Convertible pants vs side-zip rain pants?

Hi folks.

I'm looking to lighten my load in terms of pants for summer time hiking. I hike exclusively in the north-east US so summer hiking means mostly in the shaded woods and mostly on trail. Below treeline, it gets buggy and humid. Above treeline, it can get cold, wet and very windy.

I hike in shorts all the time in summer unless bugs or cold wind (above treeline) force me into pants.

I also have huge size 13/14 feet, so pull on wind pants are not an option as they require me to take shoes/boots on and off.

I'm considering either convertible pants (perhaps backed up by a rain kilt) or full zip water-proof breathable pants (e.g. Precip).

I'm a huge fan of side zip pants for their ability to ventilate from the top. I have heavy side zips and side zip XC warm up pants that I use all the time in the colder months. But, I'm afraid that unlined super light WP/B side zip pants will be too restrictive and too clamy over bare legs.

I'm wondering what others are using in the north-east and elsewhere.

Thanks

I'd be afraid they would be clammy, too, so this isn't an area I'd limit my pack's weight. (If I could limit my own, I'd do that, but finding that to be impossible, Ha!)

In the summer the only thing I bring for pants are shorts with zip on legs. You can unzip the legs from the bottom or the top for extra ventilation if you want to keep wearing them. Spray them with water proofing product and you are good to go.

I have size 13 EEEE shoes and use zip offs. Shoes size isnt an issue as I store the lower legs down in my socks. Yes it looks like I have minor deformity on my calves, but it takes a very short time to pull them up and zip them or unzip and put them down. I am not the only one who does it. When its truly hot weather I leave them in the pack. I also tedn to remember to tuck in my pants when I do this.

I think I started a trend on the AT one year when I was sectioning down in VA, lots of thru hikers asked em about it and I saw many folks doing it on the trail later in the year. I dont think I ever used rain pants ever on my years of sectioning the AT.

Tom and peakbagger, can you guys recommend any particular brand of convertibles over others?

I'm considering both Prana and EMS due to claims of some stretch. I'm tall, like long shorts and definitely don't want chaffing at the zippers.

The feedback is super helpful.

Peakpagger, I'm digging the let flop idea.

Ellen, I *hate* feeling clammy!!!

I've been hiking in Mountain Hardwear Yuma Convertible pants but they're women's. I'm not sure if there's a similar men's version but these pants are super stretchy and very comfortable. I don't wear them when it's real hot though because the shorts hang down to my knees and they're a bit too warm. If it's real hot and I'm backpacking, I'll opt for super light shorts and full zip rain pants in case it rains.

peakbagger said:

Shoes size isnt an issue as I store the lower legs down in my socks. Yes it looks like I have minor deformity on my calves, but it takes a very short time to pull them up and zip them or unzip and put them down. I am not the only one who does it. When its truly hot weather I leave them in the pack. I also tedn to remember to tuck in my pants when I do this.

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I use the same trick on warmish winter days when I wear zip-offs over long johns. I drop the zip-off legs into my gaiters.

The zip-off legs slide over my summer boots without difficulty so I just take them off when not using them.

Doug

dave.m said:

I'm considering both Prana and EMS due to claims of some stretch. I'm tall, like long shorts and definitely don't want chaffing at the zippers.

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The key to preventing chaffing is to make sure the zippers are well above the knee. I haven't found stretch to be an issue--the pants (w or w/o the legs) are loose enough to slide freely over my skin.


FWIW, I generally carry waterproof-breathable side-zip rain pants (but don't use them very often) when wearing zip-offs (with or without the legs as needed).

Doug

Why is taking off your shoes a big deal? In summer you should be doing that as much as possible. Your feet will thank you.

In summer I wear convertible pants, with the bottom halves in my pack - I generally don't wear the bottoms until it gets breezy above treeline. (I often don't wear a shirt or shoes, either. As a matter of fact, for most of July and August I do a lot less hiking and a lot more water and beach sports.) For serious weather I also have rain pants (non-breathable, pull-up type - lack of zippers saves weight, bulk and money). In winter, if it's windy or I'm expecting to glissade, I add side-zip rain pants (again non-breathable) over my hiking pants (the same convertible ones as always).

