What's Wrong with Jeans?

[nogray]

I have read a lot of posts where people scoff at hikers in jeans. I've been a longtime camper and hiker and I've always worn jeans. I am most comfortable in them. I realize they can be problematic when you mix wet and cold, but I've always been able to live with that (although I have limited experience camping at altitude, so maybe that comes into play). With most hiker pants, I feel like I'm wearing parachute pants. It's a vain thing, but I feel completely ridiculous wearing them.

So, am I missing something? Why are jeans so vilified?

::nogray

[Ktaadn]

I think they are heavy, uncomfortable, and take too long to dry. If you are okay with those things, then the issue of freezing to death(which you already alluded to) is the only problem left.

[Starchild]

Basically they are not good, even dangerous when wet, restrictive, and heavy. The do offer some protection against abrasion that hiking pants do not.

Personally I don't find them all that comfortable either.

[Feral Bill]

You might consider Marmot Scree Pants (or similar). Neither baloony or overly heavy. Consider all options.

[Trance]

Please, don't wear jeans.

[DuneElliot]

I wear them when horse packing and camping in general, or on a day hike, but for backpacking I want something that dries quicker...and doesn't freeze. I camp and hike in the high-altitude mountains and if pants get wet (like mine did when I fell in through the ice and into the creek two weeks ago) they'll never dry.

[DavidNH]

jeans are heavy, once they get wet they won't dry and will be a heavy sopping mass, and if and when they freeze they would be like stiff cardboard. Cotton Kills!

[Heliotrope]

I have read a lot of posts where people scoff at hikers in jeans. I've been a longtime camper and hiker and I've always worn jeans. I am most comfortable in them. I realize they can be problematic when you mix wet and cold, but I've always been able to live with that (although I have limited experience camping at altitude, so maybe that comes into play). With most hiker pants, I feel like I'm wearing parachute pants. It's a vain thing, but I feel completely ridiculous wearing them.

So, am I missing something? Why are jeans so vilified?

::nogray

If you want to look good and not die try nylon pants that have some stretch to them. My favorite are EMS Rumney pants. They dry super quick. I use them to hike but also to travel and wash in a hotel sink. They look that good!

Regarding jeans. The last time I hiked in them I remember climbing a steep trail and it was unseasonably warm -80 degrees in April. The jeans restricted motion and made me uncomfortably warm. I almost took them off and cut them down to shorts. On level trails it's one thing but when climbing steep terrain its best to have full hip mobility by wearing shorts or stretch nylon pants. Just shop around to find what you like best. Jeans suck on the trail.


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[imscotty]

I think they are heavy, uncomfortable, and take too long to dry. If you are okay with those things, then the issue of freezing to death(which you already alluded to) is the only problem left.

But then you can light the jeans on fire to warm up. Try doing that with some flimsy nylon pants

[rocketsocks]

Now lets talk about Flannel shirts, they also suck, get damp and take forever to dry. But wear whatever ya like.

[swisscross]

My daughter wears some knicker length loose fitting poly jeggings when she hikes.
Stylish and practical.

I really like the Prana stretch Zion pants.

I have not owned a pair of jeans in over 20 years.
They are not as comfortable as other style pants to me.
After wearing them a few days they stretch out and sag.

Wear what you want but I would not want to be in a 33 degree rain storm wearing them myself.

[Bronk]

Cotton clothing chaffs when wet. And it takes forever to dry so the chaffing will last a long time. And it is heavy.

[DuneElliot]

My daughter wears some knicker length loose fitting poly jeggings when she hikes.
Stylish and practical.

I really like the Prana stretch Zion pants.

I have not owned a pair of jeans in over 20 years.
They are not as comfortable as other style pants to me.
After wearing them a few days they stretch out and sag.

Wear what you want but I would not want to be in a 33 degree rain storm wearing them myself.

I also wear capri-length sport leggings that are fitted but not tight. Most comfortable to hike in.

[daddytwosticks]

Skinny, hipster jeans? Retro bell-bottoms? Or maybe a slight boot-cut Levi's product?

[colorado_rob]

jeans are heavy, once they get wet they won't dry and will be a heavy sopping mass, and if and when they freeze they would be like stiff cardboard. Cotton Kills!

This is probably the ony real reason, the wet sopping mess. Prove it to yourself, go outside wearing your normal hiking garb (including your jeans), grab your hose and wet yourself down real well and go walk 10 miles. Try it.
..
As far as cotton killing, I'm sure it actually has, especially up in New Hampshire, probably not in KY though.
..
Timely post; a big group of us climbed a Colorado 14,000 foot peak yesterday (Mt. Bierstadt), celebrating my buddy's completion of the 58 CO 14ers in WINTER, a feat only done 6 times. Anyway, another guy on the trip, probably the strongest, smartest climber in the group showed up in JEANS, a t-shirt (maybe cotton, not sure) and al Alpaca hooded sweater. the rest of us mere mortals were geared up for bitter winter conditions. He claimed he was fine in his jeans. Here he is in a summit shot, back to us, the striped Alpaca sweater....
..
He was simply making a point: it's more about the man or woman, not so much about the gear.
..
One place/time where jeans, if you're comfortable in them (too tight/restrictive for me), would actually be ideal is mid-late fall hiking in the Utah or AZ desert. Cool, but not cold. Practically zero chance of rain. Abrasive red-rock scrambling tears up normal hiking pants quickly.

