Favorite Trail Pants?

Hi,
I'm an extreamly new member, and this is my first post, so please stick with me.

My currunt pair of trail pants are at the very end of their lifetime. I was wondering what are your favorite, most affordable, pair of trail pants for warm-cool climates. I was thinking about getting a pair of Columbia Silver Ridge II (convertible). Let me know what you think.

Most of my hiking is summer hiking in Oregon, so it fits your warm/cool profile. I generally wear REI Sahara convertible pants. They work for me. But then, anything similar would probably work just as well.

With convertible pants, the thing to watch for are where the seams hit your thighs, and any signs of poor finish-work there that might irritate your skin as you walk. Other than that, the ease of taking the lower pant legs on and off while you're wearing footwear.

Welcome to the forum.

My favorite hiking zip-offs finally gave up the ghost last week when I put my finger thru the fabric just above the left leg zipper. They were cheapies that were two tone from me washing the shorts alot more than the legs, but I'm not out to make a fashion statement on the trail other than I have none.

I've got a couple other pairs that I'll wear now, but have been searching for replacements. As far as non-cotton, nylon convertible pants go, for a tight budget, I've found everything from $13 ones, to $60 ones (something from Mountain Hardware for less than $100?? No, it's true!)

Hope you get some responses (for ulterior motives.)

My favorite trail pants are shorts. if the weather gets cooler, I wear long johns under my shorts for extra warmth and bonus style points. For skiiing, I put wind pants over the shorts and long johns.

I wear used wind pants that I find in 2nd hand stores. They are uncoated and unlined nylon and were originally sold as running pants in most cases.

I wear a medium but I buy extra large. The extra size gives me a lot of blousyness and they are comfortable to wear even in hot weather.

They are becoming harder to find. I may have to buy lined ones and take out the lining. One also has to be careful that they aren't made of coated material which makes them unsuitible for hot weather.

Most pairs I buy only cost a few dollars.

My wife says they are not very fashionable but they sure are comfortable and functional.

Forget pants altogether!!!!!!!!!!!
Here's what i use for most of my trips unless it snows or is very cold/rainy:

http://stores.channeladvisor.com/Stillwa...%20Thrifty-Kilt

Mountain Hardwear is coming out with a new Mountain Kilt that will actually have pleats. It should be out in January. Kilts RULE! So functional and comfortable.

Be a man and ditch the pants

BF

I wear Mountain Hardware Canyon pants. Between the bugs and my propensity to sun burn, I need long pants. If it is really cold out, I switch to an old pair of Sportive built polyester pants sold by LL Bean many years ago. These are the same pants I ski in because the cut the wind while still breathing decently in cold weather, don't absorb moisture and stretch.

On most trips I use Schoeller climbing pants. I have two pair of zip-offs and two pair of regular. They are expensive but are tough as nails and good for off-trail bushwhacking. They are expensive ($120 range) but last forever. I do a lot of high altitude travel where it is often windy and cold. Zip-offs are good for the Sierra where it is 90+ at the trailhead and near freezing at 14,000 feet. I am really cold-blooded - would freeze if all I had were shorts. As for the weight, about 12oz (Mammut)-16 oz (REI). I do not mind extra weight in clothes I wear - they are warm enough that I can go with lighter long johns that I carry on my back.

In the "old days" I used the wool long-johns, shorts and wind pants combination. You use the shorts over the long johns. This is a very "Pacific NW" 1960's look! In my old NOLS days (Rocky Mountains - high altitude)in the 1970's we used army surplus wool pants (very cheap), long gaiters, and light wind pants (both home-made). All the pants were double material in the seat.

Maybe we should invite Bigfoot along on a Wind Rivers trip in his kilt? The bugs would be so happy they wouldn't bother the rest of us! We might also get to witness literally the freezing off of a certain part of his anatomy?

That's a pretty good idea! But, I would really like to see Bigfoot down here in Alabama where the Mosquitos are as big as hummingbirds. Well, I may be exaggerating just a bit, but there is no way that you could survive down here during the summer with a kilt. It doesn't matter how much bug spay you have. Mabey at higher altitudes, but not here.

My favorites:

Cheap nylon running shorts if the weather is warm, bugs minimal to non-existent, and I'm staying on trail. Light and most comfortable option.

TNF convertible cargo pants. I wear these when I have to travel a lot to get to my destination. I need a new pair, they are well worn and patched.

5.11 Tactical Taclite Pro pants are my choice if I'm bushwhacking. They hold up really well for serious off trail use. No patches or tears on mine yet.

To all of you who don't believe me that a kilt is the perfect outdoor sports garment ever, i say this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3wxeV5Tf3Fo

Now THAT guy has ball$

Nuff Said

BF

bf2:



You know it's going to be $20 a pleat from Mountain Hardware, until I can find it in 18 months for $5 a pleat at STP, but that's still $60 a skirt -- I mean kilt. The clip of that base jump was great.

Thing I don't understand is if you are a good Scotsman-American, why aren't you and them others in kilts sippin' your Macallan at the bar while complainin' about payin' such prices for a kilt?

Irish/Portugeese, actually. Kilts just plain ROCK! you don't have to be Scottish to wear a kilt

BF

+1 for REI Sahara convertable pants

These days usually MEC tripper pants. I used to wear a sportif convertable all the time, but my last pair died after west coast trail last year and a leaking bottle of chlorine dioxide water purifier in the front pocket (oops), and then they had changed them unfavorably so they didn't fit me decently anymore. For a long long time I wore the venerable MEC rad pants, but a number of years back they horribly herblocked them, removing the nice elastic cuff at the bottom and changing the belt to an elastic.. yuck!

