+Yak Man & Yak Girl Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 There are a lot of thorns in my area. I remember reading in an orienteering newsletter about thorn proof pants. After getting completely perforated while hunting a cache, they came back to mind. Anyone know where I can get some? Has anyone tried them? Any reviews? Thanks for any help. Yak Man Quote Link to comment
+Croaker Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 You want sone Filson Double Tin Cloth pants. http://www.filson.com/67.HTM They are not cheap. Croaker Quote Link to comment
ucmike Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 i just think of the scratches as souveniers.... Quote Link to comment
+yumitori Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 (edited) My utilikilt is heavy enough to turn thorns quite nicely. Edited March 12, 2004 by yumitori Quote Link to comment
+RockyRiver Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 (edited) Use the best briar proof and toughest pants made for the money, Carhartt. http://www.carhartt-work-clothes.net/ Goto the Bibs and coverall section. I use the 302 Duck bibs. They are tough as nails and it takes a heck of a thorn to penetrate them. You can get lined and unlined for winter or summer. Edited March 12, 2004 by RockyRiver Quote Link to comment
+Cool Librarian Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 OK, after looking at the utilikilt site, I may have to find a man who wears one of these.... Back OT- If anyone has ideas for women, let me know. Carharts are great, but do not fit me right at all. I have now ripped up every pair of caching pants I own. Quote Link to comment
Trogdor! Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 I've owned and used Carhartt and a couple of different mfgrs "Tin" pants and jackets. (Mostly Brittish made Barbour and Belstaff Thorn-proofs). For most people the Carhartt is the best. The waxed cotten of the Tin makes it impossible to wash and if really used much at all, gets funky. Additionally, the Tin gets real stiff in cold weather. Quote Link to comment
+jelong Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 Thornknickers http://aeorienteering.com/13gaiters.html Quote Link to comment
tlg Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 Go to any place that sells chainsaws and look at the pants or the chaps. Quote Link to comment
+briansnat Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 (edited) I won't say that they are "thorn proof" but I wear these and they do a very good job of warding off the nasty suckers. Thorns generally don't stick to the pants. Once in a while, you'll get some penetration, but they offer pretty good protection and are very lightweight and comfortable, even in extremely hot weather. Edited March 12, 2004 by briansnat Quote Link to comment
+wildearth2001 Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 I am an orienteer and usually just were shorts with some gaiters. I never were pants (except when welding). I get poked and scratched alot above the gaiters but only the occasional cactus get through. They do a great job keeping out the thorns and grass seeds (and I am from AZ were there is nothing but thorns). I use a cheap ($19) pair, you can get gaiters at any ourdoor shop. Quote Link to comment
muddler6 Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 Try some larger Sporting Goods Stores that have a special section for Hunting Clothes and ask for Brush pants or chaps (easily removable for when you don't need them, and eqally easy for when you do, and not too heavy) Quote Link to comment
ghOzt Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 I've found that those 'warm-up' pants, or whatever they're called, work best. You know, the polyester wind/water resistant ones. They are not at all breathable so I don't recommend them for hot, sweaty-type days, but they work well against thorns, believe it or not. The pair I have are made by Reebok with very heavy polyester material. They also have an inner cotton lining which makes them a bit more comfortable. In addition to having thorn protection, you can sit down in a snow bank or be caught in a downpour and have a completely dry lower half (unless you tend to have sweaty legs, of course). Quote Link to comment
+wildearth2001 Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 Yeah I have used my swimming cover pants (and matching jacket) a few times but they do have a tendancy to get caught and rip. The warm ups I use cost 60buck per half of the body (pants 60, jacket 60) so I don;t use them very often Quote Link to comment
Cloak_N_Dagger Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 Cabelas and Bass Pro both sell thorn proof pants: Here's a few quick links. Boar-Hide Pants & Chaps BriarGuard 6-Pocket Upland Pants with Weed Guard Browning® Upland Repel-Tex™ Vest and Overlay Jeans Columbia Upland Jeans Wrangler Pro Gear Brush Pants Filson Shelter Cloth Bibs & Pants Quote Link to comment