[Cheyou]

They look much better then a Kilt. On "most men " .

[Tipi Walter]

The three things going for blue jeans are they are cheap, ubiquitous, and durable. These simple facts are why I wore them for years backpacking. Along with jeans I wore the old jungle fatigue pants (100% ripstop cotton) but these didn't last too long in the field. Then I went with the updated BDUs which must be remembered were made from 50% polyester and 50% cotton. Very durable and much more comfy than jeans.


Here I am pulling an AT hike in 1989 in my jeans and old jungle boots (with the neato field jacket poly liner for warmth). Taken at Laurel Falls in TN. Nothing wrong with jeans . . . except . . . .


We all backpacked in jeans back in 1983. And I equate BDU's to being glorified jeans, which I am wearing in this pic taken on Harper Creek in Pisgah NF. Nobody back then would ever consider buying synthetic hiking pants as no one had the money and they just weren't available where we lived. Think pre-Internet.

But jeans suck, actually. They impede forward gait motion, as mentioned. They get wet and never dry out. They are heavy. When wet they freeze solid like plywood.

For years I quit wearing pants at all and just went with the usual hippie hiker look: Long john bottoms covered by shorts.


Here is my backpacking buddy George (with wife Whitney) wearing his leggings under his shorts. Standard hiking gear and "pants". Back in the old days we even used cotton long johns, red union suits, even silk. This was taken on Upper Creek in Pisgah NF in 1999. Note 100 foot waterfall behind camp.


Nowadays I do most of my winter backpacking in my leggings with shorts.

[Lone Wolf]

I have read a lot of posts where people scoff at hikers in jeans. I've been a longtime camper and hiker and I've always worn jeans. I am most comfortable in them. I realize they can be problematic when you mix wet and cold, but I've always been able to live with that (although I have limited experience camping at altitude, so maybe that comes into play). With most hiker pants, I feel like I'm wearing parachute pants. It's a vain thing, but I feel completely ridiculous wearing them.

So, am I missing something? Why are jeans so vilified?

::nogray

nothin' wrong with jeans. wear them if you want. don't listen to the cyber walkers

[Tipi Walter]

This is probably the ony real reason, the wet sopping mess. Prove it to yourself, go outside wearing your normal hiking garb (including your jeans), grab your hose and wet yourself down real well and go walk 10 miles. Try it.
..
As far as cotton killing, I'm sure it actually has, especially up in New Hampshire, probably not in KY though.
..
Timely post; a big group of us climbed a Colorado 14,000 foot peak yesterday (Mt. Bierstadt), celebrating my buddy's completion of the 58 CO 14ers in WINTER, a feat only done 6 times. Anyway, another guy on the trip, probably the strongest, smartest climber in the group showed up in JEANS, a t-shirt (maybe cotton, not sure) and al Alpaca hooded sweater. the rest of us mere mortals were geared up for bitter winter conditions. He claimed he was fine in his jeans. Here he is in a summit shot, back to us, the striped Alpaca sweater....
..
He was simply making a point: it's more about the man or woman, not so much about the gear.
..
One place/time where jeans, if you're comfortable in them (too tight/restrictive for me), would actually be ideal is mid-late fall hiking in the Utah or AZ desert. Cool, but not cold. Practically zero chance of rain. Abrasive red-rock scrambling tears up normal hiking pants quickly.

Interestng pic, Rob. You say,

He was simply making a point: it's more about the man or woman, not so much about the gear.
..

And I first thought that most people in your picture were probably Dayhikers, a wholly different beast than Backpackers. I assume they started the day in a car or hostel and ended the day in a car or hostel. Meaning? They were close to that day's hike to safety. Meaning? He could afford to take chances with terrible conditions in jeans (think 30F with nonstop rain, high wind)---and be quick to bail.

There's nothing quite like soaking my blue jeans on Day 1 of a winter trip and carrying them until Day 5 stuffed in a wad in my pack and never using them again. They never air-dry and you can't body-dry them.

[Puddlefish]

I wore jeans for the first half of my life. Skied, boated, even swam on occasion. At times they'd be wet, heavy, restrictive, uncomfortable, frozen into a hard to remove sheathe. I never managed to die because of them. Even then I knew they weren't necessarily the best tool for the job. It was just something we wore, because of fashion, ease of shopping, lack of awareness of anything better.

Eventually I got some ski pants, and wow, what a difference in warmth and comfort. Same revelation not wearing them on a bike, not getting the jeans caught in the chain. Kayaking/Sailing/Boating, and not having a wet butt for the rest of the day. Not having to bring a change of clothes along. Swimming, well that was obviously stupid.

Same with hiking. It's just overall more comfortable. Less water and mud retention, less cling, less restrictive, even less wear and long term cost. Sure, you can wear jeans still, but I can't think of anything other than fashion for a reason.