cold weather overpants

[hikerfast]

looking for something for your legs if you had to stay overnight unexpectedly. my buddy had an old quallofill suit with pants that were nice becuase they would go right on without taking the boots off. i cant remember if they zipped or had velcro. down or synthetic or whatever. a big jacket is nice if you had to an unplanned overnight or were injured in the cold, but i never see anything about thick pants to put on over. any thoughts or ideas?

 

[Jkrew81]

I have these and they are amazing

http://www.wildthingsgear.com/ep_pants.html

They provide just the right amount of warmth and you do not have to take your boots off to put them on. Patagonia and Mtn Hardwear have similari offerings.

 

[DougPaul]

I have a pair of side-zip (normal) fleece pants. They go on over my regular pants without difficulty and fit under my side-zip shell pants.

I carry them as emergency bivouac gear or for camping when it is really cold. Never needed them when in motion. Also good for cold-weather lift-served skiing where you don't generate much heat.

Doug

 

[Zer0-G]

I use Montbell ThermaWrap. Very Warm, Lightweight.

They have a top and bottom piece. Bought separately. As well as a Thermawrap vest.

Great warmth to weight ratio.

I wouldn't classify the pants as over pants. I could if needed, use them in combo under shell pants. Or with rain pants donned over them.

 

[sardog1]

I have a pair of side-zip (normal) fleece pants. They go on over my regular pants without difficulty and fit under my side-zip shell pants.

I carry them as emergency bivouac gear or for camping when it is really cold. Never needed them when in motion. Also good for cold-weather lift-served skiing where you don't generate much heat.

Doug

Yeah, what he said. Plus they are part of a sleeping system to extend a sleeping bag's range. They'll fit almost anybody that needs extra clothing in a pinch. They do need a nylon shell to keep the wind out. I have worn them in motion, but it was way below zero. (Only drawback is that my wife dislikes the color of the bright red, logger suspenders that I bought to hold them up.) I found them for an amazing price at a discount store -- "You better shop around . . ."

 

[Lawn Sale]

I always bring a pair of Gore-Tex full zip overpants. I've used them a few times when the wind has gotten really bad, like on top of Lafayette when it started sleeting in 60+ mph winds.

Check on Ebay, I know there are a few pairs on there now, depending on what size you are.

 

[hikerfast]

what i got is...polypo..then wind pants. i bring 300 weight fleece to put on under if its real cold. what im talking about is something to put over that quickly if you get injured or out overnight. id like to carry them also in case another person in the group has a problem. perhaps with my 3 layers, i need nothing else? im not sure. i saw some thick down pants on ebay but they are gone, the whole search only showed up one pair.

 

[HAMTERO]

I like these

http://www.prolitegear.com/pl_id_denali_pant.html
windproof,warm as toast, great for puttin' up the tent, sleeping in, wakin' up so you don't freeze you ass off, wear them above treeline when it's nasty. My softshell pants will dry out if I wear these over them for a while.

 

[hikerfast]

Hamtero, those pants look like just what im looking for, as long as they are thick enough. darn nice. says they are as thick as 3 layers of fleece. hope more ideas keep coming on the thead though to compare. if I was going to invent what i wanted..i would make down pants 2 or 3 inches thick to go around the legs, with velcro as tight as on my gaiters. I practically need pliars to take them off. I'm surprised I'm having this much trouble finding them. Those monster down pants on ebay yesterday were private sale, I couldn't tell what company made them.

 

[Zer0-G]

i saw some thick down pants on ebay but they are gone, the whole search only showed up one pair.

My Opinion: You better stay away from down. Especially if your intended use is an unexpected bivy. If you have to stay out overnight or if you get hurt and need warmth, the last thing you want to worry about under those conditions is having to keep your down clothing dry.

I would be looking to put something syntheic and very warm on over my base layer and then cover that with a wind proof garment i.e. a lightweight rain jacket/pants combo, 3m propore, gore-tex a nice windproof / water proof shell.

It's got to be enough to get you through a night. Not to mention you better have some shelter i.e. a bivy sack. Something quick and easy to set up.

Whatever you carry, think of the total system as multi-function, multi use garments/elements that in the end will give you warmth and shelter and at the same time keeping the weight reasonable.

If I am going out solo for example in additon to layering my garments intelligently, I'll pack an OR waterproof bivy shelter.

Actually, I usually pack as if I am going out for the night regardless, full pack. Food for an overnight and breakfast.

If you don't bring extra or enough food, you can sit in a zero degree bag plus clothes with a 4 season tent and still freeze you butt off because you have no fuel, stoking your engine.

If I am going with a group, I usually bring less, but I always bring a layered system for clothes to make sure I am warm and dry if I get in trouble.

 

[hikerfast]

you make good points. i have 3 layers for legs already. the kind of cold im talking about is the kind where wet isnt such an issue. or just to throw on someones legs if they were hurt until we got them out, in addition to a monster parka i always carry. . the bivy stuff i would have. thanks for the input!

 

[HighHorse]

i love wild things, but the EP pant is not really a great insulator in terms of what hikerfast is looking for. honestly, feathered friends, while typically expensive, has some pretty great stuff available for under $200 in the overpants/insulating pants department.
check out the helios pant or volant pant. light, packable, and real warm.
http://www.featheredfriends.com/gar...?productId=5&CatId=2&ProductName=Helios Pants

 

[hikerfast]

what do you mean by wild things. what did you think of the integral designs?