ghOzt Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 Yeah I have used my swimming cover pants (and matching jacket) a few times but they do have a tendancy to get caught and rip. The warm ups I use cost 60buck per half of the body (pants 60, jacket 60) so I don;t use them very often Yeah, I could see how they might get caught and rip but I haven't had that problem, yet. A pair like I have can be found at Wal-mart or Shopko for $10 to $12. Quote Link to comment
+NightPilot Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 There are also snake chaps sold at sporting goods stores. If they'll stop a rattlesnake strike, they should be good for thorns. Quote Link to comment
+Johnnie Stalkers Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 Have you considered clear cutting as an alternative? Takes longer but when your done the cache is easy to find. Quote Link to comment
+shawhh Posted March 12, 2004 Share Posted March 12, 2004 hey stalkers, clearcutting will work, but only if you don't cover the cache up with laps, or run over the cache with your skidder! -harry Quote Link to comment
+Yak Man & Yak Girl Posted March 12, 2004 Author Share Posted March 12, 2004 Thanks for the ideas! I will start checking some of the links. NO I will not clear cut! its controlled burn or nothing! Yak Man Quote Link to comment
Bobthearch Posted March 13, 2004 Share Posted March 13, 2004 I highly recommend the Filson "Tin Cloth" material. I don't have the pants, but I do have a jacket and hat made from the same material. If you're not familiar with Filson, I can explain it this way: they're sort of like Carhart, except Filson is ~really~ durable. Filson advertises their clothing as capable of being handed down generation-to-generation. And the catalog is full of stories about how "My Filson Garment Saved My Life." I worked in Arkansas forests for several years, and always used military pants. Be sure to get the winter-weight no matter what time of the year it is; the Summer weight pants won't last in the briars! The army pants aren't "briar-proof" but they're OK, much less expensive than Filson Tin Pants, and comfortable. The pockets are convenient too. Best Luck in the thorns! -Bob Quote Link to comment
martmann Posted March 13, 2004 Share Posted March 13, 2004 ...Filson advertises their clothing as capable of being handed down generation-to-generation... Hmmm not sure if I really would want a pare of pants "handed down" to me, that can't be washed. Quote Link to comment
+rooboy Posted March 13, 2004 Share Posted March 13, 2004 I could not resist. Here is a thorn proof geocaching outfit: Pros: Stops most thorns. Very few people will be brave enough to stop you and ask what you are doing. Cons: Weight, field of view. Ciao RooBoy PS: I still have my thorn scars from my New Years Eve 2003 geocaching outing. Quote Link to comment
+Lone Duck Posted March 13, 2004 Share Posted March 13, 2004 As others have said, hunter's suppy places will have briar proof pants. They do get hot in the summer though, so for geocaching purposes chaps might be a better solution. And the nice thing about chaps is that you can remove them when you don't them. Quote Link to comment
+W8TVI Posted March 15, 2004 Share Posted March 15, 2004 You could also try BDU pants from your local Army Navy Surplus store. I've found that mine work really good for me, and the last alot longer than jeans. Noel Quote Link to comment
+DamOTclese Posted March 16, 2004 Share Posted March 16, 2004 How about making your own out of canvas? When tromping through brush in a survival training facility in Utah, the instructors wore canvas leggings to avoid punctures and also irritants like poison oak, ivy, and sumac. I looked at these coverings and noted that pants made of the greenish grey stuff wouldn't chafe. Quote Link to comment
+Lone Duck Posted March 17, 2004 Share Posted March 17, 2004 Those pants most likely weren't made of canvas (which is hot and heavy) but of a material that allows thorns and such to slip across the surface without snagging. It's when that stuff snags on the cloth is when it starts to poke through, unless you hit the really big ones head on. During the hunting seasons I use my briar proof pants all the time and can go right though most anything. Even then, the best of them will let those really huge thorns scratch you, so I found it best to wear sweats underneath them. Being cold weather, that's another plus as well. When caching, I'm never wearing the pants and have trouble remembering that. I'm so used to just walking straight through everything that I wind up getting really scratched up. Quote Link to comment
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