Do I really need pants for the JMT???

Share your advice and personal experiences, post a gear review or ask any questions you may have pertaining to outdoor gear and equipment.
User avatar
Wandering Daisy
Topix Docent
Posts: 6642
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:19 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Fair Oaks CA (Sacramento area)
Contact:

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

Post by Wandering Daisy »

Oh, just took another look at the OP. late June to mid-July. MOSQUITOES!!! I would never hike in shorts at peak mosquito season. Mosquitoes can also bite through thin leggings. Loose light-weight "bug-off" treated hiking pants or zip-offs is what I would use. I do not mind slathering sunscreen on my legs, but not insect repellant. I favor the "cover up" method this time of year.
User avatar
edhyatt
Topix Regular
Posts: 139
Joined: Tue Mar 03, 2015 12:16 am
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

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

Post by edhyatt »

You guys need to embrace the joys of Wilmas Nordic Summer http://www.woodland-ways.co.uk/buy-onli ... t-113.html repellant...it appeared to confuse the Sierra mosquito....

But covering up is better.
User avatar
tyler675108
Topix Newbie
Posts: 4
Joined: Mon Feb 29, 2016 5:10 pm
Experience: N/A

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

Post by tyler675108 »

Thanks for all the insight guys! Looks like I'm gonna buy a pair of convertible pants just to be safe!
User avatar
paul
Topix Expert
Posts: 787
Joined: Thu Mar 15, 2007 3:35 pm
Experience: N/A

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

Post by paul »

I do shorts, long johns, and very light wind pants. The combination is lighter than most pants, much warmer when worn all together, and much more versatile. I very rarely wear more than the shorts on the trail. In camp the long johns are very comfy, and make nice jammies. The windpants are skeeter proof for the evenings, and of course for wind or just added warmth over the shorts or over the longs.
User avatar
longri
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1082
Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2012 9:13 am
Experience: N/A

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

Post by longri »

I do the same as Paul except that I carry waterproof pants instead of just wind pants. I don't know what zip-off convertible pants weigh but at 8.6oz my summertime setup is pretty light: shorts(3.1oz), longjohns(4.3oz), rainpants(1.2oz), although shorts does mean taking a little extra sunscreen and sometimes mosquito repellent.
User avatar
Wandering Daisy
Topix Docent
Posts: 6642
Joined: Sun Jan 24, 2010 8:19 pm
Experience: N/A
Location: Fair Oaks CA (Sacramento area)
Contact:

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

Post by Wandering Daisy »

4 oz long johns and 1 oz rain pants?? What brand? Where do you get these? Cost?? My rain pants and long johns are each about 7 oz - older gear but I had not realized that new stuff has gotten so light. I am green with envy!
User avatar
markskor
Founding Member - RIP
Posts: 2442
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 5:41 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Crowley Lake and Tuolumne Meadows

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

Post by markskor »

Also one of those who lives in shorts. However, also carry light X-Country ski pants, waterproof and mosquito-proof (even though have only put these on a hand-full of times all last season... Usually function mostly as my pillow?)
My thought is that even though long pants are seldom needed in the summer Sierra, when you do need them, glad to have them along.
BTW, personally, dislike all of those convertible (zip-off) pants...the zippers irk my knees.
Mountainman who swims with trout
User avatar
maverick
Forums Moderator
Forums Moderator
Posts: 11823
Joined: Thu Apr 06, 2006 5:54 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer

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

Post by maverick »

4 oz long johns and 1 oz rain pants?? What brand?
ZPacks "Cuben Fiber Pants" at 3.6 oz is totted as being the lightest (3.6 oz for small), 1 oz waterproof/breathable pants by what company?
Professional Sierra Landscape Photographer

I don't give out specific route information, my belief is that it takes away from the whole adventure spirit of a trip, if you need every inch planned out, you'll have to get that from someone else.

Have a safer backcountry experience by using the HST ReConn Form 2.0, named after Larry Conn, a HST member: http://reconn.org
User avatar
markskor
Founding Member - RIP
Posts: 2442
Joined: Fri Oct 28, 2005 5:41 pm
Experience: Level 4 Explorer
Location: Crowley Lake and Tuolumne Meadows

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

Post by markskor »

1 oz rain pants?
Are those the clear plastic, 2ml. "put them on once, and tear them up immediately" model? Been there.
Sorry, (respectfully) doubt you could rely on for long/ do serious hiking wearing any rain pant that light weight. YMMV.

RE the Cuban Fiber rain pants...cost?...and do they continuously make that CF crinkle noise too?
Mountainman who swims with trout
User avatar
longri
Topix Fanatic
Posts: 1082
Joined: Mon Aug 13, 2012 9:13 am
Experience: N/A

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

Post by longri »

markskor wrote:1 oz rain pants?
Are those the clear plastic, 2ml. "put them on once, and tear them up immediately" model? Been there.
Sorry, (respectfully) doubt you could rely on for long/ do serious hiking wearing any rain pant that light weight. YMMV.

RE the Cuban Fiber rain pants...cost?...and do they continuously make that CF crinkle noise too?
Mine are homemade from 0.5oz Cuben. Very simple design, mostly taped (it took about an hour to make them), with 1/16" shock cord around the waist and a couple of tabs of velcro at the ankle in case I need to close them up for warmth. They are so light and silky that they have surprisingly nice feel to them, kind of like nylon running pants but lighter. I made them from leftover Cuben scraps but the cost of the materials was probably around $30.

The fabric doesn't breath but some air circulates from the ankle openings. Goretex would be better but in my experience it's only a marginal difference in many circumstances. I often end up wet from perspiration under my WPB rain gear after a certain point.

Anyway, although rainpants have at times been extremely useful for me I usually don't need them and got tired of carrying my 7oz WPB pair. The only problem with the Cuben ones is that my pillow has less loft now.

edit: I got the idea from a post on BPL. That guy used lighter weight Cuben but made his pants a little more complicated so his and mine ended up weighing the same.
Last edited by longri on Sat Mar 05, 2016 10:59 am, edited 1 time in total.
Post Reply

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 40 guests