rain pants…are you leaving them home?

I left the rain pants (chaps) at home for my JMT hike last year. But, I did take along a plastic trash bag to use as an emergency rain kilt a la Colin Fletcher. Weighs about an ounce and has other uses as well. Never needed it though.

No,
I like the advice given to AT hikers from Mt.Crossings. You only need one pair of long pants.
So, for me a pair of rain pants are more wind,rain resistant, and warmer than plain trail pants.

For my trips, I take a pair of lightweight shorts, rain pants, and jacket, and either lightweight, and or mid-weight Capilene layers.

Look into the ULA Rain Wrap. You can think of a lot of uses for it as well. A trash bag would also work just fine.

Ideally, you can make your own in under an hour if you have an hour and some velcro and silny scraps.

I took pants and never used them in the 23 days. Well, unless you count hiding from mosquitos :D

no

Leave 'em. If my core is warm it doesn't really seem to matter (within reason) how my legs are.

but if your legs are cold, is your core actually warm?

I'm doing the JMT this year as well – starting this Saturday from the Valley.

I agree with that you only need one pair long pants – that can be a pair of thin nylon zip-off hiking pants.
The hiking pants protect against the sun, somewhat against the mosquitos (I'm going to spray mine with Permethrin), a bit of wind and they dry very quickly after rain or stream crossings.

In my hikes in the Sierras I've never brought rain pants because I find them uncomfortable to hike in and unnecessary weight for the few times I would wear them.

I usually leave my rain pants at home B/C my nylon pants are going to keep my legs relatively warm even when wet. When I get to camp I change into light synthetic running shorts & use a trash bag as a kilt if necessary.

I DO take my GTX PacLite rain pants if I know there will be more than a day of rain, cold wind or a combination of those two. This is most often in the fall backpacking season. Even on the Appalachian Trail I left rain pants at home due to the heat of summer.

Eric

Leave them at home.

I take them for added warmth, cutting wind and sitting around camp cooking dinner on wet ground. I never wear them in the rain.

When I leave them, I take a ULA Rain Wrap instead.

ULA Rain Wrap seems like a good idea to me; I use a poncho, which when loosely ~belted at the waist is in effect a raincoat with ventilation mated to a rain skirt.

I think it somewhat depends on your personal backpacking "style". I don't spend a great deal of time in camp that's not inside a sleeping bag, and on the trail I'd be wet from the inside if hiking in rain pants. If I were anticipating a lot of very cold wind then maybe … in that case, rain chaps (a little lighter, easier to put on and take off).

I won't leave home without them! I've had too many instances when it snowed, even in mid-summer, and I needed every piece of clothing I had. Without waterproof covering for my legs, they'd have been sopping wet in below-freezing temperatures. No thanks!

I think the answer has to depend on where you're hiking.

Leave them and bring a pair of wind pants instead. Much lighter+ more breathable than rain pants,will shed light water in case of afternoon thunderstorms, and dry reasonably fast.

"I think the answer has to depend on where you're hiking."

Not really. Below freezing snow in my experince is not a big problem, as it usually doesn't stick long enough to melt and soak through. It's when it's just around freezing and blowing that it's a problem. Even so, with a long rain jacket, windpants and knee high gaiters, rain pants are not needed. Then again, where I often hike, there may be thigh high river crossing which are going to soak your legs no matter what you have on them…

"depends where you are hiking"….It's the JMT from July 20th-Aug. 10th. Thanks for all of your help!

"Leave them and bring a pair of wind pants instead. Much lighter+ more breathable than rain pants,will shed light water in case of afternoon thunderstorms, and dry reasonably fast."

+1