Lightweight pants that keep the wind out

My latest trek in the High Sierra's I found myself incorporating many of the recommendations from this site on lightening my load. One of these is I traded in my blue jeans for a pair of lightweight synthetic hiking pants.

In the evening the wind really kicked up and with the hiking pants and a pair of lightweight wool long underwear I was still cold when I was sitting around the stove making dinner. The wind was high enough that we all hit the sack early, but I am wondering what other people recommend. I could get thicker longjohns, but the problem seemed more to do with the wind going through the thin fabrics. Plus, thicker long johns might be too warm for other uses. I could add a pair of rain pants, but then I would be adding in another pair of pants. My upper body wasn't cold, and I attribute that to my rain jacket buffeting the wind. What are your esteemed opinions?

I always take rain pants, and they are the last line of defense. If it gets too cold even with them, time to crawl into the sleeping bag! There is really little difference in weight or bulk between wind pants (which aren't waterproof) and lightweight rain pants (which are).

Of course I live in an area where even during the dry season, there is waist-high dew-saturated brush to contend with.

I'm with OM. I hike exclusively in shorts (summer and winter), and carry a pair of waterproof-breathable rain pants that double as wind pants or long pants on really cold days (layered over long johns.) If that doesn't work, it's time to go home or do what OM says: hit the sleeping bag.

Many people like long pants with zip-off legs, so they're not carrying a full set of wind pants. I might have to try that some time. (Of course, I also keep threatening to try a hydration system, too. )

Yeah, it sounds like rain pants are what I should get. The problem is around here rain is so rare it seems like an odd thing to buy. I guess if I am going to wear them most evening I would want something more durable than driducks.

What you get would depend on whether you backpack at wetter times of year or plan to visit climates with more rain. If you only backpack where there is no rain, then wind pants would be sufficient. You might check out inexpensive nylon track pants in the athletic depts of big box stores.

Were you only cold from the wind when sitting around the stove, or also when walking? I do live in a rainy climate and rarely take along rain pants because when I'm moving I generate enough body heat that I don't want them.

If you're just cold "around the campfire" then the ~ultralight hikers solution to that is to not sit around the campfire. If you want some "communal" time, pitch your tents close enough that you can talk while each have at least lower bodies inside the sleeping bag.

It's an option, anyway.

If your shell jacket is on the long side, an option you could consider is rain (or wind) chaps. Lighter, and easier to put on and take off than lighter weight (no side zips) rain pants. I carry these along on trips where I think it could get very (cold) windy.

I was only only cold in the evening making dinner (and getting up in the morning). We had planned to do some star gazing after that, but it was too cold and windy. Getting in our bags early was the solution, it just didn't fit very well with the more communal nature of our treks.

Track pants are probably the solution. It rains so rarely in SoCal, that adding more rain gear to my kit seems like overkill. Chaps are an interesting idea I will have to look into. Do you recommend any brands?

http://www.discountdance.com/view_catalog.php?pid=704&0

Link above shows what I've been recently using. At about 4 ounces each and $15 how can you go wrong.

I wear these for bug and sun protection.

Personally I wouldn't want to carry wind pants that might be good enough to just sit around in camp with, but we each make this trade-offs differently.


It looks like the type I have aren't available anymore (or at least not here):
https://www.prolitegear.com/base_designs_spinnaker_chaps.html

If you're ever inclined to a set of driducks rain gear, just cut up the pants portion and make your own chaps; pretty light.

I spoke too soon, FWIW it looks like MLD might stock these:
http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=77

They're noisy, or at least when you first get them, but they really are super light and pack small, so that I'll sometimes toss them in if I'm not sure that I need them.

Note that if you don't have a shell jacket that's cut pretty long, these can look a little --- kinky. A bit less noticeable when it's raining hard and folks have their heads down, but still, a heads up on that aspect.

I wouldn't see them as the idea gear for sitting around in camp, however.

A random thought from the think-outside-the-box department: since your trips are communal, would a large silnylon tarp, pitched like a lean-to, be enough of a windbreak that you could all sit in front/under it and eliminate the cold-legs issue? Don't know if this would be practical in your situations, but thought I'd toss it out there.

Just remember, sometimes the stuff that's outside the box is just packing peanuts.

Thanks for the links and the heads up

I like outside the box thinking, but I doubt a lean-to would have helped much. We were in tree cover with large boulders, so we already (in theory) had pretty good wind protection. It was just really ripping.

I have a few pair of something similar to those, mine are zip offs. I've had them for years and use them specifically as a windblocker. I should probably buy a pair of those you linked to. Mine are way past out of style and none of the stores sell them anymore.

One of those SOL emergency blankets will keep you warm in the conditions you describe if you have some good insulation under it. I've carried those E-blankets for years, but only really started using them the last couple years after I decided I wanted to test one. Used with even a cheap layer of fleece they are amazing.

I should probably be testing one now to see how well they work to provide some shade. It's been "Sunny and Hot" here for over a month straight now

I agree that it isn't the insulation, it is the wind cutting thru your layers stealing the heat that would have been enough. Golite and Montbell both have decent prices on wind layers. Montbell's dynamo pants are about $75, but only 2.5 ounces. Same goes for a light wind jacket. It can really make the difference for making even a simple fleece much warmer when the wind isn't cutting thru it.