This is about the best thing I can find that fits me well. The real trick I think is finding something comfy that fits and is durable. I perennially have Schoeller pants envy. My problem is I need a pretty low rise pant to fit me, and I've never found a set of Schoeller fabric pants with a cut that fits me - and I'm *NOT* paying $120 for a pair of pants that the crotch hangs down too far

I've tried cheapo pants and wind pants, and I'm just too hard on them, I shred them or split them out.

I occasionally wear shorts instead if the weather and bugs allow for it - then it's usually just a pair of lined swim trunks, and if it gets cool then it's shorts over my long underwear, something my wife just looooves when I'm in pictures that way and doesn't believe it's the height of fashion sense on the trail

For desert hiking, I like REI Sahara pants.

For general backpacking/hiking, I usually wear the North Face Paramount Pants.

For winter backpacking/snowshoeing, I wear REI Mistral pants.

Propper BDU cargo pants
65% poly / 35% cotton Ripstop

Usually cost about $30 per pair new, dry fairly fast, durable, after a couple of washings as comfortable as cotton.

I really prefer my "5.11" brand of nylon duck tactical law enforcement pants for desert and cooler weather. $50. with double knees and seat plus VERY high quality. Plus 5.11 sells a neoprene pad that fits perfectly in the inside pocket opening of the double knees. Great for rock scrambling trails.

I definitely prefer them over RailRiders for their design & construction and fortheir lower price.

Eric

My BDU's take longer to dry than my nylon hiking pants, but they do dry faster than jeans.

I bought a pair of store brand pants from Academy Sports for about $20. They are the only ones I have tried, other than BDU's, jeans, and cotton canvas.

In general - I use running shorts (like Nike or Adidas) with a built-in lining (these dry very quickly), and carry a pair of Patagonia rain pants that I can slide on if I get cool - or if it rains.
In winter - I have a pair of MontBell down pants for those cold mornings/evenings around camp...

Unlined running shorts down to the 40s - with DryDucks for wind pants and maybe long underwear in really cold weather and at camp. The Dry Ducks keep the bugs off.

I think I found my new favorite pants -- and jacket -- yesterday. I was perusing the rack and found a Sierra Designs microlight jacket in size large, color carbon/gris. It was a perfect fit for me when layering. A few hangers down was pair of Sierra Designs size-medium, color gray microlight pants that also fit me perfect. Looking them over closely, I was surprised to not find the SD cardboard tags hanging on them.

At the register I was told that since it was Monday, it was Seniors' Discount Day for those over 55. I showed her my driver's license, which has my 55th b-day on 9/18. I asked her to spot me 3 days and she said she'd be happy to do it. So I got those two virtually new SD items at the Goodwill for $2.00 each. I'm not happy about this particular b-day, but I sure think I'll get into that 50-percent-off Monday discount thing.

Who says you can't hike stylishly in a recession?

Phat, those are nice pants but for me not enough pockets.I have gotten accustomed to the "cargo" pants because I love the pants with the extra pockets.I can always find a use for the pockets with keeping the things that I like handy and easy to get to...sabre11004..

Right now, I am using a pair of Magellan's and the are cheap too, but seem to be wearing just fine. I had a little rough downward trekking on a property that I have and ended up on my booty a couple of times and they seemed to have worn just fine. They did get dirty (when do you trek and not get dirty) but they seem to wear great. If they continue to hold up like they have, I just go for another pair...sabre11004....

That is also a great way to void get chaffed any where under your trekking pants too. Those leggin's take all the wear and tear and you can just keep on trekking...sabre11004...

You'll not catch me in a "kilt"....PERIOD>>>>>sabre11004

Man, you don't even want to go outside in a "kilt" here in the South. You could "become" am meal real quick down here!!!
..sabre11004....

There are several trail pants on sale at Sierra's Bargain Barn. (be sure to use the link at left). Some are zip-leg convertibles and some aren't but look like good deals.

Sabre, you reminded me of the brand of the pants I bought at Academy...Magellan. Thanks. Those are the ones I wear, and I like them so far. I have worn them for a couple of years.

I have only worn them one season and I am sure that you get out more than I do of late any way. I have some property near by here and we go there a lot,but, they are showing signs of wear. I have also kind of used these as work pants too and they, for that use, have held up really well. They dry very quickly and for as thin as they are they do seem to hold up well...sabre11004...

Looks like pants are a good area to cut weight if one can get by with light nylon pants.

These pants weigh under 3 ounces.http://www.prolitegear.com/montbell_ul_wind_pants.html

I would guess that some of the pants listed in the replies are in the 1 pound or heavier class.

I usually carry pants that have the zip off legs. If I get cool at night I just zip them back on. Beats carrying two pair of pants to hike in.

I like Schoeller pants. They cover a wide range of temps, shed light rain, are fairly breathable and I don't have to bother about taking on or off the legs. More expensive to start with, but the pair I have has lasted me for years.

I use "Dollar Store" nylon zip offs and fleece pajama pants underneath when it's cold. If it's freezing I'll add some long undies under the fleece.

That combo works from hot to cold for me and it's light enough to carry around and cheap enough to beat up without worrying about it.

That's sure enough ballsy.

And to think, I was apprehensive about clicking that link

Lots of choices here:

http://www.railriders.com/