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pants vs shorts vs convertibles


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Viewing 25 posts - 26 through 50 (of 50 total)
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  • #1893377
    Mike M
    BPL Member

    @mtwarden

    Locale: Montana

    Brian- my legs rarely cool me down, even above treeline and even w/ rain. If push comes to shove, I'll break the Cap 4 bottoms out- but 95%+ they stay in the pack until I stop for the evening. Once I stop moving, bare legs do tend to cool me down.

    I have a pair of the now discontinued Montbell Stretch windpants that I used to carry- nice stretchy material w/ zipped pockets and zipped ankles, really good DWR finish and they breathe well. However I found that I didn't wear them much on the trail and once at camp I would be better served by tights (Cap 4), so I made the switch. Weight is about identical (~ 6 oz) betwen the two.

    Mike

    #1893380
    Jeffrey Windsor
    Member

    @jeffreywindsor

    Dean pretty well summed it up, so I'll just add my vote for pants-only. One pair of thin nylon pants for a trip, and a pair of long johns for insulation. But I'm a wimp who doesn't camp in the winter (I blame my cushy San Diego childhood). If I have to swim while backpacking, it is either in the pants or naked.

    #1893410
    Christopher Yi
    Spectator

    @traumahead

    Locale: Cen Cal

    I hike super hot, so less is better. Im fine down to the 30s-40s in a windshirt and shorts as long as Im moving. 5" Patagonia Baggies for shorts, Montane Featherlite wind pants when it gets colder or Im dealing with snow or alot of bugs. This combo weighs similar to typical hiking pants.

    #1893449
    Shane S.
    BPL Member

    @grinder

    Locale: P.N.W

    I wear light weight NB running shorts with a loose liner. They are great for ease of movement, strechy and are cool, dry super fast. In the evening if need be I pull on a pair of my favorite light weight ArcTeryx Rampart pants over the running shorts no need for underwear.

    I used to use convertables, but in searching for a new pair I discovered the shorts inseam on many convertables has gotten longer (street fashion?)and restricts my leg movement which is very annoying climbing over a log in the trail.

    #1893452
    Lisa Frugoli
    BPL Member

    @alfresco

    Locale: San Francisco Bay Area

    Those of you hiking in boxers may want to read this article:

    http://www.sfgate.com/style/article/Ubatuba-boxer-shorts-a-fashion-breakthrough-3686913.php

    :)

    #1893464
    Tim Zen
    Spectator

    @asdzxc57

    Locale: MI

    Shorts would be great, but it is way too buggy around here, so I always go with pants.
    Convertibles — don't wear them anymore.
    I like the bathing suit/jogger runner idea. Reminds me of college when you would run out of underwear.

    Cool boxer link too — $14 and free shipping.

    #1893468
    Brett Peugh
    BPL Member

    @bpeugh

    Locale: Midwest

    The old Jackalope and now Rock Craft Pants from Patagonia are pretty good for winter or abrasion.

    #1893471
    Steven Paris
    BPL Member

    @saparisor

    Locale: Pacific Northwest

    @Lisa:

    Interesting article. It's pretty ballsy to start a new business in this economy, they always seem to get the shaft.

    #1893496
    John G
    BPL Member

    @johng10

    Locale: Mid-Atlantic via Upstate NY

    I only wear the legs in the cool morning hours, but remove them for hiking. Once in a while, if it's extra chilly, I'll wear them in the evening. I'd use them more if they were faster to attach. The zippers on the legs aren't noticeable to me.

    #1893572
    Warren Greer
    Spectator

    @warrengreer

    Locale: SoCal

    Day hike – shorts always unless I know there is allot of brush or other rough stuff.

    Overnight. Always convertible. Sun and bug protection are very helpful as are extra warmth. And I like the option to convert to shorts. Don't notice the zippers at all. Don't want shorts with a built-in liner cause I like to wash my boxer briefs at the end of the day. Kinda tough if they are attached to your shorts.

    #1893651
    Zorg Zumo
    Member

    @burnnotice

    I used to wear shorts. But I got tired of bug repellent & dust goo on my legs. So I switched to nylon trail pants. I have a pair of convertibles and I've never unzipped them – just not useful to me. So my favorite is a pair of Columbia trail pants. Most skeeters won't bite through them and they breathe enough to keep my legs reasonable. My legs stay cleaner which keeps my hammock cleaner.

    #1893747
    jeff currey
    Member

    @currey

    Locale: North Central Idaho

    Mr Jones by David Byrne/ Talking Heads

    Mr Jones
    Put a wiggle in your stride
    Loosen up
    I believe he'll be alright
    Changing clothes
    Now he's got ventilated slacks….. etc

    Yes, I love my Rail Riders cuz they're ventilated!

