick country- easiest thing to to is wear a tall pair of white liner socks. Makes the ticks easy to spot without having to resort to pants. You can also wear gaiters; I think it's overkill on the AT, but somehow just about every trip out I see somebody with shorts and knee high gaiters, so not like it's totally abnormal. The socks though are easier to wash and much less hot. Lately though I've taken to wearing the compression sleeves so those do the job for me just fine.

[Onward]

I've come to realize women's clothing sucks!

I couldn't Agree more.

[Traffic Jam]

Short answer- depends, but pretty awesome.

Long answer-
I think you're asking because it depends on the flavor which can make it confussing?

Ripstop just means that there is a grid of heavier denier threads in the weave to prevent a tear from spreading or in the case of some of the hammock fabrics- give it some additional strength or control stretch.

From there you can then:
Calendar- run it through a hot roller to tighten up the weave. This process makes a fabric more downproof and improves wind resistance for outdoors stuff, otherwise it's just used to make one surface shiney in regular fabrics. (like satin)

DWR it- apply a DWR for water resistance (and improve downproofness typically)

Dip it- apply Sil or poly coatings to truly make it waterproof.

Plain old ripstop is what nearly all camping related pants are made of. Performs great in heat, sweat, etc. Dries fast.
Same with just calendared ripstop.

Coated fabrics is where you start to trade wind/water/down properties for breathability.

Sil-nylon is generally fully waterproof, but can wear out at some point and comes with various levels of success in terms of thickness of coating and eventual Hydrostatic Head (water resistance).

Nylon coated with Poly (and Sil) has more permanent waterproofness but is heavier than Sil-Nylon.

Skirts/shirts/pants specifically-

I have made lots of skirts out of plain jane 1.9 ounce ripstop nylon from Jo-Ann- works great, drys fast, starts stiff, but softens up after a few dozen washes and a hundred or so miles. Wind resistance is fairly low though, but otherwise it's a pretty good choice, especially when it's hot.

I used to make some skirts from M50, which is a .67 ounce Nylon Taffeta with DWR. On the plus side- they weight about an ounce and pack super small. But...
The taffeta is a plain weave, no ripstop, and calendared finish. It is awesome fabric for sleeping gear... not so much for a skirt as it can get a bit sticky/clingy. It is also too light to stay put in a skirt- but is fine for a wind pant or jacket fabric. You actually have to put stuff in the pockets to keep the skirt on you when you sweat, it gets clingy so ultimately it's a bust IMO.

The ripstop gives the fabric a little more stiffness than plain taffeta. Maybe personal perception only, but the ripstop also goes a long way to prevent cling and improve drapeability (how the fabric lays on you).

1.1 ounce ripstops have proven too light though, both durability and ability to stay put in a skirt.

1.9, or 2.3 ounce is pretty safe and would be a better choice for rough duty- but other than me- I don't see many people bushwhacking in a skirt. My initial 1.9 ounce skirts though are holding up well 3+ years later, the 2.3 ounce prototype shows almost no wear.

So- brings us to 1.6 ounce per yard HyperD. The D stands for diamond, as in the ripstop grid runs at a 45 degree angle in a diamond pattern. http://ripstopbytheroll.com/collecti...erd-dark-olive

Besides being pretty cool looking, especially in an A-line skirt, I think it's a very nice weight to balance everything out. It's also strong enough to hold my 225 pound butt in a high stress bridge hammock, so no real durability concerns. It was developed by Kyle at RBTR specifically for hammocks.

It is calandered- which improves wind resistance.
It drapes very well- which helps keep it from sticking to you when say a chubby dad from the midwest hikes in Georgia in the summer. It's stiff enough that a breeze doesn't make it take off, but not stiff enough to get in your way. Very soft/silky so it slides easy on a big step or as you walk.

The only thing I don't personally like, since it is designed for hammocks it has a DWR coating on it. Initially this causes a bit more static than I'd like. On the plus side the initial water resistance is pretty high. Personally I beat them up a bit, wash them often early on, and after a bit the DWR wears enough that the static issue goes away. Eventually I plan to order a run with no DWR- but otherwise the fabric was perfect so I'll live with it.

