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https://www.neil.blog/full-speech-transcript/68-bits-of-unso...
Earlier quoted context omitted.
People overestimate their risk of an extreme situation occurring while hiking and underestimate their risk of being in an extreme situation in everyday life. They are roughly equal. So if you were really that concerned, you’d be wearing hiking pants everywhere, even when not hiking.
What? I’m a lot more likely to get cold and wet with no access to dry shelter 3 days into a 7 day thru hike in the Sierras than when I’m within a 15 minute walk of my car in the city.
I'm not even sure I needed to read the article, I agreed with title in terms of the specific application to hiking, and any other tenuous analogies one could come up with. Want to start going to the gym? Do it in jeans until they're too uncomfortable, then buy something that helps you keep the momentum going. How about running? Yep, jeans. Swimming? Maybe not honestly. Climbing/bouldering? Yep, although you might be…
Chances are, your first hike won't be under circumstances where it's dangerous to wear jeans or have the wrong gear. Also, the drawbacks of jeans can be experienced just going for a walk or being outdoors year-round. I hiked in jeans or shorts until I was about 50. Today, I wear hiking pants instead of jeans for everyday life. The benefits are noticeable. They last a lot longer, don't take stains as easily (bike chai…
I sweat a lot and hiking with jeans would feel disgusting.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
What? I’m a lot more likely to get cold and wet with no access to dry shelter 3 days into a 7 day thru hike in the Sierras than when I’m within a 15 minute walk of my car in the city.
sure, but the "do it first" hikes probably shouldn't be 7 day hikes through a mountain range.
It doesn't even have to be that cold to die of hypothermia. Just cold enough that your body can't maintain above 82°F. If immobile, like due to injury, that can happen at 50°F. Quite possible in the mountains, esp with windchill.
Sure, there are a lot of ifs in that scenario. But it does happen. And it is usually easy enough to buy polypro pants.
I'm not even sure I needed to read the article, I agreed with title in terms of the specific application to hiking, and any other tenuous analogies one could come up with. Want to start going to the gym? Do it in jeans until they're too uncomfortable, then buy something that helps you keep the momentum going. How about running? Yep, jeans. Swimming? Maybe not honestly. Climbing/bouldering? Yep, although you might be…
That said, appropriate gym wear is readily available at Wal-Mart. T-shirts, sweats, cotton athletic shorts. Ladies are going to want a sports bra, and may wish for leggings which my wife picks up for $5 a pair at Old Navy all the time.