Insulated Pants-outerlayer

[adkayaker]

The main application for carrying pants insulated with Primaloft or similar insulation is for overnights-around winter camp and sleeping. Too warm for activity for most. I am curious how many routinely carry such an item on long winter day hikes, for unplanned overnights and emergencies? It would seem much more packable than fleece pants.

 

[Raven]

FWIW, I pack a fairly heavyweight pair of fleece pants on winter day hikes and have uninsulated waterproof shell pants (usually on with lightweight Bergelenes). I alternate this with wearing a moderately insulated pair of EMS winter "overalls." Depends on conditions but I don't think I've ever packed the overalls; I wear them or don't have them with me.

 

[DSettahr]

I always just bring fleece pants as emergency pants on day hikes, or as an added layer to wear "in camp" on overnights. I think that the versitility of keeping your insulating and your shell layers separate would outweigh the benefits of having the two combined in a more easily packable pair of pants.

I've found that with a little bit of searching, it's not hard to find a pair of fleece pants that are thinner than most, and therefore easier to fit into an already full day pack.

Another thing I do with my winter leg layers is I get pants that have full side zips. Being able to put on and remove both my shell pants and my fleece pants without taking my shoes off is a huge bonus for the already psychologically difficult task of changing garments in the winter.

 

[sardog1]

Likewise. I always have a pair of hardshell Gore-Tex pants or bibs, unless it's so warm that I would cool myself with any precipitation deliberately. When the going is to be long or cold or both, a pair of impossibly warm fleece pants gets shoved to the bottom of the pack. I prefer the flexibility of this approach.

As a practitioner of the dark art of soloing, I constantly have to consider the "What if . . ." question.

 

[DougPaul]

I carry a pair of side-zip fleece pants and a pair of side-zip Gortex pants (for rain/wind/extra cold)*. And, of course, some other emergency gear--most of the stuff in my winter daypack is emergency gear...

* I generally wear [military surplus] wool pants over polyester or wool long-johns in most winter temps.

As a practitioner of the dark art of soloing, I constantly have to consider the "What if . . ." question.

Having been in a "What if", I was happy to have the emergency gear. Essentially everything necessary to stabilize me on site was in my pack. Fortunately it only took the evac crew ~2 hrs to arrive, but it could have been over night or longer.

Doug

 

[Craig]

I have a pair of primaloft insulated pants.
The only time I’ll take them day hiking is if I’m solo in extremely cold (< 0) and I’m likely to see no one that day. I certainly can’t wear them while hiking and would be carried for emergencies only.

Weighing in at about 1lb and packing relatively small I think they would make a good addition to anyone’s winter pack though.

 

[Hiking with Kat]

I carry a pair of Mont Bell winter pants, they weigh next to nothing and are easy on and off in case of emergencies.

 

[cushetunk]

I carry a pair of side-zip fleece pants and a pair of side-zip Gortex pants (for rain/wind/extra cold)*.

Doug, did you use the fleece pants in your "what-if"? I've always assumed that warm pants without side zippers would be useless in a leg injury situation, but I'm curious if your experience supported that idea in practice.

 

[MadRiver]

I had a seamstress sew full length zippers into an old pair of insulated ski pants that I carry on longer day hikes or overnights trips. They compress small enough that I can fit a fleece liner, bivy sack, and the pants into my day pack in case of injury that I have to spend the night, or if it becomes too cold wearing the kilt, which hasn’t happened in three winters.

 

[DougPaul]

Doug, did you use the fleece pants in your "what-if"? I've always assumed that warm pants without side zippers would be useless in a leg injury situation, but I'm curious if your experience supported that idea in practice.

No, didn't need them.

The primary injury was a broken femur (break just above the knee) at a temp of ~20F and 1-2 kt winds. We used a closed-cell foam pad, a down jacket, a balaclava, and an emergency bivy wrapped around me as a wind-break. I sat up on the pad using my pack as a backrest and was never cold in the ~3 hr between the accident and the ambulance. Another skier came by a few minutes after the accident and was a big help in deploying the gear.

I would have used the side-zip pants if I had become chilled or had had to stay out overnight.

I agree that side-zip pants can be much easier to deploy than non-side-zip, depending on the details.

Doug

 

[jfb]

I usually hike with wool long johns and nylon windpants, and carry a pair of Integral Designs Denali pants.

 

[JoeCedar]

Patagonia Micro Puff Pants are a good emergency item, weighing only 1 pound. The current model is $180. Expensive, but if it saves your life (along with jacket, booties, and waterproof bag)?

 

[DougPaul]

Patagonia Micro Puff Pants are a good emergency item, weighing only 1 pound. The current model is $180. Expensive, but if it saves your life (along with jacket, booties, and waterproof bag)?

One disadvantage of compressible clothing (down, polarguard, etc) is that it loses most of its insulation when compressed under you or when leaning on something. Fleece, while heavier, loses less of its insulation when compressed.

Perhaps less of a problem if you use a closed-cell foam pad.

Doug

 

[Mike P.]

I have a pair of the insulated pants. On occasion I will wear them on a hike, if in Southern New England without a wicking layer. Up north, on a day expected to be below zero.

The fleece & G-Tex almost always stay in the pack