A very clever tester from WB actually figured out that the skirt made a good water scoop because of the water resistance- so maybe a bonus, lol.

The main thing though if you made it this far- It's a skirt- nothing breezier or easier when it's hot out.

Asked before- answered again- if you will be in tick country- easiest thing to to is wear a tall pair of white liner socks. Makes the ticks easy to spot without having to resort to pants. You can also wear gaiters; I think it's overkill on the AT, but somehow just about every trip out I see somebody with shorts and knee high gaiters, so not like it's totally abnormal. The socks though are easier to wash and much less hot. Lately though I've taken to wearing the compression sleeves so those do the job for me just fine.

Thanks, I read every word. As a weaver, I'm very interested in fabrics and have spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to weave high-tech textiles for backpacking. Unfortunately, the very nature of these textiles and my limited resources is prohibitive.

I also wear compression sleeves on my legs in cool weather or in overgrown wilderness areas.

I think a scrub skirt would make a great hiking skirt. I want to try one of these... http://www.allheart.com/vestex/a/vestex-landing/

[Just Bill]

Thanks, I read every word. As a weaver, I'm very interested in fabrics and have spent a lot of time trying to figure out how to weave high-tech textiles for backpacking. Unfortunately, the very nature of these textiles and my limited resources is prohibitive.

I also wear compression sleeves on my legs in cool weather or in overgrown wilderness areas.

I think a scrub skirt would make a great hiking skirt. I want to try one of these... http://www.allheart.com/vestex/a/vestex-landing/

HMMM... looks a bit like the stuff Matt is using on his hammock- http://sub60.wikispaces.com/Bivy

2.3 ounce waterproof breathable fabric from the medical industry... Provent is the trade name though. I could probably track down the source if you want it. Only comes in the powder blue IIRC.

But are you barking up the right tree?
If you're looking to combine a rain skirt and a regular skirt you might have a good fabric choice in that material. There are also WPB fabrics for sale at Quest.

Not poo-pooing the idea, just clarifying. I know it sounds a bit silly calling a calf length skirt "winter" length as opposed to a knee length, but the difference in warmth is noticeable. Same goes with using a WPB fabric versus a non-coated.

I have some Sil-Nylon coated skirts that I made... I find them too clammy. OTH- Rocketsocks has one and he seems to enjoy it. Depending on your perspiration levels the dual use rain/hiking skirt may work fine, especially in three season use. Eventually I would probably offer them as well, for some folks they work great all around, or in Socks case, more comfy than carrying rain pants and easy to don them when the rain arrives.

For me- WPB fabrics in general sweat out so fast when moving that you are pretty much calling it a coinflip; soaked from outside rain, or soaked from internal moisture. My preference, especially in warmer months, is just take the soaking. The uncoated fabrics can dry in as little as 20 minutes.

Food for thought- not looking to discourage you in any way. Probably one of the best things about skirts and a reason I got into them- you're only talking a yard or two at best of fabric. So once you have a pattern, a half hour on the sewing machine will let you test a very wide array of fabrics fairly inexpensively.

[sbhikes]

Your long post gave me the courage to use a piece of nylon I found in an industrial scrap store (we have the Deckers HQ and Patagonia so it was probably a sample for outdoor clothes or shes). According to the little tag, it is coated with an environmentally friendly DWR called Asahi Guard. It seems heavy enough for clothing but not a rip-stop. It might be too hot to wear because of the DWR, but perhaps it will wear off easily. I have some silnylon rain chaps that are no longer coated. It didn't take much to wear off the DWR. I do find a silnylon rain skirt to be very hot, but I was thinking that with this skirt I might be able to add ruching so that I can make it long for cooler weather and camp and tie it shorter for hiking and more ventilation. It's worth a shot with a scrap anyway. If nothing else it's a good learning project.

