Women's Hiking Pants - thornproof?!?

[+ImJustAGirl]

I need to get some good hiking pants.

Preferrably thornproof (or close to it)

 

Any recommendations??

 

Thanks!

 

Merry Christmas!!

[+StarBrand]

A bit combersome maybe but.....

 

 

from this site:

http://www.medieval-chain-mail-armor.com/leggings.html

[+Miragee]

Since I have ruined quite a few pairs of hiking pants while Geocaching, I get "cheap" ones from Sierra Trading Post. That is a better option than paying $65 dollars for a pair of Prana pants at REI . . . and then ruining those . . .

 

Edit to fix link ...

Edited December 13, 2007 by Miragee

[+meralgia]

[+ImJustAGirl]

A bit combersome maybe but.....

 

 

from this site:

http://www.medieval-chain-mail-armor.com/leggings.html

 

That is the best!! I love it!!

These are actually a gift for my mother - that would be hilarious!

[+ImJustAGirl]

 

Another good choice!!

[+Isonzo Karst]

I don't know that thorn proof is an option, at least without getting the armor leggings in StarBrand's post.

 

I mostly wear nylon convertible pants these days. They'll shed most thorns, and saw palmetto, provided you move with a modicum of caution. Various levels of expense and various weights of fabric are available. Heavier weight doesn't = greater protection. It seems to be a function of tightness of weave. Something that's hard to judge online. Nylon is very long wearing, so even if you pay a bit more for it, you'll get a lot of use out of it.

[+briansnat]

There is nothing that is thorn proof, but a good pair of nylon hiking pants will certainly help protect your legs. They also have the advantage of being wind resistant and drying quickly should they get wet.

 

In most respects nylon outperforms cotton pants, so are the best choice for outdoor wear.

 

Some models have zip off pant legs so you can switch to shorts if it gets too warm.

 

Most outdoor clothing mfrs make them. North Face, Sportif, Columbia, Marmot, Lowe Alpine, Mountain Hard Wear, Patagonia, ExOfficio, LL Bean, REI and others.

 

Here are a few that would probably work nicely:

 

REI Hiking Pants

 

Ex Officio Excursion

 

LL Bean Timberledge

 

Columbia Venture (my wife has these and really likes them).

 

North Face Paramount

Edited December 13, 2007 by briansnat

[+fairyhoney]

I just wear good old jeans. they keep most out

[+fairyhoney]

I just wear good old jeans. they keep most out

 

Got to thinking that Maybe you guys climb . . . I guess that would be a diiferent subject as I tend to stay low.

[+ImJustAGirl]

fairyhoney - that's where I got my name - love that song

 

"I'm just a girl

Guess I'm some kind of freak

'Cause they all sit and stare

With their eyes

I'm just a girl

Take a good look at me

Just your typical prototype."

[+9Key]

Firehose canvas is extremely tough material and would hold up to thorns well. A friend of mine swears by the stuff for use on his construction sites.

[bogleman]

Firehose canvas is extremely tough material and would hold up to thorns well. A friend of mine swears by the stuff for use on his construction sites.

I've got a pair of those, very comfortable. I did get a snag & pulled a couple of threads Still got a few pokes but nothing too bad. Much better than plowing your way through in a pair of shorts

 

Been looking at some chaps, but they are a bit pricey

[+CurmudgeonlyGal]

I need to get some good hiking pants.

Preferrably thornproof (or close to it)

 

Any recommendations??

 

Thanks!

 

Merry Christmas!!

 

That's a tough call, as you've read. In the thorny southern US states I wore shorts and quite frequently tore my skin to shreds (either via the thorn route, or via scratching the areas exposured to poison ivy!) - but I chose that route b/c it was far easier for me to maintain a tick-free state in shorts than in pants.

 

Seriously though (well, that was serious, but this is moreso), the nylon hiking pants as most have suggested DO hold up pretty well and have the added lightweight, quick to dry benefits.

 

I have REI pants with zip-off legs and Columbia hiking pants, also with zip off legs. They're functional, but not the height of fashion.

