REI Sahara Convertible Pants

If you are still hiking or backpacking with jeans your next piece of gear most certainly should be pants. Jeans and other cotton products might be comfortable for day to day activities but they are poorly suited for the trail. Cotton gets wet and stays wet. Which means not only does it absorb rain and other environmental hazards it also absorbs sweat. Cotton takes more than 24 hours to air dry.

About 6 months ago I picked up a pair of REI Sahara pants. I am usually hesitant to buy store brand items but I liked the feel of them when I tried them on and also the price. These pants are made of Supplex Nylon. This allows for drying in minutes and provides immunity to odors. The versatility of transforming into shorts with little effort make these my go to pants during any season. Cargo pockets along the legs and standard pants pockets ensure you will have plenty of room for your gear. I love having a belt built into the pants. To tighten I just cinch the slack end and I have a perfect fit.

When venturing into materials other than cotton a common concern is durability. Intially I was concerned that my $60 pants would be burned or torn to shreds after only a few trips. I can honestly report that these pants can resist burning embers and marches through sticker bushes. I have yet to have a rip, hole, or tear.

My only critique of these pants is the gigantic bottom half. The section from your knee to your boot is very wide. This is typical of most convertible pants but these are much larger than usual. Normally the price for these pants is $60 but as of writing this post they are on sale for $40. I highly recommend this product.

Performance:7.5
Quality:8
Weight:7.5
Price:8.5
Tilt:8.5

Total:8

REI $40, 12.875oz

ExOfficio Boxer Briefs

Today I would like to share with you my thoughts on a life changing pair of boxer/briefs. I know you must think I am mad but I cannot be anymore sincere. To properly explain my aforementioned bold statement I must get a little personal. I am about 5'7" and weigh 230 pounds. While I am strong and some of my weight is muscle, I have quite a bit of fat as well. As a heavy person I used to be the victim of inner thigh chaffing. What made things worse was my propensity to sweat without cause. When combining skin to skin contact and moisture, pain and suffering will ensue. While I always enjoyed backpacking, hours and hours of hiking would cause so much pain my trip would be close to ruined. My 12 hour shifts at the hospital would be spent in agony.

Enter the ExOfficio boxer/briefs...my life has been changed. These boxer/briefs have eliminated all skin to skin contact and moisture. Not only has my backpacking trips become endlessly more enjoyable but my daily life has vastly improved as well.

I have owned this product for about 6 months. Right away most people will be turned off by the price at $25 a pair...but worth every penny. Now that the only downside is out of the way lets get to the good stuff. ExOfficio has really made a durable product. I Have been rotating 3 pairs daily for 6 months. They get washed between each use so each pair has seen the washing machine, dryer, and actual use very heavily. I have seen no break down of the elastic. None of the fabric has been ripped or worn. The little logo has faded overtime but this has no effect on performance.
The comfort level is nothing short of sublime. The boxer/briefs feel like a second skin but are designed to give my boys plenty of room. These are more comfortable than any cotton boxers I have worn. During running, hiking, and working I have not had to re-adjust these.
No matter how much you sweat these boxer/briefs will wick all moisture away. The 94% nylon/6% spandex mix allow for quick drying and will not retain odors.

I have categorized this product as ultralight. The reason for this is not because they are that much lighter than cotton boxers (they are about an ounce less). The other reason they are ultralight is I only need one pair in addition to the one I start with, no matter if the trip is two days or two weeks. Wearing a pair all day then washing before bed ensures I always have a clean pair.

I give this product my highest recommendation. Spending $25 dollars now will provide daily comfort for many years to come.

Performance: 9.5
Quality: 9.5
Weight: 8
Price: 4
Tilt:10

Total: 8.2

REI $25, 2.875 oz.