    #1893751
    Mobile Calculator
    Spectator

    @mobile-calculator

    #1894049
    Brett Peugh
    BPL Member

    @bpeugh

    Locale: Midwest

    If you want a convertible pant the REI Sahara ones are still the best. That whole leg zips off from the side and vertically.

    #1894082
    BPLwiia
    Spectator

    @bplwiia

    I've never gotten used to pants, of any type, as they impede my leg movement when I ascend. I thought RailRiders, with their gusseted knees, would help but they didn't.

    Now, I always hike in compression shorts when I can or long lycras otherwise. If it's cool I have warmer stretch lycras I can wear by themselves or over the lycras.

    #1894301
    Brian Lindahl
    BPL Member

    @lindahlb

    Locale: Colorado Rockies

    > If you want a convertible pant the REI Sahara ones are still the best. That whole leg zips off from the side and vertically.

    Not a fan. In the wind, they flap and billow like crazy. I absolutely hated them for that reason. Some heavier fabric, or a trimmer fit could improve them in this regard, but heavier fabric doesn't make sense, as then they'd be warmer, and a trimmer fit isn't exactly as marketable.

    #1894306
    Justin Baker
    BPL Member

    @justin_baker

    Locale: Santa Rosa, CA

    Shorts in the winter, pants in the summer for my local hikes.
    Shorts so I don't worry much about getting my legs wet in the rain (it's california, not really that cold), and pants+gaiters for walking around oak woodlands in the summer. All of the stickers and seeds when walking through grass will flood your shoes and force you to stop constantly.

    #1894378
    Mike M
    BPL Member

    @mtwarden

    Locale: Montana

    ^ you can wear gaiters w/ shorts too :)

    #1894609
    Justin Baker
    BPL Member

    @justin_baker

    Locale: Santa Rosa, CA

    That's very true Mike, however stuff can still get uncomfortably wedged between the top of the gaiters and your legs and work it's way down, especially the little slender, poky grass seeds that are everywhere around here. It's like a torrential downpour of stuff falling on your legs and shoes in the grasslands around here. Gaiters with shorts are a lot better than nothing though. Also, there are plenty of poky plants and thistles which make shorts very uncomfortable. And even wading through dense grass for long enough can rub your legs raw. I suppose if you walked through nasty stuff in shorts for long enough, the skin on your legs could toughen up.
    When I go hunting with my dad, he usually wears high top boots as a solution. I wear vivobarefoot aquas with those tan REI gaiters.

    #1897620
    drowning in spam
    Member

    @leaftye

    Locale: SoCal

    I agree with Brett. I've used regular REI convertible pants for many years, but the need to take off my shoes or get the inside of my pants muddy resulted in converting them only one time for a creek crossing. It was a ridiculous waste of time for something like that. I might as well remove my pants entirely. The new convertible style looks much more practical.

    #1897747
    Barry P
    BPL Member

    @barryp

    Locale: Eastern Idaho (moved from Midwest)

    Everyone’s body behaves different.
    I’ve used zip-offs for several years.
    A big chunk of my heat comes out through my ankles (skinny ankles do that). Heat stroke is minimized; sweat is tendered when the ankles are exposed (including no socks on the ankles). But when mosquitoes are swarming (like Wind Rivers WY earlier this month), the bottoms get zipped back on. But I feel a little heat relief when I unzip the knees partially.

    I’ve never had zipper problems (knock on wood). And as other posters noted, zip-offs are dual use, thus one less thing to pack.

    -Barry

    #1897751
    Elizabeth Tracy
    BPL Member

    @mariposa

    Locale: Outside

    Shorts for years – til I realized I may need pants for x-country.

    I found a very stretchy pair of pants that will roll up, creating a big cuff right above the knee. Thus I can turn them into long shorts when it's very hot.

    – Elizabeth

    #1897774
    rich y
    Spectator

    @gkine

    Locale: NorCal

    i bought some north face pants a couple months ago. they have some heel wear. would rei take these back if i wanted to get convertibles?

    #1897876
    Warren Greer
    Spectator

    @warrengreer

    Locale: SoCal

    They'll take anything back.

    #1897881
    Franco Darioli
    Spectator

    @franco

    Locale: Gauche, CU.

    Never convertibles.
    in summer usually shorts however in buggy areas I use the Montane Terra because I can roll them up if I want to but usually just unzip the sides and the mesh under them keeps the bugs at bay.
    Not that unusual for me to have both shorts and long pants…
    (not one on top of the other)
    Franco

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