trousers for hiking/hillwalking

fguihen

I have been told a gazillion times that denim is not to be worn when hiking and advised to get combats of some description. will a cheap pair of combats from primark or somewhere be ok, or are there serious issues with using anything like that?

Alun

It's the material that's important. Denim, when it gets wet, stays wet, and especially if there's a bit of wind at the same time will wick heat away from your body .. instant hypothermia under the wrong conditions. Primarily cotton based materials, such as you'd probably find in el cheapo combats, would suffer from the same problem.

I wear trousers from Craghoppers that use a material called SolarDry. If they get a bit wet from a passing shower (anything more and on go the waterproof trousers!) then they dry off very quickly indeed. Other manufacturers will have something similar in their range.

dogmatix

When in long trousers I tend to use various types of baggy walking trousers from M&S. I think they are cotton but I have never had any of the associated wet/cold problems you will get with denim jeans. I did own a few of the solardry craghopper trousers in my time but I have always found them desperatly uncomfortable - like wearing coarse wool next to bare skin.

Pj!

Theres a lot to be said for wearing shorts if the weather/area permits. Skin dries quicker than material.

irishlostboy

ya, look at the material. the cheapo combats tend to be a bit lightweight and poorly made for my taste, although when needs must i will use them. you can get all sorts of specialist hillwalking trousers in most outdoor shops. personally i find them a little too specialist for my taste.

if you are looking in the direction of combats, i swear by moleskin (no not the little fluffy burrowing creature) combats.

info on fabric; http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moleskin

i own four pairs, all the same, and usually wear nothing else these days. very comfortable. very wear resistant and heavy duty. great for protection from spiky and stingy plants. also good around open fires, as they are not very flamable. in heavy rain i will pop a pair of waterproofs over them, although in light or intermitant rain i dont bother. they dry with bodyheat quite fast. in really bad cold (-6 and lower) i will wear my HH thermals underneath.

moleskin combats normally come in greys or black. only place i have found them is in the army store on little marys street, off caple street (i think thats the street name anyway) and in the trading post in cavan. they average at 40 quid a pair. the average user will only need one pair, if using only in outdoors.

such stuff is not to everyones taste, but if it is, the good stuff is worth investing in.

fguihen

found that store at bottom of mary st today. got a pair of light combats to start off with. first asked for hiking pants, and they said they only do combats, so then asked for a short leg and was promptly told leg is a standard size!!!
I must have come off as a right toff, but i didnt know!! done now anyway.

Prenderb

I got some great zipoff outdoor hiking trousers in TK MAxx recently, about 20 quid a pair. Great, nice and light, lots of pockets, wash and dry very quickly. If you can get there for a look, I'd recommend them. Regatta-branded gear, so should be well put together and hopefully last more than the summer!

ednwireland

i use these
http://www.rab.uk.com/products_softshell_treklite.html
cost too much but very comfortable

sparrowcar

Walking for 20 years and these are by far the best I have ever owned. They are pricy but you will feel like your lying in bed and cosy as you walk in them :D

http://www.outdooradventurestore.ie/products/clothing/mens/technical_mountain_gear/g2_ultimate_mountain_pant-82.html