[at-l] Clothes for the AT

[Art Cloutman]

I started my thru hike with convertible pant/shorts.  Damp crouch 
proved to be an issue early on.  As weather improved, rashes and 
fungus made hiking very uncomfortable.  I tried hiking with shorts 
and no underwear.  That did not work.  So, I tried hiking with 
underwear and no shorts/pants.  That seemed to work fine except for 
the embarrassing moments like when I encountered a troupe of 15 
college girls on an orientation hike in southern Virginia.  So, in 
Harper's Ferry I purchased a hiking kilt from the Outfitter in town, 
Baltimore Jack was working there at the time.   I tried commando 
beneath the kilt but found that very uncomfortable.  Wearing good 
wicking underwear worked very well.  Fellow hikers were very 
understanding but I got some strange looks in larger towns like 
Hanover where students with their parents were returning to campus 
for the beginning of classes.

Wicking underwear works very well.  But when you put a layer of 
clothing over the wicking fabric it's ability to remove moister from 
those delicate areas is greatly reduced.  So, in the extremely hot 
days, excessive perspiration encouraged the growth of fungus 
producing rashes that can make hiking very uncomfortable.  I 
discovered a preventative application of antifungal creme - stuff 
used for athlete's foot- worked very well.  But I really enjoyed 
hiking in a kilt.  I wore the kilt when I summitted Katahdin on 
October 25th.  I did wear long johns under the kilt for additional 
warm, there was snow on the summit.



>This is another YMMV issue.
>
>Many (I  suspect maybe a majority) like/use those convertible pants/shorts.
>
>I don't.
>
>As the late day cooling calls for long pants, I would rather have a pair with
>a dry crouch.  Just putting dry leg extensions on still damp sweated up shorts
>doesn't do a thing for my comfort level.
>
>Ditto crossing a stream.  Off come the pants and socks. On goes the shorts and
>the crocs, or boots w/o socks.  Cross that damn cold stream.  Off comes the
>wet shorts.  Towel off.  On goes the long pants.  On go the dry socks w/ a
>plastic bag, homemade syl nylon socks, etc between them and the boots.
>
>Chainsaw
>
>
>
>
>----- Original Message -----
>From: "Tom Mantooth" <tom.mantooth at comcast.net>
>To: "AT-l" <at-l at backcountry.net>
>Sent: Friday, September 01, 2006 6:21 PM
>Subject: [at-l] Clothes for the AT
>
>
>>>
>SNIP
>I plan to
>use the hiking clothes with zip of legs on the pants and zip off sleeves
>on the shirt.  I felt that would be lighter than carrying both long and
>short.
>SNIP
><<
>
>
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-- 

Life is Good!!!
Art Cloutman