 

For a little extra added security against anti-tear, you could also get her a pair of these. They're great and I KNOW some of the folks around here carry things that are more strange than that.

 

michelle

[+Stunod]

Cabela's BriarGuard Chaps & pants

 

They don't have women's versions, though.

[+Isonzo Karst]

The chaps would really be unisex. These half chaps would work too. I have leather half chaps for riding (horse) I've worn them a couple of times when I knew that the briars would be bad. Total protection to the knee - but warm and not something that does well wet.

[+Team FIREBOY]

I wear BDU's. They come in a variety of colors. have lots of pockets.. and the blousing cords at the bottom help to tighten the pants at the ankle. Firefighters, EMS and the military have been using them for years. You can find good prices almost everywhere. Check a local military surplus store.. or Galls.com. I live where Seirra Trading Post mails out there orders.. and they have a HUGE warehouse store.... I still find BDU's to e a better choice to what is available at this kind of store.

[+Mule Ears]

5.11 Tactical Pants in nylon canvas--excellent thorn and branch resistance. They don't make a women's model of the nylon canvas pants, but the cotton canvas is probably almost as tough.

[Keystone]

Moving to the Hiking and Backpacking forum.

[+Ambrosia]

I wear BDU's. They come in a variety of colors. have lots of pockets.. and the blousing cords at the bottom help to tighten the pants at the ankle. Firefighters, EMS and the military have been using them for years. You can find good prices almost everywhere. Check a local military surplus store.. or Galls.com. I live where Seirra Trading Post mails out there orders.. and they have a HUGE warehouse store.... I still find BDU's to e a better choice to what is available at this kind of store.

Yup, I wear them whenever I can while caching. They are water resistant, and are great for thorns. But not very girlie, I suppose. I love them though, and don't mind sitting or kneeling in mud and stuff. I have two kinds, desert and woodland camo.

 

(My friends joke that my legs disapear in pictures.)

 

[+Seasoned Warrior]

I need to get some good hiking pants.

Preferrably thornproof (or close to it)

 

Any recommendations??

 

Thanks!

 

Merry Christmas!!

 

Gaiters come in thornproof and even snakeproof in various materials including leather. The gaiters fit over your regular clothing and may be more comfortable in the long run. Do a Google search there are many types of gaiters available.

[+Elminster7781]

You people that use BDU's do you prefer the summers or winters to hike in?

 

I never even thought of using them, I have a lot laying around I don't use since we went to the new digital camo ACUs now.

[+Rattlebars]

I need to get some good hiking pants.

Preferrably thornproof (or close to it)

 

Any recommendations??

 

Thanks!

 

Merry Christmas!!

 

I just make sure I wear the pants I tore the first time.

[+Lucy & Roo]

Moleskins are thorn proof. In fact they are cat claw proof, which is why I wear them to work every day, as well as for bushwalking! They are very comfortable and get better with age, and very long lasting. The cloth comes in various weights for summer and winter wear. Moleskin cloth is used by various manufacturers.

[+coggins]

You people that use BDU's do you prefer the summers or winters to hike in?

 

I never even thought of using them, I have a lot laying around I don't use since we went to the new digital camo ACUs now.

Both. DCU's in the summer, ECWCS in the winter.

Edited December 14, 2007 by coggins

[+Ambrosia]

You people that use BDU's do you prefer the summers or winters to hike in?

 

I never even thought of using them, I have a lot laying around I don't use since we went to the new digital camo ACUs now.

Both. DCU's in the summer, ECWCS in the winter.

Honestly, I have no idea what I have. I received my pants from a friend (GeoAspen), after she came back from Iraq a couple years ago, and thought she was leaving the military. Afterwards, she continued (and is in Iraq again, at the moment), but it didn't matter because they changed all the uniforms over to the new ones.

[slever]

ROYAL ROBBINS

 

I HAVE 3 PAIRS I USE JUST FOR GEOCACHING

 

100% Supplex® nylon, THAT IS THE KEY, THEY ARE ALMOST WINDPROOF THEY ARE SO TIGHTLY WOVEN.

 

GREAT FOR REPELING THORNS

 

HERE'S THE LINK ROYAL ROBBINS SUPPLEX PANT

[+briansnat]

100% Supplex® nylon...

