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Saturday, October 7. 2017

Hiking pants, #2

After more research and experience, and taking into account reader comments, I have come up with two or three good ideas for rugged hiking, eg Europe's "Moderate hill-walking, or Level 2" which is what they call "Difficult" or "Challenging" in the wimpy US hiking ratings.


Made in male and female versions, all at Amazon:


- Montane Terra Pants


- Columbia Silver Ridge Stretch Convertible Pant


-  Montane Alpine Trek Pant 


- LL Bean's Knife Edge Pants 


I also like the Prana brand. 


Note: If you like those Montane pants, make sure you check their size guide . I had to order from the UK (Montane UK) to get my correct size.


For colder weather, you can just use winter underwear with them. These are not really hunting and brush-busting pants, or for happy weekend walks-in-the-woods either, but for extended hikes in mixed weather with some mud, mountains, boulders, and scree, etc. White Mountain, Rockies, and Dolomites hikes.  I am eager to get on Mt. Washington, but next on our schedule is good old Storm King.


BTW, what is it with the word "pant" ?  I always thought it was a plural.  

Posted by Bird Dog in The Culture, "Culture," Pop Culture and Recreation at 14:38 | Comments (9) | Trackbacks (0)

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I found jeans to be fine for weeks of hiking from 6,000 to 16,000 feet in the Andes.
#1 Gringo on 2017-10-06 14:42 (Reply)
Sorry, Gringo. Jeans are just not technical!

However, for all sorts of weather and gnarly terrain, good pants are appreciated. Trust me on that.
#1.1 BD on 2017-10-06 14:46 (Reply)
Jeans served me through rain and well above the snow line, on some paths that were days from a road that had bus or truck traffic, with a wide range of ease of walking.

Cargo pants or the equivalent were fine for lower altitude tropics. Hikes in 80+ degrees are not comfortable in pants, as one quickly gets drenched in sweat. While some south of the border share Ann Althouse's dislike of shorts on men, comfort outranks social norms on strenuous hikes.
#1.1.1 Gringo on 2017-10-08 13:11 (Reply)
If you are not opposed to shopping at WAL-MART, try the Wrangler brand rip stop cargo pants. They have served me well all over the world. Maybe not esthetically pleasing to some but they are serviceable, comfortable, and won't break the bank.
#2 rocdoctom on 2017-10-07 15:30 (Reply)
The precursors to pants were made in pairs - one for each leg. Each one by itself was singular. When you had one for each leg, it was referred to as a pair of trousers/breeches/pantaloons/pants/etc. Eventually, tailoring put the two together as one garment, but the nomenclature has stuck.
#3 mike m on 2017-10-07 16:04 (Reply)
Great recommendations. How about something for those unavoidable hikes in the (often falling) snow?
#4 Mike Anderson (Link) on 2017-10-07 18:43 (Reply)
I generally don't wear anything but softshell these days when I get out of the city. I'd wear wool in some cases--if it was going to be a lot longer a trip.

Lots of companies make trousers like that the days--right now I'm wearing a pair of Columbia's Silver Ridge. Not the convertibles, just regular trousers. I find them useful from the low 20s (with thin longjohns) up to the high 90s. After that it's just too bloody hot for hiking.

To Mr. Anderson's question, I also wear them for snow shoeing and nordic/crosscountry skiing.

Oh, for HEMA/Fiore (Italian Martial Art) class.
#5 William O. B'Livion on 2017-10-07 20:32 (Reply)
Nothing wrong with your suggested pants but for actual hiking vs urban walking I prefer true cargo pants with lots of pockets. I carry an extra pair of socks, my camera, a bandanna, bottle of water, hat (sometimes off my head and stuffed in a pocket, lunch/snack, and cell phone. I also look for a pair of hiking pants with a separate zippered pocket for my wallet; with all the moving around and climbing over it is easy to lose things.

Just a point on Jeans/levis/dungarees. I have worn them in every environment including sub zero post hole hiking in deep snow. I have had them freeze solid while walking and also soaking wet in 40 degree over night temps. It is all true that cotton is not the best material for wet/cold outdoor activities. BUT I have done it and as long as you are active and keep your core warm it works. But it can turn bad under the worst conditions. Hike with what's comfortable for you but be aware that cotton kills.
#6 GoneWithTheWind on 2017-10-08 10:44 (Reply)
BTW, what is it with the word "pant" ? I always thought it was a plural.

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Because of linguistic and educational ignorance among the progressive classes, you hear this more and more. Also expect "scissors" to become "scissor" and even "glasses" eventually to become "glass." Remember, these are folks who are so ignorant they no longer understand the concept of pronouns or how they work.
#7 Jim on 2017-10-08 14:44 (Reply)

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