Pants? Shorts? Rain wrap?

First I am NOT SUL Kinda on the UL and Lightweight border. But I love using a poncho tarp so here is what I do for pants
I use a pair of zip off legs supplex nylon pants.
I use a poncho tarp when it rains and if I am smart that day. I unzip the bottoms of my pants and hike in shorts and my legs get wet. I usually treat my pants with permathin as I have had multiple friends and family members catch Lyme. I also love the pants for bug and thorns.

If you love the motion shorts I figure a pair of supplex nylon pants and the golite motion shorts would weight maybe a little more but you would get more options.

Supplex is not great when wet but it drys out fast.

Was thinking maybe a pair of pertex microlight wind pants might be able to serve the same purpose when used with your shorts and you would have some degree of durablity. Not as much as the supplex though

Just thoughts

Gungadin,

I do some hiking in similar conditions here in Australia, with perhaps a little lower humidity.

I guess my question is "Why do you feel the need to keep your legs dry?"

You're wearing running shorts right up until the rain hits, presumably sweating as you go, then it starts raining and you whip the rain pants on. Do your legs magically dry in them? Or are they now hotter, sweatier and constricted by the rain pants?

I generally solve this by walking on in the shorts and using the rain to wash the dust and/or blood (leeches) off my legs. Even with holes in my skin the rain mostly stays on the outside!

Rod

No, I have no problem wearing just shorts as I hike in the rain. I just wanted to know what others do in similar situations. I also wanted to know if people typically bring them for in camp use if not for hiking. Thanks.

I'm originally from PA myself and as I recall, we almost never used rain pants in the summer. I would just go without, and if you get cold at night wrap your poncho aroud your legs if it's not raining, and if it was raining, crawl into your bag under your poncho, and think about how comfy you are without having to carry that extra weight of pants you don't need. Out west people wear pants in the summer because snow can be an issue at altitiude, ditto cold temps, whatever the time of year. Back east in the summer, you don't really need to worry about those things.

Based on the conditions you listed, I would most likely choice options 8. I would take the tights no some much for in camp warm-up, as much as for sleeping because I like something between me and the pad (I use a quilt). If I was using a sleeping bag I would choice option 2.

Why?

When it's above 55F I don't worry about my legs getting wet, I just need to keep them active and they stay warm enough. Skin can be almost instantly dried when I get out of the rain.

What do I use?

Zipper of Nylon Hiking Pants. I wear them as shorts whenever I can. I almost always wear them as shorts in the rain so they don't get wet. I often use the legs attached in 80F temps for protection against sun (not a lot of shade above treeline), bugs, poison oak and other plant that was hurt my legs.