Unless the universe is conspiring to tell me that I'm fat, I need to reevaluate my choice of climbing pants.

I've always climbed in my everyday clothes (think Gap jeans), on the thinking that it's my actual skill level holding me back, not my clothes or equipment. But between seat wear from my bicycle commute and a few high feet, I seriously opened up a pair of jeans on Bloody Mary. (A perfect opportunity for doing Shockley's, I'm told, but I'd just done it for the first time the day before.)

So: what should I wear? I need the room to move for wide/high feet and a full leg to protect from bugs and scrapes. Breathability is a plus. And it wouldn't hurt to look good/be wearable everyday. (This is what has kept me back from most "hiking" or "outdoors" pants. That and I'm cheap/poor, so having special purpose pants just isn't a great option.)

Should I suck it up and wear whatever EMS/REI/Rock and Snow sell? Should I get jeans that aren't pre-broken in, like Carhartts? Should climb in the nude and just try to ignore the black flies? Are there other options that I'm missing?

hammer pants like donald perry look awesome in photos.

My policy is that climb clothes are expendable. It's foolish to buy clothing just for climbing. Wear something old and comfortable. Know that it will wear out no matter what you do if you climb in it. Replace it with something similar.

http://www.rei.com/outlet/search?cat=22000007&cat=22000007_Hiking+and+Travel+Clothing&cat=22000059&cat=22000303&hist=cat%2C22000007%3AMen%27s+Clothing^cat%2C22000007_Hiking+and+Travel+Clothing%3AHiking+and+Travel+Clothing^cat%2C22000059%3ASportswear^cat%2C22000303%3AMen%27s+Pants

Stretchy, quick-dry pants are good to have. But I wouldn't be paying full retail for 'em, either ...

Light-weight soft shell type stuff works great but is rarely needed or a day trip. The old, stretchy nylon warm up pants from 30 years ago work just as well but good luck finding them.

I agree with oneophore. for me its old work clothes, jeans and carharts.

Pants? Who needs pants?

I definitely agree with the "not worth having special purpose stuff" sentiment. I think I just own so few pairs of pants with intact crotches that "old clothes" aren't an option.

Since I'm not legit enough for crimpy or Rickster's suggestions (never mind the drivers at the hairpin turn, I feel sorry for the belayer!), I'll see about a pair of Carhartts. My girlfriend said she had to break hers in using a cement mixer full of stones, but I suppose that's not too dissimilar to what climbing will do to them.

Well then, Carhart's white painters were haute couture once a long time ago, they're still readly available and they don't need any breaking in.

ive got a fantastic pair of mountain hardware pants. gusseted, draw string ankles, the works. they are great.

cotton feels best next to my skin, and penguins love fashionable wear (I love colors and patterns) so the only thing that's ever worked for me in long pants are the Think Pink. they also wear like iron, unbelievably. knee patches and reinforced everything. just picked up a new pair in Paris! my last pair that I got in Garmisch wore out after 10 years. these are lilac with the requisite checked pattern and patches in solid color. and I got another pair for a friend who was dogsitting for us. pay for the plane fare to go over to Europe to get them, it's worth it. you might even get some climbing in while you're there.

The issue here is that you were wearing jeans from the Gap. I blew out a pair of Gap jeans the first week I had them just walking around--and I'm no fatso at 6' tall 170 lbs. Their quality control is just shit. Stop buying things from them. I did.

I know it goes against your budgetary constraints, but pick up a pair of Prana climbing pants from Rock and Snow. They're good guys and the pants will last you a long time. Prana doesn't make my favorite ones anymore, but I have a pair of these. The cinch strap for the waist strap loosens up on its own, but other than that they're great. You'll be able to use them for years and come in at about the same cost as a C3.

-Anthony

patagonia jeans(etc) have a lifetime warranty!

Kuhl also makes some bomber pants, jeans, short pants and shorts in various fabrics. Maybe too many pockets for rock climbing, but pretty comfy, tough stuff.

Anthony,

How tall are you ? 30" inseam & 32" inseam
Dickie's makes some darn good pants too.
Does anyone else have page 1 of this thread displayed in D o u b l e W i d e format ?

Yep, pretty annoying. I have no idea why.

For real or in jest? If such a warranty has no escape clauses, then one pair will literally last a lifetime -- a good deal for the young.

for real, just bring the garment. definitely makes for money well spent.

Did you ever feel like you could not do something with a rack? It is true that weight counts, turtles aren't made for flying.

Blue jeans weigh 26 oz without the rack. But if you are going to fall it might be better to wear leather.

