What is the Best Summer Work Pants?

[Freeborn]

Every year I end up baking in the sun wearing regular jeans and think there has to be a better solution. Who makes a durable work pant that is cooler than jeans and if possible dries out quickly.
I am thinking a lighter color would be cooler and would get me away from blue which deer flies love.
Thanks much.

 

[tooln]

I like these myself and they are tough. http://www.carhartt.com/products/carhartt-men-pants/Loose-Fit-Canvas-Carpenter-Jean-B159

 

[Jim Timber]

I wear shorts and deal with the dirt and scrapes. I like Columbia and Dockers cargo pocket shorts. You can skip a tool belt wearing them, so that's a bit less weight and heat retained.

I get a lot of my clothes at thrift stores too (I get double knee Dickies jeans at Millaca Unclaimed Freight). I don't have a problem grease staining up a $3-7 garment, although my wife is starting to give up trying to keep them clean. :D I tell her to not bother, but she still soaks my clothes. Usually the stuff I get starts out looking brand new. We've been pretty successful saving money going this route and I'm wearing the same stuff I'd buy anywhere else.

 

[browndog]

I have been wearing these for years. Very comfortable, come in various colors and are fairly reasonable.

https://www.propper.com/bdu-trouser-button-fly.html

 

[Shedder]

I wear splash pants and no underwear in the heat. I find them by far the best. Not too good in thorns maybe, but ok. You can wear 2 pair as a better wind break in cooler weather. I use wire ties to tighten them around my boots to help with snagging and bugs.

There are other quick dry nylons, like from Columbia, but they are pricey.

I get them for $10.00 or less at used clothing shops.

 

[bueller]

I wear shorts and deal with the dirt and scrapes. I like Columbia and Dockers cargo pocket shorts. You can skip a tool belt wearing them, so that's a bit less weight and heat retained.

I get a lot of my clothes at thrift stores too (I get double knee Dickies jeans at Millaca Unclaimed Freight). I don't have a problem grease staining up a $3-7 garment, although my wife is starting to give up trying to keep them clean. :D I tell her to not bother, but she still soaks my clothes. Usually the stuff I get starts out looking brand new. We've been pretty successful saving money going this route and I'm wearing the same stuff I'd buy anywhere else.

I do the shorts also.

 

[Satchmo]

Shorts & Deet.

 

[foggy]

I wear lightweight cotton cheapo pants (dungarees?) . I cannot do shorts in the woods.

 

[Booner21]

Lightweight military issue ACU's plenty of pockets and lighter than jeans. 10-15 bucks at mil surplus stores, I wear the heavy BDU's in the winter.

 

[SD51555]

Cabelas casuals aged khakis. About 30 bucks, take a ton of abuse and don't wear out. I just gave these the permethrin treatment tonight in the bathtub at the holiday inn.

 

[Freeborn]

I wear splash pants and no underwear in the heat. I find them by far the best. Not too good in thorns maybe, but ok. You can wear 2 pair as a better wind break in cooler weather. I use wire ties to tighten them around my boots to help with snagging and bugs.

There are other quick dry nylons, like from Columbia, but they are pricey.

I get them for $10.00 or less at used clothing shops.

I spend allot of time out in my prairie grass working on tree tubes and in the sun so no shade and very hot. Jeans get super hot and don't dry easy. These look like a good Idea and pretty cheap. Good idea with the zip ties, when walking in prairie grass you get a ton of junk down your shoes. I know some of these can be purchased with zip out legs so if you wanted shorts you could.

Going commando, when its baking hot, a great idea.

Thanks for the good ideas guys.

 

[foggy]

Could always just wear a breechclout.....that way a guy is always ready to do the rain dance and it'd be easier to find the ticks crawling on you. Likely use less permathrin too. ;)

Seriously......I cannot handle going commando.....I must be too old-fashioned or modest? o_O

 

[phil@thesidehill]

A lot of the 'tactical' stuff is lighter weight nylon/poly blends and usually are reinforced in the areas that take abuse. they dry easily and quickly and usually are fairly breathable. I stick to my carhartts, mountian khakis, or arborwear pants even in the hot weather. I have lighter versions of each. Cotton canvas with diamond guesset crotches are very durable and comfortable. I dont mind the heat as much as i mind bugs. lighter colors will help stay cooler and its easier to see ticks.

 

[Natty Bumppo]

I wear Carhartt logger pants and just deal with the heat. Probably not the smartest, but I like the protection I get from them. It's also not that hot around here in the summer and we almost always have a nice breeze, so overheating is rarely an issue.