Why men should wear leggings (compression pants) for hiking!
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 28 ก.ย. 2024
- OK so here's a controversial topic, that probably shouldn't be. For several years now I've worn compression pants (leggings, tights, whatever you want to call them) for ultralight hiking. I cop occasional abuse and a lot of weird looks, but to me they are the only way I can do the distances I want to travel without significant pain and discomfort. Who's game to admit to doing the same? Or if not why not?
In this video I present an overview of the pro's and con's, but in short (summarised below)...
Pros
Comfort
General prevention of upper thigh chaffing and heat rashes
Stay cool (reason man bits are on the outside of the body)
No belt or thick material under the harness waist belt to bunch up, dig in and rub
Don't have to remove in hot weather (which would add bulk + weight to pack)
WAY lighter than regular hiking pants and way more packable when not worn
Work as base layer under shell or pants
Don't get caught on things as easily as pants or trip me up (Why runners wear them?)
Excellent sun protection vs shorts
Dry VERY fast. Don't have to worry if my pants get wet from rain or stream crossings.
Flexibility and mobility
Lack of snag points
Reasonably durable
Bit of tick protection maybe?
No need for a belt (which creates problems with a pack hip belt)
Possibly assist with performance?
Cons
People give you strange looks and occasional insults
Little/no insect protection (need to treat fabric)
Little protection from thorns and sharp brush (but way better than shorts)
Not much warmth in cold climates (use as base layer).
No convenient pockets?!? (although some hiking specific leggings have pockets)
Other videos on the topic of men wearing leggings for hiking...
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#ultralight
#ulbackpacking
Great reviews & points on outdoor clothing. More hikers & backpackers nowadays tend to be more aware with issues with health when spending time outdoors, whether it's Summer or Winter and in between. Safety first is FIRST. Thank you for sharing your experiences. Cheers mate. Stay safe.
No worries, thanks for commenting.
Bike riders use them too. They are so good. I love my sport leggings for hiking and at work too. Mine have pockets. You don’t need rain pants because leggings dry so fast. (I’m in tropics)
Also recently bought a “bum bag” with a water bottle holder. Apparently they are back in fashion. Ha!
Absolutely, perfect for the tropics and dry really quick in most environments. Main reason I carry rain pants now is for warmth and wind protection at night (and really cold conditions, snow). Also good to change into if washing other gear or to look a bit more presentable in town (wind pants would do much of the same thing).
I used a bum bag for a while (mainly for my camera) but I swapped to a chest pouch because I wanted more volume and with the extra volume/weight it needed to be above my hips rather than below to be comfortable. That's in a different video. The bum bags are popular and some great options around from different cottage manufacturers.
I wear them to work out.
Yup i agree! This is not an opinion, but of a fact, the only people who are threatened by this are insecure, hypocritical, and fragile xD
Women are so lucky it is what it is ! 🤷🏻♂️
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This is such a good video. I hiked my first thru hike in April this year in England. It was the South Downs Way - a 100 mile hike. After researching it all, I ended up using budget running leggings with quick-dry shorts (that had zipped pockets) on top. It worked very well for me - for all of the reasons you describe. Mobility was especially key. You feel very free, no snagging and no noise of material flapping or rubbing. I was wearing my leggings down to 0 degrees C so first thing in the morning after breaking camp they were briefly nippy! However it encouraged me to start off briskly and I soon built up warmth. I also noticed they dried pretty quickly in light showers. Sometimes I didn’t bother with stopping and putting on the waterproof trousers. Great video. ATB- Ben 🇬🇧
Thanks! Great to hear similar positive experiences.
Would love to check out some of the walking in the UK some time.
Its about functionality anyway all the power to you
Thanks!
lol who cares what people think! Im going on a 4 day hike and it sounds like a no brainer. No chaffing!
Thanks Simon. I appreciate you taking the time to share your thoughts and experiences. Sounds like a good idea to me.
No worries, thanks. As always, just my opinion/experience but I've found they work really well.
Do you wear underwear underneath? If not, don't they get soiled / dirty after a while?
yes wear underwear