Back pockets on pants

[Wandering Daisy]

How do you feel about back pockets on backpacking pants?

I do not like them. Most annoying is that they are uncomfortable because my pack sits on them. (Taller people may not have this problem and their pack may sit higher.) Second, I just do not use back pockets. The two front pockets are enough. Since I do not wear a belt, those back belt loops also are quite uncomfortable.

If the pockets are what is called "patch pockets", just squares sewn on the outside of the pant, they are easy to remove. If they are inset pockets, then probably you should leave them. I finally decided to take the patch pockets off two pair of my hiking pants. Also reinforced the back pant seam (the type that has parallel stitching). The fold-over stitching always unravels first- a little preventive maintenance.

Also put a whole seat patch on my favorite pair. I always wondered why pants did not come this way in the first place. The seat is always the first thing to wear out. Slipping over huge downed tree trunks the last trip did a number on my favorite hiking pants.

Years ago Mountain Hardware had pants specifically for backpacking, with a no-seam section in the back (no seam right down your tailbone) from waist to hip with a cushy soft inner piece and no pockets. No belt loops either. Those were the most comfortable pants I ever had. I cannot find them anymore.

[Shawn]

Many years ago I bought a couple of pairs of Mammut "courmayeur" pants, both of which have withstood the test of time and the mountains really well. They seem to address most of your issues. There is only one back pocket, which I use a lot. The pocket is zippered and really low profile so it doesn't get snagged on anything. The back side and knees are reinforced with an extra layer of material, great for glissading and/or all that knee dragging on cl3/4 areas. The biggest benefit has been the comfort, I just don't need to think about them while hiking, so I can understand how annoying those issues can be.

They were costly at the time, but to this day they're the only backpacking pants I have used, really saving money.

Here you can see the extra material over the knee (there is no zipper here, just extra material). I'd post a picture of the back of the pants, but (butt?) oddly I've never taken a selfie including my backside.

mammut courmayeur pants.jpg

[Gazelle]

I make my own, they have a drawstring waist, and 2 cargo pockets one on each leg, and just barely wide enough to get over my shoes. make them out of supplex, so they are breathable, a little water resistant, and for me if lucky can last me 2 seasons. I drag my butt all over stuff, they are a little slick so dont usually catch on anything. Definitely not a fashion statement!

[Wandering Daisy]

Shawn, I also have old (about 15 years old) Mammut climbing pants, more basic than yours. Mammut makes good stuff. Pockets are set up so that you can access them wearing a climbing harness. I like the thigh pocket. I cut off the label so do not know the "name" of this particular pant- the only label left says "Schoeller dryskin". They are very smooth and comfortable on my legs, and actually dry quickly. Anyway, they had crampon guard material on the lower legs, so now that I do not climb, I replaced the lower leg section with rip-stop nylon. I usually wear knee-high gaiters, so could have left them as "knickers". But the full leg length allows the option to not wear gaiters and still get some bug protection.

Gazelle, I too look really like some refugee with my hiking clothing; seat patches, parts of two different packs, kerchief to hold my hair back and a baseball cap, garden gloves. I really noticed my last few trips that many younger women are really going for "style" and let their hair just hang loose plus lots of skin showing. I do not quite get the leggings trend- mosquitoes can bite right through them. I am also likely one of the few backpackers in the Sierra who wear knee high gaiters.

It is a truism, if you see some totally clothing covered geeky backpacker in the distance it is probably an older person. I have really noticed my skin is more fragile and I am very aware of the potential for sun damage and skin cancer.

[erutan]

I never use back pockets, but rarely am bothered by them. I figure they're an extra layer to protect against abrasion.

I backpack in quick dry pants, long sleeve shirts (loose patagonia thin baselayers), fingerless gloves, and a hat w/ bandana (or OR sun runner etc). People sometimes ask me if it was really cold up high heh. Both of my parents have had chunks of skin taken off due to sun exposure, so it's something I'm aware of (and I can't imagine how scraped up I'd get doing XC in shorts).

Shorts seem to be heavily favored amongst thru-hikers and dayhikers.

[Wandering Daisy]

I too am a fan of "fully covered" while backpacking and add that I love my knee high gaiters, any weather, and I get odd glances from most younger backpackers, who seem to favor showing much skin to the sun (and dust and bushes and bugs).

The pants that had pockets that bothered me had bulky flaps that hit me right where my hip belt sat. I removed the flaps, but not the pockets, which themselves were not a big issue. It depends on how the pockets are sewn on and if they have zippers (these can be painful too) or flaps. Likely tall guys do not have this same problem as short-waisted small women.

[SSSdave]

Wear Levi 505 blue jeans with foam knee pads almost no others wear with a pack and always have my fat wallet in one back pocket, comb in the other, and no items at all in my front pockets. My max tightened up Osprey Aether 70 waist belt does not rest against the pockets but rather my waist at about belt level. And that does bother me since I carry such a heavy weight. On my trip last week over Mono Pass after the first day it had gratingly bruised my skin raw that I've always suffered from occasionally. To remedy that I fold a cotton t-shirt up and place it under the belt. Years ago tried cargo pants with lots of pockets and carrying a pack, any gear in those pockets was annoying. I have zippered pockets on my nylon shell that float freely above the waist belt and always has a folded topo map and Canon ELPH190 easy to get at. Last week:

[John Harper]

You're carrying 61 pounds? Do you bring cast iron cookware? That's like triple the weight I try to carry at most.

John

[SSSdave]

Into my eighth decade of life, little me has had to lower my weight from that of a decade plus ago often 70# when lugging 4x5 view camera gear. Indeed it is strenuously unpleasant, I stop a lot, lower mileage, and vertical effort. Note I get plenty of exercise day hiking carrying UL type weights under 20# much of the year as a photographer.



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