Where to get decent hiking trousers?

netman

Hi folks, I hope you'd be albe to help me out. I'm looking to do some hiking and I know the weather won't be kind, I expect a lot of "soft Irish days".

I have decent hiking boots and a good jacket and I'm looking for good hiking trousers. I'm not climbing mountains or doing anything mad, this is just to spend a bit of time outdoors in spite of the weather. I'm sticking to trails and expecting light drizzles and muddy ground, so something that's water and wind proof or resistant is required. My jeans get destroyed by the muck and it's not a pleasant feeling when they get soaked either.

I had a look at the Great Outdoors near Jervis and the one near Stephen's Green and haven't found anything suitable. It seems that I have a choice between ski wear which is made for sub-zero temperatures and zero walking, or summer gear with Sun Protection Factor 60 and extremely light. I would prefer something with SPF 0 and a bit of substance to keep me reasonably warm and dry.

I'm obviously looking at the wrong shops, but where should I go?

I've been using these for the past year, and would recommend.

http://www.jackson-sports.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=6206

netman

That looks promising

Are there available in a bricks&mortar store here?

I have a problem with the leg sizes and need to try stuff on before I buy. Most of the pants I've tried are too short, made for fat tiny people rather than me (slightly taller and slightly less fat)

BeardyGit

Only one pair of pants worth considering for what you want - Craghoppers Kiwi Pants.

Neat, warm, tough.

Won't make you look like you took a wrong turn at the foot of the Eiger when you stop to pick up a bottle of uisce and a hang sangwich in the Spar on your way out for the day.

In the past I've paid between 50-60 euro a pair, but lately have enjoyed paying the princely sum of just 25-30 euro in TK Maxx in Carrickmines retail park.

Honestly - Couldn't recommend them enough..... Also come in various waist sizes (28" through to 48", and leg lengths up to 36" as far as I remember)

Gil

ednwireland

I use these from rab
http://www.rab.uk.com/products_softshell_treklite.html
but -big but i've never seen them in ireland but they're windproof and showerproof and stretchy but cost a fortune but best thing I've worn on the hill.

keithm1

Gil_Dub wrote: »

Only one pair of pants worth considering for what you want - Craghoppers Kiwi Pants.

Neat, warm, tough.

Won't make you look like you took a wrong turn at the foot of the Eiger when you stop to pick up a bottle of uisce and a hang sangwich in the Spar on your way out for the day.

In the past I've paid between 50-60 euro a pair, but lately have enjoyed paying the princely sum of just 25-30 euro in TK Maxx in Carrickmines retail park.

Honestly - Couldn't recommend them enough..... Also come in various waist sizes (28" through to 48", and leg lengths up to 36" as far as I remember)

Gil

same as that but its just a shame theyre not waterproof

Alun

keithm1 wrote: »

same as that but its just a shame theyre not waterproof

Errm, that's why they sell waterproof over trousers . You seriously wouldn't want to be hiking regularly in non-wet conditions in waterproof trousers, no matter how breathable they were, believe me.

The thing with the trousers Gil_Dub recommended is that even if they do get wet from a brief shower, which despite popular belief is actually what we get more of here in Ireland than continuous downpours, they dry out again remarkably quickly when the showers stop.

Lilliput69

Once u've walked 10 minutes u will find ur body temp has increased, i usually wear light combats and if needs be a pair of wets over em, both light weight but together they do the job, my combats also dry very quick.

enjoy ur hiking

keithm1

Alun wrote: »

Errm, that's why they sell waterproof over trousers . You seriously wouldn't want to be hiking regularly in non-wet conditions in waterproof trousers, no matter how breathable they were, believe me.

The thing with the trousers Gil_Dub recommended is that even if they do get wet from a brief shower, which despite popular belief is actually what we get more of here in Ireland than continuous downpours, they dry out again remarkably quickly when the showers stop.

i havent been on proper hike since i was a teenager
i use the craghoppers for work and during the summer for a stroll around the pheonix park with the nipper
i started looking at these threads as im on the hunt for a pair of lined water proof pants all i can seem to find that fit the bill are ski ones
and theyre way too heavy
weve decided to carry on our weekends out no matter what the weather
and the young lad is 3 so id be only pottering about i got him the one piece rain suit
can any one recomend the trousers im after

ps. that is some serious value in tk max ive been spending 50-60 quid a pair aswell till i found them there

BeardyGit

Try the Ridge Trouser from Craghopper. Found them on their site recently and thought they look super, despite the RRP in sterling! Here's the skinny:

http://www.craghoppers.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product2_12052_-1_13839_32581_11051_13834

Jackson Sports (Terribly nice people) have them in stock for €75 with free delivery:

http://jackson-sports.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=6642

At least you'll know what size you take from the Kiwi's already for a mail/special order, and you should be fairly confident about quality and comfort level if you like the kiwis already. They look to be fairly similar, and about the same weight at roughly 600g a pair.

Hope that helps - Let us know if you order as I'm sure there are a few here who'd take a pair with a bit of personal feedback from a boardsie. I've enough shell pants already, but I could always squeeze a pair in somewhere if they do the business!

All the best,

Gil

keithm1

Gil_Dub wrote: »

Try the Ridge Trouser from Craghopper. Found them on their site recently and thought they look super, despite the RRP in sterling! Here's the skinny:

http://www.craghoppers.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Product2_12052_-1_13839_32581_11051_13834

Jackson Sports (Terribly nice people) have them in stock for €75 with free delivery:

http://jackson-sports.com/Models.aspx?ModelID=6642

At least you'll know what size you take from the Kiwi's already for a mail/special order, and you should be fairly confident about quality and comfort level if you like the kiwis already. They look to be fairly similar, and about the same weight at roughly 600g a pair.

Hope that helps - Let us know if you order as I'm sure there are a few here who'd take a pair with a bit of personal feedback from a boardsie. I've enough shell pants already, but I could always squeeze a pair in somewhere if they do the business!

All the best,

Gil

thanks for the links gil i probably will buy a pair i the next few weeks

for anyone interested you can get some good bargains on ebay just type in craghoppers

BeardyGit

NP - Let us know how you get on with them.

Gil

L31mr0d

No point starting a new thread. I'm also looking for some good quick drying trousers for some outdoor activities I'll be doing next week. I already have the water proof overalls.

Is there any bricks and mortars I can walk into to buy them quickly? If rummaging in TK Maxx, aside from the names in this thread, is there anything else I should be looking out for?

dogmatix

Nip down to marks and sparks and get and get a pair of their cargo trousers or their stormwear trekking trousers (some models have the zip off leggings for hot weather - yes i know winter is on the way...). I've been walking in these guys for years and never had a problem. Debenhams do something similar too. For serious rain a pair of waterproof overtrousers and/or gaiters will suffice.

I'd never wear jeans out in the hills - very uncomfortable. And nasty when wet.

dogmatix

I've always been tempted to buy genuine "quality-brand" technical walking trousers from the likes of Berghaus/Craghoppers etc but they are always a good 20/30 euros more expensive then the stuff you can pick up in M&S. But most importantly I find synthethic fibres very itchy and scratchy when out in the hills. My last experience with Craghoppers was 6 years ago and it felt like I was wearing a pair of trousers made out of glass wool insulation. Never again - cheap M&S combats and baggy walking trousers since then. Maybe technical trouser comfort has improved in the intervening years?