[sbhikes]

Your long post gave me the courage to use a piece of nylon I found in an industrial scrap store (we have the Deckers HQ and Patagonia so it was probably a sample for outdoor clothes or shes). According to the little tag, it is coated with an environmentally friendly DWR called Asahi Guard. It seems heavy enough for clothing but not a rip-stop. It might be too hot to wear because of the DWR, but perhaps it will wear off easily. I have some silnylon rain chaps that are no longer coated. It didn't take much to wear off the DWR. I do find a silnylon rain skirt to be very hot, but I was thinking that with this skirt I might be able to add ruching so that I can make it long for cooler weather and camp and tie it shorter for hiking and more ventilation. It's worth a shot with a scrap anyway. If nothing else it's a good learning project.

[Traffic Jam]

Your long post gave me the courage to use a piece of nylon I found in an industrial scrap store (we have the Deckers HQ and Patagonia so it was probably a sample for outdoor clothes or shes). According to the little tag, it is coated with an environmentally friendly DWR called Asahi Guard. It seems heavy enough for clothing but not a rip-stop. It might be too hot to wear because of the DWR, but perhaps it will wear off easily. I have some silnylon rain chaps that are no longer coated. It didn't take much to wear off the DWR. I do find a silnylon rain skirt to be very hot, but I was thinking that with this skirt I might be able to add ruching so that I can make it long for cooler weather and camp and tie it shorter for hiking and more ventilation. It's worth a shot with a scrap anyway. If nothing else it's a good learning project.

That's awesome. I'm going to work on my sewing skills this winter.

[Traffic Jam]

HMMM... looks a bit like the stuff Matt is using on his hammock- http://sub60.wikispaces.com/Bivy

2.3 ounce waterproof breathable fabric from the medical industry... Provent is the trade name though. I could probably track down the source if you want it. Only comes in the powder blue IIRC.

But are you barking up the right tree?
If you're looking to combine a rain skirt and a regular skirt you might have a good fabric choice in that material. There are also WPB fabrics for sale at Quest.

Not poo-pooing the idea, just clarifying. I know it sounds a bit silly calling a calf length skirt "winter" length as opposed to a knee length, but the difference in warmth is noticeable. Same goes with using a WPB fabric versus a non-coated.

I have some Sil-Nylon coated skirts that I made... I find them too clammy. OTH- Rocketsocks has one and he seems to enjoy it. Depending on your perspiration levels the dual use rain/hiking skirt may work fine, especially in three season use. Eventually I would probably offer them as well, for some folks they work great all around, or in Socks case, more comfy than carrying rain pants and easy to don them when the rain arrives.

For me- WPB fabrics in general sweat out so fast when moving that you are pretty much calling it a coinflip; soaked from outside rain, or soaked from internal moisture. My preference, especially in warmer months, is just take the soaking. The uncoated fabrics can dry in as little as 20 minutes.

Food for thought- not looking to discourage you in any way. Probably one of the best things about skirts and a reason I got into them- you're only talking a yard or two at best of fabric. So once you have a pattern, a half hour on the sewing machine will let you test a very wide array of fabrics fairly inexpensively.

I'm not specifically trying to combine a rain skirt and a regular skirt. I happened to see an ad in a nurses magazine and thought the material would be good for an all purpose, hiking skirt. I would try a calf-length skirt if that allowed me to wear a skirt in deep winter but knee length is what I prefer. In general, I only wear rain protection (rain pants) when it's cold. I will definintely rethink things this winter.

Thanks for all your expert comments, JB.

[sbhikes]

Below the knee or a little above knee length but really full is what I need. All these short skirts make me feel self-conscious with my ginormous thighs. Plus then you can't sit on the ground in front of people. I wish that was more understood. Sometimes you have to sit on the ground. Sometimes you have to put bandages on your feet or get into an awkward position to fill your water containers. Whatever you wear has to be fully functional for the whole day's activities, not just when you're standing up.

[Surridge]

www.purplerainskirts.com she does custom orders too which is useful if you want it longer for those self conscious issues.

[Klynn]

I recently ordered this hiking skirt:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00...ilpage_o00_s00

It has a snap pocket on one side and a zip pocket on the other side, plus a pocket on the ruffle.

Though I haven't hiked in it yet, I have tried it on, and it's very comfortable. It's made of Nylon and Spandex, and the waist sits below the navel. I think it's very cute, though I'm 5'2", and the length is longer on me than the picture.