I don't have a favorite brand of zip pants. I use the type with the mesh briefs. I usually buy two pairs at once and get several years off of them. On summer backpacks I bring two pairs of shorts and one pair of legs. I think the last set I bought were Columbia pants marketed to fishermen. I find the thing that wears out is the stitching, although I have had a few zippers fail over the years.

nartreb said:

Why is taking off your shoes a big deal? In summer you should be doing that as much as possible. Your feet will thank you.

In summer I wear convertible pants, with the bottom halves in my pack - I generally don't wear the bottoms until it gets breezy above treeline. (I often don't wear a shirt or shoes, either. As a matter of fact, for most of July and August I do a lot less hiking and a lot more water and beach sports.) For serious weather I also have rain pants (non-breathable, pull-up type - lack of zippers saves weight, bulk and money). In winter, if it's windy or I'm expecting to glissade, I add side-zip rain pants (again non-breathable) over my hiking pants (the same convertible ones as always).

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I'd say it's more of an issue putting the legs back on. If you're stopping to put them on, the weather has turned some & that would be a pain in bad weather.

Pant legs over your sock, it's that 80's leg warmer look. (One pair of mine don't have zippers at the cuffs and won't go over my 11 1/2's.

In summer, unless the trip is in the Presidentials or Franconia Ridge, I'm just bring convertibles. Many times on smaller peaks, I'll just bring shorts. (Day hikes) I will bring a coat to try and keep the core dry. I've also learned I don't get cold in summer & they make products to prevent chaffing so I can hike soaking wet....

I wore the running shorts/full zip rain pant combo last summer when I needed to and it worked for me. Most of the time in the rain, I didn't bother with the rain pants, but when it was raining and a bit cool or windy, the combo worked well. With the full zips, you can ventilate as much or as little as you need, from the top and/or bottom. I found that I didn't get that clammy on the legs by venting, and wore them half zipped most of the time. I don't do convertible pants for a variety of reasons, not important to these comments. As with many things related to personal choices, this worked for me and may or may not work for you.

I often wear my side zip rain pants over shorts in summer if it's rainy and cold or I'm at camp and I need bulletproof bug protection. I recently tried a bunch of different ones and much prefer mountain hardwear to marmot precips. Sierra Trading Post has prior year Mountain Hardwear models super cheap. I find the precips are more clammy and don't slide as well over the skin (or clothes).

I choose one or more of the following options:

1) Nylon or polyester shorts
2) Nylon pants
3) Smartwool lightweight bottoms
4) Precip pull-on shell pants.

Sometimes I have to take off my shoes.
Even carrying all the options at once has never been too heavy (for me).

I wear*nylon shorts in the summer and carry side-zip wind pants that I got for a very reasonable price at Campmor - www.campmor.com. They are a bit clammy, but still the best solution I have found.

I lost count of how many convertible pants I have but, in my case, the legs are often like new while the shorts wear out. I generally only wear the legs when it is buggy but have begun wearing the convertibles during the shoulder seasons ... the legs are good to have on during mud season if you insist, as many of us do, on hiking during mud season.

Every pair has zip legs. I wouldn't get convertibles without them. I didn't know they even made them without zippers.

As for which brand ... I think any one would do ... depends on price but especially on fit. I've never found the mesh lined convertibles peakbagger talks about but that is more practical yet ... they dry quickly (if nylon and not some cotton blend) and you can get a lot of miles out of them and don't need to carry underwear.

Dave, I have a pair of Marmot Precips. I'm wearing them in my avatar on Trailspace. Not sure about summer, but for winter or fall, I think they would be great. I can put them on over a big pair of boots with no problem. They are lightweight and fairly cheap. Got mine used, but they retail for $100 at REI..