But My Reindeer women's long underwear [6 oz] or men's camo tights [6 oz] weigh 26 oz with a rack of 12 biners and 24 small nuts and they are fairly comfortable. I could not find any reasonable tights, but a camo type design works well. It is best to shop for these in the fall.

So, you will not be flashing the harder climbs in jeans because they can already outweigh my pants with a rack. You will be falling off seconds sooner than you otherwise would. I guess it depends on what you are trying to accomplish. Climb hard and get the gear in, or look cool and fall off.

you made me giggle allot....

These days you can find inexpensive lightweight nylon pants of all types, long, zipoff and shorts. No reason not to wear them in warm weather, and they last far longer than jeans.

Ive found that it's easier to them at good prices if you aren't athletically built, or you dont mind that they dont fit as though they were tailored for you with climbing in mind.

From a Patagonia webpage:

If you are not satisfied with one of our products at the time you receive it, or if one of our products does not perform to your satisfaction, you may return it to us for a repair, replacement or refund. Damage due to wear and tear will be repaired at a reasonable charge.

This is the so-called ironclad guarantee. Big &*&^^%%$#@ deal!

I believe that may be a smoke screen. Everything i have brought to the store in manhattan has been replaced, no questions asked with no receipt.

I have a friend who purchases things "in quantity". Can't tell you why, but he does. He just told me this last Wed. as we left the gym.

He had bought three Patagonia Super Alpine jackets not for long after they were first introduced, 80s or 90s. He was looking at them recently and realized that there were beginning to delaminate. He sent them back. A couple of weeks later he received a package from them with three brand new current model Super Alpine jackets, $1800 dollars worth at list price. He was flabbergasted. There had been no other communication and no signature, just an $1800 box left by UPS.

Another recent story. I had wanted to check out the DMM Chicane when they were announced, but I never got around to buying one. When I finally tried to mail order one, they were out of stock (though still listed) at the usual places and may have been discontinued. A few weeks ago I saw him in the gym and noticed he was using a belay device I didn't immediately recognize. Only took me a few seconds though to realize that is was a Chicane. I related to him I had wanted but couldn't find one. His anwer? Take this one I have six! I insisted on paying for it.

Julie's link is causing the wide page as UBB can't find a place to split it.

She should have posted it as a link, or used one of these to shorten the URL.
http://tinyurl.com/
https://bitly.com/

Myself, I wear specialized pants. Its a bitch for me to find jeans that fit (28" waist x 34" inseam), so when I find them I am not wasting them climbing since they get trashed SO fast.

Myself, I wear three pants for climbing outside (and I climb between 1-3x/week outside year round)

Patagonia Guide Rock Pants: they actually make them small enough for me, and they are BOMBER. I've worn them for 3 or 4 years now, constantly. They look absolutely brand new although they have been through offwidths, scumming into corners,....You name it, they've been through just about everything, from working routes a couple hundred feet off the deck in the snow, to when its 90F and I'm looking for the shade.

TNF V10 pants (which you can't buy anymore, I don't think): I usually only wear them when its hotter. Its nice that they are pretty lightweight fabric and the pants legs roll up and can be buttoned into place. Prettyt damn tough also.

Black Diamond Rock Pants (probaby 12years old and have been everywhere to working routes in the desert to climbing in Yosemite to approaches and climbing in Peru and Nepal). I think they will probably go another 10 years.

I figure these pants will probably last 5-20years, which in the long run makes them pretty damn cheap, especially since if I am doing routes with sections of offwidths, most pants get trashed REALLY fast.

Now there is that pink sheer tutu I've been looking at (SERIOUSLY)....

As for Patagonia's warranty. They have ALWAYS stood behind there stuff I've sent back (usually just a result of abuse that could be defined as excessive). I pay for shipping, they fix the stuff.

Sorry, Q, and everyone. It's not letting me edit it, or I'd delete it.

Does anyone else have page 1 of this thread displayed in D o u b l e W i d e format ?

Not me. UBB has its quirks, but not this one for my IE8 browswer. This entire thread fits onto one page so far.

Never jeans.
I have some Stonemaster knickers that I like. Got two pair of previous model for about 1/2 price. http://tinyurl.com/6oyfvo9
In cooler weather, I just wear whatever old longer baggy pants I have.

Does anyone else have page 1 of this thread displayed in D o u b l e W i d e format ?

Yes. Both in Firefox and IE. Bad Julie. Bad.

Never wear cotton pants !
Just plain polyester or nylon .

never,do you break dance?

Since someone else bumped this thread, I figure I should give an update: I realized I had a pair of Sprayway "Compass" hiking pants from a different time that I tore my pants on a climbing trip. They're very sturdy and lightweight. They survived White Pillar and Yellow Ridge with ease. They're a little tight at the waist, but that could be my fault.