 

Supplex is a great material. Cordura is another very good one.

 

Supplex has more of a comfortable, cottony feel. Cordura is more durable and abrasion resistant.

 

Both have tight weaves that will resist thorns. You can't go wrong with pants made from either.

[+Isonzo Karst]

Those are some nice looking women's nylon pants (the Royal Robbins). Pity they don't mention whether there's a back pocket.

 

Many women's pants nylon convertible try to be *fashionable*. I guess they feel the need. Unfortunately they accomplish this by minimizing pockets (no cargo pockets, no back pockets, tiny shallow pockets) for a "clean look", and the short rise that's fashionable among the teen set. Short rise being what we used to call hip huggers. Fine in a fashion trow, but not exactly ideal in a pant that you're wearing on a long hike and would like to carry some stuff in the pockets.

 

I finally gave up and made myself a pair out of some OD green supplex. I'll probably do it again, but without bothering with the hardest part of the construction, the zip off leg. I rarely use it, the zip at the leg bottom makes it pretty easy to just open that and roll them above the knee if it's hot or I'm wading. Last time I got into serious wading, I ended up just taking off the entire trow anyway as it looked to be waist deep (it was) and I wanted to have dry clothes for the long return.

[+CurmudgeonlyGal]

Those are some nice looking women's nylon pants (the Royal Robbins). Pity they don't mention whether there's a back pocket.

 

Many women's pants nylon convertible try to be *fashionable*. I guess they feel the need. Unfortunately they accomplish this by minimizing pockets (no cargo pockets, no back pockets, tiny shallow pockets) for a "clean look", and the short rise that's fashionable among the teen set. Short rise being what we used to call hip huggers. Fine in a fashion trow, but not exactly ideal in a pant that you're wearing on a long hike and would like to carry some stuff in the pockets.

 

I finally gave up and made myself a pair out of some OD green supplex. I'll probably do it again, but without bothering with the hardest part of the construction, the zip off leg. I rarely use it, the zip at the leg bottom makes it pretty easy to just open that and roll them above the knee if it's hot or I'm wading. Last time I got into serious wading, I ended up just taking off the entire trow anyway as it looked to be waist deep (it was) and I wanted to have dry clothes for the long return.

 

REI does a pretty good job with their Sahara Convertible Pants..

 

Plenty of pockets, zip-at-the-ankle (easy on-off over shoes), zip just above the knee...

 

Despite some of the reviews by people who have them, they do NOT have a short rise ... unfortunately. They are at, or just below the belly button. If someone finds or knows of a truly short-rise womans hiking pant with a long inseam (greater than 31") in _small_ sizes... post about it here! I might be happy enough to have something like that I'd be willing to forgo the pockets.

 

 

michelle

[+Isonzo Karst]

Ah CurmudeonlyGal, you have my sympathies. Not being in a standard size range.....

 

Many years ago I taught myself to sew, not because I enjoyed it, but because it was clearly the only way I was going afford to have clothes that fit.

It's easier now for a lot of clothing, women's tall sizes are common (they were non-existent in the 60s) and the fashion shift to 'relaxed fit' is more forgiving. I still make my own jeans and now nylon pants, because I perfected that pattern for me and I'm spoiled by that perfect fit.

[MarcusArelius]

Honestly, I have no idea what I have. I received my pants from a friend (GeoAspen), after she came back from Iraq a couple years ago, and thought she was leaving the military. Afterwards, she continued (and is in Iraq again, at the moment), but it didn't matter because they changed all the uniforms over to the new ones.

 

Boy, before I got to your last statement I had a really wierd image of your friend in Iraq without pants.

 

I wear nylon zip-offs for hiking for the reasons already stated. For crashing through the brush I simply cover them with gaiters. They're like the half-chaps but also protect your shoe laces and keep stuff from getting in the top of your boots. For example sand, dirt, pine needles, pebbles, and water to some degree.

 

I am in an organization that is a little behind the times and thinks that rubberized rain gear is for bushwhacking. Wrong!

[+mvigor]