Rain pants
Switch to kilt? Steep uphills and crawling under blowdown. Rain kilt folks ...how much better (more convenient sure)?
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I don't think it makes much difference.
The only experience I've had with a skirt was one made of silnylon. Not good - water bleed through where my knees rubbed against the fabric. It was also hard to keep in place around my waist. Gave up on it pretty quickly. I like the idea though, maybe one of the more waterproof warps.
I don't bother with rain pants either. Too hot and restrictive. I wear gaiters instead. Keeps the knee down free of mud and reasonably dry. The pants dry out reasonably quickly with body heat.
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My best rain kilt was made from one of those quilted black kitchen sized trash bags with draw tapes. I slit the bottom of the bag and put it over my legs with the draw strips pulled tight at ny waist. I got through three days of rain wearing it, and folded it up and put it into my pack for further use. I went the next five days without rain. This was in the French Pyrenees. Got some funny looks, but it worked.
Everyone has a photographic memory. Not everyone has film.
I like my kilt, but only use it when it's chilly. Keeps the thighs dry (seems like that's what gets the wettest) and warm without overheating, plenty of ventilation. But then again, I carry an umbrella, so I'm crazy anyhow.
Mine's from ULA Equipment, my brother's is from Hefty.
Rain pants are also wind pants, and an extra layer.
Rain kilt will not even keep out all of the rain.
If it's hot enough to prefer a kilt, it's hot enough to just let myself get soaked. I always carry sleep clothes.
But that's me. You do you.
+1 Mid summer in the mountains when the daytime temperature hover between 45 and 50 degrees, a steady breeze of 15 - 20 mph, and a light drizzle/mist will quickly be uncomfortable and will encourage hypothermia unless one can retain warmth. I have found over the years rain pants provide the level of protection I prefer when moving and when in one place in pretty much every season. My experience with kilts is not vast, but was enough to assess which I preferred and rain pants worked best for me.
The few times I wore rain pants I became hypothermic. It was cold outside and raining, which is often the case. The cold/wet fabric against my legs just increased my discomfort. The rain jacket wasn't much help either. Anyway, ever since I have left the rain pants at home and found that wet pants or shorts were the lesser of two evils and I fared much better without the rain pants.
Have you considered rain chaps? They're a nice cross between pants and a kilt. I like them in warmer weather because they vent so well without being heavy or clingy.
That's all for now. Take care and until next time...be well.
snappper
Does anyone else like waterproof socks like SealSkinz or Randy Sun?I wear a REI light wool liner with mine and they have served me well.I wear knee high gaiters too;especially in cool weather as I have observed friends get too close to hypothermia when keeping everything dry except the lower legs and feet.I treat the socks and gaiters with permethrin too to help with the ticks.My rain pants weigh less than 3 oz and I normally keep them in reserve to wear at night in camp before bedtime when it's cold and time to relax a while.When it's raining I put on the kilt and the rain jacket and rely on the gaiters to keep my pants dry.
Last edited by Five Tango; 02-05-2020 at 17:25.
I've tried about everything (ok...not EVERYTHING) over the years and 99.9% of the time I wear shorts. I hike weekly year-round in the PNW so rain, snow, cold and wind are normal. I still mostly wear my shorts. When I'm moving the only time I really want more is if I'm on a downhill section when wet with cold wind. Even then it is my torso that I find is most helpful for keeping warm and if I throw on any kind of shell over my legs I find it unhelpful. I will wear light weight polypro type leggings and if they get wet it isn't that big of a deal. They do snag on branches and such.
For long hikes (thru-hikes) in summer/spring/fall weather I wouldn't carry rain pants for the trail. I might for camp because in cold camping I throw on everything I'm carrying to stay warm in the evening. Dry Ducks, even though they rip easily would be my choice. If the weather gets really nasty enough on the trail where I'd consider layering up to the point of wearing a shell over my legs I'd probably just find a spot to camp and take shelter. Staying flexible with your plans is key to enjoying the trip and not working yourself into hypothermia. I've been on many hikes and walked into shared camps where people were suffering because all their clothing was wet. They had worn it while hiking and when they got to camp they were forced to live in wet clothing. At any given time 75-80% of my clothing is dry so that when I get to camp I can stay comfortable.
You don't say for what trail... makes a huge difference.
Easy decision for me, both work well and I've used both for years: I use a rain kilt on warm trails, like the AT (excepting early starts or late finishes!), and rain pant for most trails out west that have much cooler evenings/nights/mornings, where the pants provide the needed warmth.
I have a pair of Marmot PreCip rain pants that I carry. In the last 10 years and thousands of miles, I have only worn them once while hiking. Use them more in town while doing laundry. I prefer to hike in the rain with no rain gear unless it is too cold not to. I have been curious about rain kilts. Interested to hear what folks have to say about them.
More walking, less talking.
Once you get over the fact that you're wearing a skirt,you might learn to like it.I carry lightweight rain/wind pants so they stay relatively clean for wear at night and provide the warmth that you didn't want while hiking.Originally Posted by soilman
I put a piece of tape on the outside of my rain kilt that goes face down on the ground if I want to use it as a ground cover.Keeps one side cleaner than the other.
Been using ULA rain kilt (really a skirt or wrap as I was told by hiker in a "real kilt" at the Inn at Long trail) for 7 years and been happy with it. Most of it has been for Summer on the AT and multi-season in AR. Also have rain pants I have brought with me for the Whites and ME (and yes they are also useful to put on with your rain jacket when you throw all your clothes in the laundry).
The road to glory cannot be followed with much baggage.
Richard Ewell, CSA General
I’ve hiked with a kilt and gaiters.
Finally switched to the Eastern Mountain Sports rain pants.
Full length zippers and just a hair lighter. They are packed with my pack and my Packa now.
you won’t see them on “best of” lists because no affiliate marketing kickbacks.
now on clearance for around $25.
my wife bought a pair, then I bought a pair.
if the Packa was a little longer I’d just need the gaiters.
Anyway. Yes. To good rain paints with zippers 100% of the length.
no to so very many rain pants I’ve seen in hiker boxes.
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