Jimmy--wear jeans all you want, but once you try hiking in something that weighs less, dries quicker, and can be converted to shorts in about ten seconds, you will change your mind.
And once you start bushwhacking through Ozark bramble you'll change it back
What works good for hiking in the Western States, and on well used trails, does not necessarily work good in the thick deciduous forest we have here in the Mid-West.
I made the mistake of wearing lightweight nylon zip-offs for a bushwhack along the bluffs near my home a few years ago. My legs were scratched up something awful when I got back home.
Those pants that look like "Tights" and trailrunner shoes I see hikers wearing in the magazines aren't designed for our terrain here either.
The nylon zip-off pants do make it into my pack though. They're perfect for a spare pair of pants in case my heavy denim jeans get wet. So, for "Safety's" sake, I always take a pair along.
They also make for a good pair of swimming trunks in case I run across a swimming hole I can't resist jumping into, so they are in there for "Fun's" sake too
Actually, there really isn't any clothing that's well designed for the type of hiking we do here. We have the lightweight "West Coast" options, and we have very heavy clothing designed for "Hunters", but neither are well designed for backpacking and hiking here. Experienced hikers here tend to mix and match those product lines, and scrounge around a lot, to suit their needs.
Bill
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