Looking for Hiking Trousers that will not absorb the rain

Sikpupi

Hi....

Hope I explained that right. Have been out a few times with tracksuit bottoms and as soon as it rained... pulled on a pair of nylon rain pants.

But 10 minutes later when rain stops....I feel the legs sweating and I need to take them off again.

Am looking for a decent pair of pants that can take a bit of rain

Any good links??

Tigerandahalf

No trousers is perfect. The true waterproof ones will stop the water coming in, but if you sweat you will have dampness on the inside. Generally when buying look for the waterproof rating. If there isn't one don't buy.
3,000mm is a minimum and around 10,000 mm is considered true waterproof material.
I have 2 pairs. One is a Trespass that is only 2,000 mm. It is fine for prolonged showers and on-off rain. I sometimes wear it for hourly walks as it is very breathable (3,0000 mvp) and it has side pockets. After a while the material gets wet though and will leak through.
The other is a Berghaus that is 10,000 mm. It is very waterproof but for that you lose out on the breathability and you sweat in it if exercising a lot. Grand though for standing around at a match or where the walking isn't overly physical.
I would also recommend not wearing a cotton tracksuit bottom underneath as it will just hold both outside rain and sweat from within. Just wear the waterproof trousers or maybe a compression trouser pants if cold.
Hope that helps.

Pat Mustard

Water repellent trekking trousers are available. They are water-repellent but not fully waterproof. So they will keep off a shower but not a sustained downpour. You can get waterproof over-trousers for when it gets really wet.

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Columbia-Switchback-Mens-Pant-Inseam/dp/B0052AXXEI/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1414868095&sr=8-6&keywords=mens+columbia+trousers
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Columbia-Mens-Maxtrail-Regular-Pant/dp/B004JLNJ86/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1414868095&sr=8-1&keywords=mens+columbia+trousers
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Craghoppers-Classic-Walking-Trousers-Khaki/dp/B00MWZB9XS/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&qid=1414868095&sr=8-5&keywords=mens+columbia+trousers

Craghopper Kiwi trousers are often for sale in TK Maxx for a lot less than in the outdoor shops.

Masala

http://www.sportpursuit.com/catalog/product/view/id/540704

Not sure if posters can see this link without actually logging into their site.....

but what do posters think of this quality and value??

Orion

Get the Craghopper Kiwis on ebay for a fraction of the cost of even TK Maxx. Outdoorwales is one vendor on ebay I've used a few times.

Carawaystick

Sikpupi wrote: »

But 10 minutes later when rain stops....I feel the legs sweating and I need to take them off again.

Why would you keep wearing rain pants if it's not raining?

Sikpupi wrote: »

Am looking for a decent pair of pants that can take a bit of rain

Or are you looking for extremely breathable trousers?


Shorts & gaiters are what I use a lot of the time, waterproof around the ankles and shins to stop the wet vegetation wetting me, airy abought the thighs.

But it depends on the temp/weather.

Alun

If you're looking for walking trousers that are both waterproof and can be worn as normal trousers even when it isn't raining, then one option is to look at what Paramo have to offer.

They're fully waterproof (as long as you look after them) but are unlike most waterproof rain trousers in that a) they have no membrane (GoreTex etc.) to wear out or get damaged and b) are much lighter and less 'crunchy' for want of a better word. They have lots of zipped vents to allow ventilation if it gets a bit warm too.

Now, I don't have any Paramo stuff myself, but a few people I walk with do, and they swear by them. They ain't cheap though

Orion

I have a paramo smock style raincoat - it's the dog's goolies. I've been on night hikes in winter with strong winds with only a base layer underneath - it's an extremely warm and totally rain proof jacket. If the trousers are the same style then you're not going to go wrong with them. They certainly aren't cheap though - my jacket cost €220 - but worth every penny.

That said I generally don't bother with rain trousers unless it's torrential. I wear light hiking trousers - generally kiwis. They don't get heavy and dry out quickly when the rain stops. If it's not freezing I zip off the lower leg section and wear just the gators below the knee.

Steve012

Anything made from Goretex, expensive though. Well used to be.

monkeynuz

Ventile trousers from country innovation they are worn next to the skin but would be too warm for summer/autumn excellent and waterproof and breathable expensive though, can't think of the price or model off hand.

hmmm

A lot of regular hikers would wear a quickdrying pair of ordinary trousers (e.g. softshell, kiwis) as their normal trousers to cope with the occasional shower, and carry rain trousers for heavier/continuous stuff, the lighter the better. The ideal overtrousers are probably something like the Berghaus Goretex Paclite, but they are expensive & relatively fragile (e.g. in heather/crossing barbed wire). Berghaus Helvyllen overtrousers are cheaper & more sturdy, and the Deluge are cheaper still but not gore-tex.

A good long zip is helpful for getting them on and off over boots.

I suspect the problem with your nylon overtrousers is as much sweating from inside as it is rain getting in.

monkeynuz

The ventile is pure cotton and very hard wearing, a no brainier in my opinion.

Mark#1

As others have said, no one pant will cover all requirements - there's always a compromise. Some are better at the compromise than others.

Craghoppers Kiwi are light, dry quickly if wet, breathe perfectly adequately, have the best pocket compliment of any pants, and can be found cheap (under €30 or so) - TK Maxxxx, and the Regatta store in Banbridge Outlet. They're a bit looser than I like, but I can handle that.

The winter-lined Kiwis are as above, but with a fleecy lining. Breathability is reduced, but I've never felt "wet" even during activity.

My faves are the Kiwi Pro Stretch pants. The comfort is unreal, they dry fast, and Regatta in Banbridge were doing them for €33 during the summer.

Regatta's own softshell pants are ****e - really sweaty, not at all breathable.

But all of these will eventually soak up rain - persistent drizzle, heavy downpour, whatever. The advantage of these kinds of pants is that they dry quickly. Washing with a DWR product renews the water repellency very effectively, but again, this eventually wears off, and the pants soak up wet again. Wash with DWR stuff regularly.

Waterproof over trousers are the only pants that will keep rain out. Different fabrics have different levels of breath-ability. Poorly-breathing pants will retain sweat vapour (like condensation on a kitchen window when you're cooking), making you feel damp/wet. IMO, the best pants (and jacket) for breath-ability has been my Rab eVent stuff. But eVent isn't cheap.

I'm sure there are plenty of reasonably breathable waterproof pants out there for reasonable money.

Sounds like the track suit pants and nylon over-trousers need to be resigned to other duties, and some investment made in more suitable stuff. Cotton is generally a big NO-NO while active outdoors.


Mark

monkeynuz

Mark#1 wrote: »

Cotton is generally a big NO-NO while active outdoors.
Mark

Ventile is cotton but acts differently due to the special weave. Not cheap either £345 for coat and £165 for trousers, I wouldn't be without it!!

Cork boy 55

I wear gaiters a lot although i notice they not that popular with other walkers
I don't sweat in them, breathable
not perfect but they are cheap(got a excellent set for 15 euro), light, easy to carry and remove if necessary
Can look a bit stupid LOL
The thing about I notice about a lot of rain is it your lower legs catch a lot more than upper parts
which are kinda protected by body also the gaiters protect you from the wet vegetation and ground, of course if the rain is very heavy or coming in from side they are defeated but they work for a lot of wet weather situations and the wet ground of course.