Hiking Pants - Yes or No?

Just A Mom

Member
For those of you who have sailed hours at a time........Have any of you worn or tried hiking pants? Do they actually work to save your butt and legs from bruising?
 
For those of you who have sailed hours at a time........Have any of you worn or tried hiking pants? Do they actually work to save your butt and legs from bruising?
Indispensable if you plan on hiking...
I have an old very worn pair of large Gul I'm about to retire. Yours if you want them.
E
 
Indispensable if you plan on hiking...
I have an old very worn pair of large Gul I'm about to retire. Yours if you want them.
E

Nice of you to offer.....but I'll buy my son some if needed. It gets harder and harder to find Christmas gifts at his age!

Okay, so what brand is the best? What other things need to be considered when buying hiking pants?
 
I sailed for several years without them, and I never realized just out badly the edge of the deck was cutting into my thighs. They make a world of difference in comfort for me.

You definitely want form-fitting ones made from neoprene or similar stretchy fabric. Old ones used to be canvas and were loose-fitting. I'm not even sure they make these any more.

They have tendency to ride down, so ones with suspenders are helpful. The suspender straps can be annoying, though. For the last few years, I've been using these SEA hiking pants with the "waist lock" feature, basically wide velcro straps. I've been quite happy with them.

SEA Airprene Hiking Pants: Waistlock Shorts
 
I found out the hard way that the kind of pants that have hiking pads that insert into pockets can really give you a sore butt literally. I have some made by Gill that I love, but they grab the deck, so that the pads begin to slide back and forth across some very sensitive areas. My other pants (shorts really, Zhik Deckbeaters) that are skin tight aren't a problem. I solved the problem with my Gills by wearing swim team type jammers plus I added my NRS kayaking pants which are skin tight very thin neoprene.

I didn't experience the rubbing until I got out on Santa Monica Bay for about 3 hours sailing 6 mile-reaches. Lots of fun, but boy was I sore! -- Ed
 
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I didn't experience the rubbing until I got out on Santa Monica Bay for about 3 hours sailing 6 mile-reaches. Lots of fun, but boy was I sore! -- Ed

Yeah, my son sails for 6-9 hours a day when its in season. He complained last year of a sore tush and back of his legs. I would think that many hours a day week after week would take its toll.
 
Oh, I forgot ... I've always had problems with the hiking strap digging into my shins. If it is warm, then pants aren't my first choice -- I love the shorts I mentioned above. I found a solution for those scratched up shins: I bought a pair of used dive booties, made by ScubaPro I think -- the kind that have short zippers on the side. I cut off the sole of the boot and shaped the leftover part to include the flair that was the top of shoe where the laces would be in shoes. I put them on upside down so the narrow part is down near my ankle, just clearing my hiking boots. Zip them on and go sailing!
 
Oh, I forgot ... I've always had problems with the hiking strap digging into my shins. If it is warm, then pants aren't my first choice -- I love the shorts I mentioned above. I found a solution for those scratched up shins: I bought a pair of used dive booties, made by ScubaPro I think -- the kind that have short zippers on the side. I cut off the sole of the boot and shaped the leftover part to include the flair that was the top of shoe where the laces would be in shoes. I put them on upside down so the narrow part is down near my ankle, just clearing my hiking boots. Zip them on and go sailing!

Yes, my son scuba dives as well (in fact, he just finished his Rescue Diver course. Yes, I'm proud! LOL) so he wears scuba booties while he sails for exactly the reasons you mention. Well, that and the lake is disgusting by the dock - green algae they can draw in. YUCK!
 
For casual sailing (2h or so), I like my Camet sailing shorts with the foam inserts
But for 'serious' racing, I like the Sea airprene hikers with the knees. They also come with waist locks these days (I don't have those).

The top guys and gals wear Zhik, but those are $$$.

Many choices, really; the most important thing is the fit.
 
I have a pair of the SEA farmer johns with pads built into the back of the thighs. Would not sail without them. FYI, the soreness your son is experiencing in his gluteus maximus is known colloquially as "Laser A$$."
 

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