Do I really need pants for the JMT???

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longri
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Re: Do I really need pants for the JMT???

Post by longri »

Wandering Daisy wrote:4 oz long johns and 1 oz rain pants?? What brand? Where do you get these? Cost??
The longjohns are Helly Hansen. They were a gift from about ten years ago. I hated them and stuck them in the back of a drawer. Then a couple of years ago decided I liked them after all. I put them on the scale and found they were lighter (123g) than the bicycle tights (206g) I usually wear. They aren't as warm though so they are mid-summer leggings for me.

I've wondered about women's nylons as an alternative legging. Never tried it though. I'd probably have to shave first.
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Re: Do I really need pants for the JMT???

Post by Wandering Daisy »

I am going to try a rain skirt this summer. I will make it out of cheaper and heavier coated nylon just to try the concept. If it works, I would buy some Cuben material. Do you think Cuben material will come down in price as it is used more? I found it on the internet for $40 a yard plus shipping. For me, a few ounces difference is not worth the cost.

One thing to consider on the JMT, or any long thru-hike, is that if you have to make lots of miles, you may be forced to walk in rain, rather than just hunker down. You really need to keep a set of dry clothes to change into when you stop. Although my core temperature may be warm because of all the walking in the rain, my legs are often really chilled. I really like to always have my long johns. Not that I absolutely need them, but they make evenings and mornings a lot more bearable when temperatures drop and allow me to warm up faster when I hop into the sleeping bag. Honestly, the 6-7 ounces I would save by not taking them can easily be made up by taking 1 oz. less food per day, or just carrying a cup or so less water while hiking.
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longri
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Re: Do I really need pants for the JMT???

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I believe the price has risen a little bit in the last few years. And Cuben was purchased by another company recently and goes by some other name now. I wouldn't count on it becoming inexpensive anytime soon. It would be nice if it did though. I would buy more if the price were half what it is.
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Re: Do I really need pants for the JMT???

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I believe the price has risen a little bit in the last few years. And Cuben was purchased by another company recently and goes by some other name now. I wouldn't count on it becoming inexpensive anytime soon. It would be nice if it did though.
Wonder if it was purchased by a drug company!
Mike

Who can't do everything he used to and what he can do takes a hell of a lot longer!
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longri
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Re: Do I really need pants for the JMT???

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oldranger wrote:
I believe the price has risen a little bit in the last few years. And Cuben was purchased by another company recently and goes by some other name now. I wouldn't count on it becoming inexpensive anytime soon. It would be nice if it did though.
Wonder if it was purchased by a drug company!
A few excerpts from an FAQ from Hyperlite Mountain Gear, a retailer that sells products constructed from Cuben fiber, now called Dyneema Composite Fabric:

"DSM Dyneema acquired U.S. manufacturer, Cubic Technologies, May 2015. DSM is a large, global, Dutch company active in the health, nutrition and material sciences industries, and is also the inventor and manufacturer of the Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMwPE) fibers branded as Dyneema®...."

"...In an effort to mobilize market awareness for their technologies, avoid consumer confusion, and improve long-term brand equity, DSM decided to change the name Cuben Fiber to “Dyneema Composite Fabrics.” The Dyneema® fiber brand name is already well recognized. To date, the Cuben Fiber name has had no direct correlation to the technologically advanced Dyneema® fibers that it is made from. So it only makes sense to better align the brand following the acquisition by better aligning its naming scheme....

"Raw material prices are increasing. But, in fairness to DSM, this is the first price increase we’ve experienced since inception; an indication that DSM is attempting to drop their prices relative to larger economic and inflationary metrics. Several outdoor gear competitors have increased prices for 2016. Consumers can also expect small 2016 retail price increases for Hyperlite Mountain Gear products beginning in the spring of 2016. However, our price increases will be nominal as we strive to keep end user prices as low as possible in comparison to traditional alternatives....

"...There is no doubt we would love to see pricing for Dyneema® based raw materials decrease in the long run. We are highly confident it would accelerate the ubiquity of consumer adoption for a technological advancement that is so beneficial, we think everyone should be embracing it. We hope DSM will continue to find the most appropriate balance between their economics of demand, supply and price as we know from experience that the only thing slowing the growth of Dyneema® based products in the massive outdoor industry is the end consumer price compared to traditional alternatives."
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oldranger
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Re: Do I really need pants for the JMT???

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longri

My comment was tongue in cheek based on increases in drug costs over the past 15 years. One drug favored by old farts like me :unibrow: has increased in cost by a factor of 10!
Mike

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longri
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Re: Do I really need pants for the JMT???

Post by longri »

oldranger wrote:My comment was tongue in cheek...
I know.
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