My local surplus store has German moleskin trousers for £20 they seem to be the same as lots of sites on the net are touting and for about the same money. Are they any good and suitable for our use I know its not much £ but Im fed up with buying unsuitable clobber when I could pay a bit more and get stuff from a hiking climbing type shop
moleskin trousers
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if they are the ones made by Katz, then go for it. I've been covering my big a**e with them for years and have failed to wear a pair out.
only downside is they take a while to dry out.
only downside is they take a while to dry out.
i've got two pairs, they're very good, and they've got a knife pocket in the right hand thigh pocket. as fiacha said though, once they're wet, they're going to stay wet for a while.
You could try washing them through with the weatherproofing that's meant for ventile/polycotton rainwear. Shoe shops used to sell stuff that was sprayed onto the bottom of jeans and bags to stop the water soaking up. Any of these might help.
Cheers,
Toddy
Cheers,
Toddy
As the others have already said, they are pretty good - warm and tough but they soak up the water. My pair had some ventilation (?) holes in the crotch - gives a bit of a draft in some errrrm, delicate places in a strong wind!
Best thing about them though is that they are field grey rather than green or camo so you look a bit less of a toy soldier wearing them.
Best thing about them though is that they are field grey rather than green or camo so you look a bit less of a toy soldier wearing them.
I wear them too and they have busted a lot of brush while stalking and roving and so far, they wear like iron. Mine are green, but they aren't the dark olive like others I own. They also have the 3 holes each side of the crotch area, which helps to keep the prickly rash at bay when it's hot and the cotton is holding the sweat next to my skin.
I'm very jealous of you moleskin-owning people. I've been after a pair of moleskin pants (trousers) for a very long time ever since first reading about them on the web. But I've yet to find any. I don't purchase things online, I don't trust it, so my only option is surplus stores around here, but none of them carry much European gear. Oh well, such is life!
One of the North American bushcraft writers (Nessmuk? or maybe Calvin Rutstrum? - I'll have to look it up) recommended moleskin trousers of English manufacture. So they must have been available other there at one time.
They are very good when it is cold and dry. Mine are by 'Ratcatcher' and seem good.
They are very good when it is cold and dry. Mine are by 'Ratcatcher' and seem good.
Get the catalogue from Silvermans(www.military.co.uk) They do web orders, but also take orders by post, fax, telephone. They have a large stock although they are not the cheapest. They are reliable though.addyb said:
I have a pair of Katz moleskins and a pair of proper Bundeswehr suplus molekins which have washed to a light grey colour. Both are very warm, lots of pockets and ideal for moochig about in woods. They are too heavy for any distance walking/hiking in my opinion.
I'm a moleskin wearer in the winter, usually pick mine up from one of the game fairs and they last for years. It may not be particularly "bushcrafty" but if you're out in heavy rain, it's best to wear some kind of overtrouser or leggings. In those conditions rustling noises from these are less important and, unless you're a cape or poncho wearer, trousers otherwise become saturated from the drips from your rainproof jacket !....which defeats the object. Moleskins are much warmer in winter and get my vote.
