dubxion Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Hi- So I probably will get out on colder overnights maybe 1-2 times per year, and didn't really want to spend $150-$250 on some OR/Pat. insulated pants. Anyone tried military surplus insulated pant liners before? Just curious. Like these I guess at $9 a pop it's worth giving a try to see how they do, then donate to Goodwill or someone needing to keep warm on the street. Heck, buy 2 and donate at least one! The other option would be some DIY pants using some pajamas as a pattern and ordering some primaloft and light nylon material. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
num1mc Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 (edited) How cold is it going to be, and what are you going to be doing? Most outdoor activities generate enough warmth that you'll be ok with long johns. Those military pants are for sitting in a ball turret waiting for one of Goring's Me's to show up. Edited November 14, 2014 by num1mc Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Beckerich Posted November 14, 2014 Share Posted November 14, 2014 Yep... you'll find those are of limited use in the mountains. They're a mid-layer, with no weather protection.. so depending on your system, you'll need to take your shell pants off to put them on, them put your shell back on.. and the reverse to get them off, once you're sweating your ass off. Very impractical. I have no idea what your climbing looks like, but I'll share a learning process I experienced. The only times I've ever put on my insulated pants have been when sitting still for a lot longer than you ever should have to, in the mountains. Basically, when you fuck up, is about the only time you'll bust them out. And in my experience, insulated pants, even good mountaineer-specific pants, aren't warm enough for that... you will still freeze your everlovin' ass off and be miserable and get no sleep. So I don't generally take insulated pants anymore- if there's any risk of unplanned bivy, I just take a bag. Even my heaviest bags are less than 3lbs, and my insulated pants weigh at least half of that.. so it's not even a huge penalty for being able to actually stay warm if you did fuck up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubxion Posted November 15, 2014 Author Share Posted November 15, 2014 (edited) Thanks for the thoughts! So I'm fresh from CO and from being completely addicted to hut trips I have a fairly limited winter overnight kit going. I'm back to being a student, so cost is a big factor. Mostly it'll be volcano overnight trips and overnight ski tours (planned overnight). was planning on just doing a DAS parka, insulated pants, then maybe a 40deg bag over all that if needed. Sleeping in a mega/betamid. From one wet & snowy trip last year, synthetic pants would have been good to throw on under my shell when sitting around and drying out. Don't want to have excess insulation so thought that combo might work. I layer pretty light when active. Maybe just a DIY a half sleeping bag w/ synthetic insulation might work just as well in combo w/ the das parka. Thanks again for ideas! Edited November 15, 2014 by dubxion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
OlympicMtnBoy Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Hey, for nine bucks why not give them a shot. I used to use something similar on ice cragging days when I knew I'd be standing around belaying a lot. Then I got a pair of mill surplus primaloft pants off eBay that were actually made by wildthings with epic shell, $50. Those things were super puffy though and actually to warm. Now I more frequently use a pair of full zip nylon shelled fleece lined pants from patagonia that I got at goodwill. Why spend a ton you don't have, you are gonna tear www.Up with your crampons at some point anyways! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubxion Posted November 15, 2014 Author Share Posted November 15, 2014 (edited) Yep, found the wild things pants on ebay. Yeah, if they're too warm & heavy, might not be that great... OTOH, might be able to obviate the sleeping bag! I'll probably just try a few things out and see what works. Edited November 15, 2014 by dubxion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Beckerich Posted November 15, 2014 Share Posted November 15, 2014 Wow... that seems like a good way to go. Can't beat $50. Not going to take the place of bag, though.. no pant can ever be warm enough to do what a bag does. But that's a pretty simplistic statement. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dubxion Posted November 15, 2014 Author Share Posted November 15, 2014 (edited) Oops, I meant that (replacing a bag) more in the way of pairing with a das parka unless it's looking really cold (as in PNW really cold- teens and lower). Anyway, we'll experiment and see! Just have to make sure the costs of experimenting doesn't push me up to where a new pair of pants would have been just as good :-p Edited November 15, 2014 by dubxion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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