 

[pks4000]

Ive looked at the Wild Things pants and they look like a good pant for a bivy or unusually bad conditions. (last week up high?)
Now I use med weight MtHardwear fleece with XCR full zip shell pants and ust under the knee Mt.H XCR gaitors which give a triple layer down low below the knee where we need it. I may switch to the Wild Things ep pant which make sense if we have to assist others without. Great post, good info.
Now the Feathered Friends down pants in the Event fabric look like the choice.
Hell, where's my thick welted red checkered flannel trousers when I need 'em?

 

[HighHorse]

if I was going to invent what i wanted..i would make down pants 2 or 3 inches thick to go around the legs, with velcro as tight as on my gaiters.

the feathered friends pants are what you have described above. i like the ID pants, it's just personally, for the conditions you've described (and i think i know perfectly what you mean), i'd rather have much more loft than they offer. somebody brought up the down versus synthetic issue. for jackets, i'm pro-synthetic, provided it's high loft and warm (i have and love the patagonia DAS parka). jackets are the type of thing you take on and off, and want to wear them episodically (i'll frequently wear mine above tree line). it's a more "active" piece. but pants of the nature you describe, you really only put them on when you aren't gonna move for a while. and as you mentioned, in most bivy situations when wearing these things would even be appropriate, i wouldn't be very concerned about getting them wet. just my two pennies.

when i said wild things, i meant the brand- the maker of the aforementioned EP pant. but i like wild things in general.

 

[jfb]

I also have a pair of ID Denali pants and have found that they are very warm and easy to get on or off with boots on. They are also about 6 inches longer than I would like so I turn the bottom hems of the legs up inside the pants and let them drape over my boots. I have noticed that if the fully separating zippers are separated, it's a littke tricky to get them started again so I usually don't do that. I also wish they had pockets. They pack easily into the silnylon stuff sack and weigh about 19 oz.

 

[Jkrew81]

i love wild things, but the EP pant is not really a great insulator in terms of what hikerfast is looking for. honestly, feathered friends, while typically expensive, has some pretty great stuff available for under $200 in the overpants/insulating pants department.
check out the helios pant or volant pant. light, packable, and real warm.
http://www.featheredfriends.com/gar...?productId=5&CatId=2&ProductName=Helios Pants

I agree, Wild Things make a great product even though on the pricey side. I have had the EP's for about 2 years and have found them to be just enough with my other layers. It is amazing what one layer of Prima can do.

 

[Dugan]

More than just pants

How 'bout a selk'bag?

http://www.musuchouse.com/

http://us.gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/selkbag-sleeping-bag-153211.php
http://www.tranism.com/weblog/archives/2006/02/selkbag.html

 

[Zer0-G]

looking for something for your legs if you had to stay overnight unexpectedly. my buddy had an old quallofill suit with pants that were nice becuase they would go right on without taking the boots off. i cant remember if they zipped or had velcro. down or synthetic or whatever. a big jacket is nice if you had to an unplanned overnight or were injured in the cold, but i never see anything about thick pants to put on over. any thoughts or ideas?

Getting back to the original idea....After I read the post about the denali pants weighing in at 19 ounces....I have the denali Jacket and I think it is great.

However, if you are going to be out in 10 degrees and below and are probably going to be wearing good shell pants one would probably be able to pop them off pretty easily for a few seconds in order to pull on a nice synthetic lightweigt and warm insulating layer and pull the shell pants on fairly easily over them. That's why I would go for Mont Bell's Thermawrap pants or some lightweight alternative. The Therma wrap top and Bottom together are maybee a pound. And would be worn under your outer shell garments.

The only reason I am coming back to this idea and actually shooting down what I just noted above, is if you are going to be out unexpectedly or possibly injured, you might not want to deal with putting on pants etc..at all. Which to me means, if you are going to carry pants that weigh 19 ounces like the ID Denali pants, you would probably be better off bringing a damn sleeping bag. (I think the Denali pants are a really good garment by the way.) A nice Warm one that would give you more bang/ warmth per ounce then the Denali pants or other similar garment. Think of it, you are injured or stranded, you are making camp. Suppose you've badly injured your leg or broke a wrist or an arm, are you going to want to fumble with zippers? Pulling things on and off a broken leg and possibly with a broken arm, hand, wrist may not be the most desirable thing to do.

You are going to need to bring some kind of closed cell pad with you to insulate yourself from the ground anyway (nothing can kill you quicker than laying on cold frozen ground for an extended period) and a bivy sack for shelter from wind and rain. Hell, wouldn't it be easier to slide into a sleeping bag at that point?
You could wear the clothes you are wearing with probably a little supplemental clothes fleece jacket, shell pants or shell jacket that you would have with you anyway.

There are many ways to solve this problem.

 

[Zer0-G]

How 'bout a selk'bag?

http://www.musuchouse.com/

http://us.gizmodo.com/gadgets/gadgets/selkbag-sleeping-bag-153211.php
http://www.tranism.com/weblog/archives/2006/02/selkbag.html

Interesting.
Similar to the Selk Bag is:

Nunatak Raku Apline Sleeping Bag. http://www.nunatakusa.com/Sleeping_Bag_Raku.htm

Problem being....Down!

I think, however, if you are alone you would probably want to avoid down. If you are with a group where group resources could be pooled, if there is an accident, you have a better chance keeping the down dry.