A Couple of Skirts

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

I've made a few of skirts for hiking, trying to find a good skirt that is different from the typical athletic attire. I've been using recycled materials so that I don't waste a lot of money buying expensive fabrics while I learn how to sew.

This first one is a wrap-around skirt with a self-drafted pattern.

Here's a picture:

I made this from a mumu I found at the thrift store.

Just like a sarong, I can just wrap it around me to wear. No zipper or snap or anything to break and it will always fit. Just wrap it and tie it.

We took a hike today to a swimming hole and stretched out lengthwise, I could lay under it in the sun and be protected from sunburn between swims. I could use it as a towel. Earlier in the morning when it was cold, I wore it for warmth. I had running shorts underneath.

I just did a 4 day backpack trip testing this skirt that is cotton, made from a sheet using a self-drafted quarter circle skirt pattern, another really easy type of skirt to make without a pattern:

I added gross-grain ribbons on the underside of the skirt. I could pull the gross-grain ribbons from underneath to loop around two loops I sewed into the front of the pockets. This would shorten the skirt when I hiked when it was hot to give me more air flow, although I admit it looks kinda dorky.

I found a polyester sheet so I think I'll make a polyester skirt. This might be more comfortable than cotton.

Because both skirts are long, they are modest and don't show any body parts when I sit, even cross-legged. And they are protective against sun and provide warmth when it's cool but coolness when it's hot because they are skirts. And protection from mosquitoes.

If you are a woman, I think a skirt is a great piece of gear to bring on a trip. I've been experimenting now with a combination of a skirt and running shorts with tall gaiters for overgrown trails. This seems to provide all the good things that convertible zip-off pants are supposed to provide but with more versatility and a better fit. The wrap skirt in particular seems to provide multiple uses. I make sure when I make a skirt that it has at least one pocket.

[Kathleen B]

Interesting idea. I get too warm in full-length hiking pants no matter how light the fabric, but I've never liked zip-off pants. They are too short to protect my legs from getting scratched. A long-ish skirt plus gaiters might be just the ticket. Did you put any darts in the wrap-skirt to help it fit at the waist? I'm guessing a waistband that extends beyond the ends of the skirt's two open sides would be the ties to hold it up.

[Diane Pinkers]

I've been wearing a skirt with running shorts for a couple of years now, and I much prefer it to zip-off pants. In the shoulder seasons I wear long tights under the skirt instead.

I wear short gaiters on the trails, and recently got some breathable WPB gaiters for trails with wet brush. I'm guessing you wear long gaiters to protect your legs more of the time, considering the more pokey vegetation where you live. What tall gaiters have you found that are comfortable to wear, and don't make you run with sweat?

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

The circle skirt I made I calculated it with my hip measurement instead of waist, then made an elastic casing. There's a good app for circle skirts here: http://byhandlondon.com/pages/circle-skirt-app

I made some tall gaiters with a pair of pants. Just cut off the legs and put an elastic casing around the top and bottom. The top casing I used cord and cordlocks (these were in the waistband of the original pants). That makes it easier to get a good fit at the tops of my legs.

I made a half circle skirt out of my polyester sheet. I really like how full it is, although it doesn't look like a poodle skirt. It's very light and breezy, too.

None of these look in the least athletic but I kind of like that in a way.

[Donna C]

Very nice, Piper. It's refreshing to see something other than khaki, grey or black out on the trail. I am beginning to wear skirts hiking and am trying to figure what works best underneath. A pair of Reebok lycra shorts similar to a biking short except more comfy seems to work.

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

I really like running shorts. I cut the built-in undies out and then it feels like I'm not wearing anything. I figure the running shorts without the underwear liner weigh less than anti-chafing balm (thigh chafe is a possibility for me) so it's good to have them on hand.

[Donna C]

What a great idea!

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