Professional Clothing Modification Services Contacts?

[Brent M]

Hi guys,

Curious if anyone out there knows people making custom hiking clothes or able to modify existing garments? Like cottage industries? I would like to add mesh panels to hiking pants for breathability and find it annoying that these aren’t readily available from major clothing manufacturers already for hiking. I like wearing pants for obvious reasons, but I get too hot, to often. I need them for the SW desert and CO mountain hiking. I know Railriders do have a pair that meets my description, but the pictures of them look like balloon pants. Thanks for any suggestions!

[Michael Sirofchuck]

Not a direct answer, but I have gone to wearing a kilt in hot climes.  I have been wearing this hiking “skirt” for some time now and I love it.

https://lightheartgear.com/products/hiking-skirt-with-pockets

[Greg Pehrson]

You could try Santa Cruz Gear Repair or Repair Lair. Check their instagram accounts for lots of examples of their work. Both of them (I think they’re both single person shops) have worked on Patagonia’s Worn Wear truck.

 

[Brent M]

I do a lot of desert hiking off-trail around all kinds of things that can stick you, so I don’t think a kilt would work for me. Also, I’d like to wear these pants for mountaineering-lite and I’m afraid I’d give people a show when my kilt flies up in the wind…lol.

[Bruce Tolley]

If you can source the mesh and know exactly what you want done to an existing pair of pants, why not try your local dry cleaning shop with an on-site seamstress/tailor?  Or a standalone local tailor shop?

[Rob P]

A lot of Scandinavian brands make pants with zip vents, and they tend not to have a balloon like fit.  Kuiu (maker of hunting clothing) also make pants with zip vents that cross over well to backpacking and hiking.

I can’t remember if the Montane Terra’s have zip vents or not (UK brand) but they have a very slim fit…If you’ve got thin legs they will fit you.

[BlackHatGuy]

Yes, Terras have zip vents down the outer thigh. But not mesh covered.

[BlackHatGuy]

Ex Officio Sandfly pants. Lighter than Railriders, much more comfortable, and not balloon pants. But the mesh is always ‘there’, no zip closure.

[Tom K]

Try Rainy Pass Repair in Seattle.  They do excellent work, and have done several mods for me.  They’re not cheap, but they have a lot of experience and do excellent work.

http://rainypass.com/

[Diane “Piper” Soini]

Do a search for local seamstresses. Adding mesh to hiking pants wouldn’t be a difficult job. There should be someone who could do it.

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