Which lght weight camp trousers

[Mark]

Looking for options for a pair of light weight trousers for around camp and sleeping in.

Currently using a pair of Ron Hill trackstars that do everything i want, but they're a bit heavy at 326g.

I have a pair of base layer type tights that are 119g but they're ballet pants tights and mostly see through so not exactly pleasant for anyone else that sees me.

Any ideas on a comfortable pair of trousers or running tights at around 200g?

[William Chilton]

These are very light and tough for the weight, but very expensive unless you wait for them to be in a sale.

[Dave G]

Why not use your LW tights, just put your shorts over the top while you aren't sleeping?

Dave

[Mark]

Good find thanks William, they are extremely light wow.

I think there is a Rohan shop near to where our next hike is, well worth nipping in to check.

Only downside is because they don't seem to have any stretch built into the fabric i don't think they'll be as comfortable to sleep in as my Ron Hills.

Are there any elasticated waist jog pant type light weight options with some stretch in the fabric?

[Mark]

Problem there though Dave is, my LW tights and shorts weight as much as my Ron Hills so there is not real advantage to be made.

The other thing is, we try and drop into a village every 3 days or so to resupply, if it's been raining constantly (not usual in the UK) then we often crash at a B&B or hotel for the 3rd or 4th night to dry out all the kit.

As my hiking trousers will be wet through in the past i've worn my camp/PJ Ron Hills at night to go out for a meal and a couple of pints.
I'm not usually the type of person that cares what anyone else thinks, but i would feel a bit daft walking through a town with my shorts and tights.

Suppose i could buy blue tights and pretend i'm going to a fancy dress party as superman though lol

[Pete Staehling]

For me a combination of the following has worked well:
1. Inexpensive bike tights (5.5 oz.)
2. Wind pants (Discount Dance Supply Body Wrappers at 3.5 oz.)
3. Nike DriFit running shorts (3.9 ounces)

That list seems to work for me for a pretty wide range of weather conditions. None of the items soak up and hold much water and the shorts and tights can be rinsed, wrung out, and put on wet if need be.

The body wrappers weren't very (at all?) water resistant but I treated them with a DWR treatment. They are water resistant and wind proof enough that I find them acceptable in a cold hard rain.

The shorts/tights combo is not an issue to me WRT being self conscious. I am used to running errands wearing that combo during the cooler months in my normal life on the way home from my daily trail run. I feel the same way about bike shorts when I am on a bike tour, I don't mind wearing them pretty much anywhere I would go on a bike tour or backpacking trip.

Maybe I am odd in this, but I'd find the apparently more stylish these days long baggie gym (basketball?) shorts more embarrassing. I know that a lot of my bike friends slip them over their bike shorts to go into a store or whatever, but I really hate that look.

In really cold weather I just take a little heavier weight bike tights.

[Mark]

Thanks Pete,

I too am a cyclist so have no problem wearing tight shorts or leggings in public, problem with these though is there are pretty much tights.
They're near see through and extremely tight.

They are sold as base layer underwear and for that they work they're perfectly, but to wear as a outer layer they're not really effective or decent enough to be seen in public wearing.

The Ron Hill tracksters are pretty tight and i have no problem wearing them to the pub

But there is no way i'm going out in long underwear.

Shorts are no good to me either, i wear trousers when hiking in summer as the brush rips your legs to pieces here in Greece if you wear shorts, back in the UK it's rarely warm enough for a long enough stretch to wear shorts, plus in many areas i walk in the UK ticks and mosquitoes are a major problem.

It's around 5c now at night in the area i'm soon to be camping, so shorts would be uncomfortably cold to sit around camp in.
If i'm in the tent then i'll just wear my underpants, so shorts aren't really much use for 99% of the hiking i do in the conditions i hike in.

Ideally i'd find a pair of tightish jogging bottoms like my Ron Hills but but under 200 grams.

I am tempted by those Rohans, i think they'd make perfect camp trousers, my only worry is they're not going to be comfortable to sleep in on a cold night

[Dale Wambaugh]

There are many light running pants and track sports "warm up" pants in the 175-200g range. I have a pair of Adidas track pants in US size large that are 170g and a pair of Red Ledge rain pants aren't too far over the line at 218 g.

[William Chilton]

I have a pair of the earlier iteration of the Rohan Ether, which are very similar and I'm pretty sure are made from the same material. They're quite a loose fit and I've never found them restrictive for sleeping in. There's no guarantee you'll find them the same, of course, but it's worth you trying them on if you can find them in a Rohan store.

[Mark]

Thanks guys,

Dale,
Good idea thanks, i'll have a look around a few local sports stores, fingers crossed.

William,
Thank you, i'll have a look round when i'm back in England, at that weight even if i don't find them comfortable to sleep in i could sleep in my undies and have a pair for the camp, villages, pub etc.

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