Comments on: 20 Year Long Term Review: Discount Store Running Shorts

By: Paul Mags

Paul Mags — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 18:08:24 +0000

In reply to Another Kevin. Ha! Less useful...no matter the price.

By: Another Kevin

Another Kevin — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 18:06:05 +0000

The last time I bought a pair of Darn Tough factory seconds, they were two different sizes! I’d really like to know who got the other pair just like them – maybe they needed the small ones, or at least one of us could get a wearable pair?

Of course this was in Northfield. Maybe TJ Maxx’s ‘seconds’ are a grade above this.

Love me some Darn Toughs, though!

By: Another Kevin

Another Kevin — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 15:37:30 +0000

In reply to Paul Mags. Yeah, gear that one man swears by, another man swears at.

By: Paul Mags

Paul Mags — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 15:36:04 +0000

In reply to Another Kevin. I know people who swear by convertible pants. They never fit me well or work for me. A literal case of YMMV.

By: Another Kevin

Another Kevin — Mon, 15 Apr 2019 15:28:56 +0000

I still use nylon convertible hiking pants. With my hiking style tending toward shorter trips on rougher trails or routes (and I hike in the East, not in the desert), I find that maybe 80% of the time, I’m wearing the trouser legs. When it’s hot and I’m on a clear trail, I can zip them off and that’s less weight overall than carrying a separate pair of shorts.

But I just love C9 unmentionables. Light, cheap, do the job. Cheap enough to toss when they get stinky beyond the power of a machine wash and a vinegar rinse to clear.

By: Paul Mags

Paul Mags — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 23:44:10 +0000

In reply to Scott.

But then again it looks good on lighterpacks…..

Ha! No doubt.

By: Paul Mags

Paul Mags — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 23:32:53 +0000

In reply to LarryBoy. The C9 brand used to make some, too! TJ Maxx is also good for darn tough factory seconds.

By: LarryBoy

LarryBoy — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 22:57:44 +0000

Running shorts that have both 1) a liner and 2) pockets are the magic unicorn of the hiking world. Tough to find but oh so lovely. TJ Maxx is where I’ve had the best luck.

By: Scott

Scott — Thu, 11 Apr 2019 05:09:58 +0000

Truth be told, I’m a bit of a gear junkie. I’m fortunate enough to have worked in the outdoor industry for over 20 years, which often provides substantial discounts. As a result I have tried a lot of different gear at little cost to myself by trying items and passing on the savings to someone else on often times slightly used gear.
My experience parallels yours, more often than not I have chosen a less expensive simpler item to rely on season after season.
The $20 100 weight fleece covers 90+% of the bases that a $150 fleece does; thereby increasing the “value” it represents.
I have spent a lot of time, and trial and plenty of error finding the sweet spot for best bang for your buck solutions to affordable lightweight functional systems that work for my 3 season applications.
The rising popularity of vlogging thru hikes and gear lists seems to drive people towards a few select items that make most top 10 lists and often carry a premium price tag.
If one looks beyond the list it is easy to find 90% of the functionality at a 10-15% weight penalty, with a 50% savings.
To your point, why pay the 50% premium to get a nominal improvement.

But then again it looks good on lighterpacks…..