Need some new trousers

[John Fenna]

THREAD DREDGE

On the look out for a pair of bushy type trousers myself for a forthcoming adventure. I will be going to variously snowy and wet places, but spring will be breaking and I will have merino base, so don't need anything lined or too warm.

My basic question is this – a lot of the recommendations herein (JP Countryman, Hoggs of Fife, Arborwear Treeclimbers) got me excited by new alternatives to Fjallraven and swedteam prices, however I see they are all 100% cotton - is this not a problem in wet weather with drying times?

Who has any of these trousers and how do they fare in conditions where it rains more than not? If its not an issues I may go for some countryman as i like the look and spec of them, in which case the hardshell version or the normal??

If not, I guess i'll go poly cotton with some 5.11 PDU or some M65s.

THANKS GANG

Go for the "normal " Countryman trousers - the hard shell are waterproof overtrousers

 

[warnerbot]

Thanks, but are the normal 100% cotton? they are referred to as 'cotton canvas' but i can't find any info on whether they have any poly in them...

 

[John Fenna]

Canvas is a description of the weave - the fibre is cotton.
If you want to get pedantic then you cannot have Cotton Canvas as the name Canvas derives from "Cannabis" and describes a hemp fabric.
Canvas is now used as a description of a plain weave of just about any fibres - as opposed to a different weave such as "Twill".
The trousers are 100% cotton with polyester patches on wear areas

 

[DR2501]

In fairness, the BG ones aren't supposed to be knee pads - they're actually stretch panels. If you want knee pads look at workman's trousers?

 

[boney gumbo mcgee]

If I am static camping/bushcraft situation I use old surplus cotton ones a favourite for me are the swedish army ones for the loose cut. If I am hiking I use Portwest Action trousers that are poly cotton. I use them also for my job as a gardener they are very hard wearing, have knee pad pockets, plenty of pockets and are not that expensive.

 

[Blaidd]

A newbie question. I've always known that jeans are a no-no on the hills, heat sapping when wet, hot when hot. So my question is if denim cotton is bad, what makes all these other cotton trousers OK? (I've been wondering this for years, put me out of my misery!)

 

[big_swede]

A newbie question. I've always known that jeans are a no-no on the hills, heat sapping when wet, hot when hot. So my question is if denim cotton is bad, what makes all these other cotton trousers OK? (I've been wondering this for years, put me out of my misery!)

They aren't. They will be as slow drying and sensitive to wear as jeans. The only small difference is that canvas is a plain weave cloth so it's a bit stronger than the twill that denim is woven in. But jeans aren't terrible, I've been at the summit of newton toppen (map) in jeans in winter.

The only thing cotton got going for it compared to modern materials is spark- and fire resistance. That and nostalgia, which is of course a huge part of this make-believe hobby of ours.

Cotton canvas is not hard wearing btw. Compared to poly-amid or polyester it's really is not good in that aspect.

 

[Blaidd]

Cheers for that!