Airflow in the centennial pants -- not for cold weather

[BartHumphries]

I recently purchased a motorcycle and have now had the opportunity to ride around a bit wearing some different generic bluejeans and the new centennial pants that're in the store now, while in 20 degree weather (and then add the wind chill on top of that). The centennial pants are not really designed to work well with cold weather.

[ScoutBox]

I'll tell you this. The new shirt and pants are light weight, and not made for wearing in the WInter. The shirt is comfortable, and was great to have last SUmmer Staffing Woodbadge. But the pants are to fragile. First time I wore them I was walking through the forest, and after that short hike the pants were left ruined with small bits of materiel pulled out..

[Basementdweller]

WOW I choked on my coffee reading this........

 

your seriously going to complain that the centennial pants are cold in 20 degree weather while riding your motorcycle. At 55 mph and air temp of 20 your windchill effect is -3 to -20 depending on which chart you follow. I know with out my brush busters on the bike in the winter my fingers freeze in a few minutes even with the electric gloves.

 

[KC9DDI]

So clothing that's comfortable in warm weather isn't so comfortable in cold weather?

[BartHumphries]

The pants aren't even comfortable in warm weather. You have to unzip them into shorts for that. So, they don't really work in warm weather, they don't really work in cold weather, where are they good?

 

Meanwhile, blue jeans work great in the cold and work pretty well even in hot weather (as long as I don't try to go in a long run with them).

 

If they came out with Scout blue jeans at a comparable price to the Cub Scout Jeans (I realize they'd likely have to charge more because it's more cloth), I would absolutely switch to Scouter blue jeans instead of the Centennial pants.

[ScoutBox]

@BartH. Jeans are first too heavy, and the cotton material make then horrible for outdoor activities. They hold on to dampness, and are cold to wear in winter. I think that you just need to get proper clothing for the bike ridding, and wear shorts or scout pants with your Scout Uniform. I love the Centennial Switchbacks for outdoor activities. I have even worn them on very long hicks over several days and find they work very well. The newer pants I don't like so much. The pockets are in the wrong place, and the material is a bit delicate.

[BartHumphries]

I looked at those Switchback pants, but they have a cheesy built in elastic belt. I like heavier pants, pants that feel "tougher". I've never been bothered by a bit of damp -- even in snow hiking, as long as I'm not trudging through deep snow, my jeans rarely get damp enough for me to even feel anything in my socks. I think that air whipping through my pants from a cold breeze blowing would cool me off a lot faster than some dampness. That being said, I like a tough pair of pants, ones where I can roll around on the ground doing Indian stick wrestling or sit crosslegged in the dirt without worrying about whether I'm going to stand up with a big hole in my pants. I get that with jeans but I don't get that with the Centennial pants.

[ScoutBox]

Bart, I have a lot of years wearing clothes in the Outdoors, starting with my carrier in the Army, and getting so wet that it took days for cold wet BDU pants to dry, and my last 15 years hiking and working int eh outdoors. I understand what you mean about tough clothes. I wear light weight in the Spring summer, Wools in the fall winter, and G-Tex pants in the cold wet /snowy winter months. I don't allow anyone I travel outdoors with hiking, camping to wear jeans.

[SSScout]

Motorcycling in cold weather.... ha, there's the memories...

 

Wind proof, covering wool and insulation.

 

TOP: Sweaters, down vest, Baxter State Parka, Sperry Topsider hip-long yellow slicker.

 

BOTTOM: Wool socks, over-ankle boots, long pants and then my

overpants:

Take the biggest blue jeans you can buy (I got 52" waist by 36" long) to pull over normal pants and boots. Put'em on, sit down (bend knees) and mark where knees are on pulled tight legs. Cut Ensolite 1/2" closed cell foam to fit inside pants where knees will be. Clip edges of the foam so it will 'fold' over your knee neatly. Sew and tape Ensolite into pantlegs. Add suspenders to pants as appropriate. Note that now your knees are never cold, legs are much warmer. And, you can partially disrobe at your destination without embarrassment. I still have mine after 20 plus years and wear'em for snow shoveling, etc.

Next choice, go to your Surplus store and seek out German Wehrmarkt winter hosen. Double wool, plastic sheeting, multi pockets, really nice. Hard to find.

[BartHumphries]

That's a good idea.

[Jay K]

I DID see "Scout" Blue jeans (non-uniform) on the ScoutStuff web site.

[BartHumphries]

For adults or Cub Scouts?

[perdidochas]

While our boys do usually wear them as shorts, the Centennial pants I think are pretty practical. Then again, we are in north Florida.